Recommend some activities/campgrounds in U.P.

[Shadow_Grey]

We are planning on pulling our 5er to the U. P. in early September we will be traveling thru the Western side of Lower Michigan. A night or two till we get to Mackinaw Island, then on to the Upper. Please recommend campgrounds and things to do as we will have about 5-7 days or so before heading South thru Wisconsin. No kids, just us two empty nesters. Hiking, biking, wineries, museums, scenery...etc.

Thanks to all ahead of time...

[kknowlton]

Be sure you spend at least a day and night at the Aune Osborne Campground in Sault Ste Marie. You can watch the big ships/barges move up and down the St Marys River right next to the campground. Be sure to visit the Soo Lock and Dam visitor's center too! You can stand in the observation area within a few feet of the big ships and watch them drop them 24 feet in 30 minutes to move from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron via the St. Marys River.

We've stayed in excellent campgrounds at Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas, Hoeft State Park near Rogers, Tahquamenon Falls State Park (great brewery/restaurant near the Upper Falls), Munising Tourist Park Campground is a great place to stay while taking the boat tour of Pictured Rocks or a glass bottom boat to see the Lake Superior shipwrecks. You should also visit Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point on Lake Superior. It's very interesting and a pretty area. Lots to see and do in the Upper Peninsula!

x2 on all of this. We also enjoyed the Wandering wheels CG in Munising - woodsy but room for most rigs, it seemed. Petoskey KOA is pretty resort-like but made a nice base camp for Sleeping Bear Dunes.

On the way back home, through Wisconsin, consider some of their state parks, especially on weekdays. Particularly pretty that time of year would be Council Grounds, and Point Beach SF is one of our all-time favorites. Plenty more in that department. We stayed at the KOA in Eagle River & really enjoyed it - lots of trees, and without that parking-lot feel that many private CGs have. Gorgeous there that time of year too.

Should you get up to the "rabbit ear," McLain (sp?) SP is great!

[twins89]

Depending upon your liking, there are some nice places to stay in Michigan. We varied our parks and stayed in Manistee south of Sleeping Bear Dunes. LIttle River RV park and casino. Full hookups and some great fun. Then we moved to the UP and stayed in St. Ignace overlooking Lake Michigan and the freighters at Lake Shore Rv Park. Both were great but more of the RV type than a campground. They met our needs great and were great bases for touring.

[Drbolasky]

In the UP - Tahquamenon Falls, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum/Whitefish Point Light, Pictured Rocks Nat'l Seashore. We used the KOA in Newberry and took the Toonerville Trolley (and riverboat) to the Falls. For Pictured Rocks we stayed at Wandering Wheels CG (east of Munising) but there are many here who prefer the Munising Tourist Park CG. Lots of hiking at Pictured Rocks. I'll suggest doing the boat tour in the evening as the setting sun can provide spectacular colors on the rock formations.

Enjoy & safe travels.

[Drbolasky]

In the UP - Tahquamenon Falls, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum/Whitefish Point Light, Pictured Rocks Nat'l Seashore. We used the KOA in Newberry and took the Toonerville Trolley (and riverboat) to the Falls. For Pictured Rocks we stayed at Wandering Wheels CG (east of Munising) but there are many here who prefer the Munising Tourist Park CG. Lots of hiking at Pictured Rocks. I'll suggest doing the boat tour in the evening as the setting sun can provide spectacular colors on the rock formations.

Enjoy & safe travels.

[dverstra]

In the Lower, you could go to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and hike in the dune areas. Stay at the Platte river campground or Indigo Bluffs RV Resort. From there you could also take an afternoon winery tour on Hwy 37 north of Traverse City. Follow the lakeshore on Hwy 31 on your way to THE Bridge. Stop in Petosky for the night at the State Park or KOA. Before crossing the Bridge, visit Fort Michilimackinac that is located to the west of the Bridge. As said before, make sure that you stay at Aune Osborne park in Sault Ste. Marie to see all of the boat traffic. Heading west through the U.P., you could stop at Munising Tourist Park that is right on Lake Superior. Take a boat ride to see Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Have fun. That is a beautiful time of year in the U.P.

I almost forgot to say "Eat a Pasty" while in the U.P.:)

[Pepperoni]

Great fishing will begin to build about the time you will be there. Most of the fishermen will be around the river mouths and will be too close for comfort. The fish, however, will stage all along the shoreline and a walk of 100 yards down the beach should give you plenty of room and lots of fish. I prefer small spoons generally, and minnows when the catch is perch. Leeches also work well if available. Bass, perch, walleye and pike are always around and salmon, browns, and steelhead will make occasional runs. I usually fish the drop-off closest to shore..... the fish will run along the bottom of this drop, feeding and waiting to enter the river to spawn.

[dalenoel]

As you go west in the UP you will find many waterfalls. Some may need time to walk to but many are right next to the road, 5 - 10 minute walk. Around Marquette you will find several falls, hikes and scenic views.

If you have time and get into the rabbit ear you will find Houghton/Hancock area great for that time of year. We plan on being there the last week in Sept also.

[PegLW]

Be sure you spend at least a day and night at the Aune Osborne Campground in Sault Ste Marie. You can watch the big ships/barges move up and down the St Marys River right next to the campground. Be sure to visit the Soo Lock and Dam visitor's center too! You can stand in the observation area within a few feet of the big ships and watch them drop them 24 feet in 30 minutes to move from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron via the St. Marys River.

We've stayed in excellent campgrounds at Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas, Hoeft State Park near Rogers, Tahquamenon Falls State Park (great brewery/restaurant near the Upper Falls), Munising Tourist Park Campground is a great place to stay while taking the boat tour of Pictured Rocks or a glass bottom boat to see the Lake Superior shipwrecks. You should also visit Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point on Lake Superior. It's very interesting and a pretty area. Lots to see and do in the Upper Peninsula!

[stripit]

sorry double post

[stripit]

If your anywhere near Baldwin as your heading north you might like a quiet night or two at Pere Oaks RV Resort. here it is worth the stop as it is a beautiful park.