Road trip around Lake Michigan

Old May 6th, 1999, 12:32 PM
  #1  
bruno (french)
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Road trip around Lake Michigan

Hello,
My parents are coming from France to visit us in September. They will arrive in Chicago. We would like to do a road trip (6 days) around the Lake Michigan and drive back to Kansas City where I live. After they will drive to South Dakota.
Is it a good idea to plan a trip around the Lake ?? or is it better to do the Est coast of the Lake Michigan and back by the West Coast of the Lake Uron ?? THANK'S
Bruno & Albine - www.pimico.fr/ab
 
Old May 6th, 1999, 01:31 PM
  #2  
marilyn
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I'm not sure you could comfortably accomplish either of these trips in six days. I haven't done the trip around Michigan's "mitten," ie, up on east side of Lake Michigan and around on Lake Huron side, but I've heard it is a great drive.

Al Solomon wrote an article about that trip in his "great drives" series in the Chicago Tribune travel section. You might try searching the internet edition (www.chicago.tribune.com) to find that article.
 
Old May 11th, 1999, 04:45 AM
  #3  
Michelle
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I would think that you wouldn't be able to enjoy the drive in only six days. Why not drive up from Chicago along the lake and maybe go as far as the Leelenau Peninsula (lots of neat shops in the small towns along the way, cherry and apple orchards, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes) and then turn back and take the ferry from Ludington over to Wisconsin? That might be kind of fun! Hope they enjoy and have a great experience in the US. Tell them "Welcome" for me!!
 
Old May 11th, 1999, 08:05 AM
  #4  
lisa
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I lived in Michigan from birth to age 24 and took many family trips all over the state and can tell you that there's NO way you could drive all the way around Lake Michigan in 6 days and enjoy it. There are lots of neat things to see in Michigan though. First, I hope you plan to spend at least a couple of days with them in Chicago because that is one of the best cities in the country with wonderful restaurants, architecture, shopping, lakeshore, museums, etc. and I think they would enjoy it. In Michigan, some of the beaches on the western side of the state along Lake Michigan are very nice; it has been several years since I was there but I remember the area around Saugatuck and Grand Haven or South Haven(?) and Holland as having nice beaches. Some of the nicest places in Michigan are in the northwestern part of the lower peninsula (which is probably about 5 hours' drive from Chicago) around Traverse City-Northport-Sleeping Bear Dunes-Harbor Springs (my favorite)-Petosky. There is a good article in the current issue of a major travel magazine about this area of Michigan; I think it may be in National Geographic's "Traveler" magazine. Then Mackinac Island is a really fun 2-3 day trip and kind of unique since they don't allow cars on the island. On Mackinac Island you can rent bikes or horses and ride all the way around the island which is a fun afternoon. The Grand Hotel there is gorgeous. The upper peninsula is beautiful in places but my recollection is that it is incredibly long distances between places and the drives in between can be too long and dull. Some places that are interesting and/or beautiful in the U.P. are Taquamenon Falls, Copper Harbor (the northernmost point in the state), the "Pictured Rocks" cliffs, the Porcupine Mountains in the western part of the state, and the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie near the Canadian border. But I would not drive the eastern side of the lower peninsula along Lake Huron; it just isn't that nice. Yes, Grosse Pointe has big mansions and it's pretty but that's about it. I hope they have a great time while they're here.
 
Old May 14th, 1999, 05:35 AM
  #5  
bruno (french)
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Whouuaaa !! Thank's a lot Lisa for so much informations about this trip.
Thank's to Marilym and Michelle too.

Bruno - www.pimico.com/ab
 
Old May 14th, 1999, 01:05 PM
  #6  
lisa
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Bruno: You're welcome! Having been to France twice and seen (and tasted) how wonderful it is, I only hope they aren't disappointed when they come here. Please post a message on this forum after their trip and let us know where you all went, where you stayed, and what you enjoyed, etc. so others can benefit from your perspective.
 

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