Routing Advice Needed
 

Planning a trip from Ontario Canada (near Port Huron MI) to Winnipeg, Manitoba in May. Plan to travel the route through the US. Can anyone help us decide whether to travel through Michigan to Mackinaw and across Wisconsin via Ironwood to Duluth and up that way (small roads) or go what we refer to as a more southern route through Chicago area, Madison, Minneapolis (more freeway driving)etc. Any comments from people who have done either route would be most appreciated.

We have done the trip both ways and it just depends on what kind of driving you like. The drive to the Soo and then across MI to WI and on to Duluth is beautiful but there are long streteches in the UP of MI without anything. Truly a beautiful drive but even beautiful gets old after a while. Just my opinion. The route thru Chicago and Madison and Mpls. is all freeway but of course the traffic in Chicago is ALWAYS terrible until you get almost to the state line. But, there are lots of motels, restaurants, etc. along the way. Don't think the traffic in Madison and Mpls. is all that bad unless you are there right during rush hour. So, kind of depends on whether you are a city person or a country person and what you want to see. If you go thru Duluth, there are several fun things to see down by Canal Park. Have a good trip!!

I have driven thru the northern part of MI on the two lane roads. That would be the path I would follow, less stressful. I will do anything to stay as far as I can from the traffic mess in and around the northern parts of IN, IL and the Chicago area. I have gone thru this area even at 6AM on a Sunday morning and the traffic was heavy. Once it took over two hours to go 29 miles in this area, the cause, heavy traffic. At one time I lived in northern IN and OH and I would drop far to the south just to miss this part of the drive when heading out west. The interstate highways are not always the best IMHO.

I recomend the Michigan route.

1) It is beautiful.

2) Driving through the Chicago area is to be avoided if at all reasonable.

Keith

I've driven a huge loop from Minneapolis, thru Wi and the UP, down through lower MI and Chicago, then back to Minneapolis. By all means, take the northern route. Cali is right, there are stretches where there isn't much in terms of civilization. But, I'd rather deal with that and natural beauty than drive the boring route from Minneapolis to Chicago.

It really all depends on how much time you want to take and what you enjoy doing/seeing.