Mid West/Great Lakes tour
Jan 11th, 2007, 11:24 AM
#21
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Just had a look to see if there have been any additions to the thread and have seen your post JJ5. Thanks for your comments. Very interesting.
Chicago will be at the start of the trip and visits to a ballgame and the Museum of S&I are at the top of the list. Haven't found a stand out hotel in the right location yet. R&RHoF is also on the must do list - more for me than the kids although I'm sure they'll love it.
We will be staying on the Michigan coast in the first week of August so hopefully that will be a good time to be there.
Would be interested in your suggestions of places to avoid as we get to spend plenty of time in lines/traffic in England and I'm in no hurry to suffer on vacation aswell.
What's the I-PASS you refer to?
Will have a look into the various places you suggest. Would love to fit some of them into our itinerary.
Thanks again.
Chicago will be at the start of the trip and visits to a ballgame and the Museum of S&I are at the top of the list. Haven't found a stand out hotel in the right location yet. R&RHoF is also on the must do list - more for me than the kids although I'm sure they'll love it.
We will be staying on the Michigan coast in the first week of August so hopefully that will be a good time to be there.
Would be interested in your suggestions of places to avoid as we get to spend plenty of time in lines/traffic in England and I'm in no hurry to suffer on vacation aswell.
What's the I-PASS you refer to?
Will have a look into the various places you suggest. Would love to fit some of them into our itinerary.
Thanks again.
Jan 11th, 2007, 01:06 PM
#23
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No it isn't. We went to Florida twice several years ago when the children were younger and since then we've visited Boston/New England, South/North Carolina/Virginia/DC and two years ago Nashville/Memphis/St Louis/Chicago - (but only briefly before catching the flight home).
So we're fairly regular visitors; still plenty left to see though!
So we're fairly regular visitors; still plenty left to see though!
Jan 11th, 2007, 01:37 PM
#24
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The I-Pass is a (pre-pay for tolls)
device which you attach to your visor or car windshield. This allows you to go legally/ directly through on
the I-Pass lanes instead of getting in the toll booth line on the IL toll roads.
In other words, you pre-pay your tolls and the toll fee is taken off electronically on this device as you drive through. The IL tollroads are a pain.
I think you may need to buy $40 worth at a time (tolls) although you may not ever use that much toll $$ during your trip. But the alternative is getting in line at the toll booth (stoppage)
at intervals. It may be something that they can include in your rental if you ask. We buy them online or at some local food stores, Jewel. I'm not sure, but always feel visitors get a sharp end of the stick from IL in tollroad fees PLUS the stoppage. Well, I guess we all do too but having to stop may not bother you much. It does some. It was a strange system that was only going to last 10 years about 30 years ago and now has been put into a scenario for eternity.
I go from IL to MI through IN frequently and use up I-PASS toll $$ like crazy. I don't have to stop when the going is good- but we can drive right through special on I-PASS lanes.
The huge construction in the IL/IN border and somewhat onwards in MI on I-94 is coming to an end after 3 to 4 solid years. It's WIDE now and amazing. For the first time in 5 years we made it in under 2 hours this last month. You might be coming at a better time for driving.
It's not essential, as you will driving in IL much less than in other states. One of our "lucky" realities. One of the reasons I'm moving to MI when I retire.
MI will still be rather crowded the first week in August, but nothing like July. Also, if you have been to WDW in FL- not anything like those crowds.
device which you attach to your visor or car windshield. This allows you to go legally/ directly through on
the I-Pass lanes instead of getting in the toll booth line on the IL toll roads.
In other words, you pre-pay your tolls and the toll fee is taken off electronically on this device as you drive through. The IL tollroads are a pain.
I think you may need to buy $40 worth at a time (tolls) although you may not ever use that much toll $$ during your trip. But the alternative is getting in line at the toll booth (stoppage)
at intervals. It may be something that they can include in your rental if you ask. We buy them online or at some local food stores, Jewel. I'm not sure, but always feel visitors get a sharp end of the stick from IL in tollroad fees PLUS the stoppage. Well, I guess we all do too but having to stop may not bother you much. It does some. It was a strange system that was only going to last 10 years about 30 years ago and now has been put into a scenario for eternity.
I go from IL to MI through IN frequently and use up I-PASS toll $$ like crazy. I don't have to stop when the going is good- but we can drive right through special on I-PASS lanes.
The huge construction in the IL/IN border and somewhat onwards in MI on I-94 is coming to an end after 3 to 4 solid years. It's WIDE now and amazing. For the first time in 5 years we made it in under 2 hours this last month. You might be coming at a better time for driving.
It's not essential, as you will driving in IL much less than in other states. One of our "lucky" realities. One of the reasons I'm moving to MI when I retire.
MI will still be rather crowded the first week in August, but nothing like July. Also, if you have been to WDW in FL- not anything like those crowds.
Jan 11th, 2007, 01:43 PM
#25
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The I-Pass is a (pre-pay for tolls)
device which you attach to your visor or car windshield. This allows you to go legally/ directly through the I-Pass lanes instead of getting into the toll booth lines on the IL toll roads.
In other words, you pre-pay your tolls and the toll fee is taken off electronically on this device as you drive through. The IL tollroads are a pain.
I think you may need to buy $40 worth at a time (tolls) although you may not ever use that much toll $$ during your trip. But the alternative is getting in line at the toll booth (stoppage)
at intervals. It may be something that they can include in your rental if you ask. We buy them online or at some local food stores, Jewel. I'm not sure, but always feel visitors get a sharp end of the stick from IL in tollroad fees PLUS the stoppage. Well, I guess we all do too, but having to stop may not bother you much. It does some. It was a strange system that was only going to last 10 years about 30 years ago and now has been put into a scenario for eternity.
I go from IL to MI through IN frequently and use up I-PASS toll $$ like crazy. We don't have to stop when the going is good- as we can drive right through specially placed I-PASS lanes.
The huge construction at the IL/IN border and another section somewhat onwards in MI on I-94 is coming to an end after 3 to 4 solid years. It's WIDE now and amazing (6 to 8 lanes not counting access). For the first time in 5 years we made it in under 2 hours this last month IN THE SNOW. You might be coming at a better time for driving.
It's not essential, as you will driving in IL much less than in other states. One of our "lucky" realities. And one of the hundred reasons I'm moving to MI when I retire.
MI will still be rather crowded the first week in August, but nothing like July. Also, if you have been to WDW in FL- not anything like those crowds.
device which you attach to your visor or car windshield. This allows you to go legally/ directly through the I-Pass lanes instead of getting into the toll booth lines on the IL toll roads.
In other words, you pre-pay your tolls and the toll fee is taken off electronically on this device as you drive through. The IL tollroads are a pain.
I think you may need to buy $40 worth at a time (tolls) although you may not ever use that much toll $$ during your trip. But the alternative is getting in line at the toll booth (stoppage)
at intervals. It may be something that they can include in your rental if you ask. We buy them online or at some local food stores, Jewel. I'm not sure, but always feel visitors get a sharp end of the stick from IL in tollroad fees PLUS the stoppage. Well, I guess we all do too, but having to stop may not bother you much. It does some. It was a strange system that was only going to last 10 years about 30 years ago and now has been put into a scenario for eternity.
I go from IL to MI through IN frequently and use up I-PASS toll $$ like crazy. We don't have to stop when the going is good- as we can drive right through specially placed I-PASS lanes.
The huge construction at the IL/IN border and another section somewhat onwards in MI on I-94 is coming to an end after 3 to 4 solid years. It's WIDE now and amazing (6 to 8 lanes not counting access). For the first time in 5 years we made it in under 2 hours this last month IN THE SNOW. You might be coming at a better time for driving.
It's not essential, as you will driving in IL much less than in other states. One of our "lucky" realities. And one of the hundred reasons I'm moving to MI when I retire.
MI will still be rather crowded the first week in August, but nothing like July. Also, if you have been to WDW in FL- not anything like those crowds.
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