Hi Niki! Unlimited stops, edit, share, find recommended places of interest and campgrounds, manage budgets, print or export directions and more. 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. Your download is ready. If you love Lake Michigan, this is the drive for you. I would like a paper map, how do I get one? 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. I went Mossy Oak, like a real local. Something to share with the kids someday, ya know. One more trip to Walmart brought about a tough decision: Real Tree or Mossy Oak. Your email address will not be published. For more descriptions of our favorite motorcycle rides and destinations, visit the Rides and Destinations section of MotorcycleCruiser.com. Make sure to stop at Cherry Republic Gift Shop and Pyramid Point Trailhead along the way. Required fields are marked *. Lake Michigan Circle Tour on Motorcycle Do's & Don'ts | Field Mag Cheating Death on the Lake Michigan Loop: 1,000 Miles in 4 Days An hastily conceived and ill-advised motorcycle trip pits two old friends against frigid fall weather to see just what the Midwest is really made of Author Graham Hiemstra Photographer Graham Hiemstra @graham The Lake Michigan Circle is one of the quintessential, must-do American road trips. Have fun on the road! I had to admit, my dad gear perfectly matched my dad bike, and his matched his. Continue up to the Tip of the Mitt to Mackinaw City. Ludington State Park. Whatever the Upper Peninsula had in store for us, Ive faced worse. After all, we'd done it each of the two days prior, and would do again the following two100 mph in rain, wind, fog and under sunny skies too. State of Indiana Historical Marker: The lowered seat on the 8-Ball was surprisingly comfortable for a 6-foot, 2-inch dude, and the bike handled more nimbly than most tour bikes. Fifteen minutes north of Pentwater, youll be in Ludington, where you may catch the ferry back to Manitowoc. It was now mid-October, and we had just four free days. After your morning pick-me-up, continue driving north until you reach Inspiration Point. We went up to Sault Ste. Copyright 2023, West Michigan Tourist Association | Email: travel@wmta.org. Indiana is but a blip on the Circle Tour, passing through industrial Gary (birthplace of Michael Jackson), then onto Dunes Highway near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The Wisconsin leg of the tour starts at the Illinois border and moves north on Wisconsin Highway 32 alongside picturesque Lake Michigan. JavaScript is required for this feature, but it is either disabled or not supported by your browser. Home ofLambeau Fieldand thePackers Hall of Fame, also tour theOneida National MuseumandNational Railroad Museumwhile youre there. 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). You can also visit the: State of Michigan Historical Markers web site for additional places to visit: "Well take these memories to our grave, whether we wind up there tomorrow or fifty years from now.". Use our Scenic Drive Finder and Road Trip Planner to easily create custom road trips. Fall colors explore here, and theres tons of great hiking and mountain biking. State of Illinois Historical Markes: There are not many motorcycle tours that take riders through a 4-state journey and are accompanied by almost endless views of one of the bigger lakes in America. Lake Michigan Circle Itinerary: A 7-Day Road Trip Through 4 States, Planning your Lake Michigan circle road trip, Day 1: Indiana Dunes, Holland, & Grand Haven, Day 3: Traverse City & the Leelanau Peninsula, If you have more time on your Lake Michigan circle tour, The Ultimate 3-Week South Island New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary, USA Bucket List Destinations: 150+ of the Best Places to Visit in All 50 States, 19 Stunning New Zealand Lakes That Will Blow Your Mind. From here, you must must must take the ferry to famous Mackinac Island. M-22 is a 116-mile stretch of road that winds through the scenic countryside of Manistee, Benzie and Leelanlau counties. Countless restaurants and lodging choices make Ludington a must stop along the tour. By the time we returned to Chicago via a Lake Michigan ferry (we opted to skip Indiana, cus duh), the tally of how many times we each cheated death was well beyond double digits. Pssh. Great Divide National Scenic Byway Motorcycle Tour in Fall. The route through the U.P. When planning a trip to the Mackinaw Bridge/ Soo Locks area of the eastern UP, this is a must. Or maybe it was indifference. This area is known for its series of scenic and accessible waterfalls, located primarily in Marinette Countys Parks System. A Motorcycling Human Idiot Might Write Your Next Riding War Story, Wreck to Reckoning: Coping With Rider Fear. Meander through the communities of Whitehall, New Era, Shelby, and Hart, as well as Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Luckily we have Lake Michigan in our backyard. I loved this info and grew up 50 miles north of Chicago in Zion. I currently live in Chicago, where Ive been for several years. Route: Buckle up for your nearly five-hour ride to what many call The North Coast (tacking on an hour for Eastern Standard Time), following I-90 E all the way. Sign-up for our email newsletter & receive a free copy of our West Michigan Travel Guide! Still I hauled enough gear from Brooklyn to both break my back and keep us covered for a few days well outside the city. 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. Specifically, since the last week of August, 2016. Fall is an excellent time to visit this National Parkyoull still be able to take in its magnificence, but without all the crowds. (File/WWMT) COLDWATER, Mich. The Michigan Department of Transportation is expected to start a $2.4 million project May 1, just west of downtown Coldwater . more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Maybe the Lake Michigan Circle Tour? 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 And with that, youre headed to Manitowoc, home to the largest maritime museum on the Great Lakes, and where you can hop aboard the ferry back to Ludington. Its one of my favorite places in the country. They say the UP is no place for weenies. 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. I was lucky to find you while considering my trip around Lake Michigan next Septembfer. Continue on to Marinette, WI. Spanning 1000 miles and four states (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan), the Michigan Loop route is a local tradition. There are several camping options in the area, including Duck Creek RV Resort, which is across the street from Michigans Adventure. 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. Thats all we covered before having to pull over under an overpass and toss on our rain gear. It was wet. Teri. Seeing the rawness of the UP and mainland Michigans Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park instilled a new admiration for the state known to many outside (and probably many inside) the midwest as the Murder Mitten. Field Mag's benevolent overlord, Graham Hiemstra is a writer & photographer with over a decade experience covering style, design, and outdoor lifestyle. The route then traverses Lake Michigan itself via the S.S. Badger carferry. Depending on what theyre interested in, Id recommend checking out Lincoln Park Zoo, the Childrens Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, and the Museum of Science and Industry! This pair welcomes charter fishing and leisure boats, guiding them into the busy harbor. Your print is ready to download. There are plenty of delicious dinner spots here Rustic Roots, Mamas Thai Cafe, and Righteous Cuisineare some good options. The Upper Peninsula let us out alive only because I asked nicely. I would love a paper map of the circle tour. Ive ridden in rain before. Lake Superior Circle Tour; Algoma. (NOTE: The Lake Michigan Circle TourLoop route through Scottville was removed/decommissioned some time in late 2004 or early 2005 and no longer exists.). A weekend and holiday playground for Milwaukee and Chicago residents, youll find quaint shops, wineries, restaurants, pretty campgrounds and more on this peninsula. Now he was head to toe in size way-too-big camo. Thank you Samantha for your suggestions as well. Thanks. Catch the sunset at the Grand Haven State Park Lighthouse, then head over to the Musical Fountain in town (it plays nightly at dusk). These loop routes are detailed below the mainline route below: Thanks to Chris Bessert and the Wisconsin Highways site for providing the route. Additionally, you can add stops to your trip in the following locations: Thanks for reading this Lake Michigan circle itinerary! When it comes to Great American road trips along the water, Californias Pacific Coast Highway gets all the press. It was early September and I was finally home in NYC after six months of near nonstop traveling. Thanks! Youve earned it after all that driving! And those are just the ones weve been to there are many more. Bicycle Route 35 (USBR-35) and the existing Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Built in 1874, this lighthouse is a great place to take in the grandeur of Lake Michigan and the surrounding sand dunes. I liked your comment around the Lake Michigan tour that you and your husband did, that is some thing that me and my wife would like to do this coming week, do you have a map or places that you may recommend to stop by. Request your free copy of the Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map & Circle Tour. You can pay any unpaid tolls after the fact on the. 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. Along Lake Michigan, state and county parks, major cities and harbor towns dot the freshwater coastline. A ferry between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI make it easy to bisect the huge body of water. ), and explore many great restaurants. Diabolic Technologic: Do Rider Aids Actually Help? A ferry between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI make it easy to bisect the huge body of water. This went on for some time. In Michigan, the Lake Superior Circle Tour ( LSCT) runs from the state line at Ironwood to Sault Ste. Michigans Upper Peninsula (aka the U.P.). 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. Today, youll do some sightseeing and finish off strong with some hearty Chicagoan food. Upgrade now. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. In fact, no matter where you are in Wisconsin, this happens every single Friday. Kayaking and canoeing are also great ways to explore the lake. You can now navigate. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 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. Indiana Dunes National Park. One day, roast marshmallows at a remote campsite . From Chicago, drive 45 minutes over the state line to the Indiana Dunes. If you can, allot a few days here. Windy City Harley-Davidson Authorized Rentals. You wont be needing your passport for this single-nation circle tour. This 1,300 mile/2,000 km ride around Lake Superior is an amazing adventure when travelling on motorcycle.