BLUE MOO AND SO HA, MI

Side note:  We experienced a major midwest storm last night, and an area covering 30 miles was without power.  All of South Haven (SoHa), all the restaurants, every traffic light in town, WalMart, all shops are without power, zip, nada.   As RV says, "Life rocks when your living room rolls...but not when it rocks and rolls!"  And it did!

Since we arrived in South Haven, MI, it's been an exciting time for us for a couple of reasons .... our home base for the month of June is South Haven Family Campground, about 5 miles east of downtown South Haven ...keyword: "family" means that the weekends are filled with lots of families.  There's an espresso bar (in case you are having Starbuck's withdrawal), slushy machine, and an extra special gift and convenience shop.   

Several fun things I've had my eye on are the jumping pillow (large trampoline, but safer) fun bikes, both of which may use up excess calories.  Saturday night, the homemade train was a hit with all the kids - I didn't ride, (they wouldn't let me), but our grandkids would have loved it!  Anyway, this place is all about FUN!!  Some of the  activities are cupcake decorating, a glow parade (you have to wear all your glow items and there's a prize), tie dye t-shirts, pool relay games, and their version of a tractor ride, free cake and ice cream, an outdoor movie, gem mining, a pinata.  You get the picture.  BUT, the good news is that it's our private campground from Sunday afternoon to Friday.  Huge farms all around us - looks like mostly blueberry, corn and strawberry.  An added bonus:  An albino peacock across the street wakes us every morning.

South Haven Family Campground

South Haven Family Campground

South Haven Campground Pool

South Haven Campground Rally Area

South Haven Campground Tractor Train

South Haven Campground Tractor Train

Blue Moo is a place we pass every day we go into South Haven - Sherman's Dairy Bar, an internationally known ice cream parlor, well known because of the blue cow on the top of the roof.  Note:  If I were driving our car we would stop here at least 2 times a day, maybe more.  This is ice cream heaven, and then some.  All stories about Sherman's are true.  They have definitely been to the school of "over-serve".   Most everyone orders cones - I would order a GIANT banana split...a black cow....just kidding! 

Sherman Dairy Bar

Blue Moo

Our first trip into South Haven, aka South Heaven, was a pleasant surprise for both of us.  South Haven is a myriad of Lake Michigan history; a setting of flower and tree-lined streets full of shops, bakeries, restaurants, parks, plenty of free parking, and best of all:  on the shore of Lake Michigan and a Corps of Engineers maintained lighthouse that navigates vessels safely back into the Black River.

Van Buren State Park

Van Buren State Park

Van Buren State Park

Van Buren State Park is a beautiful shoreline park with giant sand dunes and close to South Haven.   We've enjoyed our time spent exploring the area and we'll visit the town many times before we head north.  This weekend will be the first South Haven Film Festival.  Our first weekend we enjoyed a huge downtown car show and farmer's market.  We're starting to understand why so many people flock to this area throughout the summer months.  Is it summer?  It's 71 degrees outside......Our power just came on....yay!!  Now there's a reason to celebrate!