Today (Friday, March 22) marks the start of spring break for most northern Michigan schools, which means many local families will be jetting off on vacations to warmer climates. For those sticking around the region, though, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has a slate of family-friendly programs running from tomorrow to next Saturday, March 30. Here’s a rundown of this year’s spring break offerings:

Junior Angler: Intro to Ice Fishing

While it hasn’t been much of an ice fishing winter in northern Michigan, there’s always next year! This event Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire gives families a chance to start teaching their kids the basics of ice fishing now. The event is geared toward kids in grades 2-5, with participants set to work through the National Park Service’s Junior Angler booklet. The programs are “pop-in style,” so those interested in participating can simply stop in at the visitor center between the hours of 11am and 4pm on Saturday, March 23 or Thursday, March 28. To make sure participants have enough time to complete the full booklet, the NPS is asking that everyone arrive at the visitor center “no later than 3pm.”

Storytime with a park ranger

Kids of all ages are welcome to this event, where a Sleeping Bear Dunes park ranger will share a story to help children “learn about the environment in a fun and engaging way.” The event starts at 11am on Wednesday, March 27 at Traverse Area District Library.

Ranger-led hikes

The invitation here is to “discover new areas of the National Lakeshore by joining park rangers on a guided hike.” The first offering is a 1.5 to 2-mile “beaver hike” scheduled for 10am on Monday, March 25, while the second is a “senses hike” in Glen Haven at 10am on Tuesday, March 26, with an estimated distance of less than a mile. Those interested in participating should meet rangers at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center for an introduction, “and then car caravan a short distance to begin the hike.” The National Lakeshore urges participants to dress for the weather and be ready for uneven ground or snow.

Public planetarium programs

In February, the National Lakeshore acquired an inflatable star dome “intended to enhance educational school visits.” But because interest in the planetarium “has spread beyond schools,” the National Lakeshore is planning to open the dome to the public for the first time during spring break. Those public openings include 2-7pm on Wednesday, March 27, 10am-1pm or 4-8pm on Friday, March 29, and 1-5pm on Saturday, March 30. The planetarium experiences last 15-20 minutes per group and are open to visitors from all ages. Participants will need a park entrace pass or annual pass to experience the planetarium, which is located at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center.