Surfing in Ohio? Or Michigan? You Bet!

The Third Coast, as it’s known to die-hard surfers, Lake Michigan and its little sister, Lake Eire boasts some great waves, especially in the fall. But you can catch some mean curls in the spring and summer too.

The southeastern shore of Lake Michigan, near New Buffalo is a beautiful place to surf and we found it to be fantastic as beginners. Lake Erie, with her shallow shores combined with the late autumn and early winter winds is one of the best kept secrets of surfers. Of course, you have to have a little extra chutzpah to deal with the January water temperature of either Lake.

Our first attempt with Lake surfing was on our trip last summer to New Buffalo, Michigan, home to the Third Coast Surf Shop, a surfing oasis in the Midwest. Owner Ryan Gerard is extremely friendly, helpful and excited to help educate Midwesterners in the awesome resource right at their feet.

For about $200 for the whole family, we were able to rent boards, get shuttled (less than a few blocks) to the big sandy beach and spend almost 2 hours learning to paddle, "pop up" onto the board and ride the waves in.
Of course, on the day we went, the Lake was flat as a pancake. The day before, when we tried jet skiing, the Lake was in an angry mood and sending up 3 to 5 foot monsters. But things always seem to have a way of working out and for us, maybe the lack of big waves made learning easier. Bailey, Bree and Bubby took to the surfing like, well, fish to water. Dad and I were less limber, to put it kindly.

It probably didn't hurt that the surfing instructor looked like a surfing instructor out of a teen movie -- that certainly held the girls' attention for the entire lesson.

For the rest of our week in New Buffalo, Bree begged to surf. She'd discovered a new passion. She really, really, really enjoyed surfing, not just the cute instructor but being on a board, being on the water, being in the sun and riding in waves, even if they were tiny. And she was pretty good. Not surprising with all her dancing skills. In fact, she said she would give up dancing to get a surf board. That blew Mom's mind. We're definitely going back for a few days this summer and maybe, just maybe we will try out the icy waters of my childhood Lake this winter. That's a big maybe though! :)

Third Coast Surf Shop sells anything you could possibly need for surfing or boarding. You can shop their store online 365 days a year. Reservations can be made by phone or online. We scheduled ours online and it was hassle-free and easy.
Third Coast Surf Shop Info:

EMAIL: info@thirdcoastsurfshop.com

PHONE: 269-932-4575

Seabrook Island South Carolina

Seabrook Island, South Carolina is a perfect family destination.  We spent a week in the late spring, which was ideal but I’m guessing any time of year would be great.

Seabrook sits north of Myrtle Beach and south of Charleston, only about a half hour car ride away.  The Island is a gated community and access is limited to homeowners and renters. Hidden inside the middle is a beautiful, 18-hole golf course, a necessity for many family travelers.  

The  Edisto River flows south and empties at into the Atlantic on the south edge of the island and wildlife is abundant on the shore, which is a mile wide at low tide and disappears during high tide.  We saw dolphins every day.  The beach was not crowded ever, although I’m sure during the summer months there is more activity.

If you’ve ever wanted to ride a horse on a beach, here’s your chance.  But you have to be pretty experienced. It’’s not a leisurely stroll into the water like the rides in California or Mexico.  Since our children were a bit younger, they took a trail ride through the tidewaters and saw lots of interesting things, like alligators and turtles.  The ride was flat, which is nice, hilly terrains are not our favorite.  The beach ride was a combination of fast-paced gallops and exploring the beach at sunrise. 

One thing to note- horses are afraid of jelly fish and there were quite a few of them scattered by the overnight tide. While they were used to the ride, we could sense the horses were a bit skittish at times.  I have more experience with riding than Braden so it was bit more challenging for him to get comfortable with the horses but he did. It was a great workout and culminated with a race down the beach which was thrilling.  I really recommend the ride for a couples activity while on the Island.

A day trip into Charleston is a must, and great for a day when the weather might not be beach-perfect.  We took a buggy ride tour and saw the elegant homes that are an intricate part of Charleston’s charm.   Shopping in the open market, the dowtown stores in upscale big name shops and seafood lunch- the best

Accommodations are plenty. There is the Seabrook Island Club and Villas and private  rentals available. Many of the homes and villas come with Island Club access.

Our son, who was only 5 at the time, was entertained the entire trip. There are plenty of activities on the island for kids of all ages, including teen social activities. Bike rental and tennis are a big hit too!

Climate:

Spring and summer temperatures average in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and are pleasantly constant.