traverse or mackinaw city, MI???
Aug 24th, 2004, 06:43 AM
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traverse or mackinaw city, MI???
i will be driving across the country east to west the start of september. i thought i'd spend two nights on a beach in michigan and am debating between these two cities? i will only have one full day. i love hanging around a nice beach, enjoy playing/floating the water, boat rides and prefer smaller cities to large. is sleeping dunes national park worth a visit and how many hours would i want to plan on being there? (it looks nice.) any campground recommendations for these areas? thanks.
Aug 24th, 2004, 06:52 AM
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Mackinaw City is kind of disappointing--it's more a launching pad for the ferries to Mackinac Island than anything else. I don't know if there's a beach there. Traverse City, however, is gorgeous! The downtown is a lovely place for a stroll and a meal, and Grand Traverse Bay and Torch Lake are beautiful bodies of water.
Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must-see, if you have the time. The views from the dunes are breathtaking. You could spend a few hours hiking around. Check out the Platte River and DH Day campgrounds (just search online). There's a great beach where the Platte River meets Lake Michigan. You can also tube or canoe down the river (ending at the beach), which is lots of fun.
Enjoy northern Michigan!
Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must-see, if you have the time. The views from the dunes are breathtaking. You could spend a few hours hiking around. Check out the Platte River and DH Day campgrounds (just search online). There's a great beach where the Platte River meets Lake Michigan. You can also tube or canoe down the river (ending at the beach), which is lots of fun.
Enjoy northern Michigan!
Aug 24th, 2004, 06:53 AM
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ltt, check this out: http://www.nps.gov/slbe/pphtml/camping.html
Aug 24th, 2004, 07:35 AM
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I would definitely choose Traverse area (sleeping dunes) beaches over Mackinaw City. The dunes are amazing!
That said, it seems you will end up traveling quite a bit north to do this, since it would not be typical for a cross-country trip to hit northern Michigan. Unless you're heading through Canada and coming in through Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
There are also wonderful beaches, some with very nice dunes, along the more southern shores of Lake Michigan if you want to spend less time on the road and more on the beach. Check out Saugatuck and Grand Haven/Muskegon for more info.
That said, it seems you will end up traveling quite a bit north to do this, since it would not be typical for a cross-country trip to hit northern Michigan. Unless you're heading through Canada and coming in through Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
There are also wonderful beaches, some with very nice dunes, along the more southern shores of Lake Michigan if you want to spend less time on the road and more on the beach. Check out Saugatuck and Grand Haven/Muskegon for more info.
Aug 24th, 2004, 09:14 AM
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The beach is better in TC, but September is iffy for the beach in either location, particularly after this summer when there hasn't been much hot weather.
In the fall, Michigan is more a place for hiking or canoeing.
There are water parks in both cities. TC's is indoors (Great Wolf). MC's is outdoors, but the water is heated.
Yes, Sleeping Bear is worth a visit. As far as campgrounds, I would recomend Wilderness State Park, about 10 miles west of MC.
Keith
In the fall, Michigan is more a place for hiking or canoeing.
There are water parks in both cities. TC's is indoors (Great Wolf). MC's is outdoors, but the water is heated.
Yes, Sleeping Bear is worth a visit. As far as campgrounds, I would recomend Wilderness State Park, about 10 miles west of MC.
Keith
