If Willy Wonka and Orville Redenbacher had a baby, it would open Wirtz Family Popcorn, 898 Capital Ave. SW, in Battle Creek. A candy-colored explosion of popcorn goodness, Wirtz is the perfect destination for a family suffering from cabin fever. Grab an Authentic Original 1-Gallon Refillable Bottomless Popcorn Pail and make your own special mixture. The Amazing Fantastic Galactic Interactive Popcorn Center always has more than 30 flavors to choose from. The perfectly popped palate pleasers include old standbys like caramel corn and kettle corn that gramps bought as a kid, as well as Traverse City Cherry Chocolate Drizzle, Circus Blend and Red Cinnamon. Suckers for savory saltiness will grab a handful of Creamy Dill or Buffalo Ranch. Wait, it gets better: Master munchers will be ready for White Chocolate Caramel Macchiato and Chewy Chocolate Bacon Caramel Corn. You can watch the popcorn being popped and see the chefs invent new flavors before your tongues.
Families looking to ditch Motel 6 should look into a suite at the Stony Brook Lodge at the Homestead in Glen Arbor. The luxury resort built the lodge as a modern lodging venue for travelers in 1998. But it had begun to show its age and the Homestead recently undertook a multi-million dollar remodeling effort that transformed the property into a modern, yet warm lodging option at the resort. The design team took cues from handsome, historic lodges in Yellowstone, Banff, Bryce and Glacier National Parks. The vision was rustic yet stylish and flawlessly modern. Look for timber-frame beams, flat-screen smart TVs, old tile hearths and luxury baths.
The Michigan Activity Pass gets renewed for its third season May 24. The free online system allows library patrons to enjoy hundreds of activities statewide for free. Started by the Library Network in Southeast Michigan, the program is now available through 400 libraries, consisting of 650 branches, in every town and village and two-bit truck stop in the state. Go to your library, log on to michiganactivitypass.info, search for a fun activity and enter your library card number. You can get one free pass or other discounts (printing charges may apply) that are good for a week. In addition to more than 100 cultural attractions, a new partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources adds over 230 state parks, historic sites, forest campgrounds and recreation areas families can access for free. Local participating institutions include the Muskegon Heritage Museum, Midwest Miniatures Museum and the White River Light Station Museum. Now, get exploring!
The 42-mile Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee State Trail opened to the public this spring. The highly anticipated pedestrian and bike trail connects the communities of Ionia, Muir, Pewamo, Fowler, St. Johns, Ovid and Owosso, utilizing a former railroad corridor previously owned by the once-mighty Michigan Central Railroad. It is part of a 125-mile regional-trail system made possible with support from Fred Meijer and an alphabet soup of federal and state agencies. The 22-year, multi-million-dollar construction effort included repair and replacement of nine trestles and bridges, asphalt paving within the towns and laying compacted limestone surfacing between the cities. Trailblazers will enjoy the charming landscapes from Stony Creek and the Maple and Grand Rivers to fertile farm fields, wonderful woodlands and five quaint communities conveniently spaced eight miles apart. But remember: The trail is non-motorized.
