Ok, before we get technical..I guess it is really not the UP, but close enough.
We will be spending Memorial Day week in the Petoskey area,,,checking in on Saturday, May 29th.
Question #1. We will need a room for Friday night, May 28th. Travelling on I-75 north...Do we want to go over to the Saginaw Bay area for that one night> If so, is Bay City a good place or not?? Or, do we want to keep on trucking and go on to the Alpena area...or keep on to the Cheboygan area.....OR...cut on across to the Traverse City Area??
#2. On Wednesday of that week we are going fly fishing down around Manistee...We will probably leave sometime on Tuesday..so here is the question...should we go down early enough to take the ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc, WI...or what should we cover on that day before our fly fishing expedition on Wednesday?
Thanks for your help...I wasn't too excited about this vacation when my husband decided that's where he wanted to go...but, the more I research..the more I believe this is just going to be a wonderful, fun, scenic, action packed week.

"Northern Michigan" is the words you wanted

What time are your starting north on Friday and from where? It will be a heavy traffic day and you may spend much more time on the road than you expect.

Keith

YOu're going to a beautiful part of the state. As a native of Michigan I would book my room now for Friday and I wouldn't stop in Saginaw or Bay City. Nothing wrong with either town, but the quicker you are up north on that weekend the better. I'd try to make it all the way the Traverse or Petoskey, but understand that room availability may dictate where you have to stay. That's the start of the summer season and many places may already be sold out. Lots of people from Detroit and Chicago use the Traverse City/Petoskey area as a weekend or summer home spot. There's lots to do and it should be beautiful.

I'm not sure I understand your question on the ferry. Are you just going to ride across the lake and back? I think it takes about 4 hours to cross the lake and also believe you want to have reservations for that in advance. If it were me, I don't think I'd bother with the ferry unless there's something you need to do in Manitowoc. I'd spend my time going down the coast---Holland and Grand Haven are delightful communities.

We went to the UP a couple of years ago, and had a wonderful trip. We traveled to Escanaba, then onto Sault Ste Marie. Spemt the day at Soo Locks, which was amazing. Ate breakfast at Abner's, and dinner at Ang-gio's. Really liked the city ! Then went to Mackinac Island, which was so fun. Ater that, we traveled to Petoskey, Bay Harbor, Charlevoix (we loved this place!) Traverse City and Leland. We took Lake Shore Drive to Manistee to Ludington, where we went across Lake Michagin in the Badger to Manitowoc, WI. We drove a lot, bit the scenery is absolutely beautiful. By the way, we were looking at lighthouses, and enjoyed the water of the Lakes. Have fun !

The reason I was wondering about Friday night is that our reservations don't start until Saturday. And, we have decided to leave after work on Thursday and hopefully make it as far as Lexington, KY. Lexington to Saginaw is over 400 miles, so probably will take 7 or 8 hours to get that far. Eight hours is just about my limit of riding with the DH! We are coming from North Georgia (another beautiful area of this great U.S.). That was the reason for the Saginaw Bay, Bay City question. On the map that looks like a good stopping point. Plus, of so many places I have checked, they require a 2 night minimum.
Any recommendations on restaurants or places to visit will be greatly welcomed. We are not opposed to driving.
Some things that I absolutely want to do are:

Mackinac Island
Soo Locks
Fly Fish the Manistee
Charlevoix
Traverse City

Please tell me what else to not miss..
Do we want to go as far up as Whitefish Pt.? What about Sleeping Bear Dunes and N or S Maitou Islands?

Thanks all.

Well.....I don't really want to fly fish the Manistee..but DH does, so since it's his vacation also, I will do it and I'm sure have lots of fun!

iceeu2, yes on Whitefish Point. It has a wonderful Maritime Museum focusing on the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck and it is a wonderful birding location.

Sleeping Bear Dunes is so varied, you can take hikes to overlooks, climb a dune, take a drive through the various ecosystems or swim in a lake [ a little cold that early in the year].

The Manitou Islands are very different from each other. South Manitou is best for a day trip, but it will take all day.

There are numerous motels along I-75 in the Saginaw/Bay City area including most major chains. I like Baymonts because breakfast is included and they are a fairly new group of motels.

This is the thing, Traffic on I-75 on a Friday evening (especially that being Memorial weekend) is usually an absolute DISASTER!!! I'm talking it could take 7-8 hours to do a 4-5 hour drive. So keep that in mind.

As far as attractions, Sleeping Bear and the town of Leland is a must! You can do both in one day I should think. If you like wines, check out some of the wineries in the Leelanau County area. Blackstar Farms just won a Gold medal for its Riesling at some prestigious competition. In fact, Michigan Rieslings are beginnning to get quite a good reputation.

Thanks for all of the recommendations and wonderful ones at that, I'm sure. What about restaurants? Anything to absolutely not miss?

While I don't think there are any "absolutely not miss" restaurants, there are many nice one depending on your tastes and budget.

One example: Stafford's Weathervane Restaurant in Charlevoix where you can watch the draw bridge and boats a few dozen feet away, moving between Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan.

I also recomend Stafford's The Pier in Harbor Springs and The Dam Site Inn near Pellston. Both have good food and good views. The are on the expensive end for the area, but only average priced compared to most metropolitan areas.

Keith

Keith

iceeu2: If you decide to make Bay City your stop for the night, there are a couple of chain motels (AmericInn Motel & Suites and Fairfield Inn) not far off I-75. Or, if you prefer, there is a charming B&B on Center Avenue near the downtown area (Clements Inn B&B) that is a three story mansion with six fireplaces and a winding staircase. There are also several restaurants and cafes downtown that are very nice.

Enjoy your stay in Michigan!

Again, my thanks. This is exactly the type of info I'm looking for.

Forget Manitowoc! Driving on an expressway is Las Vegas' Circus Circus compared to 4 hours (one way) on a ferry boat crossing a 75 mile wide lake at 20 mph. Then to return?

Didn't realize the ferry ride was that long...Won't do that!
Thanks
What about restaurants?

Just wanted to say that Saginaw Michigan is wonderful.... on a weekday.
Found a little cottage on the internet to rent. It was a dream cottage with blue shutters and a sleeping loft and right in town. Each morning walked to a great little coffee house where they roast their own. Found decent food on the water.
It lures me back this summer.

Hi, Re: the Carferry trip. The trip across lake Michigan does take 4 hours, and is a pleasant relaxing ride, but there is not much to do in Manitowac. However, the town you would leave from, Ludington, is a beautiful spot to stop in. We have one of the most beautiful sunset beaches in the US and our State Park is one of the tops also. We get tons of visitors from southern areas and they usually come back again and again. And the ones that vacation here as children often move here as adults, or at least bring their families for vacation. Our area has alot going on beginning with that weekend in particular which is the start of our tourist season. We have some beautiful walkways along the waterfront. Check out our visitors site http://www.ludingtoncvb.com/

Ms.iceeu2:
since your hubby is a fisherman, perhaps he/you would consider a half day charter out of any of the ports from Grand Haven north to the Straits. The king salmon commonly run in the 20-30 lb. range, and put up a good fight. I'm not sure they'd be running 5/31 yet, but maybe the previous poster would know.
Also, if you've never seen a virgin pine forest, check out Hartwick Pines State Park, near Cadillac, I believe. They're Michigan's downscale equivalent to California redwoods. About an hour would suffice, and it's somewhat on the way.

From all of the great advice, it appears we may not have enough days to enjoy this beautiful state of Michigan.
Now restaurants........surely there must be at least one do not miss!

Hartwick Pines State Park is in Grayling and I-75 goes right by it. It is definitely worth a stop.

This life long East Coaster had never been to Michigan until last summer. I went to the Upper Peninsula and then across to Michigan Tech. I joined an elderhostel group that went over to Isle Royale and saw some of the sites on the Keewanaw Peninsula.

I have to say that the scenery in the Upper Peninsula is absolutely some of the most wonderful I have ever seen--and I have been around. Who knew? I wouldn't want to be there in winter though.

By the way, the trip begain in Washington, DC (where I live) and included stops in Canada to see plays at the Shaw and Stratford Festivals before heading up I-75 and then across almost the entire UP. When I saw the sign that said "Duluth 80", I knew I had driven a bit. I made it from Stratford, Ontario, Sault St. Marie in one day. I drove into the motel that was the check in point for the elderhostel 15 minutes before registration was supposed to end. Pretty good timing, that (actually accidental good timing).

I did make it home in two days after the elderhostel deal finished stopping halfway in Ann Arbor (yes, halfway was still in Michigan) for the night.

By the way, I was very disappointed with the lodge at Isle Royale--typical captive audience National Park Service concessionaire problems combined with extreme isolation for the staff.