As the winter months bring a close to another exciting Michigan RV season, we reflect on all of the great memories a summer on the road can provide: connecting with family and friends over a campfire, swimming in the refreshing waters of our lakes and rivers, or blazing the trails of our exquisite forests.

But it is also during these times that we begin to realize all the activities, festivals, and adventures we just didn’t have time to pack in. So while your rig is nestled away for the winter, now’s the time to plan for next year. Make a Bucket List of places and activities you or members of your family would like to go, or formulate changes you’d like to make to your camping experience – while the ideas are still fresh in your mind.

Here are a few to help you get started:

  1. Try a new outdoor activity: Michigan is known for beautiful landscapes – beaches, water, and trails galore – so step outside your rig and discover a new hobby. Take the family kayaking, or grab your favorite four-legged friend and go on a hike. Or test out your golf swing at one of Michigan’s premier golf courses. Whatever your interests, take some time next season to have fun and discover new a new hobby, or resurrect one from your past!
  2. Let your co-pilot take the wheel: Make it a goal that next summer your co-pilot learns to drive your tow vehicle or your RV. Not only is it a safeguard – in case anything unexpected were to happen – but also a great way for the driver to explore the sights they normally miss, while the other gets to experience the thrills of driving or hauling a home on wheels.
  3. Explore roadside attractions: Is there an attraction you always pass en route to the campground but never take the time to check out? Next season, make a pit stop. Maybe it’s a scenic overlook or a roadside oddity. Take the time to explore it.
  4. Do what the locals do: Next season, blend in with the local crowd and explore the hidden gems of a city, the ones few other tourists know about. Your campground should be able to help you find some hole-in-the-wall restaurants or diners that offer cuisine unique to the area. And take the time to walk around the town, shop at local stores, or find a farmer’s market. All of these things will give you a greater sense of the local community and help you feel more at home.
  5. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day: This seems like a simple enough task, but very few actually take the time to do it, especially in the summer. Camping is about experiencing the marvels of Michigan, and what better way to do it than this?

If you find yourself near Mackinaw City next summer, stop by the Headlands International Dark Sky Park – a 600-acre park on the shores of Lake Michigan, protected by a lighting ordinance. The park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and free to everyone. Once the sun goes down, the sky becomes illuminated and grants viewers a sight like none other!

What adventures have you scheduled for next season? Comment on our Facebook page and share the bucket list items you can’t wait to check off!