They emailed me for a room upgrade to a corner Executive Suite for $80 (normally $750 a night or so.) Is it worth the upgrade over the regular suite?
In a word: ';Yes';. That%26#39;s a deeply discounted rate from the rack rate. I%26#39;d take the upgrade if I were you.
Lol...ended up getting the upgrade at no charge! Can%26#39;t beat that.
Terrific! Congrats.
I hope your stay downtown is good in every way.
I cannot find a hotel, other than Red Roof Inn and Residence Inn that allows dogs.
Does anyone know of a newer and/or nicer hotel that allos dogs?
thank you!
I can%26#39;t comment on quality of any of these, but you can check out reviews if any interest you.
bringfido.com/lodging/city/ann_arbor_mi_us/
Gping to be at a conference for a day at the RADISSON in LIVONIA. Any recs for nice place (not too fancy) for supper and recs for shopping nearby?
Your hotel is next to a smaller but nice shopping mall (Laurel Park Place) which has two department stores, a number of specialty shops, a few restaurants and a food court. Ten minutes away, there also is the large 12 Oaks Mall and all sorts of other shopping at Fountain Walk and other places. The Novi area probably has the greatest concentration of shopping in MI. Twelve Oaks isn%26#39;t as upscale as Somerset in Troy, but it is a very nice mall that even has been expanded and remodeled in the past few years. Laurel Park and 12 Oaks have web sites if you want to see the stores that they have.
In addition, you will be 5 minutes%26#39; drive from a couple of dozen restaurants, most of them mid-priced chains. What sort of food do you like? I%26#39;d be happy to make recommendations based on your preferences, as I know that area very well.
Thanks for the info. We will be with a small group. So anything like PF Changs, fish restaurant or Mexican place would be fine. Want something different from Olive Garden, Steakhouses, Applebees, etc.
I will definitely check out the website.
Your hotel is near 6-Mile and I-275. In the Marriott connected to the Mall, there is Sweet Lorraine%26#39;s. In the mall, there is California Pizza Kitchen, Olga%26#39;s, Max and Erma%26#39;s, all of which are more casual.
For more choices in the mid/middle-upper price range category, I would go west on 6-Mile Road (it crosses over the top of I-275) about a mile or so from your hotel. This will put you in the 6-Mile and Haggerty area and from there to 8-Mile there are more than two dozen restaurants in various price ranges.
Leaving out fast food and sandwiches places, here is a sampling of what you will find, by location and type of cuisine.
BETWEEN 6 %26amp; 7 MILE ROADS ON HAGGERTY.
BUCCA DI BEPPO (Italian; this actually is on 6-Mile just east of Haggerty); PAPA VINO%26#39;S (Italian) which is in the shopping center on the west side of Haggerty, next to Applebee%26#39;s;
MITCHELL%26#39;S (fish %26amp; sea food), FLEMING%26#39;S (steaks and wine bar), BRAVO (Italian), CLADDAGH (Irish pub/restaurant format).
NOTE: Mitchell%26#39;s Flemings, Bravo and Claddagh are on the east side of Haggerty just about 200 yards from the 6-Mile %26amp; Haggerty intersection.
P. F. CHANG%26#39;S is on the west side of Haggerty and very visible from the road.
7 MILE ROAD TO 8 MILE ROAD. Just west of I-275 on 7-Mile Road there is ANDIAMO (Italian) on the south side of 7 Mile. At the northeast corner of 7 and Haggerty, there is MACARONI GRILL (Italian). Both are good choices. Just west of Haggerty on 7 Mile, there is the GAUCHO BRAZILIAN steak house and, about a mile farther on there is ROCKY%26#39;S OF NORTHVILLE (eclectic menu, with lots of fish, seafood and steaks).
If you stay on Haggerty between 7 and 8 Mile Roads, there are the following: J. ALEXANDER%26#39;S, CHAMPPS, BAHAMA BREEZE and UNO.
Between 8 and 9 Mile on Haggerty, there are CHILI%26#39;S and ON THE BORDER.
As I said, this is just a sampling. By the way, I-275 has exits at 7 and 8 Mile roads, making it even easier to get to restaurants from your hotel. If you were willing to drive 5 or 6 miles, the range of restaurant offerings would more than double. Downtown Northville has a few good places and Novi has even more.
Post back if you decide on a specific cuisine and want a rec for that type.
Great job on restaurant recommendations!! I work about two miles from here. I really like Mitchells for fish/seafood as previously mentioned and Andiamo%26#39;s for pasta/steak on 7 Mile. There will be no shortage of restaurants in that area, believe me.
Wow!!! You guys are great. Thanks so much; we should be good to go.
Hi there!
I would love to host our annual family reunion (casual day/early evening bbq) in Saugatuck-Douglas. I%26#39;m looking for a rental for the weekend of 10/3 where 6-8 of us could stay and host a barbecue for up to 50-60 in the backyard. Any ideas?
fyi...if we cannot find a rental where we can do this...any ideas on where we might be able to do such a thing? I%26#39;d like to have a place where I could have a tent (in case of bad weather) or an indoor venue that we could host a reunion-ish event.
The first place that popped into my head was this place http://timberbluff.net/ Understand they are a short drive south of Saugatuck but you would need a car to go to town or restaurants.
If you couldn%26#39;t have the bbq there you could use Westside County Park about two miles south and also on Lake Michigan. I believe it has a pavillion with roof.
I%26#39;m sure others will have ideas and I%26#39;ll keep thinking.
That was a good idea....keep them coming! I%26#39;m not sure we could afford to rent all of the cottages at Timber Bluff, but I%26#39;m going to call and see if they would be alright with us renting one or two and then using the space outside for the event. Thanks so much!
Call the Visitors Bureau, 269 857-1701, they might have some suggestions.
You could try contacting Lakeshore Lodging (lakeshorelodging *dot* com) to see if they have any appropriate properties, or go through vrbo *dot* com and see if any homeowners would allow the party. You might get some resistance about having the party at a house, I don%26#39;t know....
Probably calling the CVB is the best idea for other hosting options.
Does anyone know of any corporate/extended stay apartments or hotels with 15 miles of Warren?
Furnished Corporate Apartments
I would look into Residence Inn by Marriott, Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton or Extended Stay Hotel. Go to their main web sites, put in Warren, MI. They%26#39;ll come up with hotels in the vicinity. Some will let you put in how far away from Warren you wish to look.
Furnished Corporate ApartmentsThere are 3 Extended Stay America hotels close to Warren-Roseville, Madison Heights and Sterling Heights and a Studio Plus in Warren. Check www.extendedstayhotels.com.
There is also a Residence in Warren, Madison Hgts, and Troy.
For apartments, I found 5 possibilities on 123aptsearch.com ranging from $525 to $1100 per month in Sterling Hgts. You can also check mihomehunt.com.
Here%26#39;s something that may be helpful. I found it through one of our local newspapers, the Free Press (www.freep.com). It%26#39;s a site www.apartments.com. I put in Macomb County, selected cities such as Warren, Sterling Hts, Utica. Then selected short term and furnished. A lot of apartments came up, but from the ones I selected to look at didn%26#39;t mention being furnished. There was a classified add that did show a 1 bdrm/1 bath furnished apt. located in Bloomfield Twp.
www.mihomehunt.com/cgi-bin/categories.pl鈥?/a>
Macomb County cities: Warren, Sterling Hts, Utica
Oakland County cities: Birmingham, Troy, Royal Oak, Rochester (20 miles).
The ones in Madison Heights are close to 1-75 and Oakland mall, and about 15-20 mins from TACOM, if thats where your husband will be going.
I was looking through a hotel magazine and came across a place that specializes in furnished apartments for relocation:
Suite Life
1-800-445-5590
248-549-5500
I couldn%26#39;t find a web site for them, but did find:
www.visitdetroit.com/placestostay/detail.asp鈥?/a>
You guys are fabulous!
Go to TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Sterling Heights. It is right in the middle of shopping and restaurant heaven. Spotlessly clean and awesome staff! It is really close to Warren without the seediness.
We are staying 1 night at airport hotel since our flight to Cancun is at 0600 am, what time do we need to be at the airport. We are going with NWA and this is out first time in USA.
NWA recommends that you be inside the terminal by 4:00 a.m., or 2 hours before flight time. You probably will be early, but better to be early.
The following is from Northwest%26#39;s website (www.nwa.com):
';Guidelines for Checking In on International Flights (including Canada/Mexico/Caribbean/Puerto Rico)
Recommended arrival time for international flights is at least 2 hours prior to departure (3 hours if departing from London-Gatwick or Frankfurt airports). All reservations and advance seat assignments may be cancelled if the passenger has not checked in and received a boarding pass at least 60 minutes prior to departure and may not be eligible for denied boarding compensation if they are not onboard the aircraft at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
If you are checking luggage, you must do so no later than 60 minutes for international flights, including Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.';
Thanks, I thougth it was the same rules in USA as in Europe but always better to check.
You are welcome. Have a wonderful trip!
Just a heads up here. I%26#39;ve taken many international red eye flights from DTW to MBJ and I used to go to the airport at 4AM for 6AM flights. I have found that the front desk often did not even open until 5AM. I would not go to the airport at 4 AM. If you%26#39;re real worried about it then go at 4:30 but I%26#39;ve gone at 4:45-5AM many times and always had time to spare. You breeze through security at this time.
I agree with the post above --- we had a 6 am flight to Punta Cana and get there at 3:30 only to sit for OVER an hour with no one else but the cleaning crew. I wouldn%26#39;t show up ANY sooner than 4:30 (or plan on being inside by the counter by 4:30).
If you do what we did, it makes for a VERY long morning... You won%26#39;t have any crowd to deal with, trust me.
DTW is dead before 5 am, so leave your hotel no earlier than 4:45. There will not be lines at that time of morning, so you should be able to be checked in and in the terminal within 15 minutes. I don%26#39;t think anything opens before 5:30 or 6:00 (McDonalds maybe), so get your coffee and snacks at the hotel if possible.
Good info from Tev about the coffee. Most of the time nothing is open and if something is it is only one place so its a pain. With many airlines cutting food/beverage service its a good idea to take advantage of that hotel continental breakfast and then hit the airport around 4:45 or so.
Correct, when we flew with NWA some starbucks were open but we were whipped from being there early.
We are flying with Spirit (price trumped preference) to CUN on a Mon am. How early, 2 hours too?
Mondays can be busy so 2 hours is probably safe, unless you are on one of the early flights like the OP where it is not all that necessary.
I also ran into a short delay last week at the McNamara terminal where the TSA decided to close two of the three checkpoints, and only left two lines feeding one metal detector open. It turned my normal 3 minute shoe inspection charade into about 15. It was a slow time, but the line backed up pretty quickly.
How about for a 7am American Airlines Flight to Dallas on A friday? How far ahead to check in? Is 6 am adequate?
Does anyone know whether or not The Drury Inn has connecting rooms?
I could call and ask but at this point am just looking for a place and have not narrowed it down to which weekend we may want to go.
Thanks!
I am pretty sure they do. I may be going up there beginning of next week, and will be staying there.
How many of you are going? I know when my kids were younger, we would rented the ';suite';. Basically, it was 2 double beds, a microwave area, then a small living room with a sleeper sofa. There were no doors on bedroom.
Don%26#39;t know how long you are staying for, but right next to their parking lot is a ';cheap'; place to eat, called ';Mainstreet Traven';. Their food was very good and very reasonable. It%26#39;s been a few years since we have been there, but they have great brat sandwhichs for around $5. The brats are made right next door at the meat market. I will report back next week with updated info. Any ??? let me know.
Last time I was in Detroit, I passed a house that was covered (and I mean covered) with STUFFED ANIMALS. On the outside. Dozens upon dozens of greying, soggy, limp and misshapen stuffed animals.
Does anyone know the story of this house and why someone attached so many stuffed animals to it?
I know it%26#39;s a bizarre question but... I figured someone on here would know.
Thanks.
Queenslace, you%26#39;re probably referring to the Heidelberg Project, one of the most notable art space creations in history. Here%26#39;s a link to the Project that can explain it far better than I can.
http://www.heidelberg.org/
Although it is on Mt Elliott around the corner from Heidelberg and the bigger part of the ';exhibit'; it is part of that project. There was a rumor that a woman that works with Tyree Guyton (the artist) was going to make that house her office. I don’t know how true that is but it would definitely be a unique place to work!
Well unsure to rumor, I was informed through other artists that the house that you had viewed was by a local artist. It was done to signify all the death that we had been causing ourselves through gun violence. You see when individuals die due to gun violence, family and friends tend to pick a corner pole or something to keep their memory alive and decorate it with stuffed animals. So as a symbol of their memory and a sign to ourselves that change is necessary the artist did this piece. If you look around the city some more you should find also a house of mirrors. Try the artist Village in Detroit to hear about art work around detroit.
8children died in that house on the eastside of detroit in the 90%26#39;s
My partner and I normally go to Door County about this time. We rent this nice condo with a fireplace and do a lot of nothing (since 85% of the county is shut down) which would include relaxing by the fireplace and exploring the town and surrounding lake.
This year I would like to go someplace new and South Haven has peaked my interest due to the MI forums..
My budget for accomidations is around $80-90 a night since we will be staying 3 nights (these are weekdays).
Can some of you recommend a place to stay and perhaps some places that will be open during this time of year to visit and eat?
Thank you VERY much in advance!
I don%26#39;t want to exclude anyone so try this site, and you may want to contact places like Lakeshore Lodging or Shores to find condos.
www.southhaven.org/content.cfm…
We have some lovely B%26amp;B%26#39;s in town also.
That site will also give you ideas of things to do as well as a list of the restaurants. Let us know if you have specific questions.
I would drive up to Douglas and eat at the Blue Moon. We loved it there.
OH Tyme, once again it has a note on the door. This time it says closed until further notice. Gossip around town doesn%26#39;t sound good. This has happened several times over the last few years, but I%26#39;m thinking this time it sounds serious. If some of you locals know something please post it.
OH NO, Rono! This is bad news. I was looking forward to eating there again this summer, as we hope to camp at the state park in SH this summer. Dang! Well, let%26#39;s hope the rumor is just that, and they will once again rise up to the challenge and open, at least until I get done eating there again, then they can reconsider...haha. I know it was not busy when we went, which surprised us. Sad.
I too like to come up to south haven in the winter...I love the quiet and the snow mixed with sand %26amp; ice covered lighthouse are awesome...they have ice skating and some great bargains in the shops...and prices are great...EVERYONE is looking for that off season business!! I stay usually at old harbor but if a fireplace is a nessessity for you I think the fireplace rooms are more than your budget and I always hesitate to recommend the place as its so haphazard in service and cleanliness...location can%26#39;t be beat though...hampton inn by the highway is in your price range and lovely but no fireplaces...I%26#39;d try the b %26amp; bs in town like inn at the park or harbor inn...they often offer specials like 2 nights for 1,etc...so does victoria resort thats an older property but run by some lovely folks and a short walk to the beach...
another idea might be hawkshead golf course...they have an inn (i%26#39;m not sure it%26#39;s open all year though) and some cute rooms that may have fireplaces...
Id start with the south haven web site and go from there!! www.southhaven.org
Excellent! Great places to start.. Thank you all so much.. I shall report back.. :P
Blue Moon in Douglas is offically closed as is Journeyman in Fennville...both because of back taxes
Thank you all so much!.. I rented a nice condo in town near the beach for a few nights @ Shores. Can%26#39;t wait to get out there!!..
Restraunt recommendations?..
Any points of interest in February?
Alright.. So I did do my homework on these forums and I think I should change my question around a little.. :P
Food it looks like...
Clementines (onion rings!!)
Tosi%26#39;s
Tellos (Italian)
Maria%26#39;s (for lunch)
Phoenix Cafe
We are staying 4 days so I think we have the food covered!.. We will probably hit a grocery store to do some lunches, snacks and breakfast at the condo..
I also got.. Drive to Saugatuck for some great shopping and to see a good beach..
My hobby is photography.. Anyone have any good spots I should check out? Keep in mind I will be there next week and sounds like everyone is in for some more of that white stuff!!.. (havent we gotten enough already!?)
agree on the clems onion rings for sure...also they have a new smaller portions menu that is wonderful...i had the smaller version of their steak this w/e paired w a brocolli medley and it was super!!
as far as photography i%26#39;d get some shots of the lake...its incredible this time of year...not as frozen as 2 wks ago but still the mix of sand and ice is gorgeous...this w/e you could walk the pier...good shots of the lighthouse are from the north beach side (the ';other'; pier or from the bluff south of south beach....gorgeous@!@
the shops still have some great bargains....julias has good coffee and the perfect spot to watch the ice skaters if you%26#39;re not a skater yourself...
enjoy!!...it was a lovely v/d w/e in michigan this past one!!
I am back from my South Haven mini-vacation and I must tell you all that the time we had was absolutely amazingly relaxing! Loved EVERY minute of it! The weather was horrible.. FREEZING and very windy. It snowed a couple days and this was just PERFECT for us because we stayed in the most WONDERFUL condo!
Very clean, beautiful decor, and a view that couldnt have been any better! From the second floor bay window (which I am almost ashamed to say we spent the majority of our time), out to the left overlooks the harbor and the lake off in the distance, to the right, one of the main downtown street%26#39;s (Phoenix). Mind you, this is the PERFECT location be it winter or summer!.. Especially since the very highly rated Clementines is one block away from this location and there is a Sherman%26#39;s ice cream shop across the street. What more could you ask for!?!?
And I must say that Clementines deserves EVERY bit of those outstanding ratings it receives review after review! Onion rings are out of this world!.. Fresh perch fried filets were GREAT! And thier corn/seafood chowder was to die for!!!
We also payed a visit to Everyday People which had a very short menu but very good food. Not to mention that the staff was wonderful and extremely friendly!
We cooked breakfast every morning at the condo snacked for lunch and dinner out every evening. It all worked out perfectly!
Thank you all VERY VERY much for your assistance in planning this little mini get away. It was a great success!
If anyone would like more information on the condo that I rented please go to the following link...
shoresvacationrentals.com/properties/…
Trip Report - February (Phoenix Court #7 Condo)thanks for your wonderful info....i was up in so haven over the valentines day w/e so I hear you on the freezing!! often wondered how those condos are so thanks for the info!!
Trip Report - February (Phoenix Court #7 Condo)Yeah.. This condo is very open and airey.. Really nice.. I could actually see inside the other ones and I liked the decor on this one the absolute best!.. And like I said, the view from the loft was absolutely wonderful.. :)
Hi there,
Does anyone know of an artist--possibly a folk artist--in Detroit by the name of Gruyan or Guyan, who exhibits his art in his yard and possibly in his neighborhood?
I%26#39;m going to be visiting Detroit in the next week and someone told me to try to see this artist%26#39;s home and street. They thought the street might be Mt. Elliot near Gratiot. I%26#39;m not certain where any of this is.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.
It%26#39;s the Heidelberg Project. Check www.heidelberg.org.
citylights pointed you in the right direction, pinksoda.
My personal impression is the ';installation'; will speak to you in a far different way here at the end of a miserable winter season; than if you visit it in summer.
I hope your stay in Detroit is pleasant.
Thanks so much. I think this is it!
That is it. It’s on Heidelberg Street off of Mt. Elliot on the east side of the city. Go in the afternoon and just make sure to be aware of you surroundings as it is not in the best neighborhood. I worked in that area for over 10 years and have never had an issue on Heidelberg but just wanted you to be aware.
It is “interesting” to see so it’s worth a stop IMO. I go by there all the time since the exhibit changes from time to time.
Kilarney,
Thanks for the advice. I will try to see it.
check out the repeats of the 3/2/09 ';Little People, Big World'; episode(s). They showed two episodes, tape both and see which one it is as both episodes take place in Michigan for travel/visiting family/LPA convention, etc.
I plan on a trip early June going to Duluth, Ashland and then Mackinaw City Mi. Not sure how long to stay in each place,want to see Apostle Islands, waterfalls, scenic trip. I think Inn of Lake Superior in Duluth, Clearwater in Mackinaw City but not sure about Ashland or is this too much for 7-8 day trip, any advice??
for the Apostle Islands I recommend staying in Bayfield. Neat town to explore as well. For lodging you%26#39;ll enjoy: www.seagullbay.com Very nice place with Lake Superior view in nearly every room there. It is in a quiet location off the main strip but walking distance to town. There%26#39;s a trail below going to town or the other way and you can bike/walk along Lake Superior. For Duluth the perfect location was the Comfort Inn and Suites right near the lift bridge. Nice lodging there. You can watch the ships come in or walk along the trail along the shoreline, etc. Ashland is nice in passing but I%26#39;d much prefer Bayfield to Ashland for staying at and spending my time. There are many neat sights in Bayfield. Visit the Bayfield, WI forums or message me for further info. I%26#39;ve been there several times in the past five years. They also feature great shows at the Big Top and more.
With Mackinaw City as a base, I would allow at least three full days - one for visiting Mackinac Island, one for eastern UP attractions and one for stuff in and around Mackinaw plus driving down to Cross Village and through the tunnel of tree road along the cliff on the lake Michigan shore toward Harbor Springs. The balance of that day plus the evenings would let you do things in Mackinaw.
You could easily spend longer, but that would be a good minimal coverage of highlights.
Tahquamenonn Falls is a must see. Ocqueoc Falls east of Roger%26#39;s City is pretty, but small.
During your drive between the two locations, I would plan on visiting Grand Marais for the sand dunes and Sable Falls. http://www.mightymac.org/sup20.jpg And stopping at Munising to see several more falls plus doing the Pictured Rocks cruise. www.mightymac.org/munisingpicturedrocks.htm
Eeek! ';Tahquamenon Falls';
don%26#39;t miss Tahquamenon Falls as lighthouse lover suggested. Beautiful!
Is the log hotel that is practically under the bridge the super 8 or a Days INN? How many hotels are across from the State Park area just east of the bridge. I only recall 2 hotels on Huron before it turns south.
Super 8 Bridgeview.
I have never stayed there, but the owners of that motel (and a group of others) have a very poor reputation for customer service. Be careful trusting online reviews of that spot. Some of them are very suspect.
There are 4 other motels along that stretch. The Riviera Motel is across the street. It is the only on the water in that part of town. I have never stayed there, but other people in this forum have said good things about it.
I have stayed at that Super 8.
Had a whirpool room and no problems or issues at all.
We pretty much biked everywhere from there and it was quite convenient to the downtown and to the other sights and restaurants.
Was your stay recent, 24fan?
No, not recent.
We tend to stay on the other end of Huron St. these days but it was within the past couple of years and like mentioned no problems.
We stayed years ago at that Super 8 and had no problems either. However, we contacted them several times over the past few years to inquire about rooms, rates, when they were open, etc., and they were rude and gave us either poor/short/no answers to our questions. That is all I needed.
We have stayed at the Riviera, and though it could use some updating, it is a very nice motel, very clean and the people running it are very nice, also. And you cannot beat the location.
Are the Ford Field parking lots open during Tiger games
Parking forComerica ParkHere%26#39;s a map of parking venues operated by Olympia that are available during Tiger games. …mlb.com/det/ballpark/parking.jsp
City-owned lots are also open and are between $4 and $10. Most are adjacent to the People Mover. …detroit.mi.us/Departments/…Default.aspx
Parking forComerica Parkthank city lights
Actually the city lots will be more than $10. Expect to pay a minimum of $20 near the stadium, possibly much higher if it is a big game or there are other activities driving up the demand for parking downtown. I personally park in Bricktown or Greektown and take a bar shuttle to the game. It is also much easier to get out after the game instead of being stuck in a massive traffic jam near the stadiums.
There are also a variety of restaurants/bars that offer both parking and shuttles to the stadiums. Nemo%26#39;s, River%26#39;s Edge Grill and Roma Cafe (in order by menu prices) come to mind.
http://www.nemosdetroit.com/
http://www.riversedgegrille.com/
http://romacafe.com/
yelp.com/detroit
I always park at Greektown Casino - it%26#39;s free and you can eat anywhere in Greektown if you want and Comerica is about a 10 minute walk. Piece of cake!
Does the Greektown Casino still require validation of your ticket at the casino cage for free parking? I also recall some rule about having to have a players card and show play at certain times of the day, mainly to avoid downtown workers taking up all their parking. I have not parked there since they opened the new parking garage. I refused to re-enter the old one on Beaubien after I got trapped inside in traffic for 45 minutes and never did find a parking spot.
Parking is free at the new Greektown Hotel parking structure. You might still need validation for the older structure near the temporary casino in the heart of Greektown
I have parked at the new garage a couple of times. They have signs saying that all occupants of the car must be of legal gambling age, but when I was there at least, there were no attendants to enforce that rule and there was no charge for parking. I suspect that all of that will change if, in the future, they are busy.
In any case, it certainly is worth trying.
No validation, I%26#39;ve never seen anyone there from the casino. When they planned the new parking lot they must have figured it cost more to print the tickets and pay an attendant when all you had to do was walk in the first floor of the casino and put the ticket into the validator and walk out without dropping a nickel. I%26#39;ve parked at the new structure at least 5 times - it%26#39;s right off 75, really simple.
MGM casino is also within walking distance. Parking is also free. We have never had a problem.
Anybody dined at Roast? Reviews please.
yelp.com/biz/…Roast
Or if that link doesn%26#39;t work, go to yelp.com/detroit and search Roast.
There also is a March 2 review here on Trip Advisor. I ate there in December, but only for after work drinks and appetizer at the bar. Appetizer for 2 came to $22; it was very good and also very small! We laughed when it arrived, as it would have been a nice (but even then somewhat on the small side) appetizer for one.
Wine was good and bartender was attentive without being fawning and also was accommodating to our final ';half-glass'; request. All in all, it was a great experience and we would go back. Roast is a wonderful addition to downtown Detroit.
Lol, the review from Mar 2nd was mine! We just stayed there this last weekend. Roast is a very good restaurant. I think that they may end up being at the top of the heap in Detroit after they are open for a while. There are a few things that they need to work out.
Not sure if I mentioned this in the review or not, but we should have made a reservation. We didn%26#39;t have one and were offered the community table or the bar, even though there were plenty of empty tables around us.
Hello,
My wife, son (2 year old) are looking to spend 3 -4 days in Saugatuck and wondered if anyone could share their thoughts on Pine Motor Lodge? Also if anyone has another %26#39;cottage%26#39; type place that may be better we are open to options.
Thank you in advance.
I should have said that we are looking for the last week of June.
The Pines is a small property that is well maintained. You should have an enjoyable stay.
I%26#39;ll be in Ann Arbor, MI in early April to celebrate my grandmother%26#39;s 90th birthday. Does anyone have any good ideas on what to do with her? She can get around alright. Just looking for something to do to mark her birthday.
Hello svaindc,
Has your Grandmother lived in Ann Arbor most her life? If so you might want to call the Mayor of Ann Arbor and see if they might does something special for her.
We are heading down to Detroit for the game tonight, and will be there a bit early. We are definitely planning on making at stop in Greektown for some gambling and cocktails, but are considering stopping at Hockeytown Cafe (because we have never been there). If we take the People Mover, is it a short walk to Hockeytown? Or, is it best to avoid that on a game day?
Hockeytown is only a couple blocks north on Woodward from the Grand Circus Park people mover stop. It is only a couple stops from the Greektown (casino) stop, but the people mover runs the ';other way';, so it will be the long way around and you will pass Joe Louis on the way.
www.thepeoplemover.com/map_interactive.html
Depending on how early you head there, you might just want to walk. There are several other bars on the way including the Old Shillelagh, Well, Cheli%26#39;s, ... I also recommend the Town Pump on Montcalm, one block west of Hockeytown. Today%26#39;s weather is not looking nice for the walking option though.
Take the free shuttle from Hocketown or the Town Pump to avoid having to make another people mover run, which gets very crowded around game time. To get back to Greektown after the game, hop on any of the shuttles to Fishbones, The Detroiter, Sweet Water Tavern or Jacoby%26#39;s and it will put you within a couple blocks of the casino.
The closest People Mover Station to Hockeytown Cafe is at Grand Circus Park, about 2 blocks away. By the way, if you don%26#39;t know about it already, Hockeytown has a free shuttle bus to Wings games starting 90 minutes before game time. Parking is available at nearby lots and in the Fox garage behind Hockeytown.
People Mover usually is most crowded after the game as everyone is leaving at the same time. Before games, there are crowds, but they are somewhat lighter because people stop first for drinks or dinner and arrive at the Joe during a wider time window.
If you plan to take the People Mover to Hockeytown and haven%26#39;t used it since last summer, be aware that the train now operates in a clockwise loop (the opposite of what it used to). This means that, from Greektown Station, the People Mover train now goes south toward the river and loops around 9 stations before Grand Circus Park. It is about a 10 minute ride. Formerly, there were only 2 stops between Greektown and Grand Circus and the ride took only 3 minutes.
Tev9999 said it all.
Didn%26#39;t mean to repeat, but I started to write, got interrupted by a phone call and then finished and sent the post without checking back to see if anyone had replied.
GO WINGS!
Nasty weather and even worse performance by the Wings. Hope you still had a good time.
I don%26#39;t do rental cars and travel by myself. I live in California. How would I get to the island or Mackinac City and what city would I come throughl
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Planning to visit in July, July.
Mackinac Island, MichiganI%26#39;m sure others will have additional suggestions, but last year my wife%26#39;s family flew to Pellston, MI via Detroit and took a shuttle to Mackinaw City where they caught the ferry to the island.
Pellston is served by Northwest Airlink and has direct service. Here%26#39;s a link to the airport%26#39;s website: www.pellstonairport.com/transportation-8/
Hope this is helpful!
Mackinac Island, MichiganI will check this out. Thank you so much.
Another info link that may or may not have more options:
www.mackinacisland.org/gettinghere.html
Would anyone have any insights on which is a better location, 110 Erie Street or 704 Kalamazoo? We are a group of 12 people (8 adults, 4 children), and both locations are available for our dates. It seems 110 Erie is closer to the beach, but is 704 Kalamazoo, far from it. From the description 704 Kalamazoo is bigger, and might fit our group better. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
You%26#39;re right that 110 Erie is closer to the beach, it%26#39;s a nice neighborhood as well. Kalamazoo is 4 blocks in, but not a long walk. House quality can vary though. I%26#39;ll shoot past them both on my way home tonight and scout them out. PS access to the south beach would be at the ends of Water, Michigan, VanBurn Streets and between Monroe and South Haven Streets. They are building a new water plant so the stairs at the end of Michigan may be blocked this summer. While we%26#39;re on that subject Water St is now one way headed west because of that construction.
Rono, Your efforts are greatly appreciated!!! We had a great time the last time we were in South Haven. And, we can%26#39;t wait to do it again this year. Again, Thank you!!! SteelHirsh
Ok in a nut shell I think I%26#39;d go with the Erie st location. 704 Kalamazoo is quite a ways south and on the edge of an area that%26#39;s not so touristy. It%26#39;s a half mile from the Blue Stairs which is the closest beach access. The Erie street house is actually larger so maybe it%26#39;s split into two units. It%26#39;s about a hundred yards to the main south beach entrance and two blocks to the river walk. They are both about the same distance from downtown. Appearance wise they are both large two storys that have been remodeled recently. Let me know if you need more.
Rono, Again thank you for your efforts. I sent your insights to the extended family. And, after a long chain of e-mails, and following a stimulating, yet courteous debate, the family voted to rent the Kalamazoo house. I hope it is a good decision. I think the decision was based on the fact that it has a bedroom for everyone, and a pool.
Can I ask you one other quick question? Other than Clementines, what are the other must eat places in South Haven? Thanks again, SteelHirsh.
In my opinion SH is weak when it comes to restaurants. We lost two of the better ones to condo development a couple years ago. The family that owns Clem%26#39;s also owns and operates Hawkshead a restaurant and golf course about five miles north and east of town. Worth the drive out there IMO.
I hear Tello%26#39;s is quite good for dinner but I haven%26#39;t been in there much. I%26#39;m planning eating there yet in March.
Phoenix St. Cafe does a very good job with breakfast/lunch. They%26#39;re open for dinner a few nights a week and they do a good job, but to me the atmosphere isn%26#39;t quite right.
Cousins for breakfast/lunch seems very popular.
Capt%26#39;n Lou%26#39;s down by the bridge is super casual (plastic cup, and cash)but can be a good time and the food is decent.
For pizza I%26#39;d suggest DiMaggio%26#39;s about ten miles south on Blue Star Hwy in Haggar Shore.
There is a transformation of sorts coming to one of the local establishments not mentioned yet here. I don%26#39;t want to discuss it but it has the potential to become a destination restaurant for an evening meal. As soon as they go public I%26#39;ll mention it here.
There are many options in the Saugatuck area, let me know it you might be headed there.
Hopefully flizzer will be long and give you a different view point.
We%26#39;re trying to do some family history research and considering a trip to the Pierson area to look at area cemeteries for family members..
I can%26#39;t find this town on my Rand McNally map- can someone orient me please?
Assuming this is the right Pierson, online maps can be great.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q%26amp;source=s_q%26amp;hl=en%26amp;geocode=%26amp;q=pierson,+mi%26amp;sll=42.281049,-83.788321%26amp;sspn=0.006811,0.013711%26amp;ie=UTF8%26amp;ll=43.548548,-85.501099%26amp;spn=1.707956,3.510132%26amp;z=8%26amp;iwloc=addr
Well, that%26#39;s a mess. Here%26#39;s an easier link.
http://tinyurl.com/d3g963
Nice job jenifera2. You did good!!
AHA!!! In the middle of nowhere- no wonder!
Thanks!
We are from Cocoa Beach, Florida, my son is getting married in June and they plan on having the reception near her home town of Detroit.
They are planning on the reception at the
Best Western Sterling Heights. Since we are not from the area, do you have any advice on rehearsal party location? Restaurants for visiting guest? Touring suggestions?
Any advice on the area would be more then welcome.
Thanks in advance.....
You can have many options for booking restaurants. No need to go there and consult try to make it through online with in short time. No need to spend more time just it%26#39;s a matter of ten minutes. Many websites provided on lone bookings,use the services.
As the previous poster mentioned there is plenty of options in that area for out of town guests. If you are looking for a fun atmosphere for the rehearsal dinner you could go to Dave %26amp; Buster%26#39;s that is just north of the hotel off of Van Dyke. They host parties of this sort all the time and the guests enjoy the fun atmosphere (billiards, shuffleboard, arcade games). You could also do a traditional restaurants from which there are plenty to choose from.
For your visiting guests there is a waterpark at the Best Western Hotel, plenty of great shopping at Lakeside Mall and Partridge Creek. Downtown Detroit is within a 20 min drive and they could also visit the newly renovated Detroit Institute of Arts, the new Casinos (MGM Grand, MotorCity, Greektown), visit the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak, the Henry Ford Museum and/or Greenfield Village in Dearborn, or take the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.
I am sure that you can get plenty of information, pamphlets, booklets from the http://www.visitdetroit.com/ or http://www.michigan.org/
Thank you I have been trying to look up some places on line but when you are not familiar with an area it is hard to know the better places. I was hoping someone knew of a restaurant that could handle about 40 people dinner, drink and desert.
I will keep looking....
I%26#39;m a west sider or metro Detroit area, so I%26#39;m not an expert of the Sterling Hts area (east side), but am a little familiar. Last year I attended a wedding at the Best Western and they did a fantastic job. What type of restaurant are you looking for, casual or more formal? Also, how far are you wanting to travel for the restaurant. Here%26#39;s a few suggestions until you write back.
Lellis - Auburn Hills, MI (one of my favorite%26#39;s)
http://www.lellisrestaurant.com/
Brio - Troy, MI
http://www.brioitalian.com/banquet/
Kona Grill - Troy, MI
http://www.konagrill.com/about_us.php
Olive Garden
Sterling Hts, MI
I would highly recommend this place for the rehearsal dinner. Yummy food and excellent service!
http://www.ikesrestaurant.com/index1.html
There is a wonderful italian restaurant/banquet center called Andiamo located at 14 mile %26amp; Van Dyke in Warren...just a few minutes south of the Sterling Heights area. Great food and atmosphere. There is another location located in Sterling Heights off of M-59 (Hall Road) but it is only the restaurant and not the additional banquet rooms. I%26#39;ve attended several bridal/baby/wedding showers at this restaurant and they have all been wonderful. http://www.andiamoitalia.com/
Want to Thank all of you for your suggestions.
We have decided to do the rehearsal dinner at
Olive Garden.
You can always count on Tripadvisor people to come
to the rescue.
I would suggest seeing if the Detroit Tigers are in town, if any of your guests are into Sports then Comerica Park would be a great place to visit. Comerica Park is about 20 -25 minutes from Sterling Heights.
detroit.tigers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=det
Also, if your guests are going to have some free time and want to go shopping and eating I would suggest Partridge Creek Mall. It%26#39;s about 15 minutes away from the Best Western.
http://www.shoppartridgecreek.com/
If you feel like exploring downtown Detroit then I would head down to the Riverwalk and Greektown. There restaurants and sights to see in each location with both being very safe.
http://www.detroitriverfront.org/
As far as restaurants go for rehearsal dinner I agree with a few of the previous posts. Andiamo%26#39;s has great Italian food. Ikes has all different kinds of food with the lebanese being the best. You may also want to consider Buddy%26#39;s (looking for pizza and more relaxed), Papa Vino%26#39;s, Fillipas and Julianos.
http://www.fillipas.com/
http://www.buddyspizza.com/
http://www.julianosrestaurant.net/
Has anyone stayed here? Any input on location?
Going in blind! =)
THANKS!!!!
Candice
I have never stayed but I have seen the units, very nice. Excellent location right downtown, you can walk to everything. Don%26#39;t worry, you picked well!
I saw them this past weekend. They look very nice and the other poster is correct, Great location!
There is a cute little cottage just on the other side of them, that I am wondering if it%26#39;s available for vacation rentals.
I fell in love with it and would love to rent it for a vacation sometime.
Anybody know anything about it?
I feel better now! Thanks...I will post a detailed update on our return!
MaryBeth40: was it Tuck%26#39;s cottage? Culver Street would be the location you%26#39;re referring to:
Tuck’s Suites 249 Culver St., Saugatuck, 269-857-4594/800-558-8257
Downtown water view suites: sleeps 4, whirlpools, breakfast.
Thanks so much for th info!
Does anyone have any contact info on the suites? Apparently Tuck%26#39;s Cottage has been sold to the owners of the Amazwi suites and Art Gallery.
I cannot find anything that says they are renting out the cottage anymore.
Does anyone have any information that can help me?
I%26#39;m sure if you called Amazwi Gallery they could help you, 269 857-5551
Hi everyone,
I%26#39;m flying into Chicago at the end of July and i%26#39;ll have 17 days in the US before flying home, again from Chicago.
I%26#39;m looking to spend a few days there before renting a car and driving around Lake Michigan, anti-clockwise. I was wondering if 14 days would be enough time to enjoy this route or is it too long / too short? Should i branch out and experience some places away from the lake?
I%26#39;m a 26 year old English guy who%26#39;ll be travelling alone, i%26#39;ve seen quite a bit of the US already and NYC and Disneyland aren%26#39;t really my thing, i really enjoy experiencing the less touristy places (i appreciate that this area is touristy with people from the US but i%26#39;m hoping not to meet too many Brits!) but if there%26#39;s any must-see sights i should see along the way, please do say. I don%26#39;t want to spend too long in Chicago, as although it%26#39;s probably an amazing place, i live in London so i get the big city fix on a daily basis.
Any advice on where to go and what to see would be a great help. I%26#39;ve booked my flights but as you can see, i%26#39;m in the early stages of planning this great trip. Thanks.
Note: I%26#39;ve also posted this on the Wisconsin board as i assume there and Michigan are the two states i%26#39;ll spend the most time in.
Chris,
Great to hear you%26#39;re coming to Michigan! I think you%26#39;ll have a great two weeks on this kind of trip. I, and others on this site, will be more than happy to help plan your trip, but first could you provide us with a little more info? First, what kind of things are you into? Do you like historic sites, beaches, nature, physical activities, etc? Basically, what kind of stuff are you trying to see? Secondly, what kind of budget will you be on? Should we send you to campgrounds, budget motels, high end hotels, bed %26amp; breakfasts, etc?
Once we have a better feel for what you%26#39;re going for, we can help you with a much more detailed itinerary, but here are some highlights that I would direct you towards. I%26#39;m just going to give a quick blurb on each of these and you can google or ask any questions for more info(saves me from typing a book here):
Get out of chicago, drive a couple of hours and swing into a great little beach town around SW Michigan...Grand Haven, Saugatuck, South haven etc. Others will have more info on these and which you%26#39;ll want to choose.
Traverse City area...largest ';city'; in Northern Michigan, directly on Lake Michigan with lots to see and do...Michigan%26#39;s best wineries are located in the area on Leelauau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is just a short drive,
Petoskey/Harbor Springs area...Petoskey%26#39;s a great small town with a fun, funky vibe...also right on Lake Michigan, fun downtown area with lots of good bars/restaurants...a good choice to spend an afternoon and night. On the drive up to Mackinaw, don%26#39;t miss the tunnel of trees on M-119, continue on 119 to Cross Village for more great beaches and a zany lunch spot called Leggs Inn.
Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island (both pronounced Mack-in-aw) The Mackinaw Bridge connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan...the world%26#39;s longest suspension bridge. Mackinac Island is kind of the crown jewel of Northern Michigan...a short ferry ride from the mainland but takes you back 100 years...all old Victorian style buildings, no cars allowed anywhere on the island so everything%26#39;s horse and buggy or bicycle...really a neat place but kind of touristy. Make sure you spend at least one night here as the scene really changes after the last ferry leaves and the majority of tourists are gone...it%26#39;s really quite a party spot!
Upper Peninsula...you could easily spend two weeks just on a tour of the UP, but for your trip I%26#39;d think you%26#39;ll want to spend at least a few days making the trip across to Wisconsin. Some highlights include:
The Locks in Sault Saint Marie...If you%26#39;re into mechanical or technical attractions at all, you might want to check out the ';Soo Locks'; a system of large locks for freight ships. They%26#39;re really cool, but a bit out of the way for the rest of your trip...if this is your thing, don%26#39;t miss it, if you could care less I%26#39;d skip it.
Tahquamenon Falls...The largest waterfalls East of the Mississippi...State Park very worth checking out, there are hiking trails, you can rent a rowboat to get a closer look, there%26#39;s a small brew pub on site with sandwiches, etc. A MUST see in the UP.
Whitefish Point...site of the Great Lakes Shipwreck museum and the nearest point to where the Edmond Fitzgerald sunk...cool lighthouse, museum,etc. It%26#39;s a short drive from the falls, so again I wouldn%26#39;t miss it.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore...Beautiful rock formations along Lake Superior%26#39;s shore...great hiking, camping and sight seeing. There%26#39;s a pictured rocks cruise that you have to take to appreciate the full scope of the park. If not, there are several vantage points on land.
Kitchi-ti-kippi (Big Spring)...this is an hour attraction, Michigan%26#39;s largest freshwater spring, gushing over 10,000 gallons per minute! The spring%26#39;s about 200%26#39; across and 50%26#39; deep though the water%26#39;s so clear it looks about 5%26#39; deep. There%26#39;s a self propelled raft you can take out with a glass bottom to see the spring. This is one of my favorite UP attractions...check it out here: uppermichiganwaterfalls.com/Kitchitikipi.html
Other things you might want to check out in the UP include:
Copper Harbor, Brockway Mountain, Porcupine Mountains, Lake of the Clouds, Sylvania Wilderness, Iron Mountain Iron Mine, etc.
This should be a bit to get you started...there%26#39;s so much to see and do, I%26#39;m sure others will have even more posts and ideas.
As for Wisconsin, I%26#39;ll let others comment
There actually is a route designed just for this at:
great-lakes.net/tourism/circletour/michigan/
Hopefully this will help.
P.S. I am jealous since I have always wanted to do this drive myself.
';Get out of chicago, drive a couple of hours and swing into a great little beach town around SW Michigan...Grand Haven, Saugatuck, South haven etc.';
You missed, stop at one of the casinos on the way. ; )
Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo Exit #1 is brand new and ';Las Vegas'; like.
I%26#39;ll try to fill in the blanks from deadheadcouple%26#39;s post.
In the area between Chicago and the ';Havens'; you will find some of Michigan%26#39;s wineries.
After Grand Haven (Don%26#39;t miss a walk on the boardwalk or a Pronto Pup there), there is Muskegon,my hometown.
We have Pere Marquette beach, great bike paths, the Blockhouse at Muskegon State Park, the River walk along the Muskegon river, a restored submarine among thigs to do.
There is also the cross lake ferry, Lake express, to Milwaukee,WI.
Just north of Muskegon you%26#39;ll find:
Whitehall, home of the world%26#39;s largest weathervane and a lighthouse museum.
Oh, and some more bike paths. : )
Shelby where a dune ride at Silver Lake is a must !
Pentwater, quaint little ';cottage'; community.
Ludington, home of a hydroelectric holding pond. (this things is a site to see).
Manistee, home to yet another casino, Little River casino where you should take US23 north to Sleeping Bear Dunes, Lelanau(sp), and eventually Traverse City.
Then pickup deadheadcouple%26#39;s post from there since they covered the UP rather well.
Btw, should you pass Muskegon on a Weds. or Sun., perhaps we could hookup fpr a personal tour of Muskegon. : )
We%26#39;re always up for a bike ride,lol.
Thanks deadheadcouple and Greg for your replies.
Sorry for not including much info about me in my first post and what i%26#39;m looking to get out of this trip. I%26#39;m really interested in seeing some of the cities and towns that line the coast of MI, as i%26#39;d quite like to spend some time just relaxing in a town, eating nice food and drinking a beer or two. As i%26#39;m only 26 and will be travelling solo, if there%26#39;s any towns with even a hint of young nightlife then it%26#39;d be good to know, although i%26#39;m not expecting clubs on the scale seen in Chicago :)
I%26#39;m quite keen to rent a bike at least a couple of times on this trip to explore some trails and take in the scenery, and although i%26#39;d consider myself to be a novice, i was also looking into the idea of doing some kayaking for a day in the UP as i did a bit in Australia and it was great. Although time could be a factor.
I don%26#39;t want to spend my whole trip going to museums but if a town has a particularly good museum or a quirky attraction which is worth taking in, then i%26#39;m definitely up for having a look. I%26#39;ve already decided that i will go to Mackinac Island as it looks nice there and although touristy i think it%26#39;s a must see.
Accommodation wise, i%26#39;ve stayed in Super 8 in CA before and so places like this would be my ideal choice as they don%26#39;t break the bank and are convenient. Is there many motels in UP? Will i have to book in advance my accommodation, considering it%26#39;s high season?
Another thing, i%26#39;m very aware that the US is huge in comparison to the little island i call home. Will 14 days be enough to do this route without feeling rushed or will i be spending my whole time behind the wheel? It%26#39;s hard to gauge distances from just looking at websites and maps.
Thanks in advance for your helpful comments.
Chris
Hello SoloChris,
I see you asked if you could do all this in 14 days. Well I did a bit of figuring and if you were to travel for 2 and a half hours a day by car for 14 days you could do it.
This is just a rough estimate but I figure you will travel
550 miles (885 km) in Lower Michigan.
Chicago - Benton Harbor, Michigan, South Haven, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Ludington, Glen Haven, Northport, Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Cross Village, Mackinaw City.
720 miles (1159 km) in Upper Michigan
Mackinaw City, then across the Mackinac Bridge to enter God%26#39;s Country to Paradise, Seney, Manistique, Munising, Marquette, Copper Harbor, Silver City, Menominee.
350 miles (563 km) in Wisconsin to Chicago.
Menominee, Michigan, Marinette, Wisconsin, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Milwaukee, to Chicago, Illinois.
The above cities are not what I suggest you go to or not go to. I just used these city names as a way you can look at a map and see what I figured for the route.
Total miles traveled - 1620 miles (2607 km)
I figured you could travel 50 miles (81 km) per hour in a car.
Total time in car would be 32 plus hours.
Ok, one question at a time:
';if there%26#39;s any towns with even a hint of young nightlife';
Not in Michigan, mostly smaller towns of less than 50,000 people, but Milwaukee,WI is the ';beer capital';. : )
';I%26#39;m quite keen to rent a bike at least a couple of times on this trip to explore some trails and take in the scenery';
Now that%26#39;s one thing we have a lot of from Holland,MI to Hart,MI
';was also looking into the idea of doing some kayaking for a day in the UP';
I would think the water to be a little bit warmer in the Lower Peninsula.
White River near Whitehall has trips.
';I%26#39;ve already decided that i will go to Mackinac Island as it looks nice there and although touristy i think it%26#39;s a must see.';
While it may seem touristy, a bike ride around the island will help you forget this fact. : )
';Will 14 days be enough to do this route';
I will answer two questions here:
The accommodation question is a bit tricky.
While there are hotels along the route, they would probably need pre-booking during the summer.
This would also put you on a schedule which I get the feeling you don%26#39;t want to be on.
I would look into the cost of a small motor home rental and see how it compares to renting a car and overnight lodging.
We have many campgrounds along the lake.
This will most likely be your biggest expense.
As far as 14 days being enough, you would only need to cover around 85 miles a day to complete the trip around the lake.
That is less than an hour and a half driving each day.
Lake Michigan Circle Tour
the route was mapped and signs were posted along all 1100 miles of Lake Michigan%26#39;s shoreline.
I disagree that there is no nightlife for a younger crowd in MI. You will find plenty of it in Traverse City and possibly Petoskey in Northwest MI (lower peninsula). And Muskegon must have something. And if you are going to the casinos, there might be a good club available, though I cannot really give any info on that sort of thing. LOL. And there must be something in Holland, too?
Correction - I wish you could edit the post you make.
Where it says at the bottom that it equals to one and a half hours of driving -
It should say Two and a half hours driving.
Correction again.
I see it was Greg2305 that posted 1 and a half hours a day driving.
So my post was right. Greg2305 assumes you are going around Lake Michigan while you are in the Upper Peninsula and my route for you is to go to Lake Superior and other places North of Lake Michigan. That is why the added miles.
Hi, I%26#39;m trying to plan a trip to East Lansing to visit some archives in the University%26#39;s library. I%26#39;ll be stopping for around 2 weeks, can anyone suggest anywhere near/on campus to stay that has either a kitchen or is near a supermarket/places to eat? Also, is it possible to fly into Detroit Metro and travel to East Lansing by rail or bus - or would this prove problematic? Thanks
Check out this website for bus transportation to and from the airport:
http://www.michiganflyer.com/index.html
This place has a kitchen and is pretty close to campus:
marriott.com/hotels/…
The bus system in Lansing is pretty good. Here is a link to their website:
http://www.cata.org/
Enjoy your visit to Michigan! I have two kids at Michigan State and it is a beautiful campus.
Also consider short-term rentals. A great US resource is craigslist. Here are links to available listings and ';housing wanted,'; where you can post your request:
http://lansing.craigslist.org/sub/
http://lansing.craigslist.org/hsw/
Note: Lansing is Michigan%26#39;s capital and the larger city; East Lansing is the adjoining city which contains Michigan State University.
Enjoy your stay!
Too-long-ago MSU alumnus.
Aside from renting a car, is there transportation from Detroit Metro Airport to Windsor (we%26#39;re staying at Casino Windsor). Due to the length of our stay, a rental car will cost about $300.
Rent the car. I don%26#39;t know of any shuttle and I know taxis would be high especially with the potential wait time at the border. Remember your passport.
Yes, there is a shuttle bus service called RobertQ. Website is www.robertq.com. I think that its only stop in Windsor is at the Holiday Inn Select which is near the Ambassador Bridge. From there, you could taxi to Casino Windsor or wherever you are staying. Distance is probably about 2 miles.
When is your trip? Be aware that the documentation required for the land border crossing changes June 1. A drivers license and birth certificate no longer will be acceptable. Best doc is a passport or the new passport card. A trusted traveler card also is acceptable now and in the future and, I think, certain secure drivers licenses issued by a few border states also will be OK, but you would be prudent to check with US Customs and Border Protection.
Rent a car through hotwire.com. Assuming you are a US citizen/resident, there will be no problem taking it to Windsor. Just tell the agent you plan to do so when you pick up the car.
Alternately you could take a cab or shuttle from DTW to downtown Detroit, Ren Cen area. From there you%26#39;d take a tunnel bus across to Windsor. That bus will do a loop around downtown Windsor, including to the Casino hotel.
www.citywindsor.ca/DisplayAttach.asp…
http://www.citywindsor.ca/001209.asp
http://www.metroairporttaxi.org/rates.htm
Looking at coming to the Final 4 in April, and I have a reservation at the Sheraton in Novi. How long will it take to get to Ford Field from here with all the extra traffic? Is parking going to be very difficult? Are there any options for public transportation?
Thanks for the advice!
You are looking at about a 40 min commute during off peak traffic. If you are headed to Ford Field during rush hour (3-5 pm) you could be looking at 1 hour +. There is plenty of parking around Ford Field. No public transportation to speak of, there may be some shuttles running to different parking locations, I haven%26#39;t heard of any yet.
There are surface lots and garages close to Ford Field and Comerica Park. Check the map at www.fordfield.com.
You could park at one of the more distant lots and take the People Mover to avoid the worst of the crowd. The People Mover is an elevated tram that encircles the central business district. Exit at the Broadway or Grand Circus Park station and walk 2-3 blocks to Ford Field, the fare is $.50.
For garages owned by the Detroit Municipal Parking Authority, check the map at: http://tinyurl.com/5m26rk
You should probably allow about 45-60 minutes for the drive from Novi. Two of the easiest places to park would be the Joe Louis or Cobo Hall Garages. You can enter them directly from the Lodge Fwy and there is a People Mover Station adjacent to each.
If you%26#39;re planning to eat downtown, several restaurants offer free shuttle service to the arenas and theatres. You can leave your car at the restaurant and the shuttle will return after the game. The Roma Cafe and Hard Rock have shuttles and I believe Andiamo%26#39;s Riverfront does as well.
Thanks, that%26#39;s very helpful!
Have you thought about booking a hotel closer?? Traffic can be pretty brutal in Detroit. Take a look at Southfield or even Warren. There are some nicer hotels there and the drive to Ford Field would be a lot quicker for you.
Rivers Edge Grille (formerly River Rock), Sindbad%26#39;s and Nemo%26#39;s also have shuttles. I%26#39;d choose Nemo%26#39;s over the others for ease of access and frequency of shuttle service.
yelp.com/detroit will have location and contact info and web links for the various restaurants.
I agree that Novi is really far, but it seems the entire area has sold out for Final Four.
I%26#39;m looking for a secure lot to park overnight downtown. I also don%26#39;t want to spend a lot if possible. I am staying at the Milner, but don%26#39;t mind walking a bit or taking the people mover to get there.
-cheap
-overnight
-secure
Thanks
Parking downtownGreektown casino is probably your best bet at free. You might have to validate parking, and I%26#39;m not 100% sure of their overnight parking rules. It is a five or six block walk to the Milner, or you can take the people mover to the Grand Circus Park stop.
Parking downtownHow does one validate? Drop a few quarters in a slot machine?
You have to go into the casino and then ask for your parking to be validated. I%26#39;m not sure if they%26#39;re requiring you to play now or not.
I don%26#39;t know if they%26#39;ll let you do it all night. Another option that is closer to the Milner is the Detroit Opera House which would be around $20.
To validate you had to take your parking ticket into the casino and get it time stamped at a time clock at the players club (or was it the cage??) The casino is open 24/7 and they mainly worry about downtown workers taking all the parking spots during the day, so you are probably good overnight.
Sweet. I%26#39;d probably toss a bit of dough their way anyhow. Maybe I%26#39;ll walk out ahead. Maybe I%26#39;ll score with two smokin hot chicks too.
I wouldn%26#39;t count on Casino parking working quite that way during Final Four, if that%26#39;s why you%26#39;re asking.
I parked at the casino last night in the new structure on Lafayette just off of the I-75 exit ramp. There was no charge, or even a ticket to take to validate. There were two people sitting in the booths, but they were just waiving people in. My guess is that they were controlling parking earlier in the night since the Red Wings were playing, but I arrived mid-way through the third period so the game crowd was already parked.
Does anyone have any information on this rental? I can only find a little bit on the South Haven website and it only has one picture.
I%26#39;m assuming it%26#39;s the second story over the restaurant ';Captain Nemo%26#39;s'; as the contact listed is the owner of Nemo%26#39;s. Nice people. It%26#39;s located just a couple of doors from the end of Phoenix St., downtown, just before it becomes Water St. Obviously it%26#39;s downtown so close to everything, and a short walk along the riverwalk to the south beach. I know nothing about the unit although it%26#39;s possible it has some views off the back side.
never stayed although I%26#39;ve thought about it....as rono says it%26#39;s above capt nemos....if jakes beach house has entertainment i bet its gonna get noisy!! I used to stay in an apt rented above what is now tellos in town and loved it...just pop right out onto the street and a couple of long blocks to the beach and pier...but the noise is a factor in the area of captains loft. Otherwise if i recall it%26#39;s really cheap and probably worth a try!!
I am planning our family summer vacation which will include 2 adults a 13 year old and a 6 year old. They want a beach so I thought we might try the southwest area of Michigan for a change from the Florida beaches. Any suggestions on the best town to stay in in the area that is relaxing but has enough to do to keep the kids entertained for a week?
';Any suggestions on the best town to stay in in the area that is relaxing but has enough to do to keep the kids entertained for a week?';
What are your accomodation choices?
Hotels or camping?
Holland,Grand Haven,Muskegon,and Silver Lake are a few choices.
They all have something different to offer.
St Joseph and South Haven are great small towns right on Lake Michigan. In St Joseph you can rent a house near Silver Beach and the downtown area. There are lots of restaurants nearby, a lighthouse and plenty of white sand. You could do day trips to South Haven or Saugatuk. Check out www.sjtoday.org for ideas.
Can anyone give me any information on Lake Bluff Inn and Suites? We like to travel to Saugatuck (without the kids) and usually stay at the Best Western but would like to try something different. I don%26#39;t want to pay more than $200 a night. (The new Northern Lights in Saugatuck looks great though!) I have 2 free nights at the Comfort Inn in Holland but I%26#39;m not sure if that would be too far to drive to Saugatuck for the beach, dinner, etc. What are you thoughts on the Lake Bluff Inn, any other places in South Haven or would the Comfort Inn be good enough? I prfer the privacy of a hotel and like to have a pool. Thanks!
This was an old motel type building for years. Its located on Lake Michigan, but I don%26#39;t believe it has any beach or beach access. It%26#39;s probably two miles from the center of town and public beaches.
Several years ago it was remodeled and expanded. Any thing else is hear say, like I%26#39;ve read here that some of the rooms have lake views, and over all the comments have been mixed.
Have you tried Southhaven.org? Someone here recently found a new condo with a river view for $1,000 per week. SH has several B and B%26#39;s ,Old harbor Inn, Hampton, HolidayInn Express, Comfort Inn, and Lighthouse Inn. Saugatuck also has an AmericInn, and Holiday Inn Express. I don%26#39;t know what its like inside but I always liked the looks of ShipandShore from the boat. Its back lobby is on the Kalamazoo river. Good luck.
i%26#39;ve stayed there a couple of times in the summer when i didn%26#39;t want to pay the big bucks for a b %26amp; b or in town lodging....some of the rooms are a little scarey....you have to close your eyes a bit and just not notice things....their higher end new rooms are just pretty standard motel rooms with jacuzzis in the corner....but they have an incredible property going for them!! the pool (always pristine when i was there) has an incredible view of the lake %26amp; lighthouse....and there is a walk out that puts you right on the bluff over the lake for sunset or perch boat watching.....lovely!! some things (like charging for ice %26amp; the hot tub *ick*) put me off....but i have gotten rooms for under $100 in summer which is hard to do in south haven
it attracts a lot of families so is not the most romantic spot...
i just did the hamilton inn for a one nighter over the w/e....great new beds, very clean, nice lil indoor pool %26amp; wonderful staff....for 134/nite (with a discount) i%26#39;d spring for that!!! or as rono suggests if you have more time (a week) go for a house or condo!!
You may have booked your trip by this time, but I just wanted to tell you that I have always had a good time at the Lake Bluff. I think the rooms are over 200 dollars though. When our kids were young we stayed in the old part, but as they hit their upper teens we stayed in the new building. We would get them a room next to ours on the second floor. I like staying on the second floor because the view from the balcony is wonderful. They dont have elevators so the third floord is out of the question for me. The town and the beach are about a mile away, there are a lot of shops and places to eat. We stay at the Lake Bluff at least once a year and plan to go in August.
Oh yeah, ice is 25 cents (lol). Hopefully they have changed that, it makes no sence.
We stayed there for a weekend a few years ago. We went with friends from Orland Park (interesting!!). We shared a two bedroom unit with a small kitchenette. There is no beach but you do have great lake views. The sunset was spectacular! We enjoyed ourselves but prefer to stay closer to town next time.
Enjoy!
We stayed at Lake Bluff Inn and Suites in July 2007, and had a wonderful experience. It is completely remodeled. Our family of 5 stayed in a 2 bedroom suite. Everything in it was brand new...carpeting, furniture, woodwork, tile kitchen and bath, etc. There was plenty of room, although the bathroom was small. The suite also included our own picnic table/patio with charcoal grill. The resort sits on 6 acres, so there is a lot of open area where the kids can play frisbee and other lawn games. Bring your lawn chairs, sit outside and enjoy the sunsets! This is a great place for a family reunion. To get to the beach, you simply drive about 1.5 miles down the road. (As the name implies, the resort is on a bluff, so you can%26#39;t go directly to the beach from the property, although you are on the Lake Michigan shore.) This place has been 100% remodeled and is very clean. There is nothing fancy about it. You feel like you are at home and in your own back yard when there. It%26#39;s a very relaxing, family-friendly place.
If you have 2 free nights w/ Comfort Inn, I%26#39;d stay there! It is only about a 20 mile drive to Saugatuck, and if you get tired of Saugatuck, then you have Holland at your door step! Have fun!
Lake Bluff Inn and Suites is a great place to stay. They are right on the bluff above the lake. They do not have beach access, however the public beach is less than a mile from the motel and is about a mile to downtown south haven. It has an outdoor pool, hottub, gameroom, and they have a lot of different choices for rooms. The atmosphere there is freat also. I would recommend that you give them a try sometime!
Actually ice is free, u just have to ask the front desk person for the quarter, they told me it should be free but there were kids that were constantly playing with it.
Hi
Im looking at going to South Haven for spring break. where is the best place to stay so we are in walking distance of most things. we would like to be near a cute town an piers an places to eat.
any help would be great thanks
Check out Inocense recent trip report. Sounds like it might be just what you are looking for. tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g42716-i1228-k2598…
what ages are your traveling party?? is this like party on spring break or family on spring break??
I always camp at the state park with my kids...but that may be cold for this time of the year.
FYI: When you are in the downtown part of the city at the water, just left of the downtown area is a fabulous city park with a huge playscape. It%26#39;s called Kids Corner.
The city also has other nice parks.
south-haven.com/csh%20folder/…Parks.html
The one I%26#39;m talking about is at the top and the picture doesn%26#39;t do it justice. It%26#39;s huge! And there are steps to beach across the street.
Any hotels/motels with beach access that are clean and nice?
Beach accessThere are not any that are right on the water that have beach access. Silver Beach Hotel and The Boulevard hotel are both in the small downtown area just up on the ';bluff';, a short walk from the beach, close to lots of restaurants and shops. There are several homes that rent out in the summer too. These are in the neighborhood closer to the beach. You could also stay at the Holiday Inn Express. They have a lake view -- but are up high above the lake and not near a swimming beach. You would need to drive your car a mile or so towards downtown and park in the the parking lots by the beach. Actually there are several beaches in the area that have public access, not just Silver Beach.
Several other hotels are nearby too , but further from the beaches.
Hi
I shall be spending a week in Norway. i was wanting to tour the Fjords.
So i was thinking of getting the Train from Oslo to Bergen. Can i book my tours to the Fjord here and which one is good?
Also can i book the Hurtigruten boat here to Alesund. How much is it?
Is it better i do it over there than book a tour as the tour operators are charging expesnive prices.
Then i plan to return to Bergen.
Cindy
I suggest you repost your thread here:
tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g190455-i550-Norwa…
It is currently appearing in the ';Norway, Michigan, USA'; forum.
Hey Spartan fans!! Better start maknig your plans for the NCAA Regional Finals here in Indy!! If you need any ideas let me know!!!
We%26#39;re staying overnight at the Airport Westin the night before our flight. Friends of ours are staying at the Quality Suites nearby. Are there any good restaurants (not fast food/chains) in the area where we could meet up? If not, we%26#39;ll just encourage them to meet us at the restaurant in the Westin. We%26#39;ve stayed/eaten there before and it%26#39;s very good.
There isn%26#39;t very much in the immediate area of the airport (you could try Leonardo%26#39;s (Italian) on Merriman Road just north of I-96, but both Ann Arbor and Dearborn are within a reasonable driving distance and are options as you are spending the night. Both have a number of restaurants; Ann Arbor has a better selection than Dearborn but is a bit farther away.
Not sure what your tastes are, but, when in a similar situation, we were happy with Amani%26#39;s in Dearborn. Decent-quality Mid-Eastern food and a broad enough menu that children or less adventerous eaters could find something:
http://amanilebaneserestaurant.com/
if you dont mind a 15 minute drive, Weber%26#39;s Inn is very nice.. near Ann Arbor...
Ristorante Ciao is good... on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn.
Want fabbo bar hamburgers? Try Millers, also on Michigan, but farther up, closer to telegraph.
Also, other Italian places - Moro%26#39;s in Allen Park... Cariera%26#39;s on Telegraph in Dearborn Heights ...
There is a branch of the Blue Nile Ethiopian food in Trenton - that wouldn%26#39;t be far.
Black Pine Tree Sushi Bar on Eureka in Southgate...
Richter%26#39;s Chalet in Dearborn for German - haven%26#39;t been in a long time, tho%26#39;
Ollie%26#39;s on Ford Road (east of Southfield) for Middle Eastern... (Dearborn)
Annam for Vietnamese food ... also Dearborn..
If I can think of more I will post back.
I received my new ';gift'; in the mail today from TripAdvisor. It is a very cool messenger bag, that you can sling across your shoulder. Bright green, gray and black trim. I really like it. Thank you very much, TRIP!!
Is that what the gift is? I was contacted a few weeks ago about a gift but haven%26#39;t received it yet. Looking forward to seeing it for myself. Thanks for the update Tyme! Moms
Gee, I hope mine is there when I get home next week!
Where are you at, Red?
We%26#39;ve been in Palm Springs for the past 2 weeks. Weather is fabulous! Playing lots of golf and visiting friends and relatives. It%26#39;s about 15 degrees warmer than Sedona down here so we get a nice jump on Spring. Gotta go home this weekend, but the top will be down on MrsRedPony%26#39;s Mustang...
Hmmmm it%26#39;s low 20%26#39;s here today, we had a jump on spring but apparently it was a false start. I haven%26#39;t seen my gift yet either.
You just like rubbing it in, don%26#39;t you Red? LOL. Sounds wonderful. We miss our red Mustang we rented in VT/NH.....
Rono, yes, that would definitely be a false start. Very false. We have the winds pushing the ice from the Bay (Saginaw) onto shore, into a lot of cottages. It is amazing to see the power. Some piles of the ice are 15 feet high...or more.
A poster from NJ asked me today if I was near where the ice was and gave me a link that had pictures. Scary stuff. I explained to the poster where I was on the mitten and where the ice was. :)
Mine arrived a couple of days ago.
I thought it was a little odd, but still appreciate the gesture.
I liked mine a lot-maybe more for a girl...LOL.
Rono: :) nice that you explained about the mitten. It comes in so handy to explain Michigan, though!
I got mine a few days ago. Very nice gesture, but don%26#39;t know that I will use it much-- so Rono, if you don%26#39;t get yours -- I could send this on to you! HAHA
Hi,
Is the area around Amtrak in Detroit safe? I plan to arrive in Detroit by Amtrak and take Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus to the Renessance center (and back). Would you consider this trip safe for a single female to make?
Thanks!!
Detroit Amtrak - safe?I wouldn%26#39;t consider it overly dangerous but I also don%26#39;t know if I%26#39;d deem it as extremely safe. The station is fine. It also depends on the time of day you%26#39;re planning on arriving.
Detroit Amtrak - safe?Amtrak has only 3 arrivals per day in Detroit: mid-afternoon, early evening and about a half hour after midnight.
Depending upon the month of your visit, the 6:45 p.m. arrival could be in darkness or in daylight. Personally, I would not feel comfortable arriving at night and waiting for the bus. Daytime should be OK.
The Amtrak station is not in the best (or worst) area and there aren%26#39;t usually a lot of people around. That said, there will be other passengers getting off and on the train with you, which will reduce the isolated feeling.
I traveled to and from detroit amtrack many times by my self. I have done it since i was 14. I would go to visit family and I have never had any problems at all. I am now 21 and have made the trip atleast 2x a year.
Unlike the previous posters I will not disagree with there views at all. The train station in Detroit is nothing very glamourous at all- more or less a small building with little service. I have been there and if you have had a long trip and luggage from say Chicago I would jump in a taxi to the ren cen . Detroit is certainly not as bad as it is written about, but certainly complete strangers will come and ask for money etc.. a firm no answer keeps them away. have fun
Where are you comimg from on Amtrack. And where are you going? If you are coming from Chigago, you could get off in Dearborn, a much, much safer area. (my home town) and still catch a Michigan Ave bus going downtown. Do you have special plans for Detroit??? Dearborn is very close to the henry ford museum and greenfield village, one of the major attractions in the area.
I not sure about how ';safe'; the Detroit stop is. But, I can tell you I feel very comfortable about the Dearborn stop---it is right behind the Dearborn Police station.
The Dearborn train station is also small. The station is set back off Michigan ave, but I think there are bus%26#39;s that run to downtown Detroit from Michigan Ave, which run%26#39;s into downtown.
