The wife and I are looking for an alternative to Colorado for an escape from the Texas heat! Could anyone help with suggestions on a 10 day auto tour to include the outdoor sights, small unique towns, small hotels, some camping, fishing and NO agendas, malls?

Al-
To tell you the truth, it hasn't been all that cool here (Minneapolis). Yesterday, we had a heat index of 106! As a (sadly) former Texan, I felt right at home. I'm going back to Dallas to visit my parents in late August and I am dreading the heat!

But, it should cool down here so I would suggest visiting the North Shore of Minensota. Lake Superior is beautiful and it has plenty of the small towns you are looking for. Check out http://www.northshoreguide.com/ to start. There are moderately priced resorts and B&Bs with lots of activities like biking, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.

Also, along the St Croix River on the Minnesota side, is a small town called Stillwater. Great antiques, beautiful scenery, and a very cute downtown area.

As for Wisconsin, I've always heard great things about Door County although I've never been.

Have fun and good luck beating the heat!

North of Milwaukee, along highway 43 there are all sorts of smaller towns along Lake Michigan - Algoma, Sheboygen, Two Rivers, Manitawoc, Kohler, etc. & then keep going north into Door County, or into Green Bay & up towards Escanaba MI. But it can get pretty opressive heat & humidity wise up in that area. There are a few homes & places that do not have air conditioning, especially north of Green Bay. When it is 95 degrees & 95% humidity, some of the people say they don't need to have air conditioning for only 1 - 2 months out of the year. If you go in July or August - it can be uncomfortable, otherwise temperature is ok.

Jane/Bill

Thanks to each of you for your responses. Jane, as you know, being a former Texan, the heat is on here and we felt there MUST be other places to visit than Colorado (it's cool and fun-but enough is enough). We're hoping to just meander and enjoy what other parts of this great country has to offer. Any others out there with additional thoughts places to visit while COOLING OFF?

As a current Las Vegas resident, I can relate to the need for cooling off. Have you considered northern California, Oregon or Washington? All of them are great vacation destinations and offer relief from the heat in the summer months.

Canada is another good option since the exchange rate offers us a nice vacation destination for less money. I was recently up in Vancouver for a week and loved it. Plenty to do and see for a week.

Hi Al,

Good suggestions by the other posters. I think a cricle tour around lake Michgian would be delightful, sounds like it would meet your criteria, and is do-able with your 10 day allotment. Bill's suggestion of going north through Wisconsin and into the U.P. is a good one. The drive from Escanaba to the Mackinaw bridge hugs the coast part of the way. Highway 31 just south of the bridge is a great route - through nice towns like Petoskey, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Ludington, etc. I lived in Escanaba and Cheboygan, so I'm partial to the state, I guess! Enjoy your planning and keep cool!

Tina, Thanks for the suggestion and you're right, Ca., Oregon, Wash. and Canada are all neat! Just did 2 wks. in Wash., Victoria, BC last year and California several times. Samantha is onto something we haven't yet experienced yet. Thanks Samantha and I'm into the final plannig stages. Any other suggestions out there for this neat Cooling off (I hope) trip?

Surely, I am the very last person in the world w/o daily access to the Weather Channel...? However..I viewed it last nite at my daughters...and if you, Al, take a look -- you will see that all of the upper midwest, much of it normally a cool refuge in the summer is....fegiddaboudit!!!! I am writing from Door County WI - where the whole reason for putttin up with an ultra-long, depressing and frequently sub-sub-zero winter is...the thought of SUMMER...with sometimes very warm days, but always cool evenings and cool sleeping. Ha!!! Tonite, the temp is still over 80 -after midnite. Almost unheard of....And this weather pattern is a stain across the entire top half of the map (Midwest section). Oh, by all means, come and explore sometime...early fall (fabulous); most summers (equally fabulous!). But this year...? Pack the ice and think of someplace else!!!

arjay,

Yes, we've been paying attention and understand your plight! Hence, we've been slowly waiting this out for COOLER weather in your area. However, if you haven't experienced Texas weather, (?), it's only averaging around 100-103 for the days (no rain in 45 days) and most of the evenings are 90-93 overnight. Not to even mention the heat index!

we've patiently waiting and we're off whenever it cools only slightly since your understanding of hot and our understanding of HOT are entirely two different views! Now, would you help us with WHERE to visit even though you think it's hot, please?

Al-
Just an FYI- we're supposed to be getting a "cool front" this weekend with temps dropping into the 80s and dew points in the 50s. It will cool down sooner rather than later here while I know TX can remain hot well into "fall." Have a great trip!

As kids, we used to spend many summers up around the Minnesota Lake superior coast (north of Superior). Areas around Grand Mariah (sp??) are really beautiful with great pristine beaches for agate hunting and some pretty good sized mountians for spectacular hikes. Its also close to the Gun Flint trail and the boundry waters wilderness area both have abundant opportunities to get out and enjoy the northwoods.
Were you interested in outdoors type things or more upscale resort type stuff?? With a few more specifics, we can help better.

Al,

My brother lives in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and claims this summer the weather there is so warm it is more similar to Jamaica (not that there's anything wrong with living in Jamaica).

Jane, Thanks for the encouraging news! I was begining to beleive the natives that it is hot and would'nt change! Please keep me posted---I beleive in local reports moreso than the weather channel!

Barb, as mentioned at the thread start, no agenda, although we would like to find the quaint hotels, small towns, enjoyable food, and local insight. We're also antique hounds so some that fits as well. We'll also be looking for that night or two to camp out and fish --or---at least claim to fish, even we do just read a good book and hide out!

Got any ideas for our alternate to the typical summer heat getaway?

Many Thanks for all the response and help. We're waiting on the weather break that Jane promises!

Check out Ely, Grand Marais and Lutsen. Tons of stuff to do and the shores of Lake Superior are quite spectacular. The lake itself is so powerfull and moody it seems to have a life of its own. SInce the water temp never rises above @55 degrees, its always cool in that area. I have swam in Lake Superior, but not for any length of time. As I mentioned, there is also the gunflint trail for lots of hiking and fishing and camping. Plenty of really neat little villages, gushing streams and waterfalls. I haven't been back there for 4 years but writing this makes me ready to go. You'd love it. P.S. 1 more day of heat and its expected to break.

The wind is supposed to change tonight! We praise Canadian air in the summer and curse it in the winter. From Minneapolis, a lot of people enjoy Door County (Fish Creek, Peninsula State Park, etc.) for scenic shorelines, small towns, good food, and good lodging. Another destination is Bayfield, especially if you want to get on the water. The drive from Duluth to Thunder Bay is also very nice. We are currently planning a long weekend to Lutsen and another to the Gunflint Lodge. There are lots of other places to explore on the way too. Have fun.