OT: Suggestions for vacation ideas in Northern Michigan
Everyone:
The family and I are thinking about spending a week at a resort in Northern Michigan (we are a family of four, with children aged 8 and 7). We are looking at late July.
Can anyone offer ideas for nice resorts (we are willing to spend for a real nice place) or things to do?
My apologies, but I live in Florida and my experience in Michigan was limited to Detroit and my years in AA.
Thank you in advance.
Ditch the resort and get a cabin around Sleeping Bear national lakeshore. Do it.
Thirded? Except, expand that to a cabin anywhere along Lake Huron or Michigan. Cabins are usually less well kept than the hotels, but they provide an on-the-beach experience you aren't going to get out of a holiday inn -- campfires on the beach and such. Great fun and one of my favorite vacations.
I'm a camper / canoer / kayaker who has taken my kids at similar ages up north in LP and into UP a few times.
Mackinaw City
Rustic Cabins are available at Wilderness State Park
Colonial Michilimackinac - 18th century restored large wood stockade fort and fur trading village
Historic Mill Creek Discovery State Park - crafts and operating saw mill
M119 tunnel of trees scenic drive from Cross Village to Harbor Springs
Traverse City / Leelanau Penisula
Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore - Pierce Stocking Drive M109 - scenic drive with many turnouts and views: hiking available. Dune hiking along M22.
Canoeing on the Jordan River - 1, 2, or 3HR easy canoeing river in scenic wilderness area start at Graves Crossing SFCG
Close UP (60 M from Mackinac City)
Upper & Lower Taquamenon Falls - rent canoe or rowboat to take to island at lower falls
Whitefish Point - lighthouse and museum at historical treacherous point on Lake Superior
Stop to buy and eat smoked fish and pasties (traditional meat, potato, and rutabaga pies eaten by miners in the UP)
Mackinac Island (day trip w/ ferry)
only if you like overly touristy little shopping village w/ horse drawn carriages - not my cup of tea. It does have a stone-walled fort, Fort Mackinac and the Grand Hotel Resort (real pricy but can be toured for a price)
Distant UP
Munising (124 M from Mackinac City) - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - 3 HR scenic boat cruise of Lake Superior rocky cliff coastline colorfully stained by minerals.
waterfalls - the UP has a 100 of them.
We've had many trips up there, especially when the kids were younger. And there's lots of things to do. Plus, it's very scenic with the Straits, Bridge, and various Islands & lighthouses.
Wilderness State Park is a hidden gem that is very close to Mackinaw City - uncrowded most of the time and gorgeous sandy beaches on Lake Michigan. You can also go across the Bridge to the beaches on the U.P. side which are also really good.
Mackinac Island is a must see, at least a day trip. If you can stay overnight there it's even better. But, the 8 mile bike ride around the Island is a must do for families. It's almost completely flat, so it's easy especially if you take your time and stop along the way. They also have the Fort on the Island which is good for families - plus they have a restaurant up there with possibly THE best view in Michigan.
There are lots of hotels to stay at in both Mackinaw City and St. Ignace on the U.P. side. The latter is cheaper if you're on a tight budget.
Good luck with the trip.
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And it's unfortunate, because Michigan is a magnificent state. The natural beauty, the Great Lakes (with Lake Michigan's incomparable beaches), the massive forests, the Bridge, the waterfalls, the Island... It's outstanding. When we drive home now we go through the UP and we love it. When we get out to Sleeping Bear or to Mackinac Island or even just one of the lakes we have a blast.
Some of it benefits from an adult perspective, but my kids have enjoyed things like the Dune Climb just fine.
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I love Torch lake...There is a small bed and breakfeast called 'The Inn Torch Lake" in Aden MI. Beautiful. It's close to Traverse Citry (~20 minute drive), Shorts (~20 min drive), Old Mission Wineries (~25 minutes), and obviously on the water. Plus their is an Indian Casino not far away (~15 minutes) and other touristy sites: Sleeping Bear Dunes, Petoskey, etc...
Are talking about the UP or northern lower Michigan? If the UP, I would suggest Marquette as a great place to go
I always spend 7-10 days in Copper Country. http://www.keweenaw.info/
On your way to Copper Country you could spend a night in Munising as it has has the Pictured Rocks and a cool glass bottom boat tour. http://www.munising.org/
if you do make it to the U.P. Bond Falls is a must see. They are the best little known water falls in Michigan.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g42554-d1845661-Reviews-Bo…
Here's another pic:
Great pics of Bond Falls! I also like the Presque Isle River Falls:
I suspect you could get a discount.
FWIW, I'm a UP/Sault vacationer but if you're just coming up once I'd recommend Grand Hotel Mackinac Island and then take a day trip to Tahquemenon Falls.
Mackinac Island. The Island House is a cool place, I would recommend. A couple other cool ones whose names escape me.
There's a lot of great stuff in Northern Michigan, but if you're only gonna do one thing and you want it to be unique, I think it has to be Mackinac. You get to go over the bridge and ride a ferry before you even get to your destination. Ride on the horse drawn carriages, rent bikes and go all the way around the island. See the history of the forts. It kind of has it all.
Of the "up north" vacations I got to do as a kid (not extensive by any means), I remember being totally entranced by Mackinac Island. I really wanted to stay in the Grand Hotel. Come to think of it, my wife and I would like very much to vacation up there.
Which is to say that the OP's trip from Florida to the Michigan border will be roughly the same length as the trip from the Michigan border to the Isle. It's a hike.
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We had a pretty good experience at The Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey last year - it's family-friendly with enough to keep everyone entertained, and in northern Michigan terms, you're not too far from many of the major attractions (i.e., and hour or two). Upthread, someone suggested a cabin near Sleeping Bear Dunes - that's not a bad idea either. We've done that too and you're still close to plenty of good stuff.
Plenty to do in the sun for the kids, lots of wineries and cider for adults. Honestly, when most kids year revolved around Christmas, ours was Traverse City.
I'm biased but anywhere in Leelanau county is great, particularly closer to the Dunes.
Check out Empire, Mi. Very close to Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City Area. Many people rent their homes out for a week or 2 at a time. My uncle does this with his home. It's just off the public beach in Empire. There is about 10 homes on this stretch. Lake Michigan in front. And another lake in back. Sleeping Besr Dunes just down the beach. He goes through a local real estate firm for the rental. I can't remember what firm. But these houses are really nice.
are you planning on treating yourselves and the kids to some time at the beach on the big lake(s)? Keep in mind that Lake Superior rarely warms enough for swimming (other than the extreme eastern end of Lake Superior, in particular the Brimley area). Northern Lake Michigan (along the southern coast of the UP), on the other hand, is quite often pleasant for swimming.
you can stay at the edgewater inn right in town. rent a boat, swim at the beaches walking distance from the hotel, great shops in town, restaurants, take a boat over to beaver island for a day, rent a fishing boat and spend a 1/2 day or whole day on the big lake.
traverse is more cosmopolitan type touristy, but there is a lot to do, including going out to the sleeping bear dunes with your kids.
torch lake has become a zoo for the most part and would not suggest it for a family with young ones. it's pricey too.
One of our families most enjoyable times was a weekend in Charlevoix. Lake Michigan on one side of the village and Lake Charlevoix on the other. Great boating, fishing and ultimate relaxing. Have recommended to many here in St. Louis who were asking for similar tips on a Michigan vacation. But you really can't go wrong on Lake Michigan. Except Muskegon.
Home to the USS Silversides, a Gato class submarine from WWII. It is now a floating museum with a shored based museum/gift shop.
There you have it. You can't go wrong anywhere on Lake Michigan--even Muskegon is an inviting area!
I would recommend the Vista Grand Lodge in Munising and a Pictured Rocks Cruise.