Great Lakes, early planning

[YoungKopernik]

The Great Lakes, I am doing a trip with kids(10 & 12) in June-August. I am looking for beauty, interesting, unique, history, educational and out of the way is fine. This could be a once in a life time(I hope not) so I want to get a good feel for the area. Maybe 2 weeks or so, in the Great Lakes area and we’ll have kayaks and bikes.

My small plan is to go through Yellowstone and spend a week. We have done Mt Rushmore and surrounding area before so we’ll probably find some other interest. As a child my parents had a fishing cabin in U.P. Michigan on Lake Gogebic so I want to share that area and a freshly caught walleye dinner with my kids. We should do Niagara Falls. I for sure want my kids to experience fireflies.

I have my kids doing some web research for their own destinations, last I heard they were trying to see if Taylor Swift had a concert in that area, not what I was looking for but oh well.

On the way home we have a Great Grandma in Missouri, cousins in Arizona and I have always wanted to see the bat flight out of Carlsbad Caverns.

That’s a big trip, Im going to need a vacation when I get home.

Any and all suggestions appreciated

Thanks

John

[Still Kickin]

When you do Niagara Falls a must for history is Old Fort Niagara. It is one of the most pristine Forts built during our fight with the Brittish. It is located on the US side at the mouth of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Also, if your up to the ride of your life, do the Jet Boat ride in the lower Niagara river. What the west calls a river, we in the east call a stream. The lower Niagara is rated as "unclassed rapids" meaning beyond five. Thats my version of a water ride!

[YoungKopernik]

Thanks for those, i'll put them on my list and do some research.
John

[farfetched]

Mackinac Island, great campground near there Mill Creek, Fort Michiclamackinac is great Leland Michigan aka Fishtown 1900's historic fishing village

[mcnabbwr]

Originally Posted by farfetched

Mackinac Island, great campground near there Mill Creek, Fort Michiclamackinac is great Leland Michigan aka Fishtown 1900's historic fishing village

X2 - Also Sleeping Bear Dunes close by, and in the U.P there is Tahquamenon Falls State Park and Sault Ste Marie with the ship locks.

[KenHwy61]

That sounds like and exciting trip! Grand Marais, MN on lake Superior has a great city-owned RV park and campground. Lots to do and the harbor and bays are very popular with kayakers. Mackinac island is neat and also White fish bay has a nice beach and the Edmund Fitzgerald ship wreck museum. There is a lot to see around the Great Lakes area. If go to Niagara you will want to go on the Maid of the Mist tour boats. Best deal in the falls area!

[wfmdfm]

When we visited Niagara Falls and we were in a tent we stayed at Welcome to Rock Point Provincial Park
This was a great base camp for us to visit the Falls as well as Tornado. The CG is nice right on Lake Erie. Their are foslies all over the rocks. THe kids had a blast exploring.

[YoungKopernik]

Wow, thanks all

Dunes on the Great Lakes…nice

I had heard there were locks, we’ll have to check those out.

Ship wrecks will be a must in understanding the history of commerce on the lakes

Great info, thanks

[Scootdawg]

If your looking for a place to camp, Grand Island has a few campsites that are really nice, about 10 - 15 minutes from Niagra Falls.

[Phil57]

The west coast of Michigan is great. South haven , Grand Haven Traversse City Petoskey Macanaw city the island. The up is full of great places to visit. Don't go to far north until after June 20 or so the flies will drive you nuts.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Wiscampsin]

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum located in Manitowoc is quite interesting.
Welcome to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Website | Wisconsin Maritime Website

[Ricochet]

Some other Great Lakes fun spots:

The Pictured Rocks on Michigan's Upper Peninsula's Lake Superior shore are a must see.

If you or your family like roller coasters, be sure to visit Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The Lake Erie Islands are loads of fun, too!

The Apostle Islands off of Wisconsin in Lake Superior are awe inspiring.

[SYE]

The west side of Michigan is awesome. Up in Traverse City, a very kid orientated park is Timber Ridge, it was a JellyStone park years ago. bunches for the kids to do. If you are around from 9-16 Aug, the FROG Rally is in Goshen Indiana for that week.

[YoungKopernik]

Marine Time Museums, National Parks, Islands…… I’ll have to fit this all in.

And the things that bite: deer flies, black flies, horse flies, no-see-ums and misquotes. I remember them all and now my kids will get to experience them. I think this is one part of the trip I will understate; I’ll pack for them but leave it as a surprise (evil dad)

I do hope to find a nice area filled with fireflies, they are childhood memory I will never forget and want to give that to my kids. It would be nice to slow down at the end of the day only to have nature’s light show out the camper door.

Thanks to everyone, a lot of great info. I know its 6 months out for this trip and we have several other smaller trips planned before but I’m getting excited.

John

[SYE]

Originally Posted by YoungKopernik

Marine Time Museums, National Parks, Islands…… I’ll have to fit this all in.

And the things that bite: deer flies, black flies, horse flies, no-see-ums and misquotes. I remember them all and now my kids will get to experience them. I think this is one part of the trip I will understate; I’ll pack for them but leave it as a surprise (evil dad)

I do hope to find a nice area filled with fireflies, they are childhood memory I will never forget and want to give that to my kids. It would be nice to slow down at the end of the day only to have nature’s light show out the camper door.

Thanks to everyone, a lot of great info. I know its 6 months out for this trip and we have several other smaller trips planned before but I’m getting excited.

John

Dont forget about the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake DNR - Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus)

[rockfordroo]

Lots of stuff along the Wisconsin and Michigan shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Manitowoc, WI has a nice maritime museum: Welcome to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Website | Wisconsin Maritime Website They built WWII submarines there.

There are lots of lighthouses all along the lake shore, far too many to name here. Door County, WI (north of Green Bay) has lots of antiques and cherries.

If you're into trains, there are museums in Green Bay (National RR Museum - Explore America's Railroad Heritage - National Railroad Museum) and Freedom, WI (Mid-Continent RR Museum - Welcome to Mid-Continent Railway Museum), and between Rockford and Chicago, IL (Illinois Railway Musuem - Illinois Railway Museum - one of the biggest in the country).

Downtown Chicago has the Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Field Museum of Natural History.

Don't forget the Air Museum in Oshkosh, home of the annual fly-in: EAA Museum | Oshkosh, Wisconsin

[RamblerGuy]

If you go to the Michigan UP, there's the Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point.


Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is best seen from the boat tour. Reservations are a good idea, but we got on the tour with a few hours notice. We saw kayaks there, but they were with outfitters with guides. If you venture out yourself, check it out and be careful. The water can get pretty rough and it's always cold.

If you go along the Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior, Ashland has a very nice city RV park on the lakeshore. There isn't much to do there, but it is a great place to overnight or hang out a day or two.

[rockfordroo]

Speaking of Ashland, I forgot to mention Madeline Island and the Apostle Islands. You take a ferry to Madeline Island from Bayfield, and the Raspberry Island lighthouse is a boat ride away, too.

[mattb]

Lets see, the Niagara jet boats are totally awesome, seeing the falls from the Maid of the Mist is phenomenal. Mackinac Island is really neat, the bridge is cool as well. The locks at Sault ste. Marie are cool plus if you have a day, the Agawa Canyon train ride departs from there. Pictured Rocks lake shore is amazingly beautiful, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is great. Seen a moose in the UP. Cedar point is a must for coasters, and Perrys Monument at Put in Bay has an awesome view (watch out for the drunks at put in bay) . Ohio has a few state park campgrounds across the top. parks.ohiodnr.gov. We haven't made it to Isle Royale in Lake Superior yet but its in the plans. We will be in Yosemite this summer, cant wait.

[Pkowski]

Don't forget your bug spray. UP has notorious black flys and they bite. All of the suggestions are great. If you are interested in UP mining hit the Iron Industry Museum in Neguanee. Ft Wilkins is a Civil War fort in Copper Harbor. And my favorite place in the UP is Fayette State Park off of US -2. Lumbering history is covered at Hartwick Pines near Grayling.

Check them out on the web.

Enjoy.


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums
08 Georgetown XL