I would venture a guess that many of you reading this article have never even heard of Kinde. The little village is probably exaggerating when it claims 500 residents. It has no beaches and there isn’t much to look at. In fact, if you blink, you’ll miss it completely. But, if you visit Caseville or Port Austin, Michigan’s well-known beach towns, it wouldn’t be too far out of your way to take a short side adventure through Kinde on your way home.

Once known as the “Bean Capital of the World,” Kinde now boasts the Wiley Coyote Water Slide at 311 Main Street. The slide is claimed to be the largest in five counties. (Yes, that would be five rural counties and in truth there may not even be another slide in the area, but, still, it is pretty impressive at 360 feet long and 4 ½ stories high). It’s a terrific way to let your little ones cool off on a hot, muggy, Michigan summer day. It is open daily at noon, weather permitting. The slide is located next to miniature golf and a small park where you’ll also find bumper cars and rock climbing.

Next door is the Country Parlor Ice Cream and Arcade with hand-dipped cones, shakes, sundaes and banana splits. If you are looking for a place for dinner, the Pasta House at 337 Main Street (989) 874-4070 serves hand-tossed pizza and Italian pasta specialties. Customers line up waiting for it to open.

Just a mile and a half north of Kinde is the Maplewood Farm Petting Zoo and General Store, 5790 North Van Dyke (M-53) where your children can get up close and become friends with sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs, chickens, and miniature horses (pony rides available). They also have a peacock and llama. Open during the summer Wednesday through Sunday 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Kinde is the opportunity for small pleasures. It isn’t roller-coaster, Disneyland kind of fun, but young children will be enchanted and your pocket book won’t suffer like it would at the big amusement parks.

Julie Albrecht Royce, Michigan Editor, is the author of Traveling Michigan's Sunset Coast and Traveling Michigan's Thumb, both published by Thunder Bay Press. She writes a bi-weekly column for wanderingeducators.com, entitled Michigan's Small Town Treasures.