A road trip around Lake Michigan offers fine scenery, scrumptious food, and a slice of real Midwestern America. Circumnavigating around the lake is a journey covering about 1000 miles, and four states, namely: Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
🙋 Fun fact: Lake Michigan has an average depth of 85 meters. Lake Michigan and Huron are technically one body of water connected by the Straits of Mackinac, by this definition Lake Michigan-Huron is the largest continental lake in the world in terms of surface area.
The quintessentially American road trip experience is a great way to see part of the vast North American continent. 😎 🚙.
This journey is best enjoyed with at least 5 or 6 days, and some good friends 😚
🙋 Fun fact: the first successful road trip by automobile across the US took place in 1903. The trip between San Francisco and New York took 63 days and cost US$8,000.
Day 0: Chicago to Holland
The windy city of Chicago with its fine art, delicious food, and musical heritage is a great start point for this trip. Chicago deserves a whole post in itself, but for now here is a glimpse of the majestic Chicago skyline.
From Chicago head anti-clockwise around lake Michigan. This first stretch is fairly industrial, and can largely be ignored, the lake gets more interesting the further up you go. Pass the industrial city of Gary and head up to the first stop Holland Michigan.
🙋 Fun fact: Gary is the hometown of The Jackson 5, and the infamous Micheal Jackson.
On the way to Holland a stop at Green Bush Brewery is highly recommended, to sample the delicious cheese curds, and a local beer or cider.
Day 1: Holland to Manistee
The picturesque town of Holland, Michigan sits on Lake Macatawa, and is known for its Dutch heritage.
Whilst you are in Holland it is well worth seeing the 250-year-old windmill De Zwaan at Windmill Island Garden, this is the only authentic working Dutch windmill in the United States. This windmill was deconstructed in Holland and reconstructed in Holland, Michigan in the 1960s. If you have time get a tour of the windmill and learn about the milling process from the only certified female Dutch miller outside of the Netherlands.
🙋 Fun fact: Holland, Michigan was settled in 1847 by Dutch Calvinist separatists. Difficult economic conditions in the Netherlands and their desire for religious freedom compelled them to emigrate and settle together as a group.
Whilst in Holland it is also well worth checking out the Holland Harbor and the light house known as 'The Big Red', built in 1872.
From Holland head up the east coast of Lake Michigan towards Manistee, a fairly nondescript town, that forms a good base before continuing up the scenic M-22 highway.
Manistee is home to the SS City of Milwaukee, which now serves as a museum, and entertainment venue. It may also be worth having a look at the Manistee County Historical Museum.
In town the Fillmore is recommended for food and refreshments 😋
Day 2: Manistee to Traverse City
The M-22 route between Manistee and Traverse City is spectacular, and has many intersting stopping points along the way. Starting out along the M-22 a quick stop at Inspiration Point provides some wonderful views over Lake Michigan...
Next, if you are feeling a bit peckish try the cherry or apple pie at The Cherry Hut, and browse the amazing range of produce at the shop next door called Market Basket...
🙋 Fun fact: apples are the largest and most valuable fruit crop in Michigan, and in Michigan there are about 11.3 million apple trees.
After a slice of sweet apple pie, the nearby Point Betsie Lighthouse built between 1854 and 1858 is an absolute must if you are a lover of lighthouses.
🙋 Fun fact: Point Betsie Lighthouse was the last lighthouse on Lake Michigan to be automated, and had a live in keeper until 1983.
If you like chocolate you're in for a real treat at Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, a short drive from Point Betsie. This boutique chocolate shop makes all chocolate in house from organic beans sourced in Ecuador 😊.
The next stop, Sleeping Bear Dunes park is a unique spot with miles of sand beach, bluffs that tower 450 meters above Lake Michigan, lush forests, and clear inland lakes.
🙋 Fun fact: the Sleeping Bear Dunes park is named after an Ojibwe legend of the sleeping bear. According to the legend, an enormous forest fire on the western shore of Lake Michigan drove a mother bear and her two cubs into the lake for shelter, determined to reach the opposite shore. After many miles of swimming, the two cubs lagged behind. When the mother bear reached the shore, she waited on the top of a high bluff. The exhausted cubs drowned in the lake, but the mother bear stayed and waited in hopes that her cubs would finally appear. Impressed by the mother bear's determination and faith, the Great Spirit created two islands (North and South Manitou islands) to commemorate the cubs, and the winds buried the sleeping bear under the sands of the dunes where she waits to this day 😕
After getting some fresh air at the Sleeping Bear Dunes park some light refreshments maybe in order. Travel along the M-22 further up the peninsular you can find the quaint Tandem Ciders. The cider tasting board is an enjoyable way to get a flavour for some of the different cider varieties on offer. Whilst here their pickled eggs are worth a try.
🙋 Fun fact: cloudy, unfiltered ciders made in the West Country (of England) are often called “scrumpy”, from “scrump”, a local dialect term for a small or withered apple.
Now its getting late so make your way along the M-22 to the vibrant, friendly, and frankly marvelous Traverse City to spend the night. A favourite with the locals of this fine town is the Filling Station Microbrewery, the pizzas are out of this world, and the beverages to match.
🙋 Fun fact: the Traverse City area is the largest producer of tart cherries in the United States. Near the time of cherry harvest, the city hosts the annual week-long National Cherry Festival in the first full week of July, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors annually.
Day 3: Traverse City to ...
There is a fair distance still to cover so today is a good day to get in some miles, but before leaving Traverse City two places nearby can be enjoyed:
Firstly, Gallagher's Farmers Market. The donuts here are excellent, and the cherry salsa is phenomenal. They have an incredible range of produce to buy here and it is also fun to wander around the corn maze, and see the farm animals.
Second, head a bit further down the road to Light of Day Organic tea shop. The only producer of tea in Michigan. Here the lovely Angela will be happy to explain the different types of tea, health benefits, and cultivation process.
🙋 Fun fact: the tea plant (camellia sinensis) originated in southeast Asia, around the point of confluence of the lands of northeast India, north Burma, southwest China and Tibet. From this centre of origin the has been introduced to more than 52 countries
Following this jaunt to the tea shop, some driving should be done. Get going on the I-31 towards the north of Lake Michigan. Along the way are some wonderful views.
Have a break in Charlevoix to see the eccentric Mushroom House, then follow the I-31 up over the breathtaking Mackinac Bridge. Over the bridge, if you can, try a fast food drive-in burger at Clyde's, where they serve you in the car 😮
At this point if you want to and have time to work in a visit to Pictured Rocks on the Upper Penninsular it is supposed to be beautiful. Alternatively, find somewhere to stay on Lake Michigan and enjoy lake life, maybe around the town of Escanaba.
Day 4: ... to Green Bay
Now is the time to relax, spend some time at the lake, maybe explore the Escanaba River State Forest, or Hiawatha National Forest, and make your way down to Green Bay, Oshkosh, Appleton, or Fond du Lac for the night.
If passing through Green Bay stop at the Pancake Place Diner, they have a huge menu, and gigantic portions. If you are in luck the waitress may also tell you a sassy joke 😋.
Day 5: Green Bay to Chicago
Finishing up the trip, make your way down to Chicago. Along the way you can drop by Milwaukee, where there are plenty of attractions such as the art museum, zoo, Harley-Davidson Museum, and breweries galore. Both Milwaukee and Chicago could do with much more time to fully explore.
Final words
There are of course many other ways to do this trip, and places to stop at along the way. This journey though gives a nice balance of driving and attractions, as well as a mixture of cities and countryside.
Truly, Lake Michigan is a natural marvel, and a sight to behold. A road trip around it's mighty shores makes for a wondrous trip, in this somewhat underrated part of the USA. This adventure is especially scenic when the leaves begin to change their colours in the autumn.
