Written By Kingsli Kraft | March 26, 2019

I do have to say one of the thing I miss the most since I officially entered adulthood last spring, when I graduated college, is obligatory week-long breaks from responsibility, like spring break. When I was in school, I spent most of my spring breaks downstate at my grandparents’ house, visiting museums, going to the movies, shopping, relaxing, reading… Right now, I don’t really have the time for a weeklong vacay to anywhere, but I do have time to work a little bit of “staycation” into each of my days. These are five ways to “staycation” this week in Downtown Alpena.

Watch the sunrise from the breakwall

This is easily the best way to start your day. Hands down. No contest. I tried to work this into my daily schedule at the beginning of the year. I thought it would be easy when the sun rose at 8:00am or later. Unfortunately when it was bitter, bitter cold there for a minute, I lost my streak, but I’m getting out there again. I have found no better way to start your day than with a short walk on the break wall as the sun rises and paints the water a hundred shades of orange and pink. It’s honestly better than coffee, and if you know me then you know that coffee is the love of my life. It might be a little cold, but bundle up and I promise it will be so worth it!

Treat yourself to a slow morning at Blue Phoenix Books

After you’ve watched your sunrise, take a walk down to Blue Phoenix Books. Step one: Find a book, any book, even a picture book. Just make sure it’s something that interests you. Step two: buy the book and maybe a cup of tea. Step three: find a cozy little nook, there are plenty to choose from, and settle in with your tea and your new book. Step Four: just relax, forget about your to-do list, pretend for a moment that this is all you have to do; enjoy your book, drink your tea, and breathe. Pro tip: If you can snag a window seat, the light is the best and it is so cozy.

Explore the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center

Like I mentioned in my intro, I always went to the museum as a kid during my spring break. I went to an art and science museum downstate. We are lucky enough to have the National Marine Sanctuary’s Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, right here in our downtown. I love taking the time to meander through the exhibits and read the plaques and learn things that I’ve forgotten. It’s a great opportunity to remember why this community and this place is so special, and why we need to protect our lakes and waterways. The best part is that the Heritage Center is free and open to the public!

Just… wander

Take the afternoon or evening and just meander with no goal or destination in mind. Do a lap around the river, check out the shop you’ve been meaning to stop by, have lunch or a glass of wine, wander through as many stores and galleries and streets as possible. Honestly, this is one of my favorite things to do on a these first spring days. The weather for the rest of the week here looks wonderful (although it’s always best to take the forecast with a grain of salt), so this week will be perfect for a jaunt around Downtown Alpena with a friend or by yourself. You never know what treasures you might discover or what memories you could make.

Kingsli Kraft wrote this article for Blog Downtown Alpena. Kingsli is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Human Ecology. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, hiking, caring for all of her plants and trying new recipes. You can follow her on Instagram here.