favorite Michigan Vacation

**gibran** · April-21-10, 10:45 AM

As summer approaches our thoughts turn to all the splendor of Michigan...what is your favorite vaction site...

**jcole** · April-21-10, 11:10 AM

Pretty much anywhere north of Midland is beautiful. I love the Lake Huron shoreline up around Rogers City and Lake Michigan from Ludington down to St. Joseph.

**oladub** · April-21-10, 11:25 AM

The UP after Labor Day particularly the Keweenaw Peninsula. The tourists are gone. The weather is crisp. At 6:30am, you can have Tahquamenon surrounded by turning maples to yourself. You won't see too many people on the trails or Superior's beaches either.

**Ray1936** · April-21-10, 04:16 PM

Traverse City area. Go there every year. Up to Leland, over to Elk Rapids, on to Charlevoix and Petoskey.....in other words, all around Grand Traverse Bay. It would be even better if summer lasted for more that six weeks up there.

**Bobl** · April-21-10, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Pretty much anywhere north of Midland is beautiful. I love the Lake Huron shoreline up around Rogers City and Lake Michigan from Ludington down to St. Joseph.

Two great choices. Another recommendation is the Ontario side [[sunset side) of Lake Huron. Lots of great beaches, parks, and small towns. Close by, Ipperwash & Grand Bend beaches. Farther up, Tobermory is spectacular. Do the "circle tour", seeing both the Michigan and Ontario side.

**jcole** · April-21-10, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

Two great choices. Another recommendation is the Ontario side [[sunset side) of Lake Huron. Lots of great beaches, parks, and small towns. Close by, Ipperwash & Grand Bend beaches. Farther up, Tobermory is spectacular. Do the "circle tour", seeing both the Michigan and Ontario side.

We drove up the Bruce a few years back. It is gorgeous, with lots of quaint small towns, lighthouses and beautiful harbors and beaches. I love it there.

**n7hn** · April-21-10, 05:58 PM

we used to live out of a tent every summer in ludington when they were building the dam there. then stayed in a hunting cabin w no water or elec all summer up in Houghton/hancock. I have fond memories of both,,,,,, ahhhh, the sleeping bear dune buggy rides, tee hee

**Ray1936** · April-21-10, 06:32 PM

The nicest thing about anywhere "up nort" is the quiet....or, at least, just the sounds of nature...waves on a shoreline, rustle of the trees in the breeze, the song of a bird. All beautiful and restful.

**eriedearie** · April-22-10, 09:00 AM

Lake Gogebic in the UP and all of its surrounding area. The fishing was great everywhere we went up there and the UP's beauty is always a feast for the eyes.

As Bobl mentioned the Ontario side of Lake Huron - I agree! You won't go wrong with getting to Tobermory. When the boys were little [[and before we discovered Lake Gogebic), we would vacation there for 2-3 weeks every summer. Beautiful sandy beaches. And the fishing was excellent. Fish dinners almost every night! By the time we were driving home a couple of us would would be sprouting fins or gills!

littlebuddy · April-23-10, 01:13 PM

As a kid my uncle had a cabin about 8 miles east of Gaylord, just loved going there. The eastern U.P. is also great. Have a place right by Higgins Lake and enjoy it alot.

**Detroitnerd** · April-23-10, 01:31 PM

Why would I tell? Then I'd have YOU yahoos junkin' the place up!

**Hermod** · April-23-10, 01:40 PM

One of the many little islands in the St Clair Flats. Just fooling around in boats.

**Jimaz** · April-23-10, 01:47 PM

No one mentioned Mackinac Island. Too touristy?

I'll second Traverse City. There are some great views up there.

Bearinabox · April-23-10, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Why would I tell? Then I'd have YOU yahoos junkin' the place up!

This was my exact thought process upon seeing this thread.

**Detroitnerd** · April-23-10, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

This was my exact thought process upon seeing this thread.

I know!

Here's the picture before I tell everybody.

http://www.homewaters.net/taar_images/1707207_1.jpg

And here's the picture after you all show up!

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attac...redneck-1-.jpg

**Ray1936** · April-23-10, 03:41 PM

Actually, one of my favorite spots is this one, just forty miles from the Detroit City limits. I ain't tellin' where it is, but that road is a dead end, so traffic is negligible; thus, it's quiet. And the largemouth bass that lurk in that creek are big and plentiful. Let a bobber float down towards the reeds and just wait for the action. On the horizon, the water opens up again and more bass lurk where it's not so tough to avoid snags.

I have spent hours, and hours, and hours, with my butt planted on the edge of that culvert, and enjoyed every second. Night time is best.

**FerndaleDamon** · April-23-10, 05:25 PM

My favorite place is Sand Lake. It's near Tawas. Been goin' there all my life [[ 46 yrs.). My grandparents had a cottage there they bought in '51. Lotsa' memories- and sunburns- as a kid. Sentimental value, more than anything else I guess.

**Corn.Bot** · April-24-10, 07:00 AM

Every year from the time I was about 3 until I was 16, our parents shipped us kids up to our grandparents' cottage a/k/a summer home south of Lexington [[about 20 miles north of Port Huron). We 5 grandchildren stayed there from the Sunday after school let out in June until Labor Day. Our parents worked retail and factory swing; they came up on whatever weekends they could depending on their work schedules. The only time we wore shoes was to church on Sunday mornings. The cottage was one house away from a Lake Huron beach. There were dozens of other kids also living there for the summer with their mothers or grandparents.

My 80-yr-old mother occasionally still mourns how she missed so much of our childhoods [[my youngest brother learned to walk while with grandma), but my 20/20 hindsight gives me those summers as mostly idyllic. If we were dysfunctional as a family, none of us [[except for maybe mom) have really suffered from it.

Lexington and its surrounding summer-home suburbs have become much more tourist-y and crowded in the summer, but the air still smells the same, the lake is still clear and cold, and the sand is still invasive.

**Meddle** · April-24-10, 07:11 AM

I used to take off Saturday morning, or sometimes Friday afternoon and head west to the other big lake, then north along the lakeshore through some of the small towns. Work my way back across through about Midland and back down.

**FerndaleDamon** · April-24-10, 11:55 AM

Cool post, Corn. I can definitely relate to some of those memories.

LodgeDodger · April-24-10, 06:23 PM

I'll add Mackinac Island, Jimaz. During the day, the main street is a great place to people watch. In the evening, after the ferries leave, the island becomes magical. There's really not that much to do on the island, except relax.

betterhalf proposed to me on the porch at the Grand Hotel. His original idea was to propose to me on a bench looking out at the lake. Problem was, on our way back to the hotel that day, I had a case of the hiccups. He decided to ask me on the far end of the porch before going to dinner.

Yes Ladies, he is that romantic. Still is. *love-sick sigh*

**Bobl** · April-24-10, 09:16 PM

jcole: Yep, the Bruce is beautiful. I plan to walk part of the Bruce Trail when I semi retire [[ie sign up for early social security) next year.
Ray: I know a similar spot on an island at the foot of the St Clair River...

**eriedearie** · April-25-10, 12:03 AM

Oh Dodger, that is soooo sweet I almost got a toothache while reading your post!

- No, seriously...how romantic. You've got a great guy there, and I can tell you appreciate him cause you always refer to him as your betterhalf. It must be a match made in Heaven!