Michigan help
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(I may need to post this again during the day tomorrow, a bit late at night to be inquiring but I'm short on time.)
I decided to rent my favorite Turo car this weekend, the only manual roadster available locally.
(I moaned and groaned recently about the paucity of options: https://opposite-lock.com/topic/24542/madness-and-sadness-and-a-road-trip)
I have 36 hours, Saturday morning through Sunday evening, and no plans other than leaf peeping.
I figure 12 hours of rest (driving wears me out something fierce; I'm old) leaves 24 hours at most of travel, and honestly if I drove 24 hours in two days I'd probably end up in traction from my degenerative disk disease.
So, at most 6 hours one way to get wherever I'm going, and even that's pushing it pretty hard.
I realized recently that the reason I've never driven to Michigan (setting aside the fact that my Jeeps are almost always broken) is that northern Indiana is just SO BORING to drive through, but I figure with an S2000 I can bite the bullet and force through the pain.
So: with a roadster (so no rough forest roads, sadly) and a travel radius of approximately Traverse City, any recommendations?
I have two Michigan restaurants in my PoI database: Park Dairy House of Flavors I Ludington, and The Cherry Hut in Beulah. Both seem worth a visit, but I'd rather focus on the most scenic parts of the state; I just don't know what those would be.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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I suppose I should have tagged @David-Tracy in case he's logging in.
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Well, a couple of things from memory. First off, about those rough roads you think you’ll be missing…let me put it this way, as soon as you cross the border, your butt will know. Thanks MDOT.
Second, once into MI, it gets significantly less boring. Traverse City is a good destination, and my BIL and his wife do their getaways there. I’ll text him and see if I can get any recommendations for you for stuff to visit there. They live in Holland, and it’s beautiful there, really most of the Lake Michigan side is nice to drive through up to the small lakes.
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
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@chariotoflove Thanks, would appreciate that. I suspect that Traverse City will end up being farther than I feel like driving, but it does seem like heading that way is promising.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@just-jeepin Just watch the weather. Snow might fall in the far north Saturday.
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@drvantraveler Ooh, good tip thanks. S2000 in the snow might be fun, but not 6 hours from home in someone else’s car.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@just-jeepin said in Michigan help:
@drvantraveler Ooh, good tip thanks. S2000 in the snow might be fun, but not 6 hours from home in someone else’s car.
Our colors are a bit past peak UP here anyway
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@just-jeepin
To begin with, starting with US31 from Holland, so west of Grand Rapids, you can go up the coast past Ludington past Bear Lake and then to Crystal Lake, which is beautiful. Now, if you stay on 131 instead of going west to the coast, you’ll get to Grand Rapids, and near there my all time favorite destination, Big Star Lake. The rolling hills along the way will keep you entertained regardless. I’ll get you destination suggestions from my BIL tomorrow. -
@just-jeepin said in Michigan help:
@drvantraveler Ooh, good tip thanks. S2000 in the snow might be fun, but not 6 hours from home in someone else’s car.
But you won’t get that far up in 6 hours.
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@just-jeepin If you're going up that far definitely do all of M22 and the pierce stocking scenic drive thats next to it. You'll have a good car for it. All of the little towns up that way are nice, but Leland's Fishtown is is noteworthy.
Im from Ludington so of course id argue a stop at house of flavors is worth it. If you have the time, a 10 minute detour out to the ludington state park is nice and will be a breath of fresh air after the expressway.
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@milky Thanks! I’ll have to really commit to make it that far, but maybe. Certainly looks promising.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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@just-jeepin If you dont want to go that far, theres always the Jeep rentals at silver lake sand dunes! Thrash on it and then give it back
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@just-jeepin If you are traveling up US31 make sure to check out Mears. That is where Silver Lake sand dunes are. A great Jeep destination. There will some cool rigs running around the area. Manistee has a casino with really nice rooms. I don’t gamble but the local hotels were gross in Ludington. Traverse City will be busy. Very touristy.
I am half way between Grand Rapids and TC. -
@454ssracetruck Thanks. I’ve definitely had Silver Lake on my list of Jeep things to do for years, but it’s always sounded like a hassle to get a pass, deal with all the crowds, etc.
Plus of course the Jeep has rarely been in good health to make the trip.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
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Well, if you're hungry... https://www.tonysi75restaurant.com/
all the bacon in the world.2008 Ford Focus, 2002 Explorer, 1995 Nissan 200SX
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@dealkillerpoweredbyfocus Man, that looks amazing. Probably the wrong part of the state for this trip but I’ll add it to my database.
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@just-jeepin Access is not as bad as it used to be. In the summer the dunes are full. Spring and fall it’s empty. 5 minutes to get in the park. It is way to hot mid summer anyways. Your GC will do just fine out there. I have taken my wife’s stock leased F150 out there plenty with my dirt bike in the back.
The rig spotting in town is cool also. Silver Lake “the actual lake” is pretty cruising through town.
The road out to Ludington State Park is awesome also. I stay off the highways and cruise coast roads up through that whole area to TC.
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I echo Milky’s suggestion and add that if you’re hungry near Glen Arbor, Art’s Tavern makes a good burger.
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@milky Can confirm this is super fun
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@dealkillerpoweredbyfocus My only gripe with their bacon is they deep fry it in mass quanitities. Its one of the only places where quantity overwhelms the quality. Very dry bacon. But that BLT with a full pound of bacon is outrageous to hold.
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You're welcome to stop by anytime.
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@david-tracy Thanks! It looks like I'll be headed up the other coast this trip, but it will certainly be tempting to swing by and check out your fleet.
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[Update] Here is the email from my BIL:
Some quick thoughts... (when is he going? soon for fall colors?)
31 north from Holland to South Bend to St. Joe. From St. Joe, Blue Star Highway to Holland.
Blue Star Highway - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-2_(Michigan_county_highway)
From there, maybe West on Lakewood Blvd to Ottawa Beach Road to Lakeshore Avenue and North to Grand Haven. (or skip that and stay on 31 to Grand Haven)
31 north to Ludington, the maybe follow 31 North to Manistee. (31 jogs in Ludington to the East, then back North)
In Manistee, take 110 north to Onekema (although I have never gone this way) to M22. (or take 31 to M22)
M22 North along the lake. One possible stop - Arcadia Dunes... https://www.gtrlc.org/recreation-events/preserve/arcadia-dunes/
Stay on M22 to Frankfort and around Crystal Lake - continuing North to Empire.
Empire has the welcome station for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. https://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/trailempirebluff.htm
Continue along M22 to see all the sights in Sleeping Bear Dunes area. https://www.nps.gov/slbe/index.htm
Lots to do along M22 - it loops around the Leelanau Peninsula - stops could include Glen Arbor (Cherry republic - Kayak the Crystal River (although it appears it may still be closed due to a fire from a teenager crashing into their building in August.... https://crystalriveroutfitters.com/ ... https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/08/teen-dead-after-vehicle-crashed-into-leelanaus-crystal-river-outfitters-starting-business-on-fire.html)
https://freshwatervacationrentals.com/blog/hiking-in-northern-michigan/
Other cities - Leland, Northport, Omena, Suttons Bay, Traverse City
We also have a book on the best hikes in No. MI - I was trying to find it on Amazon, but can't find it.
Curator, Kia enthusiast, dad joke specialist
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Anywhere along the left coast is pretty ideal, with lots of great stuff to see and do. Things get more and more scenic the more north you go, say between Ludington and Leelenau Peninsula and the Traverse City area. Given that might be a bit far for you, I think you can probably see some great stuff around South Haven, Holland and the areas around Grand Rapids. There's a lot of great breweries in GR, one of my all-time favorites is Brewery Vivant. Lots of farmhouse-style sours and good French-inspired food.
https://g.page/breweryvivant?share
If you feel like venturing a bit further north from Ludington but bore of the lakeshore, I just did a beautiful backpacking trip last weekend along the Manistee River Trail just north of Cadillac, MI. You don't have to hike the whole thing to get some spectacular views; there's a reasonably well maintained dirt road on the west side of the river by the North Country Trail that could be pretty fun in that S2K. Our 2WD Buick Encore handled it just fine, and I was probably pushing the speeds a bit more than I should have
2009 Corvette Coupe, 2004 BMW 330Ci, lots n lots of pedal powered things!
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@chariotoflove Whoa. Please express my gratitude to your brother-in-law; that's quite detailed.
On walkabout. Back soonish.
