Driving from Chicago to the UP Michigan

[Cheezeit]

mackinaw island isn't much fun. theres nothing really to do except buy stuff at the little shops.

 

[mcvickj]

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I will look into all of them tonight. We haven't decided which way we are going, although we are leaning towards driving through Wisconsin and coming home through Michigan. Any more suggestions are welcome! We're not into gambling or drinking too much, so a bike/hike nature with some horse carriages and shops would be great!

Thanks again

You could also take the Lake Express ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon. My uncle had to go over to Madison, WI for business and his company sent him across on the ferry. He said it was awesome. Muskegon is right next to US-31 and you can take that north to your destination.

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: duragezic

Speaking of, does anyone know any reputable, FRESH, shops out of the UP that ship pasties? I am in CA and am really craving them.

Try here.

I've eaten Dobber's Pasties since I was a little kid. They make good ones. Looks like the s/h is $15 though, so I don't know if it's worth it to get them shipped unless you get a few people to pitch down on a assload of them.

They are in Iron Mountain. I don't remember them. I used to spend my summers in Iron Mountain & Kingsford when I was a kid. 3-4 years in a row. Such a nice small town. It was great being the only minority there.

 

[psiu]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
I used to live in Houghton, MI. It's on the "thumb" of the UP. Go see Copper Harbor, it's nice this time of year.

I graduated from there. Beautiful falls and scenery in the UP.

 

[EagleKeeper]

If you stop at the Sleeping Bear Dunes, make sure that you climb over them toward the lake side.
Petrified forest is worth looking at.

Plan 2-3 hours and plenty of water. Best to climb barefooted and loop sneakers around your neck for when you get to the top.
Bring up the camera - views are spectacular

 

[psiu]

Originally posted by: sygyzy

Originally posted by: duragezic

Speaking of, does anyone know any reputable, FRESH, shops out of the UP that ship pasties? I am in CA and am really craving them.

Try here.

I've eaten Dobber's Pasties since I was a little kid. They make good ones. Looks like the s/h is $15 though, so I don't know if it's worth it to get them shipped unless you get a few people to pitch down on a assload of them.

They are in Iron Mountain. I don't remember them. I used to spend my summers in Iron Mountain & Kingsford when I was a kid. 3-4 years in a row. Such a nice small town. It was great being the only minority there.

Pasty.com sells them, although shipments are suspended through August due to the heat. They make them at the Stillwaters retirement home. It does say you can call for a pasty emergency

 

[psiu]

Dang, you missed the Chassell Stawberry Festival, that was earlier this month.

 

[EvilYoda]

Mackinac's great, I haven't been there in so long...one of my professor never teaches in the summer since he runs a small motel on the island. I thought that was neat.

 

[MisfitsFiend]

What about staying in Mackinaw city vs Mackinack Island or some other city in the UP when we go to see the Island?

 

[duragezic]

Don't bother with that Grand Hotel crap that is actually on the Island. Just stay in St. Igance (UP side) or Mackinaw City (LP side) if you want to be near the island.

 

[Cattlegod]

remember::::

it it isn't said " mack - in - ack " it is " mack - in - awe "

 

And it's spelled "Mackinac."

 

[Cattlegod]

Originally posted by: duragezic

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I will look into all of them tonight. We haven't decided which way we are going, although we are leaning towards driving through Wisconsin and coming home through Michigan. Any more suggestions are welcome! We're not into gambling or drinking too much, so a bike/hike nature with some horse carriages and shops would be great!

Thanks again

You're headed to the right place. I've lived in the UP all my life. There's tons of trails and outdoor crap to do everywhere. So when you plan out a route, give me a PM or something!

chuckywang, did you goto Tech?? That's where I'm at right now... which reminds me, Circuit Analysis exam in a few hours.. should study

no need to study, post on ATOT. (graduated from tech 2 yrs ago)

 

[Analog]

First, go to Hell, then Paradise.

 

[Zanix]

Originally posted by: mcvickj

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I will look into all of them tonight. We haven't decided which way we are going, although we are leaning towards driving through Wisconsin and coming home through Michigan. Any more suggestions are welcome! We're not into gambling or drinking too much, so a bike/hike nature with some horse carriages and shops would be great!

Thanks again

You could also take the Lake Express ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon. My uncle had to go over to Madison, WI for business and his company sent him across on the ferry. He said it was awesome. Muskegon is right next to US-31 and you can take that north to your destination.

Yes Muskegon! I hear the ferry is pretty expensive though. Traffic down by the lake has certianly picked up though.

If you come to Muskegon, I suggest going to PJ Hoffmaster state park. Great dunes there to climb and catch the sunset. Can't compete with Sleeping Bear though.

Hasn't anyone been to the mystery spot?!

Yes M!ch!gan!

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: duragezic

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I will look into all of them tonight. We haven't decided which way we are going, although we are leaning towards driving through Wisconsin and coming home through Michigan. Any more suggestions are welcome! We're not into gambling or drinking too much, so a bike/hike nature with some horse carriages and shops would be great!

Thanks again

You're headed to the right place. I've lived in the UP all my life. There's tons of trails and outdoor crap to do everywhere. So when you plan out a route, give me a PM or something!

chuckywang, did you goto Tech?? That's where I'm at right now... which reminds me, Circuit Analysis exam in a few hours.. should study

No, I lived there when I was in Middle School (Houghton Middle School/High School hybrid back then) since my dad taught in the Wood Science department at Tech.

 

[Dubb]

Originally posted by: Zanix

Originally posted by: mcvickj

Originally posted by: MisfitsFiend
Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I will look into all of them tonight. We haven't decided which way we are going, although we are leaning towards driving through Wisconsin and coming home through Michigan. Any more suggestions are welcome! We're not into gambling or drinking too much, so a bike/hike nature with some horse carriages and shops would be great!

Thanks again

You could also take the Lake Express ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon. My uncle had to go over to Madison, WI for business and his company sent him across on the ferry. He said it was awesome. Muskegon is right next to US-31 and you can take that north to your destination.

Yes Muskegon! I hear the ferry is pretty expensive though. Traffic down by the lake has certianly picked up though.

If you come to Muskegon, I suggest going to PJ Hoffmaster state park. Great dunes there to climb and catch the sunset. Can't compete with Sleeping Bear though.

Hasn't anyone been to the mystery spot?!

Yes M!ch!gan!

the mystery spot is pretty lame...

they spent too much money on billboards and not nearly enough on stuff.

tip for mackiac: get the ferry from the UP, it's less crowded.

 

[Summitdrinker]

big spring pics

well there's big spring, which is a big spring like 50 feet deep, and clear to the bottom

and well see my sig for the falls brewery

lots of nothing but woods in the UP for a long ways

 

[Summitdrinker]

to the west of mackinaw bridge in the UP about 40 miles or so? (unsure), along lake michigan there is little valley with a stream, good place to hike

more big spring stuff:
http://www.visitmanistique.com/bigsprings/park.html

while driving thru WI stop at a cheese factory and get some fresh cheese curds

near newberry there used to be a small lake that anybody can fish in without a fishing license, that was 5 years ago, unsure if it's still that way
falls/brewery

http://www.superiorsights.com/


edit west not east

 

[gabemcg]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
You HAVE to stop in Hell for a photograph just so you can say you went to Hell and back.

I live about 10 min away from Hell, it will be WAY out of his way, plus it's a little podunk town with 1 store and 1 resturant, definitly not worth the trip... the store does have a post-office tho, so I always mail my Taxes out from there, so the IRS gets an envalope postmarked from Hell...


As far as your trip is concerned, the sleeping bear dunes are nice, a good day trip, then spend the night in Traverse City. Make sure you check out Harbor Springs (just north of petosky on m119. It's a neat little town with alot of nice resturants. Leave Harbor springs about 2 hrs before sunset, and take the m119 drive north along the lakeside bluffs, it is probably one of the most beautiful drives in the US!! Make sure you have time to stop at Leggs Inn It is a really great reasturant right on Lake Michigan, you shouldn't even bother taking the trip if you don't stop here!

From there it's about 45 min to Mackinac city, where you can get a nice cheap hotel. Depending on where you want to go from there, be sure to check out:

Seney wildlife refuge

Tahquamenon Falls State Park

and the Two hearted River Campground (my favorite in the whole UP)

WhiteFish Point lighthouse is cool

and if you can find it, the Devil's Logroll makes the Sleeping Bear Dunes look like one of those green turtle sandboxs...


Have fun, and take plenty of :camera:'s for us to see!

 

[MisfitsFiend]

thanks everybody! I will post pics when we come back (but we are not leaving till mid August, so any more input will be appreciated)

 

[Leper Messiah]

I went to the mystery shop, Sea Shell City, etc.

I got lost in Sleeping Bear Dune for like 6 hours once... 'Twas the weird. Like going through a desert, and then, BAM! Lake!

I reiterate. Clyde's has some awesome burgers, you must have them.