NIAGARA FALLS TO RAPID CITY MOST SCENIC ROUTE PLEASE
 

Hi..We are riding from Niagara falls on the 3 and need to be in Rapid City by the 8 August.. Looking @ the map it looks like going around the lakes to Sudbury, Saulte marie down to Duluth would be quite scenic...although would we be able to make it in 5 days...my husband thought maybe catching the ferry across to Milwaukee seemed the better option...but Im hoping with your input we can figure something out that we will both like. Any suggestions for alternate routes will also be appreciated... thanks

If you are heading to Iowa, the route under the upper Great Lakes is certainly quicker. From Niagara Falls you drive north to Hamilton, then west past London to either Windsor or Sarnia, crossing into the United States and continuing on the Interstate network below Lake Michigan and into Iowa. It is essentially superhighway all (or at least most of) the way. That path also covers some of the flattest land you will see anywhere, particularly the 100-mile stretch from London to the border. It's strong on agriculture but hardly scenic.
Going over top of Lake Huron to Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced "Soo") is exactly the opposite, very rugged and hilly and often covered in bush.
One alternative on this route is to follow the Niagara Escarpment to Tobermory where a ferry crosses to Manitoulin Island and then onwards into Northern Ontario. This choice is more for novelty than real time-saving. It's open water so sea-sickness can be a factor. http://www.ontarioferries.com/ontari...ish/index.html
I don't know the countryside from the Michigan side of the Sault onwards.

The route through the United State is certainly a quicker option. The drive will be pretty much the same the whole way-flat, with a lot of agriculture. How are you traveling? Car, bus, train? By car, it would take you about 23 hours. With a possible stop in Chicago. Train would take much longer with multiple stops and train changes.

Thank you for your replies...we are riding motor bikes with one car, I think we will go the Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced "Soo") route..I have just checked out the link for the ferry..but think we will travel around...now if anyone has any places we should eat, stay all would be appreciated....have to work out if we can make it in 5 days....

Nice way to describe your thing's in this thread.

Sorry howarddrive..am I doing something wrong?? I was hoping to get a bit more advice...including where else to look..so finally looked @ the help area...hope to source more info...so thank you Southam & carina for your info (looks like it is harder than I thought it would be) and howarddrive please let me know what I am doing wrong... Cheers