Michigan

Introduction

Mackinac Bridge and Lake Michigan

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Michigan, located in the Midwest, owes its name to Lake Michigan, which is one of the five Great Lakes. The state is known for its distinctive culture and stunning beauty. Being surrounded by Lake Michigan to the west, Lake Superior to the north and Lake Huron to the east it is nestled by water. Thus living up to its state motto of "Great Lakes, Great Times."

The wilderness along the shoreline is only topped by the Upper Peninsula and Isle Royal National Park. The Upper Peninsula is home to the Porcupine Mountains, some of the oldest mountains in the world, and are stunning to hike and explore. Off the shoreline is Isle Royal, which is one of the wildest areas in the country and is home to wolves and moose. If your are looking for something more urban, the countless resort towns along Lake Michigan offer a great place to relax and shop while the city of Detroit is the motor city and the home of Motown records. So live it up and explore the vast opportunities that Michigan has to offer.

Geography

Cities

• Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan.
• Detroit is the state's largest city.
• Flint
• Sault Ste. Marie
• Port Huron
• Grand Rapids
• Lansing is the state capital
• Sterling Heights
• Warren
• Livonia
• Dearborn
• Westland
• Saugatuck
• Union Pier is a popular beach destination and resort community.

Sights and Activities

Day 22 - Warren Dunes SP

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• Isle Royale National Park
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore this national lakeshore and state park is a great place to bike, hike and relax.

Events and Festivals

• Rothbury Festival
• Solace Spa Fall Color Nature Adventure - October 10th, 2009 at Boyne Mountain. Hiking, rafting and spa treatment, a great way to relax and enjoy the fall colors.

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the main airport, and is a major hub for Delta Airlines, which mainly has domestic flights but also a significant number of international flights, including to/from Amsterdam, Cancun, Frankfurt, Manila, Tokyo, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Mexico City and Rome. Several dozens of other airlines serve Detroit, with many domestic services and quite a few international flights, like Amman, Paris, Toronto and London.

To/from the airport

• Car: The airport is accessible from I-94 and from I-275 via Eureka Road. John D. Dingell Drive is an expressway that runs from I-94 to Eureka Road. This expressway was built in 1999 for access to the McNamara Terminal. Many other local roads all have access to the airport. There are about 11,500 parking places at the airport and both rental cars as well as taxis are widely available. Taxis are provided by MetroCab, while limousine service and luxury vehicle service is provided by MetroCars.
• Bus: The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) provides bus routes 125 and 280, one per hour, that connect the airport with the rest of Metro Detroit. Robert Q. Airbus also provides independent shuttle services, and most hotels located at the airport provide their own shuttle services as well.

Several other regional airport in Michigan mainly serve US cities.

By Train

The Michigan Services travels between Chicago, Illinois through Indiana to a number of places in Michigan, including Detroit.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

The SS Badger travels between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin once or twice a day between late May and early October. The trip takes around 4 hours and costs $67 one way, $110 roundtrip for adults.

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

The Michigan Services operated by Amtrak provide extensive train links along three main routes in the state.

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

Michigan has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include:

• Motel 6
• Super 8
• Days Inn
• Quality Inn
• Red Roof Inn
• Howard Johnson
• Best Western
• La Quinta Inns and Suites
• Holiday Inn
• Econo Lodge
• Travelodge
• Hilton
• Choice Hotels
• Ramada
• Radisson
• Starwood Hotels
• Marriott Hotels