From Atop The Dunes: A Baby Boomer’s Experience

It’s an escape. It’s a place that covers the spectrum, from relaxation to high-octane action. You can’t find it on your couch; you can’t find it in your backyard. A place filled with so much possibilities it becomes a tradition. Its adventures become part of your fabric. The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are a playground for all ages.

All it takes is one visit – an eye-opening experience of nature’s wonders and the fun it bestows. Joe Seiler, a Fort Wayne, Indiana resident, visits the dunes every year – and has been doing so for the last 35 years. The dunes immediately enchanted him upon his first visit. It all started as a family trip, when he took his at-the-time 9-year-old son, and now he takes three of grandkids – ranging in ages 10 to 13 – every year during the first half of June.

“It’s about getting out in the openness,” Joe says of his annual trip. “You’re outdoors, riding the machines, enjoying nature, and getting away from the idiot boxes – televisions and phones.”

The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are a natural phenomenon that occupies 2,000 acres between Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. Three sections compose the dunes: a northern area reserved for off-road vehicles, a center region solely used for hiking, walking, sandboarding (there is also beach access), and the southern end that is home to Mac Woods Dune Rides, which offers a 40-minute, 7-mile tour of the dunes to visitors.

Between all that sand, Silver Lake, and Lake Michigan there are numerous experiences awaiting in the area. While Joe and his family ride their jeep on the dunes, there are numerous places in the area to rent your own vehicle or ATV; or, just skip renting and let Mac Woods do the work for you.

The area features plentiful lodging options, too. Joe and his family opt for one the area’s hotels, you can also take a rustic approach at one of the campgrounds. Potential accommodations cover the gamut, from sleeping in a tent under the stars to kicking it at resort with a luxurious Jacuzzi.

And when night arrives or you feel it’s time to get off the dunes, plentiful of other attractions – suitable for an array of ages – await. From golf to wine tasting to go-karts to a petting farm.

While you and the sweeping sand dunes are both ever-changing, the fun, the tradition, and the beauty remain unchanged and reliable. Silver Lake Sand Dunes aren’t solely a place – it’s a tradition.

Start planning your trip at thinkdunes.com.

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