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Anyone have any suggestions for things to do in Michigan? - updated w/ trip report
Posted on 4/18/18 at 7:06 pm
Posted on 4/18/18 at 7:06 pm
Planning a trip to Chicago this summer and the wife wanted to check it out with a 1-2 day sojourn (the power of the Pure Michigan campaign).
A lot of stuff about Detroit and its environs, but I had always understood that you should avoid Detroit at all costs.
TIA
A lot of stuff about Detroit and its environs, but I had always understood that you should avoid Detroit at all costs.
TIA
This post was edited on 6/10/18 at 1:33 pm
Posted on 4/18/18 at 8:02 pm to rootisback
Dumbass reply.
Go north. Hit the upper peninsula.
Go north. Hit the upper peninsula.
Posted on 4/18/18 at 8:12 pm to udtiger
UP if you can make it up there
Posted on 4/18/18 at 10:51 pm to udtiger
Drive up the coast. Lots of quaint town. Sleeping Bear Dunes. Traverse City.
Posted on 4/19/18 at 4:44 am to udtiger
I read somewhere that anywhere in Michigan you're never more than 6 miles from the closest body of water. Obviously, theres tons to do on the lakes and rivers so just kinda depends what you're looming for. Ive been to Grand Rapids before and we rented a cabin on Lake Michigan. Went jet and water skiiing, watched a movie outside under the stars on the beach, went into grand rapids for some touristy stuff (museums, GREAT BEER, etc.)...it was really cool. I'd like to get back soon.
Posted on 4/19/18 at 12:18 pm to rootisback
quote:
go south
Dumb.
- Upper Peninsula (UP) is awesome.
- Ann Arbor is a beautiful college town.
- Grand Rapids has a number of breweries.
- Traverse City has a really cool setting being on the bay.
- Plenty of great lake towns bordering the shores of Lake Michigan.
Posted on 4/19/18 at 7:23 pm to Lsupimp
Detroit has changed a lot and has improved. However, it will be a let down compared to Chicago. Go to Traverse City and the Leleanau Peninsula. From there you can to Harbor Springs, Charlevoix, etc. An alternative is the west side of the state, starting a South Haven/ Grand Haven and going north.
Posted on 4/19/18 at 11:23 pm to udtiger
We went to the LSU Wisconsin game and drove up through Michigan to the UP.
Mackinac Island is supposed to be a good place to go. We were in a hurry to get to Green Bay so we did not go there.
If you go to the UP you will see advertisements for pasties which are a type of meat pie, or so I have been told. They are supposed to be good but I didn't know that at the time. They are also supposed to be unique to the UP. If you get that far north at least try one.
I know a few people that grew up in Michigan; one in the "thumb", one in the upper part (but not the UP) and one in Sault Sainte Marie. I'll ask if they have any recommendations and post them if they do.
Mackinac Island is supposed to be a good place to go. We were in a hurry to get to Green Bay so we did not go there.
If you go to the UP you will see advertisements for pasties which are a type of meat pie, or so I have been told. They are supposed to be good but I didn't know that at the time. They are also supposed to be unique to the UP. If you get that far north at least try one.
I know a few people that grew up in Michigan; one in the "thumb", one in the upper part (but not the UP) and one in Sault Sainte Marie. I'll ask if they have any recommendations and post them if they do.
Posted on 4/20/18 at 10:48 am to udtiger
I lived just south of Detroit for about 4 years and have been to all parts of the state. Coming from Chicago, there really is no need to travel east to the Detroit side. I would drive up the Lake Michigan side, visit the dunes, and keep driving up to Traverse City. That entire drive and area is beautiful.
Posted on 4/20/18 at 12:47 pm to dafuqusay
The west coast of the lower peninsula is beautiful, and a short drive from Chicago.
New Buffalo is nice, you could do a night there. Otherwise, I'd suggest making the 2 hour drive and staying in Saugatuck. It's a really cool harbor town, nice walkable downtown area, great restaurants and shops, nice beach. Disclaimer, it's a popular destination for gay couples, so if you are not ok with that, you probably shouldn't go.
There are also some wineries you could hit on the drive up, and if you're into beer, there's some world class breweries on the route (assuming you go a bit further north and inland to Grand Rapids). Bells, Founders, and Arcadia are all in that W/SW area of the state, with New Holland also in the area.
The west side of Michigan is the antithesis of the east side.
New Buffalo is nice, you could do a night there. Otherwise, I'd suggest making the 2 hour drive and staying in Saugatuck. It's a really cool harbor town, nice walkable downtown area, great restaurants and shops, nice beach. Disclaimer, it's a popular destination for gay couples, so if you are not ok with that, you probably shouldn't go.
There are also some wineries you could hit on the drive up, and if you're into beer, there's some world class breweries on the route (assuming you go a bit further north and inland to Grand Rapids). Bells, Founders, and Arcadia are all in that W/SW area of the state, with New Holland also in the area.
The west side of Michigan is the antithesis of the east side.
This post was edited on 4/20/18 at 12:55 pm
Posted on 4/21/18 at 5:21 am to Chucktown_Badger
Growing up in SE MI, I really loved the west side a ton more. Grand Rapids is a really neat city and Grand Haven/Saugatuck are really neat lake towns.
The SE Side is OK (I don't mind Detroit area or Ann Arbor) but as I've gotten older the west side has been a lot more my type.
The SE Side is OK (I don't mind Detroit area or Ann Arbor) but as I've gotten older the west side has been a lot more my type.
Posted on 4/22/18 at 9:16 pm to nctiger71
quote:
Mackinac Island
Buddy of mine got married there 2 summers ago. I didn’t go but the pics he showed me looked gorgeous.
Posted on 4/24/18 at 12:39 pm to HoustonGumbeauxGuy
quote:
Buddy of mine got married there 2 summers ago. I didn’t go but the pics he showed me looked gorgeous.
It is awesome, but it is an effing HIKE. About six hours drive from Chicago, so the OP wouldn't be able to make that work.
Posted on 4/25/18 at 5:03 pm to Chucktown_Badger
Chitown_badger
Any Chicago suggestions? Things to do? Good local restaurants?
Any Chicago suggestions? Things to do? Good local restaurants?
Posted on 4/25/18 at 6:51 pm to udtiger
quote:
Chitown_badger
Any Chicago suggestions? Things to do? Good local restaurants?
There are a ton of Chicago restaurant threads on here that cover pretty much everything. My fellow badger Hoops provides spot on recommendations. When I come into those threads I have my thoughts on what I'm going to say and he always covers it
As for things to do, Chicago is the summer is unreal, so it depends what you're into. There are shows to see, al fresco dining everywhere, tourist trap places like Navy Pier and sunset/dinner cruises from there, shopping, an awesome huge beach and park just north of downtown, museums...you name it. If there's anything in particular you guys are into let me know and I can provide some additional reccos.
This post was edited on 4/25/18 at 6:52 pm
Posted on 4/25/18 at 8:55 pm to udtiger
Skip Chicago and go to
Holland
Traverse city
Petoskey
Mackinac Island
Bonus points
Picture rocks in the UP with a stop in Marquette to play greywalls
Now if your doing a 1-2 day trip from Chicago, I would go to traverse city during their summer film festival and make sure go to the nearby sleeping bear dunes.
Holland
Traverse city
Petoskey
Mackinac Island
Bonus points
Picture rocks in the UP with a stop in Marquette to play greywalls
Now if your doing a 1-2 day trip from Chicago, I would go to traverse city during their summer film festival and make sure go to the nearby sleeping bear dunes.
This post was edited on 4/25/18 at 8:58 pm
Posted on 4/25/18 at 9:26 pm to Chucktown_Badger
quote:
My fellow badger Hoops provides spot on recommendations.
Seems we have similar tastes.
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