We are invited to go on a boat trip along the eastern Michigan coast this weekend, leaving eary Saturday morning and returning Sunday evening. We will be leaving from Lake St. Clair and heading either north along the Lake Huron coast or south into Lake Erie--it's up to us which way to go. The owner of the boat is not yet familiar with the ports as he has only had this boat for a couple of months.

Can anyone suggest some really neat ports to stop at along the way? We do not have the time to get the necessary papers to be able to stop at any Canadian ports. The boat can travel about 36 to 40 miles an hour (not sure how many knots that is).

If you go North I would suggest Lexington and Port Austin. I stayed at the Lexington Port as a kid and loved it. Those two ports are pretty popular American side of the lake ports.There is also Port Huron, which you could do as a day trip. I haven't been to any Lake Erie Ports so can't help you with that.

We haver had a boat on Lake Huron and recommend that you only go north rather than south of the Lake St Clair Area. In the amount of time you are going to be gone we would recommend you go to Harsen's island, Algonac, Port Huron and at the farthest Port Sanilac. Going much farther up is really too ambitious for as short a trip as you are taking. It is a fun trip - enjoy yourselves.

Dancintomusic: Believe it or not, I just did a search specifically to look for posts by you, because I haven't "seen" you for such a long long time. (Obviously that doesn't necessarily mean you haven't posted on Fodors recently, since I don't read everything.) anyway, I don't know anything about Michigan, having been there only once to visit a friend who lives not too terribly far from you by the way. But I'll e-mail her your thread and maybe she knows something.

I live right on Lake St. Clair (New Baltimore) and am familiar with all the interesting ports on both sides of the border. I agree that you should go north rather than south.

The ride up the St. Clair River is wonderful whether you take the shipping channel or the cut. One of your first ports-of-call should be the St. Clair (a really neat little town right on the water). Then go on to Port Huron, under the fabulous Blue Water Bridge and to the mouth of Lake Huron. Of course you can stop first at my house. We have the only boat house left on Lake St. Clair near Brandenburg Park. Can't miss it, it's white and sticks out from shore 500 feet. Let me know if you want to email me. Your skipper would probably love to meet my husband whose been to just about every port on the Great Lakes.


What kind of a boat?