Buffalo Ranch and Horseback Riding- Hanover, MI

The Buffalo Ranch- Hanover, MI

Ages- 4 and up

Cost-   Horseback Riding-$5.00 for 5 minute lead around; $20.00 for 1/2 hour; $25.00 for 1 hour; and $45.00 for 2 hours

Buffalo Tour- $35.00 for a wagon ride to feed the buffalo (up to 7 people) $5.00 for each additional person;  $25.00 to take the Bronco to feed the buffalo (up to 4 people)

Check website for other prices

Location- 12770 Rountree Road, Hanover, MI 49241-    Phone- (517)563-8249 Email- cp12770@yahoo.com

Parking- Free On Site

Other attractions nearby- Not much..it is 240 acres in the middle of farm country.

Places to eat nearby- Snacks there..The Cuttyshark (American) and Backwoods Bar and Grill (American)

Why to go there:  Feeding buffalo and riding horses are both awesome.  You also have interesting and colorful wranglers to take you out to the buffalo or help your kids ride horses.  If the kids are 6 or over, they can ride their own horse (Chloe rode an older horse and she was able to do it all on own).  Max and Will

needed help.  I would recommend the 30 minute horseback ride.  We got to go through trails, across a small stream, and even got to gallop.  The kids just beamed about it both then and for the rest of the day.

The buffalo tour comes with an interesting tale of a white buffalo who was born on the premises.  Feeding the buffalo is not for the weak at heart; those dudes are really big. 

They also have zip lining and other things for families to do.

What I really liked was it was like a Michigan safari.  You get in the back of a Bronco and ride out to buffalo.  It is not well paved or overly slick.  You’re going into the woods in Michigan.  The air is fresh; you get to kick it with the animals.  A really refreshing experience.

It is a little expensive.  Basically, you have one or two of their employees with you all of the time, so you 

have to compensate those folks for their time. 

For four people to ride horses and do the buffalo tour, it is about $100.  For a safe and real ride of horses (with the buffalo thrown in), it seemed worth it.

You’ll need snacks, but my kids were so excited they didn’t realize we missed lunch until we were pulling into our hometown.

Be careful:  Eat first.  Call ahead and make reservations, so you won’t have to wait.

Summary:  They all wanted to go back on the weekend, just two days away.  Kids loved it.

Maria's Sunnyside Cafe- Adrian, MI

Maria’s Sunnyside Café (Adrian)- http://mariassunnysidecafe.com/

Rating- MMMMM  (out of five)

Ages-  Any age

Cost- $4 to $10/person- Menu

Location- 2495 E Maumee St, Adrian, MI 49221

Phone- 517-265-6734

Review- There are very few restaurants I would build a trip around.  Sunnyside is one of them.  Around lunch and dinner, it is always packed.  The homemade chips and salsa hit your nostrils as you walk into the restaurant.  There is a mix of tacos, burritos, tamales, and chapulas.  My and the kids’ favorite is straight up tacos, with rice and beans.  There is no alcohol, but that is fine.  Food is good enough on its own.  There is no must have dish; everything the kids and I have ever gotten has been an A.  The owner is a server, and you can tell.  The service is friendly and it feels like you’re over to a friends’ place for some quality Mexican food.  The employees make a big deal of the kids.  Sunnyside also has chips and salsa to go.  I like to pick some up for a friend’s mom who is in a nursing home. 

Attractions Nearby: The Centre/Waterpark/Playgrounds, Adrian College, Siena Heights College, Trestle Park, and Croswell Opera House.

Hidden Lake Gardens- Tipton, MI

Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton, MI- http://hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu/

Ages- 3 and up (the older, the better)

Cost- $3.00 per person---Children under 2 free!!

Location-  6214 Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI 49287

Parking- Free on site

Other attractions nearby- J. Trees Cellars Tasting Room- 10 mins away; Tecumseh Area Historical Museum- 10 mins away; and Croswell Opera House- 20 mins away.

Places to eat nearby- Evans Street- 10 mins away; Danley’s Country House- 10 mins away, Grasshopper, Seniorita's- 20 mins, and Maria’s Sunnyside Cafe- 25 mins

Why to go there: Do you have a science lover?  If you live in Lenawee, Jackson, or Washtenaw County, this is the place to view tropospheres, plants, and various wildlife.  There are trails, plants, and arrangements galore.  It is run by Michigan State University, so it has that university polish.

What to do before hand: Go over the different climates and regions, as well as plants aligned with thos regions.  See some information of climates of the world here.  Align that to the plants you will see at Hidden Lake Gardens.

Be careful:  To fully utilize, you have to do some upfront work.  Kids will like the ability to move around and enjoy the different arrangements.  Be sure to include time for meandering.

Summary:  It’s a ways out, but it has a lot of high interest items for properly pre-interested kids.  Lots of interesting restaurants in Adrian to include in the trip.