Northern Michigan

Gwenne & Len · 09-21-2016, 07:46 AM

Hey all.....Northern Michigan may not be 'on the way' to much, but it's sure a good destination. As I have mentioned in other posts, we live in Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore in Leelanau County (the tip of the 'little finger' on Michigan's 'hand').....gorgeous sand dunes and Lake Michigan beaches. A drive up the western shore from Leelanau County, following M22 to 31, takes one through Traverse City - a gorgeous town on Grand Traverse Bay, up through the resort towns of Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs, through the 'Tunnel of Trees' - a gorgeous drive along Lake Michigan, to Mackinac.......a side trip to Mackinac Island on the ferry is interesting - no cars allowed there. Across the Mackinac Bridge (5 miles long) to the Upper Peninsula.....and on the Lake Superior shore there is Tahquamenon Falls State Park (beautiful country) and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.....we took the Boat Cruise yesterday to see the cliffs from the lake - tons of great hikes......west of all that is the Keewanaw Peninsula, old mining towns and more beach and forest. There is a lot more up here too.....the UP is wild and lightly inhabited......with beautiful forests and beaches along Lake Superior and Lake Michigan......we are in a KOA in Newberry - full hook ups. But the state park in Tahquamenon, right at the Lower Falls, is beautiful, and has water and electric.....now that I'm here, I would go there next time.

**fairweatherfisherman** · 09-21-2016, 08:43 AM

Thanks for the campground recommendation.

You are in many ways describing the second vacation my wife, son, and I took when we were newlyweds, back in 1980. We spent our first night at Sleeping Bear Dunes, then up to Sault Ste Marie, a night in Canada, and a lock tour from the Canadian side, where the Canadian guide pointed out the "smaller" US tour boat. We went on to Tahquamenon (root beer) Falls, Pictured Rocks, and the up to the Keweenaw Peninsula where we did a copper mine tour. We found it very interesting. The entire trip was lovely and of course we were young then, so we had nearly boundless energy, and Peter Gabriel and Tommy Tutone on the cassette deck. Having lived my entire life in farm country, I especially enjoyed the view of Lake Superior from the high ground. Another lasting impression, the UP is a lot bigger than it looks on the map.

Gwenne & Len · 09-21-2016, 07:36 PM

And I was last here when I was 4 yo!! Didn't quite remember it.....gorgeous up here - as we live in the northern lower peninsula, this is now going to be our get-a-way spot! Pictured Rocks Nat'l Lakeshore is gorgeous, and so many great hiking trails! Also - hardly anyone up here!

ferdoh · 09-23-2016, 10:40 AM

There is a nice park just west of Munising. Can't remember the name. You can camp 50' from Lake Superior! Munsing Tourist Camp if I remember right

Gwenne & Len · 09-23-2016, 08:31 PM

Glad to hear a good review of that park.....we haven't seen it, but I found it doing research, and it seems like a great 'base camp' location for day trips to hiking spots in the Park. full hook ups is so nice......I was thinking of the municipal park in Gran Marais, but it doesn't have sewer......Munising has everything. thanks for the tip.