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Wisconsin/Michigan trip

dmclone

dmclone

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Oct 20, 2006
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I've canceled the trip I had planned for Switzerland/Czech Republic for August but still want to take a weeks vacation without flying. Last year we spent some time in Milwaukee but this year we want to check out Madison for the first time and then make our way around western Michigan and end up in Chicago. We're in early planning so far we have this:

Madison-2 Days
3 empty days
Chicago-3 days

Want to check out Bell's in Kalamazoo.
Maybe check out New Glarus

Any interesting places in Northern Michigan/Wisconsin?
Is the drive around northern Wisconsin/Michigan worth it or should we just do a ferry across Lake Michigan?
Would like to visit some small towns. As an example, last year we stayed overnight in Monroe Wisconsin and Prairie Du Chien.
Any other ideas?
 
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I took the ferry across from Milwaukee last summer and while it was nice to be able to do that vs. driving through Chicago I'd imagine the trip around Lake Michigan would be more interesting if there's no time issues.

Drove a bit along Hwy 35 several years ago and it had some cool spots.
 
If it is open, check out Mackinac Island as one crosses from the U.P. to the L.P. in Michigan. Also check out Door County, WI on the peninsula north of Green Bay.
 
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Holland, Michigan is a cool town, you could check out New Holland Brewing at the Holland Brew Pub. Lots of choices and good food.

South of that is another cool little town, Saugatuck. Lots of family-friendly stuff to do around there, if the weather's nice Oval Beach on Lake Michigan is pretty nice.
 
You will Love the Czech Republic. Compared to Rome they were very welcoming of Americans and the exchange rate makes everything, especially dining and beer very reasonable. You have to go to the Tri Ruzi brewery/restaurant.
Chicago is going to be on a very severe lockdown for the foreseeable future. I would recommend skipping that and spend more time in Wisconsin. New Galrus is really nice. Make sure you visit the New Glarus Brewing beer garden and the Glarner Stube restaurant and others downtown. Monroe WI has an excellent town square with several nice restaurants and bars. The Cable and Hayward area of Wisconsin is really neat as well.
Door County can be a little touristy but is very scenic and has cool trails, golf, lighthouses etc.
 
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Gonzo said:
Holland, Michigan is a cool town, you could check out New Holland Brewing at the Holland Brew Pub. Lots of choices and good food.

South of that is another cool little town, Saugatuck. Lots of family-friendly stuff to do around there, if the weather's nice Oval Beach on Lake Michigan is pretty nice.
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I haven't been to those town, but a little south of them is town called South Haven, and I liked it a lot. Honestly, I was pretty surprised how clean the beach areas were next to Lake Michigan, and I thought there were a fair amount of places to eat for being a small town. Also they have a pretty popular ice cream shop that was pretty good.

Slightly off topic, but my wife's favorite part about that trip was when I saw a big cluster of seagulls on the beach and I wanted to make them to take off and fly like the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Sean Connery's makes the seagulls fly off into a Nazi airplane.

Well, I am a pretty hefty guy and not very fast especially on sand. So start I'm "running" and the seagulls just waddle slightly faster than me. They did not take flight at all. I was disappointed at my attempt, but boy did my wife loved to watch that scene unfold.
 
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Cyczech said:
You will Love the Czech Republic. Compared to Rome they were very welcoming of Americans and the exchange rate makes everything, especially dining and beer very reasonable. You have to go to the Tri Ruzi brewery/restaurant.
Chicago is going to be on a very severe lockdown for the foreseeable future. I would recommend skipping that and spend more time in Wisconsin. New Galrus is really nice. Make sure you visit the New Glarus Brewing beer garden and the Glarner Stube restaurant and others downtown. Monroe WI has an excellent town square with several nice restaurants and bars. The Cable and Hayward area of Wisconsin is really neat as well.
Door County can be a little touristy but is very scenic and has cool trails, golf, lighthouses etc.
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Anyone who has issues with people welcoming them as Americans while they’re in Europe are probably perpetuating some form of the stereotypical crap that causes this feedback loop.

I've never had any issues in any country of them accepting my friends or myself. Or they think the "unfriendly" nature is because they're American when you'd get the same attitude in New York. I attempt their language miserably, apologize frequently for having them speak English, say thank you in their language a million times, and it's a lot of pointing and miming.

I always explain it like this, imagine if someone random walked up to you, started speaking German, expected you to be completely fluent and accommodate them. We'd be just as frustrated as they are. But if they spoke broken English we'd appreciate way more and we'd help them out.

Again, never once had an issue anywhere and in France in particular (because that is always claimed as the worst). When I took a long drive from Nice and Monaco to Lyon and on to Paris through back roads, those small French cafes and bars and restaurants in these random towns were so welcoming it was insane.

Sorry for the long tangent off topic.

Wisconsin I liked Hudson and Madison and the Apple river. Never been to anywhere besides the greater Detroit area in Michigan.
 
Northern Michigan
-Traverse City is great area.
-Shorts Brewing
-Sand Dunes
-M-22 Highway
-Torch Lake
 
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We did the Wisconsin - UP - LP - Ferry trip two summers ago. Unfortunately it was just a 4 day thing and WAAAAY underestimated the amount of time in the car. Of course we like to veer off the main roads and keep to the lakefronts etc. Eventually though, to make it to Ludington we had to scurry pretty much on the main roads. It's a long ways across the UP.
 
We went to South Haven and did a cruise on the Friends God Will a 1810 top sail sloop. From there we went to Mackinaw for a Mini Cooper get together. Didn’t go to the island. Further north is Pictured Rock National Lakeshore. We did the cruise but will kayak next time. On into Canada and a drive on the trans Canada Highway to International Falls and then home. Driving the highway is like a continuous Bob Ross painting. Don’t drive the highway at night because of moose and watch your gas gauge. Towns are far apart.
 
Any small town in Wisconsin in Lake Michigan is with a visit. Especially up toward Door county but lots of good stuff south of there too. Lots of ideas for Madison but too tired to type tonight. Later for sure.
 
Peter said:
Any small town in Wisconsin in Lake Michigan is with a visit. Especially up toward Door county but lots of good stuff south of there too. Lots of ideas for Madison but too tired to type tonight. Later for sure.
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Normal stuff like farmers market and MU might not be happening.

Salvatore pizza (though Ian's mac n cheese is a classic)
Tipsy cow cheese curds
Wander capitol and state street
Walk on campus
Arboretum or picnic point
Fromagination if you like cheese
Ice cream from chocolate shoppe or Babcock

Lots of beer, know OP is into that. New Glarus good, other good breweries are ale asylum, capital, karben4


If you liked boringass Monroe (unless you were there for cheese days) I'd say La Crosse but wrong side of state. Never been to door county but hear nice things. If going to New Glarus, Paoli might be a quick neat stop. Always seems like somewhere I'd like to stop but we never have, usually trying to get to a holiday or home.

Devil's lake area nice if you're into hiking
 
My suggestions...

Stop at Hauber's Meat Locker in Dickeyville,Wi. Their sliced eye of the round smoke jerky is my favorite jerky, period. Their summer sausage is also near my favorite. Nearly perfect amount of smoke, salt and beef flavor. Their beef sticks are also great.

I have always wanted to do the burger tour of WI which is...
Pete's in Prairie du Chien
The Village Bar in Madison
Weld's in Jefferson
Mazos in Milwaukee

If you go to New Glarus, be sure to go Baumgartner's in Monroe and have a Limberger cheese or Limberger and salami sandwich. I like mine with onions.

If you do a ferry, I like the line that runs from Manitowoc, WI to Luddington' MI.

I would also suggest a stop by Stormy Kromer in Ironwood, MI. They make the best, most utilitarian winter cap on the market.
 
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