Things to do / Travel Guide
The overwhelming majority of tourists to northern Michigan arrive by car. For those travelers who are not bringing their own vehicle, car rentals are available at nearly all of the Michigan commercial airports. Bus services, though limited, are available.
Car:
Interstate highways include I-75, which passes through Grayling and Gaylord. I-75 extends from the southern border at Toledo, Ohio through Detroit and then jogs north across the Mackinac Bridge, ending up in Sault Ste. Marie. U.S. Highway 31 runs along the rim of Lake Michigan linking Benton Harbor to Ludington.
Below are distances and times from major cities to the central point of Mackinaw City:
- From the western edge of the Upper Peninsula: approximately 290 miles and about five and half hours.
- From Detroit: approximately 290 miles and about five and half hours.
- From Milwaukee, Wisconsin: around 370 miles and close to seven hours.
- From Chicago: about 415 miles and eight hours.
- From Minneapolis: about 350 miles and seven and a half hours.
East-west routes in the Upper Peninsula are State Road 28, through Marquette, and U.S. Highway 2 (a southern highway through Escanaba all the way to the Mackinac Bridge). U.S. Highway 2 forks to create State Road 28 in Gogebic County, which links Marquette, Munising, and Sault Ste. Marie.
Air:
Commercial airports are located in Hancock, Sault Ste. Marie, Pellston/Mackinac Island, Midland, and Traverse City. Houghton County Memorial (CMX) is in Hancock, the Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) is in Pellston, the Mackinac Island Airport (MCD) is on that island, the Jack Barstom Airport is in Midland (3BS), and Cherry Capital Airport is in Traverse City (TVC). Northwest and Delta Airlines both service northern Michigan. The majority of the flights originate from Detroit, Minneapolis, or Chicago.
A suggested method bypassing the smaller airports would be to fly to Detroit and rent a car at the airport there. The airport in this city is the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
Bus:
This is an inexpensive way to travel throughout Michigan, though very time-consuming. Greyhound serves most of the bigger towns in the northern Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Travelers should be aware that while Greyhound may service some of the smaller towns, bus service is infrequent and not always so convenient. This is particularly true in the Upper Peninsula.
No train routes reach northern Michigan or the Upper Peninsula.
Water:
People who enter northern Michigan on private boats via the Great Lakes have many options for docking throughout the region. Mooring fees are the rule, but their amounts vary. The SS Badger ferry, however, provide the only passenger and auto service. The ferry crosses Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, Wisconsin and arrives in Ludington. This is in fact a cost-effective option for those coming from Wisconsin. The SS Badger ferries cost approximately $40 one-way and $70 round-trip, and children are approximately half price. To transport autos, the cost is close to $50. Trips are daily in the spring, summer, and fall.
Airports in Great Lakes, Traverse City, Upper Peninsula, Mackinac Island, Northern Michigan
Getting-There
Austin-Straubel Field Airport (GRB)
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