Michigan's UP - any suggestions?

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hoddinron

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Joyce and I will be in the UP in about a week - Sept 3rd or 4th.  We're going to Les Cheneax Islands first, and then head west along the north coast.

Do any of you have special places that you've loved in that area?  Campgrounds?  Scenic Drives?  Etc?

Love to hear from you and learn from your experiences!!  :D :D

We just got into Michigan today and will be at Bay City State Rec Area Friday - Sunday ... then we're heading north to the UP.

Ron and Joyce retired.

 
In Paradise, MI visit the Shipwreck Museum.

Copper Harbor's Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is a great place to camp and explore. Stop at The Jampot near Eagle River on M26 (near Copper Harbor) to buy marvelous cookies, cakes, preserves, etc. made and sold by the residents of the Society of St. John monastery.

If you find yourselves near Michigamme, MI, Michigamme Shores (on 41) is a very nice private campground with large sites and easy access.

Enjoy the UP.
 
Stop at the Cross in the Woods. I-75 exit 310. Rv friendly parking. Soo Locks, Picture Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls, and Whitefish Point are a few places to visit.

The tunnel of trees scenic drive from Petosky in Sept is beautiful. Also the scenic drive at the sand dunes. If your gonna come back thru Mich.
 
If you are in the Munising area the Munising Municipal Campground  http://www.munisingtouristpark.com/ is a great place to stay. The downside is that they only have 7 full hookup spots but the others are electric with water. They are right on the big lake (lake Superior ) but looking at Grand Island (The Pictured Rocks tour and a glass botton shipwreck tour are located in Munising). Tons of things to do and see. There are a lot of State parks so if you know where you will be you can either make a reservation or take a chance. The downside is that most Michigan state parks have only electric and water with a dump station and if you have a rig bigger than 35' it might be a difficult maneuver to get into the spots at a state park.  http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/listing.aspx?list=parks  Labor day weekend might be a bit chancy but you could call ahead.  Sights to see : the Soo locks, Mackinaw Island, Tahquemanon falls, Fayette state park with the Iron works ruins. As has been mentioned The Hankock Houghton area has a copper mine you can tour and Copper Harbor has reinactors at Ft Wilkens state park. If you go to Copper Harbor take M-26 along the lake shore as it is a really scenic drive. There is also the Brockway Mountain drive but I dont remember if a big motor home would be comfortable on it.  Lake in the Clouds is also a must see. Scenic byways include  Highway US 2 which is right along Lake Michigan for a good deal of it way and M28 will take you thru a lot of forests(both highways are in very good condition too). You mite also want to visit Whitefish point where there is a museum dedicated to the sunken freighter Fitzgerald. Somewhere there is a article on lite houses tours and Michigan has a lot of those. If you are leaving the Bay city area heading for the UP I would recommend (if your motor home is a gasser ) to fill to fill up in Grayling because when you get to the UP gas is a lot more expensive. One other thing, the tunnel of trees (M-119) is a really great road but I'm not sure you would want to do it with a big motor home with a toad attached. There is a pretty good Polish restaurant in Cross Village (at the north end of M-119) which (in my opinion) has a fantastic dessert menu. If you had the time and like wine the Mission Peninsula by Traverse City in the lower peninsula has some really great wineries with tasting rooms too.
 
I second the motion for Tahquamenon Falls.
http://www.superiorsights.com/information/tahquamenonfalls/
Not only are the falls impressive and offer a little hike if you want, but ...THERE IS A BREW PUB RIGHT IN THE PARK!!!
---W
(i don't know about the RV experience there)
 
Barb said:
Stop at the Cross in the Woods. I-75 exit 310. Rv friendly parking. Soo Locks, Picture Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls, and Whitefish Point are a few places to visit.

The tunnel of trees scenic drive from Petosky in Sept is beautiful. Also the scenic drive at the sand dunes. If your gonna come back thru Mich.
[/quote

AT Cross in the woods you can likely stay at Big Lake State park. it shares a line fence with the church where the cross is located.. Used to have a connecting stairway but alas, no more due to vandals.

At Tahquamenon falls there is a state park but .. check the limits on rig size at both parks.

At the eastern end of Pictured Rocks is a nice little county park in Grand Maris.. Though last time I was there they had just trippled the cost and added Nick-O-Locks to the showers (I'm very anti-Nick-O-Lock)

NOTE that the tour botes all dock at the west end of the rocks.. but the park is right on the lake Superior Shore.

If you happen to visit Fife Lake (I'm not sure what is there.. Call the Fife Lake General store for info) tell the owner of the store WA8YXM says hi.

One more thing about Tahquamenon falls area.. Paradise.. You'll be glad you made it :)
 
Thanks so much for all the great suggestions!!  :D :D

We are camped right now at Loon Point RV Park in Les Cheneaux Islands are of the UP - just east of Cedarville.  Very nice park with full hook-ups right on the water - a bay of Lake Huron.

We do plan to follow all of your suggestions, with our next stop being Tahquamenon Falls State Park.  We'll be stopping at the Shipwreck Museum on Lake Superior along the way.  :)

The weather is pretty HOT  8) at the moment, but after a front moves through tonight and tomorrow morning, the weather will cool down with a high in the mid 70s ! :)

Thanks again for your GREAT suggestions!!

Ron and Joyce in the UP of Michigan...
 
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