In 1962, George Kuhn started the Traverse City Track Club with a weekly summer race. Today, the non-profit organization still maintains that tradition and over the years has added on races, training programs, and charitable events. We chatted with Lisa Taylor, the executive director of the Traverse City Track Club, to learn more about Northern Michigan’s largest and oldest […]
Building a Child-Focused Health and Wellness Culture in Northern Michigan
Shape Up North (SUN) is a regional collaborative dedicated to helping our communities achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Coordinated by Munson Medical Center (MMC), the overall goal of this project is to change the culture for elementary school aged children to one of health, wellness and fitness by focusing on children’s’ sphere of influence […]
How to Make Exercise Part of Your Daily Routine—Without the Gym
Your workout doesn’t have to include treadmills or dumbbells. Try these simple ways to make exercise part of your daily routine. I woke up one morning and, for the first time, decided to walk to work. The route took me a mile along West Grand Traverse Bay, and then when I reached the city limits […]
Secret Sleeping Bear: Hike Alligator Hill
Forget your watch. If you want a way to make your exercise routine last for more than 20 minutes, Alligator Hill—without a timepiece—is the way to go. Sticking to the groomed paths is a good way to lose yourself in the woods without actually getting lost. Alligator Hill is one of the hidden highlights of […]
Tips to Keep Your Child Active Over Summer Break
When all your teenager wants to do on summer vacation is play video games or binge watch Netflix, it can be hard as a parent to get them off the couch. And with research showing that physical activity helps regulate the body’s endocrine system (a.k.a. hormones directly related to mental health), keeping your teen active […]
Ultimate Summer Hike Guide
Summer is here and nature is calling, loudly. What better way to answer than to walk right into the season and onto the best Michigan trails. Consider this your hiking bucket list. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Explore a hiker’s heaven on the Lake Michigan shore, with 13 mainland trails and 105 miles of pathway […]
Advocates encourage water fountain app use
WeTap phone application shows fountain locations TRAVERSE CITY — A local nonprofit wants everyone to know where to access water fountains to help ditch the use of single-use plastic bottles. Click here to read the article in the Record Eagle
10 Best Beaches for Kids
Northern Michigan is home to some of the best beaches in the nation (maybe we’re a little biased), and these 10 are some of the finest, especially for young kids. Shallow water, playgrounds, sugary sand, shade trees, and public restrooms are some of the highlights. Clinch Park, Traverse City Earn everlasting adoration from your favorite […]
5 Gorgeous Preserves to Explore This Summer
In Northern Michigan, we’re surrounded by nature. Water, woods, trails—an abundance of natural resources are at our fingertips and waiting to be explored. An added bonus, exploration enhances our mental well-being as well as our physical health. Our region’s conservancies play a major role in maintaining these natural areas and protect them from future […]
Guide to U-Pick Farms
Spending a few hours at a U-Pick farm doesn’t only land you lots of fresh fruit, it’s a fun, healthy activity the whole family will enjoy. Whether you’re on the hunt for strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, or peaches—you name it—farmers in Northern Michigan grow it. We suggest setting a game plan to visit each […]