Summertime may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean an end to the fun. Michigan offers families a wide variety of outstanding late summer and early fall outdoor activities, such as boating, fishing and attending local festivals.

In fact, August is National Family Fun Month.

I encourage Southwest Michigan residents to celebrate family fun month by taking advantage of our state’s numerous outdoor activities, such as visiting one of Michigan’s historic lighthouses or taking in a round at one of our world-class golf courses.

We are blessed to have natural and cultural resources in Michigan that make our state such a great place to live and raise a family. A good way to have fun and support your local community is to get out and enjoy all the activities available right here in our own backyard.

There is plenty of time left to visit one of more than 40 Michigan water parks or aquatic centers, spend a day in the sand at one of Southwest Michigan’s beautiful beaches or take a family bike ride along miles of bike trails throughout our state.

You can also go to a zoo, use your local library card to check out a free one-day pass to visit any of Michigan’s state parks or stay home and host a backyard movie night or your own neighborhood game day.

It is not just about fun and games. Children with involved parents tend to fare better in school and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Spending more time together as a family strengthens your family bonds, improves academic performance in children and helps kids develop positive parenting skills.

Visit www.michigan.org/fairs-festivals to discover upcoming Michigan festivals and county fairs. On the site, residents can also click on useful links that can help you plan a Michigan vacation, including details on places to eat and stay.

Also available to help plan a family outing is the Pure Michigan 2015 Spring/Summer Travel Guide. The full-color travel publication can be downloaded for free from my website at: www.SenatorJohnProos.com/Publications.

Whether you are heading outdoors or just discovering a local restaurant, one thing is clear: Nothing beats Pure Michigan!

 

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents Southwest Michigan.