It was already dark on Thursday night when my son, Ethan, and I pulled up to the cottage on Hamlin Lake that our family rented for Labor Day weekend. My wife and my other two kids had arrived a few hours earlier and already started settling into our quaint little cottage rental in Ludington, MI.
The weather was shaping up to be absolutely perfect for the weekend. A little lakeside relaxation was in the plans, and some ice cream comas were sure to follow. But the main reason Ludington was our destination this year? It was the stage for some epic disc golf battles.
The Michigan Amateur Disc Golf State Championships
Nearly 700 disc golfers converged on Ludington to take part in the annual State Championship tournament. Spanning six of the finest courses in northern Michigan, the competition took place from Friday to Sunday. My oldest son, Ethan, and I were among those 700 amateur warriors! We were armed with backpacks filled with discs, and we had dreams of standing on the championship podium.
This tournament is unlike any other we’ve played. It’s extremely well-run, and the vibe makes us amateurs feel like we’re part of the professional scene. The only thing missing was the Jomez Pro camera crew filming my every throw, making me feel like a disc golf celebrity… if only for a weekend.
Day one? Rough. I didn’t play my best on the most challenging course of the weekend. Days two and three? Much better. I clawed my way to a tie for 99th place out of 143 in my division. Ethan, in a higher (and tougher) division, held his own like he almost always does… finishing tied for 19th out of 141. Not bad for a kid who still raids my fridge like it’s his personal sponsor.
Disc golf is like ball golf’s weird cousin: less expensive, more frustrating, and with way more trees getting in the way. But the camaraderie? That’s the real difference. Everyone celebrates each other’s great shots, and everyone groans together over the bad ones. It’s a competition, but it feels like a community.
Cottage Living – Renting vs Owning
We found our Hamlin Lake cottage rental on VRBO. Cozy and practical are two of the best words to describe the place. With two bedrooms and only one bathroom inside, it wasn’t much bigger than a camper. But with plenty of outdoor space and amenities, it felt like a private little campground without the noisy neighbors or someone burning hot dogs on the grill next door.
We’d recently sold our own second home, which freed up room in the budget for traveling more. Renting has opened up a whole new world… different towns, new lakes, and adventures that aren’t on repeat. Instead of visiting the same cabin in the same town multiple times throughout the year, we can roll the dice and see what pops up next.
Best part about renting versus owning? No repairs, no property taxes, no mowing the lawn, no worrying about “that sound the water heater’s making.” We pay, we stay, and then we leave the responsibility behind. It’s basically a vacation with an eject button.
Stearns Park, the Pier, and the Perfect Beach Day
Our Hamlin Lake spot was just a few minutes from downtown Ludington and Stearns Park beach. On Saturday, we headed over. Some of us fished off the pier. My younger son, Eli, and I wandered over to the putt-putt golf course. Susie enjoyed sand between her toes and sun on her face while parked in an Adirondack chair.
The weather? Perfect. You could wear shorts and a T-shirt, or switch it up with a sweatshirt on the pier, and either way, you nailed it. Ludington feels like small-town Americana in postcard form. And of course, what’s more American than capping it all off with ice cream?
House of Flavors – The True Championship
Ice cream is the unsung hero of every family trip, and House of Flavors is Ludington’s crown jewel. With decades of history and more flavors than you can process in one sitting, it’s the one place in town where no one argues about the itinerary.
Three of us (myself included) went big: The Original Pig’s Dinner. A sundae in a wooden trough with four scoops of ice cream, a banana, toppings, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Finish it, and you score a collector pig pin that changes every year. Honestly, it’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see on a competitive eating show… but somehow it just works.
We had plans to grill burgers and hot dogs afterwards, but no one was hungry. Zero regrets. Because when you’ve taken down ice cream served in farm equipment, what more do you really need?
Boat Life Without the Burden
Sunday afternoon, we booked a pontoon boat rental from 4pm to 8pm on Hamlin Lake. The short trip was the perfect way to wrap up the holiday weekend. Most of our time was spent anchored near the shoreline, pulling in fish like we actually knew what we were doing.
That boat gave me one of those “perfect moments.” You know the kind… where everything around you just clicks, and you know this is one you’ll look back on for years. Everyone was laughing, cracking jokes, catching fish. Nobody was cranky, nobody was arguing about Wi-Fi, and nobody was asking, “What’s for dinner?”
Naturally, I slipped in a dad joke when someone mentioned how many fish we were catching. I said they probably just got out of school. Classic groaner. But Elena stole the show with her impromptu impression from Happy Gilmore 2: after casting just past her papa’s bobber, she wisecracked, “Somebody went further.” The boat erupted in laughter. Adam Sandler would’ve been proud.
And here’s the kicker… when we were done, we just pulled into the marina, unloaded our stuff, paid for the gas, and walked away. Four hours of pontoon perfection for under $400, no storage, no maintenance, no sinking feeling that you just bought a money pit. Renting versus owning for the win.
Relax, Don’t Own Everything
Disc golf is more enjoyable when you don’t overthink every throw. A getaway is better when you rent and explore new places instead of locking yourself down to just one. Ice cream is just better than anything else you shovel into your face. And boating? Way better when you can just hand the keys back at the end.
Jesus once reminded his followers not to stress about tomorrow, but to rest in today. That’s exactly what Ludington gave us: the freedom to live in the moment. Aside from disc golf tee times, our weekend was wide open. No deadlines, no rigid schedule, just time well spent.
That one boat moment stands out… laughing, joking, catching fish… but really, the whole weekend was a collection of those perfect little snapshots. Ludington gave us the reset we didn’t know we needed.
What’s the one trip your family still talks about… the one that turned into your own version of a “perfect moment”?