Summer weekend getaway - Michigan or Wisconsin
 

Do you suggest Michigan or Wisconsin?
My In-laws are here from Holland in June and we are looking for getting away away from the city (Chicago) for a day or 2. On the lake is preferable with a lovely town for window shoping and nice meals. Want them to experience some Americana :)

Oh, sorry I failed to mention - we do not wish to drive more than 4 hours (or so) from Chicago. Thinking of leaving Thurs even/Friday morning and returning Saturday afternoon to be back in the city by dinner. Thanks for your comments.

We liked Cedarberg, WI. I think it was under 3 hours from Chicago (you could mapquest it). A nice quiet "homey" place with cute B&Bs/ inns, art studios, shops and good dining options.

Cedarburg would be very nice. Lake Geneva would be good as well and is closer.

Well, my preference would be Michigan. There ae a number of cute beach towns nearby: Union Pier, New Buffalo, Grand Beach, Grand Haven, etc. I can't remember exactly where, but there's a town there somewhere where one of the stores has a motto, "If you're not Dutch, you're not much." Lots of nice restaurants and shops.

I live in Milwaukee, have relatives in Door County, a cabin near Wisconsin Dells and would definitely take them to the Grand Haven area of Michigan or attractive places north or south of there. I think there is a town named Holland on the way. June is a very wonderful time of year to be outside and the East shore of Lake Michigan is a great place to frolic. The Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore is on the way also. Have you considered a Lake Michigan Salmon charter?

Your relatives would probably love Holland, Michigan which has wooden shoe factories, real windmills and other Dutch influences as it was settled by the Dutch. Along the way you could visit Saugatuck, a great tourist town on the lake and then Grand Haven, north of Holland. If you have time you could visit Grand Rapids, inland, but also with a strong Dutch heritage.

Thank you everyone for your comments. Saugatuck was definately high on the list. However, I was worried most of those B&B's require a 2 night weekend stay. not sure if we want to commit to that. Holland Mich was another fun idea.
:)

And I have to add that highways to MI are supremely improved from what they have been over the last 4 or 5 years. There's only a tad left of mess near the IL border, but it is much improved.

If Michigan is your choice use this to check out traffic visually before you leave, and it will give you any pertinent changes or directives:

http://www.visitchicagosouthland.com/index.cfm

That's the home page, and you click on the expressways choice.

You will find that most B&Bs require a 2-night stay on weekends, but maybe not during the week?

Might be fun to spend one night in the Amish area of Indiana on your way up to someplace in Michigan. We really enjoyed the shops and the restaurants in Shipshewana
http://www.shipshewana.com/

There is just something so relaxing about hearing the horses hoofs clip clop down the roads.

Hi VDB - I just wanted to say Hi. I have Dutch in-laws too and they come to visit us in Virginia quite often. We're actually coming to Chicago and Milwaukee with the kids in July to visit friends. Groejtes!

We had a one night stay in Harbor House Inn in Grand Haven I think it was even on Sat. Night, during a Poker Run, some sort of triathlon (we gave participants a ride to start site, and quite a lot of other stuff going on.

Nice thing about this Inn is that you can sit on the porch and watch the worlds largest musical fountain performance.

Apparently Inns at certain higher price levels either sell the one night stays or not at all, so do not be afraid to try even if they would like 2 night min.. Lower price places have little trouble selling rooms.

Go to Michigan to see a sunset over Lake Michigan. I like the Holland and Grand Haven areas which can be driven in about 3 hours.