Place to hide from the world

Schlitz Audubon Nature Center

If silence is golden, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, 1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Bayside, is the mother lode. Here’s the treasure map:

Take the Beach Loop trail east from the center, pass the first steps down to the shores of Lake Michigan, take about 63 more paces north to the Daniel James Fransee Memorial Deck. Trees frame a beautiful lake vista as though it were a serene outdoor movie screen. Sit back and enjoy the show. You’ll find that the best thing about the silence is the brilliant surround sound - the waves lap gently to the east, while birds chirp and lake breezes rustle the thick foliage all around. 

And that’s just one hidden treasure: With more than six miles of winding, wooded trails on 185 acres, it won’t be hard to find your own spot o’ gold.