Driving Lake Michigan

[beggert1@comcast.net]

We will be driving South from Mackinaw City to the Indiana border in June, and would like to take the scenic Hwy 31 the whole way down. We have a number of questions: Is Hwy 31 friendly for our 41' MotorHome towing a VW bug? Can we take Hwy 119 from Bayview to Cross Village, or should we plan on just taking the toad? Do we need reservations at the nicer parks (Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping, Traverse Bay RV Resort, Oak Grove Resort in Holland, etc.) from early June onward? We would like to keep our itinerary flexible, but don't want to miss a chance to stay at some nicer parks. Also, any suggestions on "Must-See's" and Must-Eats would be appreciated. We are foodies who like scenic roads and cute towns. This is our first trip to this part of the USA, and we are excited.

Thanks,

beggert

Denver, CO

[Guest BillAdams]

31 is great! We were in a 40' RV towing a full-sized extended van (20' or so) and found no issues with the drive. You will want to stop in Petoskey, Traverse City, visit Leelaneau State Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes. We stayed in Frankfort but I can't remember why. We followed 31 all the way to Holland and then followed I-196 and stayed as close along the coast all the way to Michigan City.

What a great drive with so many places to stop. It was the first time I ever jumped in a body of water that looked and acted like an ocean and came out as clean as a whistle like I had been swimming in a lake (which I was).

[tbutler]

We did the stretch from the Indiana/Michigan border in the summer of 2000 in our car. At the time we didn't own a motorhome so I can't make any comments about the suitability of the road for a motorhome with toad. We found the trip charming. Saugatuck is a nice town. We enjoyed walking the downtown with its many shops along Kalamazoo Lake. We couldn't pass up the Butler Pantry and had a fine meal there.

Be sure to stop at Holland. They have a great windmill there which you can tour. Along with that is a set of shops and stores and fun activities. There are beautiful grounds with plenty of flowers. Driving through the towns one of the things I remember were the flower lined streets everywhere.

We were there during the Bing cherry season and stopped at a roadside stand every time the quart of cherries in between our seats hit bottom. We made lots of stops! Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a short side trip but well worth the stop to see the huge dunes.

If you travel north of Mackinaw, Sault Ste. Marie and the locks there are interesting. This was a motor home trip and we stayed at a park east of the locks and watched the lake ships ply their way up and back through the lakes. There is a retired lake ship which you can tour and boat tours that take you through the locks. On to the northwest is Whitefish Point and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum which is a very interesting stop.

On the Canadian side at Sioux Ste. Marie there is a float plane museum and a train trip. The Algoma Central Railway will take you on a day long train ride into a canyon with several waterfalls. The scenery along the way is great and the ride is worth the time and cost.

I'm sure you will enjoy your trip. It is a great part of the country to explore.

[bsinmich]

I personally have no problem with US31. I live a matter feet from the highway in Holland. Fortunately we live on the oppopsite side of the condos from the highway and avoid the noise. Oak Creek is a very nice CG. I would give a call a couple days prior and make sure they have room. They are not real large. Saugatuck is a Toad trip from Holland. The whole Lake Michigan Shore is sand so you will get plenty of opportunity for sand. There are some dune rides in Mears and also Saugatuck that are fun. I can dress in my Dutch costume and give a Tulip Time Tour. Holland is one of the few places where wooden shoes are actually made in town. Dutch Village is a good touris trap that is interesting. VeldHeer Tulip Farms does the delft painting there. The stores on Windill Island are all the same as Dutch Village but the Windmill is there and they grind flour that can be purchased at the windmill. Grand Haven has the Coast Guard Festival in summer, and Muskegon has Silversides, an old navy ship. I can't remember if it is a sub or not. I don't do steps very well so haven't been there. Up around Mears and the State Park you can see the blowing sand dunes are gradually taking over the houses that are there.