When you move to a new place, obviously people are going to list off a ton of places "you have to go see." Most of the ones for me were local restaurants and bars, trips to South Haven and Benton Harbor to see Lake Michigan, area concert venues, and a NUMBER of places "Up North" to vacation.

But one place kept making the list that I swear to you, I have NO desire to go see, and I don't understand why people keep going back, because... it sounds awful, and miserable.

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Full disclosure, I'm not exactly the "athletic" type. Most of my fun is had in pretty low-key, chill, relaxed environments. So if it takes a TON of effort and I have to exercise to do it, it's probably not my thing.

However, I'm not opposed to walking to get to a destination. Even a light hike is fine... but going through an entire workout regimen is another, and that's exactly what it sounds like visiting ANY of the Sand Dunes Parks on Lake Michigan is just that.

Sleeping Bear Dunes/Wikipedia
Sleeping Bear Dunes/Wikipedia
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Yes, I'm sure it's really cool to see these big sand dunes along a freshwater lake. And to have inland sandy beaches is really unique. But NOT when the only way to get there is by scaling a 7-story building worth of sand.

Case and point, I was told I need to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes up north. The person who told me said, and I quote...

"They're really cool. You can lay up on the dune, in the sand, and look out over the lake. It's so worth the hike."

Is it though?

Because since that conversation, I've had two coworkers go there, and tell me it was miserable. You have to be an Olympic athlete just to get back to the top. WHY would I do that... for the perfect Instagram shot? Most of my Instagram is me at concerts, or of the food I'm eating and beer I'm drinking.

If I post a photo from some crazy cool view on top of a mountain, or the bottom of a sand dune... it's because I'm stuck there. Come rescue me now!

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I get that some masochists enjoy working out as part of their vacation, or sight seeing, and that's fine. You do you. But for the average person to say ANY of the Dunes Parks along State Michigan are "worth the effort," is a big ole lie.

Unless they install an escalator, there's no chance I'm going. There are plenty of sandy beaches along Lake Michigan that don't require me going into cardiac arrest to walk back from the water.

LOOK: Lake Michigan Beach Named One of the Best 'Secret' Beaches in U.S.

Northern Michigan's South Manitou Island has been named among the best 20 "secret" beaches in the U.S. by Southern Living Magazine.

Within Sleeping Bear Dune's National Lakeshore, South and North Manitou Island are part of an island chain in Lake Michigan that extends north to the Straits of Mackinac. 

According to the National Park Service, "The island consists of a ridge of tilted layers of limestone, buried under a blanket of glacial debris. It features unique sand dune formations, 10 miles of beaches, and a grove of old growth white cedars that date back over 500 years."

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