I admit it! I am a city girl (Los Angeles in particular). Along with that goes a certain amount of snobbery when it comes to creature comforts, shopping and interesting travel haunts. But this summer, I found the perfect area to placate my desires for an ideal summer destination. It is the sleepy village of Harbor Springs, Michigan and a magical bed and breakfast: The Veranda, encompassing the perfect mix of Victorian charm and modern elegance.

A Summer Holiday at The Veranda in Harbor Springs, Michigan

When I stepped off my friend's boat onto the pier, I was greeted by strolling strangers offering help to tie off the lines. I was pleasantly impressed and grateful since my knowledge of boating protocol and talent was limited to say the least. The last time I had been on a boat was a cruise ship. We joined them in their stroll and chatted our way up to Main Street. They even walked us to our B & B. We made plans to meet up for dinner that night.

They left us with the enthusiastic exclamation, "You're simply going to love this B & B!" Not only did I love it but I cannot say enough good things about the Veranda. It is a visit to the 1800's with the utilities of the 21st century. Every room is different and dripping in ornamentation, such as incredible hand carved mahogany headboards and original art by local artists. The kitchen is totally retro, and what comes out of it is the best any grandma could cook up. For an afternoon snack, there were little rolled up tea sandwiches, a mouthwatering cheese fondue and choices of red or white wine. The next morning, we were greeted with cinnamon, pecan sticky buns, Belgian waffles and a blueberry frittata. Life just couldn' get any better.

But back to my story, we quickly unpacked, ate some wine and cheese fondue, and set out to discover the thrills and chills of Harbor Springs.

Sights and Attractions in Harbor Springs, Michigan

 We met up with our new best friends at a restaurant called The New York. It is only open for dinner, probably because the owner/chef Matt Bugera spends much of his time cooking up both classic and modern dishes from around the world. You could call him a culinary guru of sorts. The restaurant has a turn-of-the-century feel and over-looks the waterfront. Specials might include grilled monk-fish in saffron sauce or my choice that night roast veal with morel mushrooms. There is also an award-winning wine selection of over 300 bottles, and the knowledge to help you make the correct choice.

After dinner, we were grateful for a leisurely walk back to the Veranda and grateful to sit on the enclosed veranda and watch the moon rise, majestic and full.

The next morning, after a big enough breakfast to last us the whole day, we wandered into town. And since I am a sucker for books of any kind, we found the local library, just above Howe's Candy Kitchen where we stopped for some fresh fudge. I puttered about then took off to find Between The Covers, the community bookstore for new and used books. I was pleasantly surprised at their selection and content to wile away the rest of the morning right there.

 After my fill of words on paper, I ventured forth on Main Street to wander, shop, wander and then shop. I bought a scarf at a charming shop called Dressed and even watched a glassblower at Boyer's Glassworks Studio and Gallery. Then for lunch I made the discovery of the day, Tom's Mom's Cookies. These are not just any run of the mill cookie. These were featured on The Food Network's Rachael Ray's Show and voted "One of the Nation's Best Chocolate Chunk Cookies." What a great lunch treat and the perfect way to top off my twenty four hours in a Victorian time warp.

We strolled back to The Veranda to bid our farewells to Kim and Carl Reid, the new owners, grabbed our stuff and headed off to our boat for the trip back to our home base in Lake Charlevoix, feeling that we had squished a week's worth of vacation into a 24-hour period of time. That's what makes Harbor Springs so magical.

For more information on the Veranda Bed and Breakfast at Harbor Springs, please visit:
www.harborspringsveranda.com .

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