1) Horizons bookstore in Traverse City- one of Americas great bookstores Explore the Riviera of the Midwests charming towns, like the wine lovers haven of New Buffalo; St. Joseph and its delightful lighthouse and beach; and Holland, known for its Dutch heritage, quaint shops and restaurants, and its annual springtime Tulip Festival. Note: Hotels on Mackinac Island are notoriously expensive. Crossing the Straits of. The trip includes; chase vehicle support, hotel accommodations and of course fantastic riding with a fun group. Most Lake Michigan lighthouses were built in the 1800s when ship traffic was at its heaviestespecially during the lumbering era. Because Nick is a fellow to follow if its adventure you want, and one to avoid at all costs if its not. Michigan gonna eat you alive, he texted just before my arrival. At Green Bay, the circle tour transitions to the final seven miles of I-43 northwesterly to that highways northern terminus at US-41/US-141. I did this trip late last Sept in my T@b camper for 2-1/2 weeks. In downtown Manitowoc, the route continues northerly via US-10 to STH-42. Back between two fir forests, a lull in the incessant rain drew us down a sandy service road in search of something new to look at. (The mainline LMCT remains on M-22 between Empire and Glen Arbor.). Lake Michigan Circle Tour | Holiday Vacations Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Have fun on the road! Northeast of Manistee, the route turns northerly to follow M-22 through Onekama, Frankfort and Empire. From Glen Arbor, the circle tour continues northerly on M-22 through Leland to Northport. And Nick, well, he felt the same. Fifteen minutes north of Pentwater, youll be in Ludington, where you may catch the ferry back to Manitowoc. https://www.wmta.org/lake-michigan-lighthouse-map-circle-tour/lighthouse-driving-itinerary/ more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. A ferry between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI make it easy to bisect the huge body of water. And those are just the ones weve been to there are many more. If you can, allot a few days here. (Side note: It was right about here when I realized by bike in fact came equipped with heated gripsa feature that would have been REALLY nice to know of just 20 hours earlier.). In northern metropolitan Milwaukee, the LMCT joins I-43/STH-32/STH-57 heading northerly into Ozaukee Co. At Grafton, the tour departs I-43 to remain on STH-32 and continues through Port Washington. Spend today exploring all of the beautiful marvels of nature the UP has to offer. That sounds like an awesome trip! There are plenty of delicious dinner spots here Rustic Roots, Mamas Thai Cafe, and Righteous Cuisineare some good options. Spend a day or a week exploring this lakeside road. The route through the U.P. At Marinette, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour enters Michigan on the US-41 Interstate Bridge linking that city with its sister, Menominee, on the other bank. The 620 passenger vessel can accommodate tour buses, RVs and cars, and takes about four hours. We are planning on using your itinerary this summer for a road trip with our 3 boys (ages 10,8,4). Lake Michigan Circle Tour - Great Lakes Circle Tour On the east side of Holland, the route continues northerly following US-31 through Grand Haven and toward Norton Shores. Do you have a map of this tour? Thank you Samantha for your suggestions as well. Another memorable motorcycle tour in fall is the Great Divide National Scenic Byway that takes travelers through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in northern Wisconsin. Hello. Tunnel Of Trees, Mackinac Bridge & The U.P. At Traverse City, the Lake Michigan Circle Tourreturns to US-31 and continues northerly via US-31 through Elk Rapids, Charlevoix and Petoskey and on toward the Mackinac Bridge. Motorcycle Rides & Roads Northern Lake Michigan Circle Tour Ride Rating: 0 Vote it Up Vote it Down Ride Stats: Distance: 477.84 miles / 769.0 km Ride Time: 1 week (5-7 days) Approximate Fuel Costs: $36.32 States Visited: Wisconsin, Michigan Submitted by: GrayFox pro Turn by Turn Directions Download for GPS (GPX file) Download KML file Home Lighthouse Map + Circle Tour Lighthouse Driving Itinerary. One more trip to Walmart brought about a tough decision: Real Tree or Mossy Oak. Lake Michigan Circle Tour by motorcycle from Chicago this We The Bukk is a clean-sheet design that showcases Cakes sustainability-minded and utilitarian approach, offering more power for off-road riding, From daily errands around Brooklyn to battery range-breaking Rockaway beach runs, we put the eye-catching, $11,470 electric motorcycle to the test, The modest shop designs and builds classic looking, modern performing custom bikes that are above all else, fun to ride, Swedish electric motorbike maker CAKE has partnered with Southern African Wildlife College and Goal Zero to help anti-poaching units protect Africas endangered wildlife, A lightweight, clean-running, commuter-friendly bike from CAKE, a new venture by the founder of Swedish brand POC, How a hellish cross country motorcycle ride helped this photographer make peace with the loss of his best friend and companion, Field Mag is a registered trademark with U.S. Pat. This viewpoint off of the main highway is one of the best places to get a birds eye view of the Lake Michigan shoreline. The short stretch of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour through Illinois travels along Route 137 and then joins Lakeshore Drive (US-41) right at the Lake Michigan coastline through the suburbs of Chicago. Start your journey in Manistee and travel through Benzie and Leelanau Counties before winding up in Traverse City. Now toss in a few (read: many) logging trucks and cut visibility to a dozen feet with incredibly dense fog and youre looking at exactly what we spent another hour plus riding in. Please wait, the navigation is being prepared. Find a scenic drive or plan a road trip with myscenicdrives.com Like, really bad. Perhaps Michigan's most famous scenic route, M-22 stretches for over 115 miles along the shores of our beloved Big Lake. The route continues northerly via I-43 from Sheboygan to Manitowoc. & Tm Off, Get the best new gear, dreamy cabins, and epic adventure photography delivered to your inbox each week with Field Mag newsletters. From Grand Haven, drive 55 minutes north to Petite Pointe Au Sable Lighthouse (Little Sable Point Lighthouse) in Mears, Michigan. Jokes aside, I was damn happy to have a windscreen and more horses than Ive ever ridden before under me. Some hail too, cus why not kick us while we were down? Dig into these great stories and get inspired for your next Wisconsin vacation. At any point along the tour, if youd like to stay the night and spend more time at a city or harbor town, there are plenty of lake resorts,campsites,cabinsandhotelsfor your choosing. Rent a bike (or bring your own) and bike around the perimeter of the island. Michigans Upper Peninsula (aka the U.P.). Ride Lake Superior an Epic Motorcycle Tour through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota . Yeah it feels just as silly now as it did then. Its a great trip you wont want to miss. Nick stuck to his guns and opted to try Real Tree. With 142 miles to go before the designated lunch spot, we posed for a few last second photos and Adventure Dad and Cool Guy set off. Once there, head to US-93 N in Yavapai County from AZ-71 N, which merges onto US-93 N. End your journey at AZ-97 N. Lake Michigan Circle Itinerary: A 7-Day Road Trip Through 4 States From Sleeping Bear Dunes, drive 45 minutes to Traverse City. Stay in a luxury hotel, a cozy lodge or a charming bed and breakfast. Just 100 more miles to St. Ignace. Check this list below, I truly love nothing more than a good cup of tea (I even pack my, There are not many places in the world that compare to Ireland. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. I loved the info. Sign up for our WMTA Travel Newsletter. Home ofLambeau Fieldand thePackers Hall of Fame, also tour theOneida National MuseumandNational Railroad Museumwhile youre there. In these areas, the LMCT follows the route of Sheridan Rd very closely. Lake Michigan Circle Tour by motorcycle from Chicago this We 8 years ago Save Hello. For getting to Tortilla Flat from Yuma, follow W 19 th St and S 4 th Ave to the US- 95N/W 16 th St. Happy travels , Your email address will not be published. The Jamesport Brewing Company, downtown on James Street, is the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat and relax in an old Victorian style pub. You can fly there from Charlevoix airport (15mins) or take the ferry from Charlevoix (2 and 1/2 hours) leave your car in Charlevoix you can rent a car (advance reservation suggested or rent a bike). Lake Michigan Circle Tour Sightseeing & Stops. Pere Marquette beach there is indeed beautiful. West Michigan provides a paper map of the circle tour. Experience the highlights of a 4 state tour exploring the shoreline beach towns & backroads most which lead to an amazing view of Lake Michigan. Dont forget Johans Backereys in Petosky and Harbor Springs! Please wait, your download is being prepared. Nick laughed at the idea of camping this far into fall. I dont recommend trying to do this in less than 5 days, however, as that would be too much driving at once to be enjoyable. This 1,300 mile/2,000 km ride around Lake Superior is an amazing adventure when travelling on motorcycle. Our Lake Michigan Circle Tour ride took five days instead of four. Sounds like a fun adventure to me! http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/721/Michigan/Michigans-Central-Lake-Michigan-Scenic-Tour.html. South of downtown is the excellent Hearthstone restaurant, from which you can easily get back to US-31. This is a free poster-sized publication which details all of the lighthouses located on the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as the Circle Tour driving route to guide drivers around the lake. You can pay any unpaid tolls after the fact on the. Experience the beauty of Lake Michigan and scenic locales in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois including two nights on Mackinac Island. This was the unsolicited advice we received as we mounted our bikes on the morning of day two. The Dunes Highway continues on to Michigan City (which is actually in Indiana), then into the Great Lakes State. Nick approached with caution and a shit-eating grin. Next we arrive in Door County, the Cape Cod of the Midwest, for a classic Wisconsin fish . Copyright 2023, West Michigan Tourist Association | Email: travel@wmta.org. http://www.historyillinois.org/HistoricalMarkers.aspx Spend a day or a week exploring this lakeside road. Sundays best in Escanaba. Driving through the Tunnel of Trees along Lake MIchigan north of Harbor Springs (and lunch or dinner at Legs Inn in Cross Village on a shelf overlooking the lake.) It was now mid-October, and we had just four free days. Lake Superior circle tour by motorcycle - Michigan Forum Fall is an excellent time to visit this National Parkyoull still be able to take in its magnificence, but without all the crowds. With so much to see and do along this Great Lake, one of the best ways to soak it all up is on a road trip with family and friends. Or maybe it was indifference. Wisconsin offers the best of Lake Michigans beauty and commercial appeal. Any recommendations for best roads / sights along way? If I had to pick one stop to get rid of, it would be the Leelenau Peninsula theres not as much to do and the kids would probably find the wineries/breweries boring. Biking is a popular way to get around the island, as are horse-drawn carriages. There are 373 campsites over four campgrounds. Thanks for any help. We squeezed out of our soaked gear, cranked the room temp to 90 and tried to shake the soggy chill from our tired bones. At Escanaba, the circle tour continues southwesterly via M-35 along the Green Bay shoreline to Menominee. Petoskeys downtown overlooks Lake Michigan and offers terrific shopping. Chicago in particular is a really family-friendly city. Even though weve vacationed in west and northern Michigan our whole lives, we discovered things we had never seen before or hadnt seen in years. Hey Lauren! After exploring Holland, drive thirty minutes to Grand Haven. Photo: Elyse Clark. Additionally, you can add stops to your trip in the following locations: Thanks for reading this Lake Michigan circle itinerary! Ludington, located in Central Michigan, is known as one of the best campgrounds on Lake Michigan. It was early September and I was finally home in NYC after six months of near nonstop traveling. Back Off My Bike Begin with a tour of Lambeau Field and the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Mackinaw is a cool little town, home to the largest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere, and really the only thing keeping Michigans Upper Peninsula connected to the real worldor from being annexed by Canada for that matter. I loved this info and grew up 50 miles north of Chicago in Zion. When you get to the tip of the peninsula, take the car ferry over to Washington Island and explore popular attractions, like the Farm Museum andRock Island State Park. Chase Car Ready, Milwaukee Packout Tool Storage, Choose Your Motorcycle Transport Service Wisely, Velocity Philosophy (A Mannerly Guide To Speed), Green Meanie! Here's an idea of what the weather in this area is like to help get your planning started! The Great Lakes tour is a circle road trip route through the United States and Canada to scenic destinations along Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario, and Erie. Marie. Start planning as far in advance as possible six months if you're planning to camp over weekends in Michigan beach parks, 11 months in Wisconsin parks. https://www.wmta.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Lighthouse-Map-for-Web-2018.pdf, https://www.wmta.org/lake-michigan-lighthouse-map-circle-tour/lighthouse-driving-itinerary/, https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15267, http://www.historyillinois.org/HistoricalMarkers.aspx. After your morning pick-me-up, continue driving north until you reach Inspiration Point. It may sound macabre, but well take these memories to our grave, whether we wind up there tomorrow or fifty years from now. For 2016, Windy City Motorcycle Tours offers a fall guided tour of Lake Michigan. Maybe the Lake Michigan Circle Tour? Along the way you can visit wineries, experience small-town friendliness and really appreciate the change of seasons. Find all of Rider 's Michigan motorcycle travel features here. Can also advise re: U.P. And hey, we even got a nice picture of us together on the ferry ride home. Chicago. In Michigan, the Lake Superior Circle Tour ( LSCT) runs from the state line at Ironwood to Sault Ste. Curley Lewis Memorial Highway | Route Ref. #35715 - Motorcycle Roads Our final morning brought about temps in the low thirties, and after that didnt thwart us, endless lane splitting nearly did. But I didn't, so we didn't. Today, youll leave the Lower Peninsula and cross over the Mackinac Bridge to Michigans Upper Peninsula. Just a topple. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Turns out it was just the name of a road. Next up is Milwaukee. Your email address will not be published. Youre not likely walking away from a spill at 50, so who cares what happens at double that? Also, since theres a lot to do here, I think it warrants more time and thus a separate visit. Most do it over a week, and almost exclusively in the summer. From picturesque beaches to historic landmarks, Read More , Fathers Day is Sunday, June 18th! Youll find the Lake Michigan Circle Tour route below. Wisconsin is well known for many things; among them cheese, the Green Bay Packers and great roads for riding! Your email address will not be published. Cool Guy, in his Mossy Oak outfitapparently the camo pattern of choice round those partsreceived less attention as at least 10% of the house had nearly identical outfits on. At Northport, M-22 and the Lake Michigan Circle Tourturn nearly 180 degrees to head southerly into Traverse City. Four or five cups of coffee help too. Two ramps on US 31 in Berrien County are permanently closing on Friday.The Michigan Department of Transportation is closing the two loop ramps at exit 5, that's Lake Michigan is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S., and the sixth largest in the world. . Thanks.