It's More Fun If You Travel Cheap

Yesterday, we took a trip to the Warren Dunes at Michigan... I realized that if you love to travel, it doesn't really matter if you spend away or spend cheap.  We took on three states in one day and found hidden treasures along the way for 70 bucks (this can easily be gone in a few hours at a mall or an expensive restaurant).  It was tiring, but worth it.  Not only do you enjoy time with friends, but you see, experience, eat(!), and learn something new and exciting.  Photos to post on Facebook and Blogger is just a bonus!

Here's a rundown:

Transportation: 

Car Rental/Gas $150 divided by 5 = $30

Parking @ the Dunes $8 divided by 5 = $1.60 

Warren Dunes Entrance = FREE

Food:

Breakfast: McDonald's McGriddles Breakfast Meal $5

Lunch: Popeye's 2-Piece Dark Meat Combo with Red Beans & Rice & Sweet Tea $7

Snack 1: Ben's Soft Pretzel with Cream Cheese & Soda $5

Snack 2: Calumet Fisheries Stuffed Shrimps $8

Dinner: Sun Wah Duck Feast $14

Total: $70.60

8:15 AM - Breakfast at McDonald's, Chicago

Started the day with a hearty breakfast and made sure we had a well-fed driver. :-)

11:15 AM - Arrived at the Warren Dunes, Michigan

Glad my camera was already working when we went on this trip!  P&S is always easier to carry around especially in this super hot weather.  We didn't stay too long - we just wanted to see the Dunes!

I wore my comfy chic sandals which the Popeye's lady at the counter complimented.

They climbed all the way to the top - I didn't even bother attempting as I knew I wouldn't be able to take the heat, with my "himatayin" nature and all hehehe!

1:45 PM - Pit Stop at Indiana Department of Transportation

After having our carry-out Popeye's Lunch at the parking lot (all picnic tables were full), we headed to Michigan City, Indiana.  But before that, we changed clothes at the nearest rest area.

2:05 PM - Arrived at Lighthouse Premium Outlets, Indiana

Shopped til we literally dropped (from exhaustion) at Lighthouse Premium Outlets.  I didn't buy much as it was a shopping-without-a-mission kind of thing.  And it was very humid!  At 4:00 PM, I got tired, so Hubby and I had a mid-afternoon snack - Ben's Soft Pretzels with Cream Cheese.  It was sooo incredibly soft and chewy, reminded me of pugon pandesal back home!  Too bad they only had stores in Indiana.

7:30 PM - Arrived at Calumet Fisheries, Chicago

We left Lighthouse after getting caught in a heavy downpour at around 5:30.  Everyone's hungry so we decided to go to Calumet Fisheries in Chicago.  This place was featured by Anthony Bourdain, and is apparently famous for their smoked fish and french fried seafood.  When we got there, we discovered the place had no tables... just our tired luck.  We just bought stuffed shrimps and smoked fish to go and took another 30-minute drive to Sun Wah for a nice Chinese dinner, still within Chicago.

8:30 PM - Dinner at Sun Wah, Chicago

Dinner.  Finally.  It's great to have friends who know a lot of places to eat - from hole-in-the-walls, to (television) famous restaurants.  Sun Wah has the best roast duck ever, which was served three ways: carved and served with white buns ala cuapao; duck bones soup; fried rice/noodles.  Happiness.

Home by 10:00 PM.  What a great day it was!