Vacations have been sought out by people over centuries and across continents. Even today, being able to relax and take a load off after working for months or years is a great reward that many love to experience.

In order to fully benefit from and enjoy well-earned time off, those who visit the Great Lakes area are looking more into rental properties. Finding Great Lakes rentals in a timely manner is important, especially since finding a rental property is a little more involved than finding a cheap hotel.

On the other hand, many renters who are from the Great Lakes area have a hard time advertising their realty because there are no sites specifically devoted to Great Lakes Rentals. Luckily, RentalAds.com is a rental property website with thousands of rental choices.

Be Found

Those who live and work in the Great Lakes area know how important it is to link directly with those that are searching for somewhere amazing to stay for a week, two weeks, or even months at a time. Rentalads.com is one of the premier sites for finding, and listing, rentals all over the country.

Just as there are hundreds of different kinds of vacationers, various kinds of rentals are available. Matching up a vacationer with their ideal property is one of the many benefits of listing on this website. Renters are able to list not only their properties on Rentalads.com, but also what that property has to offer, so even the pickiest of vacationers can be satisfied.

Find

On the flip side, those who have never visited the Great Lakes area, or those who have been there before and want to repeat the experience, can go to this comprehensive and versatile website. For instance, not only are rental properties listed for apartments, condos, townhouses, or homes, but questions about specific areas can be asked and promptly answered.

For those who know next to nothing about the Great Lakes, this tool is extremely helpful. This area is large and multi-faceted, which adds to its vacation appeal. It can apply to those that love the outdoors, those that wish to bask in relaxation and spa days, and so much more.

By finding the right location and the perfect property for an ideal vacation, those who have fought for their right to relax can do so with as little hassle, searching, and headache as possible.

This site is also perfect for those that are moving to the Great Lakes area and are looking for a more permanent stay.

Enjoy

Through the services provided on Rentalads.com, those who are looking for a great time in the Great Lakes area can enjoy the comfort of rental properties without the crowded and sometimes inconvenient stresses associated with hotel stays.

Truly enjoying a vacation may also depend on the information obtained before going. This website can also help with providing information. By allowing vacationers (as well as potential long-term tenants) to ask questions about the area, the best locations and properties can be found for any set of requirements.

Whether you’re in the area looking for a souvenir, or simply love the Great Lakes, you can show off your pride with a Great Lakes Sticker. Roughly 3”x5”, this bright blue sticker is cut in the shape of the five great bodies of freshwater: Ontario, Erie, Huron Michigan, and Superior. Perfect for your car, window, or wall décor, this neat little sticker can let the world know of your love and affection for the Great Lakes.

Origin

The Great Lakes Proud Sticker was originally designed by Austin Holsinger of Michigan. Along with a small team of friends and experts, Austin came up with the idea to show his pride about the Great Lakes. Holsinger grew up in Wolverine and now lives part time in Traverse City and throughout his life he has made it his goal to be socially and environmentally responsible.

In the Petoskeynews, Austin reported, “I love Michigan, and it’s where I wanted to be. I wanted a product where people can display their pride for the Great Lakes.”

Details

Stickers are currently selling for $5 each (tax and shipping not included) and are only available online, though discounts are available. Great Lakes Proud is a non-profit business, and every sticker purchased goes toward supporting the Great Lakes.

The great best part about these stickers is that you can use your imagination to place the great lakes in any environment you want – letting natural colors fill the empty space around the Great Lake shapes. So far, stickers have been seen on cars, bicycles laptops, water bottles, and even Smartphones and iPads. If the stickers continue to be successful, Austin and his name may even produce additional Great Lakes Proud products such as T-shirts and coffee mugs.

“Our plan is to do as much as we can to give back (support) other Great Lake organizations,” Austin explained.

You can check out the Great Lakes Proud Facebook page here to show additional support.

If you’re looking for something hot ‘n’ spicy to warm you up this October, then you might be interested in the Great Lakes annual Chili cook off. After 16 successful years of food and fun, Plymouth’s popular chili cook-off features tasty chili, exciting games, and upbeat music from 11 a.m. to 5 pm and funds will go toward aiding local charities.

How it Started

With the help of her husband, Annette Horn started the competition as a way to share their love of food and friends. “When we moved to Plymouth, we always thought downtown Plymouth would be a fabulous location for a chili cook-off,” Horn said. Now, many years and chili recipes later, this annual event draws almost 15,000 visitors each year, gaining in popularity with every bite.

The situation is considered to be a win-win for both locals and tourists. Businesses flourish with the increased business brought in for the annual chili cook off, and tourists get to enjoy the fabulous recipes and family-friendly environment.

About the Cook Off

Great Lakes Annual Chili cook off has more to offer than a mean recipe for a burnt mouth. This year, the chili cook off has a grand prize of $1,000, bringing in cooks from across the country to show off their cooking prowess.

“When we moved to Plymouth, we always thought downtown Plymouth would be a fabulous location for a chili cook-off,” Horn said.
Additionally, winners will advance to the world championships next fall.

The chili cook-off will be divided into three categories: red chili, chili verde, and salsa. Each category will be judged individually, and cooks must abide by competition rules fi they hope to advance in the competition.

A restaurant chili challenge will also be held, featuring 15 local restuarants in a best judge category and a people’s choice.

The Great Lakes Annual Chili Cook-Off serves as a fundraiser for 2 local charities: the Penrickton Center for Blind Children and Habitat for Humanity Western Wayne County. Participants can donate a dollar for a sample of chili or a $4 per bowl.

Great Lakes Brewing Company is a principle-centered, environmentally respectful and socially conscious company committed to crafting fresh, flavorful, high-quality beer and food for the enjoyment of our customers. We aspire to maintain our status as the premier craft brewery in the Great Lakes region and are dedicated to uncompromising service, continuous improvement and innovative consumer education.

History

“In the 1870s, Cleveland had 30 breweries. By the early 1980s, the last one had shuttered its doors. So when brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway opened Great Lakes Brewing Company on September 6, 1988, it not only signaled a new era in Cleveland brewing, it was also the first microbrewery in the state of Ohio. And the idea of a craft brewery in Cleveland caught on fast, as curious patrons hurried in for a pint crafted in the styles of old and drawn from the taps of the beautiful Victorian era bar. The company’s commitment to sustainable business practices greatly contributed to its early popularity and success. Before long, Great Lakes Brewing Company had become one of Cleveland’s most popular destinations for both dining and a fun night out.

Master Brewer Thaine Johnson and engineer Charlie Price joined the Conways during the company’s early days. Their three decades of brewing and managing experience at various U.S. breweries—including Christian Schmidt, Cleveland’s last brewery—played a key role in developing the recipes for GLBC’s first beers. Raw materials used by European brewers (malted barley instead of corn and rice) were incorporated into the craft brewing process, which included using only the freshest ingredients, no preservatives or chemicals and no pasteurization (which ultimately compromises flavor). Approximately 1,000 barrels were produced during the first year.

The original beers included The Heisman, a Dortmunder-style beer named for the famed football player (and future trophy) who lived around the corner from the Brewery. It was immediately followed by Eliot Ness Amber Lager. Both were overnight successes; the Heisman was later renamed Dortmunder Gold for both its golden color and the Gold Medal it won at the 1990 Great American Beer Festival. Dortmunder Gold and Eliot Ness were soon joined by an exceptional family of award-winning year round, seasonal and pub exclusive beers including Burning River Pale Ale, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, Commodore Perry India Pale Ale, Conway’s Irish Ale, Blackout Stout, Oktoberfest, Nosferatu and Christmas Ale.

In 1992, to meet growing demand, the Brewery expanded to the adjacent Fries & Scheule Building—and as the popularity of Great Lakes beer continued to grow, so did the Brewery. In 1998, it moved into what now consists of six buildings—three that originally served as horse stables, keg facilities and bottle storage for the 1879 Schlather Brewing Company. Today, these same facilities help GLBC serve a distribution area that extends throughout the Great Lakes region and surrounding areas.

While GLBC now produces upwards of 100,000 barrels a year and has become Ohio’s most celebrated and award-winning brewer of lagers and ales, thankfully, some things haven’t changed—most notably, an unwavering commitment to brewing only the freshest exceptional family of beers.”

Since the waves of the Great Lakes are often not conducive to surfing, many have taken up surfing’s close relative: skimboarding. Skimboarding was first created in the 1920s. It is designed for gliding across shallow waters or very wet sand. Boarders begin on land and moving on through low tides. The key to skimboarding is momentum. Momentum will help boarders break through waves, similar to surfacing. To get started a boarder will run towards a board positioned on the sand. The momentum he or she provides will push the board through the wet sand and into the water. Skimboarders most often do not reach deep waters because their boards are not equipped for the heavy waves.

Skimboards are much smaller than surfboards, normally coming up to the boarder’s torso and not past the shoulder. These boards are also relatively thin, ranging from 3/8 inch to one inch in thickness. They are also fairly light in weight. Unlike surfboards, skimboards have a rocking nose on one end. These come in various types: constant, hybrid, and traditional. The skill and advancement of a boarder most often will dictate the type of rocker chosen.

There are different types of skimboarding. The type that is performed at the Great Lakes is flatland skimboarding. This kind of boarding includes tricks of various degrees, including ollies and catching shore breaks. Competitions are held around the world to compete in tricks.

Skimboarding is not without dangers. Dislocations, twisted ankles, and fractures of the legs are common. Muscle injuries, shin splints, tarsal injuries, and bruising are also regular occurrences. Crashing into objects and other boarders can be problematic and lead to injuries. The Great Lakes are not the only common flatland skimboarding areas in North America. Other locations include British Columbia, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, and Utah.