Straight to Hell

On Sunday, I mentioned that it might be time for our annual road trip to Hell (Michigan). The more I thought of it, the better the idea seemed, and I proposed a drive that very afternoon. Here are some of the pictures. Scroll to the bottom to see the spooky souvenirs we picked up.

The top picture on the page is near the entrance to "Screams," where you can get a seriously yummy ice cream cone or sundae and shop for souvenirs & spooky decor most of the year. If you're a smashed-penny collector, there is a machine inside with four different selections.

There isn't a lot to do in Hell, although the more outdoorsy and active you are, the more opportunities there are. Not pictured: miniature golf (I forgot sunscreen, so that was a no-go). There is also canoeing nearby, but it's not my thing. Check out the events calendar before you go; this was the first time in many years that there wasn't some event taking place during our visit. (Last year it was a hearse collector's meet-up.)

You can get married in Hell, or renew your vows.

A peek inside the tiny chapel.

After the ceremony (or just whenever (like we did)), pose for a special wedding picture!

A little wandering brought us to this circle of concrete "Tikis."

There is a very pretty river running next to Screams, with a viewing post and a long bench. At least we thought it was pretty until the wind shifted... so, your mileage may vary.

Finally... the souvenirs! We try to buy something for the house every year. This year, the selection was smaller overall, but it was the first time we'd seen any of the Haunted Memories portraits available in a retail store. (We have a large Aunt Sarah from Haunted Memories, plus a Constance from Haunted Portraits, and the collection needs some representatives from the male gender.)

We snapped up Uncle Bernie (flaming skeleton) & Uncle Percy (zombie). Now I just need to find frames!

This is a good road trip for us because it isn't too far away, but it's still good to have other places in mind to stop if you're making any kind of drive. There is a small village, Dexter, quite nearby, and my understanding is that it's not terribly far from Howell, which boasts an outlet mall. We stopped at a lovely little roadside farm market and bought yummy black bean salsa, unsalted tortilla chips and sweet-hot pickles to enjoy with our supper.