Growing up in a southeastern Michigan community, one of the things I looked forward to each fall was frequent visits to the cider mill.

Each weekend, we’d hop from cider mill to cider mill, delighting in the crisp fall air while nibbling on sugary-spiced donuts, washing them down with freshly pressed cider.

I miss those days, but rather than feeling like we’re missing out, we focus on getting local. 

Each duty location comes with its own special local hotspots, whether they be foods, events, or landmarks.

At each duty station, we try to find “the cider mill experience” — those special local things that make lasting memories. 

Join local groups

You’ve probably already joined Facebook groups or followed Instagram pages for base communities before you arrive.

It’s a great way to get a lay of the land before you even step foot in the area. But, don’t just join military-connected groups and pages.

Check out chamber of commerce pages, local community pages, and follow local businesses. 

These are all great places to find out what the local favorites are.

(Without these local pages, I would have had NO idea that a small mom and pop bakery specializes in delicious pizza that you need to get by 9 a.m. and that for decades local students have grown up eating it for breakfast. I can add that to one of our favorite early morning treats, and I guarantee my teenager will never forget eating fresh, hot cheesy pizza on the way to school at 6:45 a.m.!)

Find the festivals

Whether on local pages, through the newspaper, or by word of mouth, find out about the local festivals!

This is such a fun way to get to know the community.

They can be zany and off the wall (Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival in Manitou Springs, just outside of Colorado Springs), or a completely magical spectacular (the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta).

Both are like nothing else you’ll find elsewhere, and both are amazing to see!

Visit the market

One of the best ways to learn about local foods is to hit the farmer’s market!

You’ll get local produce at the peak of freshness, but you might also sample things like artisanal cheeses, fresh baked breads and pastries, and even draft kombucha. 

Over the years, we’ve even taken friends and family when they come to visit and they’ve found their own favorites (like delicious Italian cream cakes!), which make great gifts to carry on when we go to visit or send a tin for holidays.

Enjoy old favorites, with a twist

But, it’s still fall and I had a hankering for all things apple. So, last weekend we ventured 90 miles up into the mountains to the land of apples.

It was in the low-90s and the apple trees were small, but plentiful.

We picked apples to our heart’s content and recreated pictures that we’ve taken over the years at America’s apple orchards.

While we didn’t get to nibble on cider mill donuts, we had our fill of tasty cider. Not quite the same experience as we had growing up, but another core memory. 

Leading a nomadic lifestyle as is the usual with military life can sometimes make you feel disconnected to your roots.

While I hold my roots to our hometown closely (and the list of things I ask my family to bring when they come to visit is a standing order), the tapestry of local treats and experiences we’ve woven during our time connected to the military is a beautiful gift.

Each time we move, we take those memories of the places we’ve been and carry them with us, and they make life that much richer.

From holiday performances at a beautiful art deco theatre, to finding the best ranch dressing, all the peach flavored things we could sample at Peach Fest, and even our favorite local grocery store, these local specialties are a part of our journey, a part of us.