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Month: May 2021

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Historic Dive Bar Road Trip Through Michigan’s Thumb

Dive Into Michigan’s Mitt!

The history of Michigan’s thumb is filled with booms and busts from the logging and shipping industries. With the boom come these quaint small towns, filled with eager workers. With the bust comes forgotten historical buildings and bars with old-timey charm. Some of these bars have made it through to the 21st century despite being off the beaten path and we think they deserve a showcase! So here are The Weekend Route’s top 3 historical dive bars in Michigan’s Thumb.

Photo by: @beautifuldivebars

Starting off our dive bar road trip in Detroit, Michigan with Abick’s Bar. Abick’s has been owned and operated by the same family for 111 years now and their commitment to treating customers like family holds strong. Abick’s is known in the neighborhood for being the place where people can come together, laugh and chat with each other and have an honest home-cooked meal.

Photo by: @ulrichtk

Manya Abick, the daughter of the original owners of Abick’s, was born in 1921 to Polish immigrant parents. She started working in the family business at 18. She continued to run the bar well into her 90’s, making homemade chilli and greeting customers until her death in 2014. Everyone who comes to visit Abick’s still remembers Manyas warmth and continues to uphold the familial atmosphere at Abick’s. The bar fell victim to the wood panelling craze in the 50’s, its eclectic decor and “my uncle’s house” feel to the bar now earns it its dive bar status.

Photo by: @beautifuldivebars

Detroit’s oldest family-operated bar is the best place to start off our list of Historic dive bars in Michigan, so enjoy a pint, have a gander at the wealth of history on the walls from the Abick family and don’t forget to leave a tip on the old brass cash register

Bringing us to the historic Forester Inn, in Forester, Michigan and the tragic ghost story of Minnie Quay. The Forester inn was built in 1871 by George Tanner when Forrester was a booming lumber town. Shortly after its construction, the inn witnessed one of the most tragic events in the history of Forester, the drowning of Minnie Quay. Minnie was a young 15-year-old girl who had fallen madly in love with a sailor who frequently docked in Forester. Her parents greatly disapproved of him and did not allow her to see him off on his final trip. In the spring of 1876, Minnie had heard word that his boat had sunk in the great lakes. Broken-hearted, Minnie walked through the town of Forrester, even waving to patrons of the Forester Inn as she passed, before she headed to the docks and jumped into the icy water.

Photo by: @minniequay

The Forester Inn we know today is a lovely little staple in the sleepy town of Forester. Being out of the way of the major highway it’s often overlooked by tourists and as a result filled with happy smiling locals looking for a pint. It has definitely earned the title of dive bar and has yet to be updated and remodelled, giving it a historic charm. The locals recommend having a pint, nodding to the moose head on the wall and ordering the Walleye dinner. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Minnie, wandering the streets.

Photo by: Dennis Molloy on Facebook

Our last bar on the tour is The Hitching Post Inn, in Elkton, Michigan. The Hitching Post Inn was originally established in 1917 but has since undergone some renovations. The building is one of the newer ones on our list and despite the renovations, it still gives off an old-time pub feel, with some of the best eats around! It still boasts older wood, panelling and stained glass which create the historical atmosphere. The eclectic decor and award-winning pizza will make this one unforgettable stop.

Hitching Post Inn

When taking the route less travelled it’s important to immerse yourself in the history of the local land, and what better way to do that than by supporting the town’s local watering hole! Despite boom and bust the historical dive bars of Michigan’s thumb are persevering, changing to keep up with the times but staying true to their historical roots.

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3 Summer Boozy, BBQ, Camping Experiences in Northern Ontario

Enjoying Summer in Northern Ontario

Who doesn’t love a BBQ with some good beer, good company all while in mother nature’s scenic backyard? Northern Ontario is the number one place to have an authentic adventure in nature, or kick back and enjoy the lakeside scenery. Due to its size, it can be overwhelming to try and plan the perfect weekend getaway with your family or friends.

There are almost too many places in the north to choose from so we did the research for you! Here are three curated camping adventures that you can take with your family and friends. You’ll have the inside scoop on where to set up your tent, get the best craft beer and butcher cuts. All you have to do is bring the charcoal.

Our first adventure is over near North Bay, ON at the Lazy Rock Campground. Here at Lazy Rock they offer tenting, RV and roofed accommodations. Lazy Rock is right on the shore of Taggart Lake, and the campground has a beautiful sandy beach as well as ATV / dirt bike trails and canoe/kayak rentals (just don’t drink and paddle).

If you want to go off the campground, the Eau Clair Gorge Conservation area is nearby with plenty of hiking trails. A quick 40-minute drive into the city of North Bay is where you can pick up the provisions! Stop off at Near North Meats for the highest quality beef, chicken and pork and don’t forget to bring the spice rub! The New Ontario Brewing Company, in the heart of North Bay, has your back when it comes to brews. You can get a 12 or 24 taster pack with a variety of their beer, or pick your own cans! (take a second to appreciate their hilarious beer names and interesting can art, Eye of Sour On, we’re looking at you).

The New Ontario Brewing Company

Our second experience is on the biggest island in a freshwater lake – Manitoulin Island! Our campground of choice would have to be Gordon’s Campground, not only because of their great rates but also because of the wealth of camping options they have. Dark sky camping? Tipi tents? Cabins? BnB? Bunkie? They have anything and everything. Not only do they have some unique camping experiences, but they also give you a ton of thank you perks like free wifi at the main office, charging stations, eco showers and comfortable flush toilets (we know you miss those out in the wild).

As for campground activities, they have a beautiful nature center and hiking trails, volleyball net, horseshoe, kids playground, pool and mini-putt. But being on Manitoulin Island you won’t want to stay on the campground the entire time. Get out and explore Manitoulin Island! Watch the ferry come in at South Baymouth, go fossil hunting at Bridal Veil Falls in Kagawong, or try and find the geocache box on the Cup and Saucer trail near Little Current.

While you’re out though, don’t forget to pick up the cuts and beer! Manitoulin Meat Boss has you covered when it comes to the finest cuts of chicken, beef and lamb as well as other fireside snacks like pepperettes, cheese and deli meats. Split Rail Brewing is bringing the beer! Stop by their shop in Gore Bay. Try their gold pilsner, it’s the perfect summer beer!

 

Photo by: @gordons_park

 

Photo by: @cheerscharlie

Our last experience is far up north near Thunder Bay, ON. Before you head out to the campground stop at North Country Meat Shop to stock up on snacks like kielbasa and salami. Here you have to try something other than your traditional BBQ meats though. North Country offers wild game like deer, moose and bear so you have to spring out the extra cash to try these Northern Ontario delicacies. Nothing goes better with BBQ than local brews so stop by Dawson Trail Craft Brewery to pick up some craft brew cans. Their “Bae’s Haze” is the perfect hazy IPA for summer.

Click together your tent poles at Wolf River Campground. They have 50 tent sites, modern showers, a playground and a beach on site. Located in Dorian (about 75Km east of Thunder Bay) it’s well out of the way of the noisy city. Dorian is a bit far from Thunder Bay and all the popular T-Bay activities but it’s better to stay off the beaten track. Wolf River campground is very close to Amethyst Mine Panorama where you can mine for your own amethyst, Ouimet Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the North) or head out to find the elusive Wolf River Falls hike.

Photo by: @kforchange

 

Photo by: @kat_yavorskaya

We hope you can make the most of your summer (or offseason if you want a challenge) and enjoy some of these curated off-the-beaten-track adventures your family and friends are sure to love.

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The Weekend Route – Episode 3: Islantis

Exploring the Ida Walker Shipwrecks on Lake Ontario in Trenton

The blue water and sunny skies of Lake Ontario were the perfect backdrop to an adventure lover’s day packed with water sports, diving, and eating. Beginning near Presqu’ille Point, at the mouth of Weller’s Bay, our Weekend Route travellers headed out across the smooth waves on kayaks and SUP boards to find the shipwreck of Ida Walker.

This 70-foot boat that sank in 1886 is under 10 feet of water and is marked by a buoy making it visible to spot on a clear day. Unfortunately, the buoy was moved the day our team went out, but if you go, we recommend you bring a compass to find the exact location!

Even though it wasn’t possible to see the shipwreck, it was still an amazing experience to glide across Lake Ontario on seeing the shoreline from the water.

After a full morning of hunting for shipwrecks, everyone had built up quite an appetite and Matt and Dug headed into Trenton to check out the local food scene. They went to a variety of places to curate their own four-course meal and eat it at the scenic Centennial Park that overlooks Trenton River and Lake Ontario.

Their picnic began with the best part of any meal, dessert. Using fresh hot espresso from the Grind and Vine and little ice cream cups, they created a delicious affogato treat which they named the ‘Centennial Park Pour Over’ and had paired it with a sticky ginger caramel dessert.

For an appetizer, they tried little chicken sandwiches from the Golden Chicken & Ribs, and Donairs from Nova Deli both received glowing reviews.

For the main course, they feasted on huge sandwiches from Trenton Delicatessen, which were packed high with deli meats. Both a tasty meal and great value.

Discovering Trenton through a water adventure to find shipwrecks was a great way to explore a different part of Ontario and try new foods. This is a great day trip for anyone who loves the water, being active, and wants to try something completely unique!

Gear

To enjoy Lake Ontario and find the Ida Walker shipwreck bring your own life jackets, SUP board, and or kayaks, a waterproof phone case, water shoes, water backpack, sunscreen, wetsuit, bathing suit, and a compass.

Interesting Fact

The closest town to the Ida Walker Shipwrecks that sank in 1886 is Trenton, which is known for its vineyards and beautiful beaches.

The Ida Walker Shipwreck is just outside of Trenton Ontario, which is a city on the coast of Lake Ontario. This location is approximately 2 hours from Toronto and is nearly a halfway point to Ottawa.

Near the shipwrecks is the popular Presqu’ile Provincial Park and the shipwrecks can be found near Prequ’ile Point, at the mouth of Weller’s Bay.

To get to the shipwrecks you can park your car in the open field on the West side of the road at Weller’s Bay Campground. (65 Carter Rd, Carrying Place, ON K0K 1L0) at the campground across the road, you can rent kayaks or pay $5-10 to launch your boat. Once on the water, the shipwreck is usually marked with a white buoy and is near Bald Head Beach.

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The Weekend Route – Episode 2: Mountains of Schnitzel

Exploring Northumberland Forest & The Schnitzel Shack

Matt and Dug decided their next trip was to Port Hope from Belleville – and they began their journey by using the very convenient hop-on, hop-off feature offered by VIA Rail. This made their journey to Port Hope seamless as they were able to relax on the train and enjoy their lunch on the way to their destination (and Chef Matt couldn’t resist showing off his skills mid-ride).

Ideal Bike

Once in Port Hope, our Adventurers stopped to pick up fat bikes for some forest trail excursions, from Ideal Bike. If they had it their way, they would still be biking around The Weekend Route! Matt picked up fresh trout from Linwood Acres Trout Farm in Port Hope and got apples from Moore Orchards for another signature campfire dish.

The boys made their way to the Northumberland Forest where paths brought them to a mountain lookout that had stunning views of Lake Ontario and the trees below.

Lookout Mountain

Many people who visit the Lookout Mountain Trail walk the 2.3 km of trails, however biking the well-maintained paths was a fun and unique way to soak in the nature around Port Hope.

At the top, our adventurers needed to refuel and Chef Matt whipped up a fresh meal of fish and chips made with the local ingredients on a campfire. He used the campfire to cook the trout and give it a sweet flavour by caramelizing a lemon. Paired with a mouth-watering aioli, they finished off their meal by sampling beers from William Street Brewery from Cobourg.

Matt posing with Cliff Top Beer by William St Beer Co.

After a day of exploring and eating, once the sun had set, our weekend adventurers still had an appetite and decided to try The Schnitzel Shack in Port Hope.

Using the German staple of Schnitzel, this family-owned take-out place had many mouth-watering variations to try. Our adventurers especially loved the poutine Schnitzel, which was swimming in delicious gravy and cheese curds and was sitting on a bed of crispy fries.

Schnitzel Shack
Poutine Schnitzel

Port Hope was a unique and relatively unknown destination that is a perfect place to hide away in nature for the day. It is great for visiting trails and sampling locally sourced food in a beautiful location.

Gear List

When visiting Port Hope for a day trip, things that you should bring are snacks, proper footwear, suitable clothing (whether that is warm winter clothes or a bathing suit to check out the beaches), bug spray, and water.

Interesting Fact

This historic town was used for filming the horror movie ‘IT’ which was written by the famous author Stephen King. And yes, you can do your own spooky walking tour of the different locations used!

VIA Rail has a variety of train passes that are available for a different number of trips within a zone, they are transferable between people, and can be used for up to 6 months. It is a great option to explore Ontario by train if you do not have access to a car or prefer to travel in a more scenic way.