Driving Around Lake Michigan?

Any suggestions for driving around Lake Michigan? Is it scenic and do you actually get to drive ';lakeside'; for most of the drive? My husband and I are thinking of doing this but don%26#39;t know if we are better off just driving to a destination the ';quickest'; way or if there is a ';scenic'; drive. Thanks~

Driving Around Lake Michigan?

There is something called Lake Michigan Circle Tour. great-lakes.net/tourism/circletour/michigan/

I can give you ideas on the lower Michigan part. From Indiana to Manistee you really have to get off main roads to drive along the lake. In St Joseph if you exit at Red Arrow/M63, or as I call it old 31, you%26#39;ll get occasional views as you go north. Continuing north if you veer off old 31 just south of South Haven on to Monroe Blvd there is a nice section on the lake, and continue over the bridge out on Northshore Drive and back to Old 31. From that point on you get farther from the lake and from Holland to Grand Haven you%26#39;ll actually be several miles from the lake. Don%26#39;t get me wrong there are beautiful places all along the lake it would just be too many directions to give you for you to get there. From Grand Haven to Ludington it%26#39;s mainly expressway, very pretty scenery but no lake views.

From Ludington to Manistee its two lane and several miles from the lake. Just north of Manistee you can catch M 22, I%26#39;d follow that all the way to Traverse City where I%26#39;d pick up US 31 again. M 22 is very scenic with many views of the Lake and other inland lakes.

Take US 31 north to Petoskey, one of my favorite drives. There you can continue on to Upper Michigan or you could take M 119 to CrossVillage a very nice drive with many views.

If it were me, and understanding there are many beautiful places along the way, I%26#39;d take the most direct route to Manistee, maybe exiting and visiting some of the towns along the way. I%26#39;d take M 22 to US 31 to M 119 back to US 31 and on to the bridge.

Driving Around Lake Michigan?

Rono....thanks so much. Sounds great. Exactly what I needed to know. This trip will not be until July sometime but wanted to get some info before.

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