Looping around Lake Michigan

[prophotodude]

Ok so, my Fiance and I are both 28 years old and love scenic drives and cool places to stop and check out things that are different from what we see every day in Chicago. We drove to Mount Rushmore about 6 months ago, AWESOME trip! So that means we need to find somewhere else to drive to now. We are planning on leaving on a Sunday morning at 8am and we want to return no later than the following Saturday by morning time(before 2pm at the latest). So that means we don't even have a full week. We are each taking $600-$700 with us, so my question is where can we go with the time we have and with the $1400 that we have between us? We will be packing a cooler with some food, not much, maybe enough for one meal a day for each of us just to cut costs. I drive a Honda Accord so gas should be ok, thank God it's not a guzzler. Any ideas and as many ideas as you guys can throw out would be greatly appreciated. I love this forum!! Thanks for all your help in advance.

[PNW Judy]

There are numerous options in the time you have and with your budget. What kinds of things are you interested in? Are you looking for outdoor activities, museums, historic sites, or what? It helps us help you better if we have an idea of what interests you.

If it was me, I think I'd either head up to northern Minnesota to check out some of their "thousand lakes", or Niagara Falls, or to see if the blue grass of Kentucky is really blue, or Gettysburg, PA, to scope out the historic battlefield.

Again, let us know what type of things you're seeking and we can give more specific advice.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I think with your time and budget and desire to for scenic drives, I think I would look at doing a short loop around Lake Michigan. Head up to Door County, and then on into the UP, before coming back through Michigan.

This thread outlines some of the things to see and do on that general loop.

[AZBuck]

The beauty of these forums is that you get to share in the advice given to others. Someone else posted recently, looking for intriguing destinations reachable within a week from your general area. Have a look at the suggestions he got. And don't overlook the advice you've already gotten.

AZBuck

[prophotodude]

Ok so you guys have been great with previous advice. Here's what my fiance and I are doing. We're driving on 94 west(towards Milwaukee), connecting to 43 north, connecting to 41 north just after greenbay, connecting to 35 north(or east, not sure of what the signs will say), connecting to 2 east and stopping in St. Ignace and this is where we will be catching a ferry to Mackinac Island. We will spend one night on Mackinac Island. Than taking highway 75 south for a short time till we catch a smaller highway which is highway 31, than connecting to 94 again(coming back to Chicago. So basically were making a loop around Lake Michigan going clockwise. My question is as we leave chicago and start the trip in the direction of Greenbay, are there any sites to see anywhere on our route before and after we see Mackinac Island? We are planning on a vacation that will last from Sunday June 15th and coming back home on Friday June 20th or Saturday June 21st. That means we have 5-6 days so I'm trying to figure out where else we should be spending the night besides Mackinac Island. In case you would like to know, we do like the touristy type stuff, we love beautiful scenery and beautiful drives, we love tourist traps as well. Not really into the nightlife, club scene. Any help would be great. Thanks guys.

[AZBuck]

That loop has come up a couple of times recently and the best places have already been discussed here and here.

AZBuck

[Midwest Michael]

I think if you look in the links and suggestions that were provided both in this thread and in the previous thread in which you asked this question, you will find a whole bunch of ideas that will fill out your trip.

[prophotodude]

My fiance and I are 28 years old and are leaving Chicago, heading north through Wisconsin while staying close to the shoreline of Lake Michigan, than at the northern most part of the lake we'll be heading east and going though the upper peninsula of Michigan(also staying close to the shoreline), than heading south to Mackinac Island and than heading to Indiana(again hugging the shoreline), than back through Illinois and up to Chicago. So in essence, we're going in a complete circle around Lake Michigan. We're leaving on a Sunday and coming back the following Friday so we have five days. We like beautiful scenery, tourist attractions, and fun things to do. We're not into art museums or things of that nature. So here are some questions for all of you:

1. Is there anything on the way from Chicago to Mackinaw/Mackinac Island that we should stop and see, attractions, or any highways or backroads that we should take to fully enjoy the beauty and fun of the road trip?

2. Is it worth it to drive up to Sault St. Marie(staying on the U.S. side, not over the border) and if so, what would make it worth it to drive up there?

3. We're trying not to drive more than 4-5 hours a day. Any ideas on what towns or citys we should spend the night(s) in between Chicago and Mackinaw? And also, what city or town should we spend the night in when we're leaving Mackinaw heading south on the way back to Chicago?

4. We'll be taking a ferry boat to Mackinac Island and most likely will spend the night there, any other activities or attractions we should check out on the island, being that we plan on spending the entire day and night there? I've heard we can rent bicycles and circle the shoreline of the island. Anything else?

5. Lastly, anything we should be aware of or any danger to look out for?

Thanks in advance to all of you for the help, it's greatly appreciated.

[Mark Sedenquist]

So in essence, we're going in a complete circle around Lake Michigan.

Here is a thread with some ideas about a Lake Michigan Loop.

Here are some places to consider adding to the Wisconsin portion

2. Is it worth it to drive up to Sault St. Marie(staying on the U.S. side, not over the border) and if so, what would make it worth it to drive up there?

I really like locks and the ones at Sault St. Marie are pretty darn cool --

At Whitefish Point is the Great Lakes Museum and the exhibit of the missing Edmon Fitzgerald is apparently very moving (remember the song by Gordon Lightfoot?).

Hope this gets you started.

Mark

[scottmort]

If you have time to head south after visiting Mackinac Island, take a drive just west of the highway on M119 to Petoskey (what a great road- narrow and windy with scenic overlooks over cliffs along the northwest coast of Michigan's Lower Peninsula) and if you want to simply visit gorgeous roadways, head along the Great Lakes Scenic Road that heads south to Manistee (scenic lookouts, winding roads and cute, truely Michigan towns to stop and play tourist, eat lunch, etc.) then head back north.

If you want to go on a real unique way home, there's always the ferry from Luddington to Manitowac, Wisconsin. Have fun and enjoy!

Scott Morton
Grand Rapids, MI
aka Riceburner (motorcycle group)