A 16-hour drive from NJ to Wisconsin!
 

Hi all,

My husband, my boxer dog, and I, will be driving to Washaura, Wisconsin for a family reunion. We live in New Jersey and are planning to drive the 16-hour journey. Sounds like a lot of driving, but have driven cross-country both southern/northern routes last year, we had to have our driving fix. My question is this: we plan to stop for a night along the way, but where? What interesting town or city to you recommend that is worth stopping and spending a couple of hours at and why?

Just to clear us confusion here...are you going to Waukesha (a Milwaukee suburb) or Waushara (a county in central WI.)? I guess it doesn't really matter, that was not your question.

At any rate, how about stopping in South Bend and seeing Notre Dame? Another halfway town is Toledo but I know of nothing interesting there. If you can push yourself to Chicago, there is plenty to see and do. Just avoid Gary and Hammond, IN.

To answer your question, our destination is Wautoma in Washaura County. Last year when we drove the northern route from San Fran to NJ we stayed one night in Chicago and did visit the Notre Dame Campus in South Bend. I was hoping there were other interesting towns or cities to see? I was considering Indiana, but then should I avoid it?

I actually did a very similar drive about 6 years ago from Fort Dix, NJ area to a town on the lake that I can't recall (about an hour east of Green Bay). I think it took me about 14 hours to get to Milwaukee (straight through).

On way back, I stayed in Chicago for a night.

Cleveland is about 1/2 way. The Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and/or a Cleveland Indians game.

Circuit,
There's is Michigan City, IN if you like outlet shopping. For my money, I would stop at the Dunes National Park. It is a beautiful park in the shadows of the steel mills. I also recommend Chesterton or Valparaiso (Oprah lives in one of the towns...not that she's a tourist site!)

We spent a few days in Cleveland recently, coming from Philly and heading for Chicago, and we really enjoyed it.
We had been to the Rock and Roll Museum before, but it's worth seeing. There is a great art museum there, and we had terrific pizza nearby in Old Italy at Mama Santa's.
We drove around - quite a lovely city.
The center of the city, which is primarily for business, closes early. We stayed in a suburb this time (Beachwood) and liked the location. Plenty to see and do!

Sylvia

Near the interstate in Toledo, Ohio is the largest mosque in the US. Since you are driving 8 hours per day, you may not have much time to see things. Seeing the mosque is a 10 minute detour which might be what you want. The Rock and Roll Museum might be a 2 hour detour (1 hour detour + 1 hour at the museum).

How about the John Hancock Tower in Chicago?

Here's a nice idea that you might enjoy, there is a ferry from the Ludington area of Michigan over to Wisconsin. You can take your car over and get a room on the ferry to relax and enjoy the ride.

There are some nice hotels in that area as well, and lots of fun antique stores.

Have a fun trip.

I second the ferry idea. It goes from Luddington MI to Manitowoc WI. Although Manitowoc is roughly only 2hrs from Wautoma and you might want lodging earlier than that. Here's a website with some info: http://www.ssbadger.com/
If you do decide to do the ferry, make sure you bring a jacket. Even on warm days it gets very chilly on the ride across Lake MI.

My brother in law and his family love the area around Sandusky Ohio-Cedar Point amusement park and Put in Bay which is accessible by ferry but that would entail more than a couple hour stop.

A little bit off 80/90 in Indiana is Amish country (before you hit South Bend). Shipshewana has a large flea market Tues/Wed and an auction on Wed but if those aren't your days there is still a great restaurant in nearby Middlebury called Essenhaus for Amish family style dining and several antique malls and stores. I think there are also several B&Bs out in that area.

If you happen to be coming the weekend of July 25, Whiting Indiana has a great festival (Pierogi Fest)that's worth stopping at for a couple of hours. Whiting is just a little to the north of Hammond.

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is also an excellent suggestion, Michigan City is a good stop if you are into outlet shopping as was previously mentioned.

And of course Chicago is worth a stop, there is always something going on in the summer months on the weekends-Venetian night, the Air and Water show, Tall Ships, etc are all coming up.

Another place to consider is Goshen, Indiana, near South Bend. There is an Amish Colony there. The visitor's center has a very interesting display and video that explains the religious prosecution in Europe that brought the sect to this country. There is also a fun general store to walk through that sells everything. The area is small and doable in a couple of hours. You would then be more than halfway to your destination and could hit Chicagoland outside of rush hour on your way to Wisconsin.

How ironic, I just had a family reunion with my family this past weekend in Wautoma... small world!

Going through/around Chicago is very unpleasent. I would schedule my trip to do that when traffic is relatively light.

Keith

For good food, interesting crafts, and wonderful hospitality/friendliness, stop at Amish Acres in Napanee, Indiana. Michigan City, Indiana has factory outlets and you would be pretty close to the Dunes National Park, also an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Enjoy yourselves. I admire anyone who actually likes road trips - hubby and I have done plenty of them over the years, but I've finally had my fill - more than 2 hours in a car now and I'm ready to scream! :-0

Chicago traffic can be bad and the traffic on the Chicago skyway (right after the Indiana toll road or 90) can be really bad as they have been doing major construction and traffic is down to 1 lane in one direction and 2 lanes in the other. On weekends it sometimes backs up all the way to Gary.

I visited Shipshewana, Indiana more than 10 years ago. That is an Amish community. Driving a car is just as bad as watching pornography. They don't like it but they will tolerate it. Everyone wears black. It is interesting to watch, but don't stare.

To avoid Chicago traffic, you could continue west a bit to pick up Interstate 39 and take that north.