I spent the last several days with my family doing as little as possible in Watervliet, Mich. After a particularly busy stretch of work, it was great to just relax and have fun with my family.

Watervliet is an easy two-hour drive from my house. My sister has a house right on Paw Paw Lake, and it is about as serene as could be. On the other hand, a quick boat ride on the lake can get you to lively spots if the mood strikes. Over the four days, we experienced a good balance of both.

On Sunday morning, we had a wonderful meal at the Waterfront Restaurant in Coloma. Omelets, egg soufflés, fresh fruit, muffins and waffles were just some of the choices for brunch. You could also have gone with lemon pepper fish, chicken, pasta and more. It is difficult to do such a wide variety so well, but the Waterfront food pleased everyone, and the service was outstanding.

We also had a fantastic Italian meal at the Gala T Inn in nearby Hartford. I am always apprehensive about Italian dining, but the food was excellent. Their sauces were zesty, fresh and flavorful. The meals were hearty. The salad bar rivaled some of the best salad bars I’ve experienced. We went to the downtown area for a parade as part of the Peach Festival. It was a very impressive parade for such a small town.

My favorite part of the stay was sitting on the deck looking at the lake while talking and laughing with my family. We also played a few games of bags and Giant Jenga. It was a great way to calm down and also to recharge my body. I did not want to leave, but I felt very refreshed and ready to get back to work.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor