DETROIT — Ginger Zee is back home, and she's bringing viewers to the shores of Lake Michigan as part of her network's celebration of America's 250th birthday.

ABC News' chief meteorologist and chief climate correspondent will be broadcasting from Sleeping Bear Dunes on "Good Morning America" and from Traverse City's National Cherry Festival during a special July 4th broadcast on Saturday.

The segments are part of "Disney Celebrates America," a 24-hour, multi-network broadcast that starts at 10 p.m. Friday and is slated to include coverage from all 50 states.

"I keep telling my colleagues who have other places around the country, I challenge you to be more Americana than what I'm about to bring on the 4th of July," says Zee, who says she lobbied her bosses to send her home to Michigan as part of the broadcast. "When you've got one shot on such a big holiday for the country, I thought we better go to what is the crown jewel for me."

As part of her broadcast at Sleeping Bear, Zee will be highlighting the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, an organization with about 350 volunteers that is dedicated to protecting and preserving the lakeshore gem.

"We're really excited," says Friends of Sleeping Bear executive director Laura Ann Johnson, who says the broadcast will highlight their Track Chair program, which allows visitors with limited mobility to traverse Sleeping Bear's trails. "We're excited for the shoot to happen and for them to go live and give some really nice exposure to this beautiful National Lakeshore."

Zee, 45, grew up in Rockford, just outside of Grand Rapids, and started her career in Michigan before joining ABC News in 2011.

New York is now home, but she's on vacation in Michigan all week leading up to the holiday broadcast, and has been posting pictures of Lake Michigan to her 1.2 million followers on Instagram. "This is now a Lake Michigan fan account," she posted Monday.

Zee says she sells the beauty of Michigan — specifically Lake Michigan and the Traverse City area — to friends and colleagues who have never visited by comparing it to California.

"I always tell them, I don't think you can possibly understand how this is like Napa Valley meets the Bay Area meets Southern California's beaches," says Zee, speaking by phone last week. "It's like all of these places that people revere around the nation, but all kind of sandwiched into northwest Michigan."

A young field producer she works with, who had never been to Michigan, came out to do a site visit two weeks ago, and her reaction confirmed Zee's stance on the region.

"Not that I thought I was overplaying it, but she agreed," Zee says. "She was like, 'it really is stunning!' and that felt really good."

Her mother just hit a milestone

Zee arrived last week and flew from Detroit Metro Airport into Pellston and then shot up to Mackinac Island, where she spoke at the Michigan Health & Hospital Association's annual conference.

Unrelated, Zee's 72-year-old mother, Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft, just graduated from medical school in May, possibly becoming the world's oldest graduating medical student. (Guinness has been contacted for verification.)

She has since started her three-year residency, and Zee says her journey has been inspiring.

"It was so fun to watch, and such a strange moment as a 45-year-old watching your almost 73-year-old mom graduate medical school," she says.

But nothing about her mom's pursuit of medical school — she studied in Anguilla — surprised her.

"She loves learning. She will never stop," Zee says. "I think many of us are like, 'OK, I've had enough books, I've had enough of this,' but that is not my mom. She always wants to keep finding out more. She's eternally curious, I think.

"And I think the lesson is it speaks to the part that people often put a label on themselves that it's too late, or they can't do what they always wanted to do. And really, you just have to do it," she says. "She did it. And I know she's privileged to be able to have the financial ability to do it, but that aside, the rest of it is her, you know?"

Ginger's July 4th essentials

Zee says she has a handful of favorites she likes to celebrate on America's birthday.

Food-wise, she's not reaching for a burger or a hot dog, but she's got a specialty salad she says her family will be requesting her to whip up.

"It has dried cherries, kale, farro and then green olives — not the kind of green olives that go in your drink, but, like, Castelvetrano green olives. You can add goat cheese, but my family doesn't like it. Oh, and walnuts! Crushed walnuts. And then this dressing that I make that's lemon juice, maple syrup, olive oil and red pepper, with salt and pepper," she says. "I make it at home a lot, and that combo of that salad is my absolute favorite."

She says she enjoys fireworks on the 4th of July but would prefer they not expand beyond the parameters of the holiday.

"I love (fireworks) for the window that we should have them. Like, wonderful, let's keep traditional alive. But why are we doing it on June 27th? I don't get it," she says. "Sometimes for weeks before (July 4) and weeks after. Right? I'm very confused. And our dog is a shelter dog, extremely anxious, one rumble of thunder and he shakes for six hours, so you can imagine what happens with night after night of our neighbors doing whatever they're doing.

"I'm not a a total monster, I think (fireworks) are important. When necessary! I want you to have a good time and watch a fireworks show," she says. "But goodness gracious, the way that people do (fireworks) all summer? I'll just say the summer firework probably needs to go away."

As for a 4th of July song? That's easy.

"I think it's Springsteen, right?" Zee says. "I think it has to be. And I attribute that to my dad. I grew up with a jukebox, and it had these 45s that would be lifted up and then armed onto the player. I remember playing with that thing, and I know the smell so well, because you had to open it often, because it would get jammed up and things like that. But 'Born in the USA' was one of our favorites that we would play from that jukebox."

And a good summer read? Well, she's still trying, but finding the time to read while shuffling around and visiting with family is another story.

"I brought a book with me" — it's "Twice in a Blue Moon, by Christina Lauren — "with high hopes of touching it," she says. "Talk to me in a week, we'll see how that works."

'Disney Celebrates America'

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