Hello everyone.
My husband and I were trying to plan a vacation this summer. We have a 2 year old son and so driving the 18 hours to Flordia seems stressful. So, we have heard some great things about Michigan and thought we would try it out. I rarely hear much about vacations there. So, I need your experience, good or bad. We want a beach and to just relax. We would love to rent a house or condo directly on the beach. That is all. We don't want to have the whole week planned out in excursions. But we want something to do at night. Has anyone been there and have any good advice?? Please let me know. We obviously have made no arrangements. Thanks! HAPPY SPRING!
P.S. If you have any other suggestions on fun vacations within a drving distance to Indiana please let me know! THANKS~
My husband is from Southwestern Michigan. The beaches there are awesome. Nothing like here in Northeast Ohio. Check out this website: http://www.sjcity.com/. My husband is from St. Joseph, MI and it about 5 hours from Cleveland. When we go and visit, we also take a train into Chicago since its so close. Good luck planning and hope you have a nice time.
Living in MI there are tons of places to go. Traverse City is definitely good southwest, lower michigan has some nice places too. South Haven is a lovely town right on the lake. They have the blueberry festival in august and stuff going on all summer with a nice beach. Battle Creek does a balloon and air show around the 4th of July with a really nice fireworks display. Even the Upper Peninsula has lots to do even though it isn't as populated. There is also Michigan adventure a water park and small amusement park by Muskegon. Hope you find somewhere you enjoy.
Traverse City is great, as is Mackinac Island, but they aren't really "beach vacations". When I was a kid, we spent a week every summer on Lake Mitchell, in Cadillac. But there are tons of inland lakes in Michigan, and lots of places on the Lake Michigan shore that would make great beach vacations and would be a shorter drive. Here's a site for rental places in Michigan that you can search by area:
http://www.greatrentals.com/mi/mi.html
I'd look in the southwest area first, it's a couple hours closer. Have a great vacation!
We used to live in Grand Rapids and would go to Grand Haven for the beach. The have plenty of restaurants there for places to go to dinner at night. Mackinaw Island is great too, but only for a day or two.
We have been going to Fountain Point Family Resort (they have a website) for the past seventeen years, great place with 20 cottages right on Lake Leelanau.
Hi! We have been to Traverse City MI and it was wonderful. There are some small local wineries. We were there over July 4th when they have this wonderful Cherry Festival with lots to eat and Music as well. Also check out the Great Bear Sand Dunes. Alot of fun for an afternoon hike--lots of sand--a great place for photos too. Mackinaw (spelling?) Island is great too. We stayed on the mainland as we had dogs with us. There are no motorized vehicles there--lots to see and do. Even the UPS delivers using horses. On your way there or back be sure to stop at Bronner's Christmas Store and eat at one of the German Restaurant in Frankenmuth--we spent the night there (Drury Inn--lovely little place with great rates) and again enjoyed wine tasting and quaint shops. Have fun!
We have also been to the Cherry Festival in Traverse City (www.cherryfestival.org). This year the dates are July 5-12 and the Blue Angels will be there. It is super cool to see them perform over the water! We sat on the beach and relaxed, watched the air show, and had a great time. It is so nice to drive up on the Mission Peninsula by the orchard with all those cherry trees! They’re beautiful and you can get cherries for cheap. They are OH SO GOOD! The last time we took the trip our son was almost 5 months old. On the way home we went to the IN Dunes. I’m no help with the condos or homes though b/c we stayed in Kalamazoo at the Holiday Inn.
Lake Michigan has the most awesome sand in the world. We were just in the Bahamas and one of the locals thought they imported it because it was even nicer than the beach in the Bahamas. HaHa. We go to a place up by Manistee every year but I couldn't tell you about any houses or condos there. We always go in August and it is so beautiful. We live in Ohio and drive the whole trip with a 3 and 4 year old, of course last time we did it they were 2 and 3. They did great. About 9 hours for us.
