Lake Michigan, Upper Peninsula trip advice

[Steve W indy]

If you like German type fare, schnitzel, sausage, spaetzle, fried potatoes, etc....check out Sprecher's in the WI Dells area. Great pie and strudel too. These are the folks that make that homemade Root Beer you can get at Home Depot.

I am not saying it's healthy per se, but very few foods are bad for you in moderation.

[zs325RES]

Just a little sharing -
This is us crossing the Big Mac on our way to Manistique

[ATTACH]215316[/ATTACH

And this is our site [emoji106]


One of the best trips we’ve made in years.

[PSUFan1]

Originally Posted by zs325RES

Just a little sharing -
This is us crossing the Big Mac on our way to Manistique


And this is our site [emoji106]


One of the best trips we’ve made in years.

Cool pics

[elchilero53]

Nice! Enjoy your trip!

A trip report is mandatory!

[PSUFan1]

Originally Posted by elchilero53

Nice! Enjoy your trip!



A trip report is mandatory!

Will do

[jfkorr]

[QUOTE=PSUFan1;2185657]We are beginning to put together our summer trip for 2020 to see the Great Lakes specifically Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. We might be able to do a side trip to see Lake Superior. We are a family of 4, two girls 17 and 12 with a travel trailer. We’ve already done the end to end along the east coast (Bar Harbor to Disney in 2017 and 2018).

I’m planning for two weeks for this trip coming from eastern Pennsylvania.

Day 1 drive mid way up Michigan staying around Ann Arbor (thinking 10 hours in the car). Day 2 drive the rest of the way to Manistique staying at Manistique Lakeshores Campground (6-7 hour drive) for 4 nights. I know there is probably better located campgrounds in the UP but we like the look of this one plus it’s along the water. Visit Pictured Rocks, Tahquemenon Falls, Oswald’s Bear Ranch, Kitchen iti Kipi.

Day 6 drive to Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping for 5 nights. Planning a day or two on Mackinaw Island, Soo Locks, tunnel of trees, Point Lighthouse, and other local attractions. Looks like a nice campground.

Day 11, On our return trip planning a stop in Elkhart to do a rv tour and see the rv museum. Rv tour is at 2:00, is it doable to leave Mackinaw and arrive in Elkhart by 2:00? I wouldn’t expect much traffic in this area. 5-6 hour drive. If I can do the tour the same day as the drive from Mackinaw I could gain a day in either Manistique or Mackinaw.

Day 12 drive to Cedar Point, OH and camp at their campground Lighthouse Point. Spend day 13 at amusement park. Drive home on day 14.

Anything I should consider that I didn’t think of? Thoughts on itinerary?

I live inTraverse City, MI everything you are planning is great. Optional cut each stay Manistique and Mackinaw City. Both campgrounds are excellent. Try to take in from the Zoo Whitefish Point. Then from Mackinaw travel to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. Use your extra days there. Then to Indiana! Have fun.

]

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by PSUFan1

Yikes. How is the north end of the lower peninsula? Mackinaw City area?

We were in Mackinaw City several days last June. Totally beautiful area, not too bad traffic and good access to Macinac Island which is a must do.

If you are going to use Hwy 2, we found fuel (diesel) pretty available and not as high as we expected.

[Seawood21]

I would definitely try to stay at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. Beautiful area and campgrounds are really nice.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by Seawood21

I would definitely try to stay at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. Beautiful area and campgrounds are really nice.

Ha, good luck. *Maybe* during the week, but doubtful even then. It's as bad as Ludington state park.

[brad10281]

Only thing I would add, since you'll be in the area, is Fayette Historic State Park. I'm surprised there was only one other mention of this. These photos are from earlier this month when we stayed in the area. The weather wasn't the best but we always stop in for a visit.

[SailorSam20500]

A few interesting to visit:
1: If you visit White Fish Point, go to Brown's Fisheries (In Paradise) for lunch. Reported to have the best white fish, though anything there is great. I recommend lunch because they get fresh fish daily, when the run out, they are out...
2. Hillside Restaurant in L'Anse, famous for their cinnamon rolls (note they are HUGE, it takes me 4 days to eat one!). When I'm in the area I buy a bunch, they freeze well.
3. Lakenland is a unique, free, outdoor sculpture park. On the south side of the road to Manistique.
4. Lake in the Clouds is beautiful.
5.We stayed at the Tiki resort the past May (Memorial Day weekend). Full hookups, no real complaints about the park.

6. As of a few years back, there was a boat tour out of Munising that took in a shallow shipwreck. The wreck is about 30' down and clearly visible in the water. If you are lucky, there may be divers exploring the wreck when you are there. I was diving on the wreck when a tour showed up.

End of May is midge season. Lots of the buggers flying around. Annoying, but they don't bite. We didn't notice any mosquitoes during our visit this year.

[elind]

Another area in the U.P. of Michigan is the Keweenaw Peninsula (Houghton and north to Copper Harbor). Keweenaw.info is a great place to check out for it all. If your coming from the west it will be along the way by Lake Superior. By the way, eat your pasty with Ketchup.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by elind

Another area in the U.P. of Michigan is the Keweenaw Peninsula (Houghton and north to Copper Harbor). Keweenaw.info is a great place to check out for it all. If your coming from the west it will be along the way by Lake Superior. By the way, eat your pasty with Ketchup.

Ketchup yes.
Gravy no no no.

The Quincy Mine in Hancock is awesome.

[HSage3]

We're partial to the state parks, but since they normally don't have full hook-ups I'll skip them.

Keweenaw Peninsula and Fayette Historic State Park are both great places to visit for anybody who is a history buff.

Bessie's Homemade Pasties on the north side of St Ignance is our favorite place to stock up. We always get some to eat there and more for the freezer....but NO ketchup, must have gravy!

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by HSage3

Bessie's Homemade Pasties on the north side of St Ignance is our favorite place to stock up. We always get some to eat there and more for the freezer....but NO ketchup, must have gravy!

Not proper at all. They get away with it in St Ignace cause it's so close to the bridge.

[elind]

Ketchup is the Yooper way...….The trolls use gravy. (Trolls are from under the bridge)

[PuppyDogMom]

Just a word about your intended drive from northern Michigan to Elkhart, IN. It's a long drive. You might want to think about breaking that up a bit, especially if you want to spend a little time in Elkhart.

[tomm1947]

Macinaw is an island & doesn't have a campground on it as far as I know & I've been on it multiple times.

[BradJB]

I am a MI native, although I now live in the south. My wife went to college in Marquette (NMU). We have a family tradition of jumping off the cliffs into Lake Superior at Little Presque Isle. Took the grandkids there on the way to a canoe trip near Ely MN. C’mon, live a little! The kids won’t talk about anything else on the whole trip!

[pt35cruiser]

Tahquemenon Falls has a very nice campground. And, for your visit to Mackinaw City area, try Wilderness state park.