Must see in Michigan, Mackinaw & Great lakes area?

garmp1 wrote:
We'd like to make it to the UP in July-ish. We are B campers and basically need only elect. We'd like to stay at the Straits SP and further north. Any issues or problems with getting a site in that time frame? Any preferred state, COE or Federal parks in that area. And what must see (history, scenic, quaint, etc. Touristy type stuff without the neon lights nor T-shirt shops. Plus good local eateries and fish markets.)

I've never had a problem getting a site at Straits in the summer. It's not nearly as popular (or scenic) as Wilderness on the other side of the bridge.

It is handy a handy park for access to the Island as well as little St. Ignace. There's a federal park not too far West on US-2, right on Lake Michigan, it's on my list to visit this year.

We'd like to make it to the UP in July-ish. We are B campers and basically need only elect. We'd like to stay at the Straits SP and further north. Any issues or problems with getting a site in that time frame? Any preferred state, COE or Federal parks in that area. And what must see (history, scenic, quaint, etc. Touristy type stuff without the neon lights nor T-shirt shops. Plus good local eateries and fish markets.)

On the way to the bridge take M22 around the little finger of Mich. Stating at Manistee ending at traverse city.

Hartwick Pines SP near Grayling has a grove of some pretty big pine trees. The trees throughout the state were lumbered off in the early 1900s, but they saved this bunch and made it a park.

There are numerous lighthouses. My favorite is Little Sable Point Lighthouse, a couple miles south of Silver Lake. Silver Lake SP has sand dunes with dune buggy rentals, if you are "feeling your oats".

The state park at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula has a small lighthouse also, and it's a very quiet location with a stony shore on the big lake. A section of the park a couple miles south has a pleasant walking trail (perhaps a mile?) to a sandy beach that feels quite secluded.

GordonThree,

You wrote:

"The entire West coast of lower Michigan is beautiful ... Grand Haven state park is _VERY_ popular, likely it's already sold out for this year. I don't understand it myself, not my idea of a "park"."

Well, the over 2 million that visit the State Park at Grand Haven as it's one of a kind and the 7+ million people who visit Grand Haven each year sure must "get it" or "understand why"!

Like having your own RV right on the simply gorgeous beach in the middle of over 50 square miles of a pristine clean, very safe and affordable vacation/resort area. Complete with not only the very wide long pure sugar sand golden beach and vast lake of fresh water to play in but the huge Grand River along the north side of the CG with huge ships coming and going and thousands of pleasure boats of all sizes and types to watch. Beach activities galore including kite festivals, Pro beach volleyball, college beach pole vaulting, and so much more or just lay and bake with the cool lake breezes keeping you cooled down. Natural air conditioning and few ever turn on their RV air during their full time caming there as it's not needed. Average temp in summer is 80 daytime high and 60 at night for a low. Not bad ehhh? Sunsets to die for over the lake at night and usually with gorgeous colors too. All just outside your RV's door.

Then add the over a quarter mile long wide public cement pier that juts out into Lake Michigan and the many mile long wide paved fancy boardwalk going from it along the river with multiple bathrooms, the many backed nice seats and benches, food/snacks etc, and scenery all the way to downtown (7 blocks) going thru well kept parks and lots of grassey areas all the way and the U.S. Coast Guard command station too. Inland from the boardwalk is the very nice skate park, Mulligan's Hollow Recreation Area, the little kids Imagination Station gym structures, and the big YMCA. When downtown, there the Waterfront Stadium facing the river and the huge musical fountain and beyond that is the municipal marina and the charter fishing fleet docks with lots of shops to browse thru, the splash pad for kids and adults, miniture golf, and yup more food and snacks and picnic tables for the public.

Not tired yet and still hungry? Gobs of restaurants and outdoor cafes etc and of course coffee shops. Lots of night time entertainment and pubs. Then the real shopping or window shopping begins. Tired of shopping? lots of live street entertainmet, concerts, performances and all are free. Too tired to walk back? No problem, jump on one of the trolleys that goes back and forth from the State Park or one of the about 2 dozen Harbor Transit busses. If you brought your bikes, there's about 160 miles of paved bike paths to explore. The fishing is great and there's so much other stuff to do including several museums, climblng tall sanddunes, boating, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, great golf courses, countless miles of hiking trails and you name it!

That's why the about a dozen CG's here are so busy and they are building another big one (approx 250 sites) as I type. RV'ers come here from all over the country and Canada to have fun, do something and see things, not just sit at their RV as it's a place to eat, relax, and sleep and they are simply out enjoying themselves most of the time. Of course, you can just sit by your RV and watch others have fun if that's what floats your boat!

We've lived here for 73 years and are never bored as there's so much to do and see constantly.

GordonThree, seem all those millions seem to understand "why" as they just keep on coming back year after year and then their kids do the same when they get on their own or have a family. Now maybe you understand too!

Dick_B wrote:
Don't know what the ferry and/or Mackinac Island rules are about dogs. Do a Google search for `_______ tourism' and put Michigan or whatever in the blank space and read what the experts have to recommend.

Well behaved dogs are welcome on the ferries to Mackinac Island and on the island itself. There's no charge for your dog/s to ride the ferry either. There are even outside eating places on the island where your dog is welcome to sit next to you.

We even took our little (17 lbs) dog with us on one of the long horse drawn wagon tours and she was fine. Of course, she was very well behaved and never made a sound or tried to get out of my lap! ;)

Peg

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park on the west coast of Michigan, not far from Traverse City should be at the top of your list! Incredible....actually the whole west coast due to the sandy dunes, blue water and great beaches. While there, do visit the life saving station museum. It's very well done with some great exhibits on how the men rescued those in trouble.

Matt_Colie wrote:
Precious,

First, you need to tell us two things:
Do you want Scenery, Museums or Both. (Michigan is good for both)
How long do you have or how many miles? (Michigan is big and has two parts)

There are only two large National Parks, Sleeping Bear Dunes on the west coast of the lower peninsula and Pictured Rocks on the north coast of the upper peninsula. But there is Huron National Forest and a plethora of open state parks and campgrounds but any with facilities will probably require a reservation.

Good Luck

Matt

And Manistee National Forest too! One's on the east side of state and borders Lake Huron (guess which NF?) and the other NF is on the Lake Michigan side.

Don't know what the ferry and/or Mackinac Island rules are about dogs. Do a Google search for `_______ tourism' and put Michigan or whatever in the blank space and read what the experts have to recommend.

Precious,

First, you need to tell us two things:
Do you want Scenery, Museums or Both. (Michigan is good for both)
How long do you have or how many miles? (Michigan is big and has two parts)

There are only two large National Parks, Sleeping Bear Dunes on the west coast of the lower peninsula and Pictured Rocks on the north coast of the upper peninsula. But there is Huron National Forest and a plethora of open state parks and campgrounds but any with facilities will probably require a reservation.

Good Luck

Matt