Looking for Summer Home....
 

Message: We live in Chicago. Looking for a beautiful, non-touristy wonderful place for a summer house/vacation home. (we'd love to check the area out first vacationing/hotels etc...)<BR><BR>We absolutely love new england/east coast as we love trees, hills and beautiful towns like the Finger Lakes REgion in upsate New York, etc.....<BR><BR>Illinois/Wisconsin etc...is just flat. but we need to find something pretty. Last year we went to Traverse City, MI....it was very pretty-just what we were looking for, but it was a bit of a drive to get there (5 hours) and not to sound snobby...there weren't many great restaurants in the area(compraed to chicago etc...) We need something within 3 hours driving distance....but good. <BR><BR>Folks in NY can go to Vermont, Upstate NY, NJ, Pennsylvania, RI all in a few hours...what can us Chicagoans do to get some beautiful scenerry as well! Need some ideas? Ive been to Galena, IL and thought that was pretty but 'touristy'.....Been to many places in Wisconsin which are pretty (Elkhart lake wisconsin, Lake Delevan etc...)<BR><BR><BR>OR...should we try to investigate getting a summer home out of the area that needs a plane to get there (Arizona, Florida etc...)we dont mind doing that, as long as the flight isn't too long......what about Michigan? Ive heard S.W. Michigan was a nice area...We need something with beautiful hilly scenery, trees, lakes, pretty town center with some grocery stores etc... thats about it, its a getaway place...<BR><BR>Anyone out there have any ideas?<BR>

kim --<BR>get in your car and drive over to southwest michigan. get of of i-94 and take the Red Arrow Highway. You'll go through towns such as Union Pier, Lakeside and Harbert. These are full of Chicagoans with vacation homes. The beach is beautful. Nice antique shops, some good restaurants, etc. Keep going futher north to Saugatuck - more of a town feel. And keep driving north. Pentwater is nice, but you are hitting about 3.5-4 hours away. Check them all out, unfortunately you'll find high real estate prices and lots of Chicagoans, as you are not alone in wanting a vacation place that is close to home. but the lake is right there and it is beautiful!

kim: didn't you post this same question last week?

How about Door County. Althought parts of it are very touristy, there are many parts that we found to be rustic and quiet. It offers the best of both worlds. We drove 17 hours to get there and it was worth every minute of the drive.

Try the area from St. Joe, MI to Holland, not as crowded as lower MI and just as pretty

Kim,<BR>If you're considering going a "plane ride" away, you would NOT want to consider Florida. It is miserable there in the summer! Perhaps, California or the Norhnwest would be nice weather wise. Good Luck.