How to Get the Most Out of Time in Michigan

[CarnationSailor]

My wife and I are planning a trip to the Midwest from the Seattle area next June. The purpose is primarily to visit family in central Illinois and see sites going and coming. However, we also want to spend about 15 days seeing the sites of the upper Midwest (Michigan/Wisconsin). Since this may be the only time we get to the Midwest, we want to spend the time exploring the best areas. (No little ones so only interested in senior adult activities and places.)

We have been told that Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) is a "must see", and my wife wants to see Door County, WI.

After a little research, I came up with this:

5 days in Straits State Park (to see Mackinac Island & other sites on the southern part of the UP)

5 days in McLain State Park (to see Keweenaw Peninsula & other sites on Lake Superior)

5 days in Door County, WI

Is this a good plan?

Are there any "must see's" in lower Michigan since we have to drive thru it anyway?

Would we be better off to pick one stop on the UP (instead of two) and spend 10 days there?

Thanks

[Rangerman40]

We did a week in lower Michigan two years ago which we did three days in Mackinaw City where we stayed at Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground, 2 days in Traverse City which accidentally coincided with the Cherry festival and Cherry picking in early July so that was an added bonus. This was our base camp to explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Then we went to stay in Ypsilanti for 2 days and went to the Henry Ford one day and Greenfield Village the next. The one thing I did not get to do because we were short on time was to stop in Petoskey state park and go Petoskey stone hunting.

[timandsusan]

Lots of great advice. We just spent about 3 weeks in the UP and 3+weeks in the LP at Traverse City. Sleeping Bear is a must see in LP. We stayed at Brimley and did the Soo Locks, Machinac Is, and Ship Wreck Museum-all great. Then moved to Munising on the shore of Lake Superior--THE BEST--Pictured Rocks, waterfalls, golf, Grand Island tour. Then Iron Mountain for a the last 4 days. On the way across the UP west to east we really enjoyed Duluth--Split Rock Lighthouse, Harbor tour. We are retired so time not much of an issue. Have a great time

[magnusfide]

wing_zealot wrote:
I think you should plan a couple nights in the Munising area. Pictured Rocks NP shouldn't be missed while you are in the area. Ship wreck museum, Soo locks, and Mackinac Island while in St. Ignace area. On your way to WI is worth a stop to see the Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mtns. just to say you been there. Lot of great sites near Bessemer/Ironwood also if you have enough time to do some site seeing while you're driving.

Double ditto. Pictured Rocks are beautiful. Enjoyed Mackinac Island too. Visit the Grand Hotel on Mackinac and treat yourself to dinner. I recommend the Sea Salt Crusted Prime Rib.

Shipwreck Museum was one we enjoyed.

We do themed trips and one year, Herself wanted to visit lighthouses. The Great Lakes has a number of interesting old style lighthouses. You can find many of them here http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/

[wing_zealot]

I think you should plan a couple nights in the Munising area. Pictured Rocks NP shouldn't be missed while you are in the area. Ship wreck museum, Soo locks, and Mackinac Island while in St. Ignace area. On your way to WI is worth a stop to see the Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mtns. just to say you been there. Lot of great sites near Bessemer/Ironwood also if you have enough time to do some site seeing while you're driving.

[CarnationSailor]

flyfishing48 wrote:
What type of things interest you and DW?

We enjoy just about anything. Scenic locations, historical places, short hikes, biking on well-maintained paths, golf. Most everything people have suggested so far would be fun for us.

[2gypsies1]

Any of the state parks along west lower Michigan are beautiful but in high demand.

Definitely Sleeping Bear Dunes Nat'l Lakeshore - Platte River Campground (volunteered there so we're partial) for a must stop. Reserve as soon as they accept reservations. It's a VERY popular park. Part of the park is South Manitou Island and you can take a day ferry from Leland and get a tour of the island and the lighthouse. (We've given the tours. It's a beautiful place.)

From Sleeping Bear you can explore the Leelanau Peninsula with quaint little towns, wineries and beautiful beaches. Make a circle from Sleeping Bear up to Northport and down to Traverse City and back again. If you like symphonies, get reservations for a World Youth Symphony performance at Interlocken State Park - very professional.

Then head up Hwy 31 to Petoskey - another wonderful, scenic area and on to Mackinac Island, for sure. Two to three nights at Mackinaw City area is plenty with one full day on the island.

Then once you cross the Mighty Mac bridge head up to Paradise - really! Tahquamanon Falls State Park is nice with a visit to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point.

Then work your way on Hwy 28 to Munising for Pictured Rocks Nat'l Park. Take the boat cruise late afternoon for the best color.

Fort Wilkins Historic State Park at Copper Harbor would be my choice rather than McLain. It's a great place to stay. From there to the Wisconsin border you will be in waterfall country. Pick up a waterfall tour map from any of the little towns. Most are easy to walk or drive to.

You could easily spend your whole time in Michigan! Have a good trip.

[rexlion]

Henry Ford Museum is nice, and Algonac SP would work for a night of camping in that area. But it depends on whether museums are something the OP likes. And it would put them on the wrong side of the state; driving up the western shore along Lake Michigan, with stops to see the lake, beaches, dunes, and lighthouses is better than a museum in my personal opinion.

I agree that Mackinaw area warrants only about 3 nights. Make sure you take a boat ride along either Pictured Rocks or Apostle Islands (they are similar); try for a clear, calm day and preferably the sunset cruise for optimal light. I've heard that there's a nice NF CG just west of Munising... Bay Furnace, I think?

McLain is nice. I went there for one night and ended up staying for three nights instead. Stroll to the south end of the park and get an ice cream cone at the park store. Take a day drive north, along the west shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Porcupine Mountains is also very much worth visiting, if not camping. Either do a day trip or plan to stay there for a night. Lake of the Clouds is beautiful, and the west unit has a pleasant trail along the river with 3 waterfalls in about a mile.

If there's time, stop at Bond Falls near Paulding. This is one of the nicest waterfalls in the UP (I like it even better than Tahquamenon, but folks may differ).

The Superior shoreline in MN is also spectacular, with a bunch of waterfalls and trails and views from high cliffs overlooking the lake (Palisade Head is not to be missed).

[Marine_By_Choic]

Porcupine State Park was great in early April this year. About 20 degrees and NOBODY else there. Went into Ontonagon for pasties. Great!!!

[LowRyter]

Lower part ain't bad. South Haven was very nice.

[flyfishing48]

What type of things interest you and DW?

[kknowlton]

A couple tweaks I'd suggest to your plan: Mackinac Island is of course a must-see, and from that area, visit Sault Ste Marie ("the Soo") for a day, and spend at least a morning or afternoon at the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point, and visit Tahquamenon Falls SP. (Day trip also, although Tahquamenon Falls has a nice SP CG you could consider for a night or two.) That said, you could spend perhaps 4 nights in the Mackinaw area to allow at least a day for Pictured Rocks (2 would be better).

5 nights might be a bit much for McLain, but it's a great SP nonetheless, and a good base to visit Copper Harbor from. (Do drive up there - it's worth it.) We weren't all that impressed with the CGs in the "Porkies", though the area is nice. Lots of nice SPs along the western side of the LP, agreed, and some nice ones on the east side as well. Our "do not miss" for the LP is the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Closest place to came there is in Ypsilanti, a former KOA, which is ok. No SPs that close to Detroit. 🙂

Agreed that Door County is touristy farmland, but it's pretty neat anyway. Peninsula would be the choice here, far & away, unless you're partial to private CGs. I don't know that I'd spend 5 days there, but if you do, just hang out in Peninsula for a day, ride the bike trail, play golf there (seriously!), and spend another day visiting Washington Island.

Other suggestions for Wisconsin, on the way there or back: Eagle River KOA in far n.e. Wisconsin (good jumpoff for the UP) - wooded & pretty. We love Wyalusing SP in s.w. Wisconsin - the view from Wisconsin Ridge is amazing. Around Wausau and north - Council Grounds SP is beautiful, and we've enjoyed Lake Wissota SP too. Some neat stuff in the Baraboo area, near the Dells - and a few good SPs there (Gov Dodge, Mirror Lake, and one of the most popular parks, Devils Lake); visit Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright's place), the Int'l Crane Foundation (birds) and the circus museum in Baraboo.

[Big_Katuna]

dtappy3353 wrote:
Great planning!

As I was from the UP/WI area growing up, I am partial to your choices.

Camping in the UP/WI is an awesome experience.

Visiting the "Island" and crossing the Mackinaw Bridge will be memorable.

IMHO, spending a lot of time in Lower MI is a waste of valuable time as it's merely lot's of people and expensive.

Oh, ah, ya, and please don't forget to have a "blue moon" ice cream cone in the UP/northern WI and a "pasty".


Have a GREAT time!

Are you serious? The western side of the LP is almost unpopulated and beautiful. There are rocky coast lines, quaint villages, beautiful Birch forests.

Door County is a touristy farm area.

[arvie]

Instead of McClain I'd spend 2 days in Copper Harbor and 2-3 days at Porcupine State Park. Door County is great and I like to stay at Peninsula State Park.

[summerhouse]

I would suggest a couple days less at Mackinaw and add in a stop in Munising in the UP for a couple days. You will be right on the route and the Poctured Rocks are impressive if you take the boat trip to see them. A definite ' must see'. We spend the month of August in the Upper Peninsula, and I always spend a few days at Munising. You will love the Keweenaw Penisula.

[dtappy3353]

Great planning!

As I was from the UP/WI area growing up, I am partial to your choices.

Camping in the UP/WI is an awesome experience.

Visiting the "Island" and crossing the Mackinaw Bridge will be memorable.

IMHO, spending a lot of time in Lower MI is a waste of valuable time as it's merely lot's of people and expensive.

Oh, ah, ya, and please don't forget to have a "blue moon" ice cream cone in the UP/northern WI and a "pasty".

Have a GREAT time!