Looking for weekend trip ideas for next season

[Beer Thirty]

I live near pontiac michigan and really just bounce around some of the local lakes. id like to get out on the big lakes next summer but i can't think of places to go.

I've got an open bow boat so sleeping on the boat isn't really an option. I've got a cool idea of boating and camping. Are there any campgrounds or even cheap cabins on/near shore somewhere?

I was thinking of something near the northern part of the lower peninsula. Thats usually a good vacation spot. Mackinac, Traversecity ect...

Id like to do some cruising as well. not an all day trek but cruising and checking out the scenery would be nice.

Im open for suggestions.

[chuck1]

not an all day trek but cruising and checking out the scenery


Can't help you in the Great Lake area, I'm sure some body will chime in about Great Lake locations. Some of our best boating has been destination trips. If I'm by myself I've camped on our 240SD, but when Judy or the family is along we do the resort/hotel thing.

[HavingFun]

There are a lot of places in Michigan. There are state campgrounds on the large lakes that normally have a place to moor your boat.
One of my favorite trips is the inland water way that runs from Lake Huron to Mullet lake to Burt lake. There are state campgrounds on Mullet and Burt. There are private camp sites also. There are also a few hotels on the water. If the weather is good you could run to Mackinaw Island. Here is a link with more information.
http://www.fishweb.com/maps/inlandwater/index.html

If you want to try Lake Michigan then you could camp or hotel in Grand Haven and keep your boat at the municipal marina. A lot of the municipal marinas can be reserved through the same system that reserves camp sites.

[ghuskin]

Just spent saturday p.m. at a marina in Ontario. it was nice, clean, warm shower, restaurant, camping. Looked like a nice place to camp out.

The place was on the Thames river (Lake St. Clair), the restaurant was called "smuggler's cove". We didn't camp, just stayed on the boat (27' Tiara), as staying there was a last minute decision.

Gregg

[sbw1]

What HavingFun said is a great suggestion. Check out Saugatuck, Grand Haven, White Lake. They are all ports that have rivers and/or large lakes that dump into Lake Michigan. Your boat is a tad on the small size to go cruising on Lake Michigan/Huron. The inland water way and these ports will give you lots to see without having to worry about fog and taking water over your bow. While you could do Macinac Island in a 20 foot boat, you will be surprised by how rough that part of Lake Huron can be. Lots of ferry traffic, large ships and we have experienced a lot of fog there as well.

[LifeisGood]

Check out North or South Manitou islands. Rustic style camping at its best.

[HavingFun]

What HavingFun said is a great suggestion. Check out Saugatuck, Grand Haven, White Lake. They are all ports that have rivers and/or large lakes that dump into Lake Michigan. Your boat is a tad on the small size to go cruising on Lake Michigan/Huron. The inland water way and these ports will give you lots to see without having to worry about fog and taking water over your bow. While you could do Macinac Island in a 20 foot boat, you will be surprised by how rough that part of Lake Huron can be. Lots of ferry traffic, large ships and we have experienced a lot of fog there as well.

What SBW1 said about Macinac is true. It can get ugly very quickly. Watch the weather and worst case you get to go through a Lock and you turn around. There are a lot places to use a 20 foot boat in Michigan. Young state park and Lake Charlevoix is another camping and boating on a lake filled with million dollar homes excursion. I think Skipper Buds in Cooperville does some trailer boat trips during the summer and they would love you to come along.

[Beer Thirty]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. looks like i've got to get crackin on some interent searching!

[brains06]

I live in the downriver area (wyandotte) and we have a gaggle of places to launch. I spend most of my time going to Sugar Island which is at the mouth of Lake Erie. There are a few other really good places but with your boat you could go to sugar, take your tent and grill and spend the weekend. I plan to go this weekend to end the season on a good note! Theres also Crystal Bay which is in Canada but its beautiful. The water is about 6-12 ft and you can see to the bottom.

[cherokeeguy]

I live around a mile from Lake St. Clair and keep my 84-270 Dancer at beacon cove marina since you are in pontiac and the gas prices are high enough this year who knows what they would be like next year I would suggest hitting something on Lake St. Clair it is only about 1/2hr drive from your house and there are tons of places you can stay almost all the larger marinas offer transent wells that include full amenitys if you can sleep under your camper tops, or you can always swing out to gull island anyday of the week it is about a 12 mile ride out and located right on the south channel (you are about a 10 min ride from walkers landing (gas docks and stores) or two min ride from Muskamoot bay which is always good for a large party inon the weekends plus there is always different boaters staying there in tents or in there boats I try to make it out there about once a month with or with out my kids and always have a great time, or if you are looking for something a bit more there is a marina in canada that actually has a island with cabin built on it in the inside of the marina when you reserve one of those wells you also get the cabin or campsite infront of it - i cant place the name right now but i know if you put in around st.clairs shores area it is due east 27 miles so you are never really that far from home should you need to get back there.

[Beer Thirty]

or if you are looking for something a bit more there is a marina in canada that actually has a island with cabin built on it in the inside of the marina when you reserve one of those wells you also get the cabin or campsite infront of it - i cant place the name right now but i know if you put in around st.clairs shores area it is due east 27 miles so you are never really that far from home should you need to get back there.
that would be awesome! the camping ideas sound good as well.

About how big are the cabins?

[brad10281]

There's an article in the December 2007 issue of "Motor Boating" about cruising up from Traverse City to Harbor Springs in Little Traverse Bay with several stops along the way. I'll try to get it scanned so you can take a look.

You may want to look into Higgins Lake too.

I was thinking about trying to get a few people from this board together for a weekend somewhere in Michigan in 2009. I was thinking about the Inland Waterway or maybe over on Spring Lake or Higgins. Let me know if you're interested...or anyone else for that matter.

[HavingFun]

I was thinking about trying to get a few people from this board together for a weekend somewhere in Michigan in 2009. I was thinking about the Inland Waterway or maybe over on Spring Lake or Higgins. Let me know if you're interested...or anyone else for that matter.


Sounds good - We would be interested.

[surfinjoe]

We camped in at the Ludington state park this year and brought our boat. We really enjoyed Hamlin lake. The DNR has a nice launch with quick access to the lake. The campgrounds are clean with nice warm showers and activities for the kids.

[Beer Thirty]

We camped in at the Ludington state park this year and brought our boat. We really enjoyed Hamlin lake. The DNR has a nice launch with quick access to the lake. The campgrounds are clean with nice warm showers and activities for the kids.
ya know i was just out that way this past weekend but didn't have time to go scouting around. We were at a friends cabin up in maniste(sp?) and took all the trucks out to the dunes on saturday.

[brad10281]

Here's the article from the Dec. 07' issue of "Motor Boating":

http://pws.cablespeed.com/mbharris/Article.pdf

Brad

[Beer Thirty]

thanks guy. I think im starting to get a couple friends interested in some of these ideas.

[Nehalennia]

thanks guy. I think im starting to get a couple friends interested in some of these ideas.

on our 230OV we slept in the cuddy, but stuck a couple of coolers in between the sleeper seats, the aft sundeck cushions on the coolers and an inflatable matress laid sideways or the big kids or guest adults. Put your canvas up and you'll be snug

[dlindz]

Did you ever head east to the 1000 Islands? Putting in Lake Ontario followed by the St Lawrence may be good for you.

[berth control]

Beer thirty - love the name by the way. and the pic of your truck roostin in the mud! about the place to travel, I took my old 16 footer through the inland waterway previously mentioned, one of the best trips ive ever made. we actually did it three times, spent about three days each time. There is a best western in cheboygan you can get a slip and room for like a hundred bucks. if the weather is nice when you end up in cheboygan you may be able to take a day to head out to the bridge and mac. island. gotta get kinda lucky with the weather though. It can get rough out there fast, i was in it once in my starcraft 16. watch the weather and you can make it though. heres a pic of our old boat under the mighty mac - as you can see yours will be way more seaworthy than my old four winns was. Let me know if you want more details.

[Beer Thirty]

Beer thirty - love the name by the way. and the pic of your truck roostin in the mud! about the place to travel, I took my old 16 footer through the inland waterway previously mentioned, one of the best trips ive ever made. we actually did it three times, spent about three days each time. There is a best western in cheboygan you can get a slip and room for like a hundred bucks. if the weather is nice when you end up in cheboygan you may be able to take a day to head out to the bridge and mac. island. gotta get kinda lucky with the weather though. It can get rough out there fast, i was in it once in my starcraft 16. watch the weather and you can make it though. heres a pic of our old boat under the mighty mac - as you can see yours will be way more seaworthy than my old four winns was. Let me know if you want more details.

I like that idea, thanks for the suggestion and compliments. ill look more into it.

EDIT: Whats the best way to go about that? Where do i ditch the boat and trailer for the weekend? Should i park at best western and leave from there? Is there a safe place down state to keep the truck and trailer? How did you do it when you went?

[HavingFun]

I like that idea, thanks for the suggestion and compliments. ill look more into it.

EDIT: Whats the best way to go about that? Where do i ditch the boat and trailer for the weekend? Should i park at best western and leave from there? Is there a safe place down state to keep the truck and trailer? How did you do it when you went?

There is a state boat launch 100 yards up river from the Best Western. I have left my trailer at the launch with no problems and I have also parked the trailer on the lawn at the Best Western. I would recommend the place and the trip. The first picture in my signature is my boat at the dock of the Best Western and the one with my dog is from Mullet lake.

[berth control]

I did my trip a little different, I put in at the "crooked river marina" and kept the truck there, they offer parking. Then I traveled up the river and through burt and mullet to the best western river terrace and stayed there the second night. third day we wend out to mackinaw island and under the bridge, then spend that night at the best western also. the last day we traveled back to the truck. it was a ton of fun, but you leave your truck behind. that is part of the fun, but also part of the risk, in case you need a repair or it starts raining (had that happen one year!) But it makes for a great big trip on your bowrider. I did the whole trip in my 16 footer, it was a BLAST! Oh yea, there are plenty of places to get fuel along the way, a couple water side restaraunts, and from the hotel in Cheboygan you can walk to lots of restaraunts and stores. Mullet and Burt can get rough on a windy day, but you can usually cruise the upwind shore and stay somewhat comfortable. Also there is a lock you have to go through to get to lake Huron from the hotel, and they charge like 5 or 10 bucks. It is a fun experience going through the lock though, and it's easy. The guys there can guide you through if it's your first time. I went through one time just for the fun of going through!

[Beer Thirty]

This trip sounds perfect. Is the best western pretty reasonable? Id assume around $80 a night or is it more because its on the water? Does dock space cost anything?

I like the ditching the truck idea. I feel pretty confident in my boat making the trek. On any given week night ill do laps around the lake at like 30mph for an hour or so with no problems. Rain would be a pain! lol BUT if the rain is anything like it was last year it will only last like a half an hour then the sun will come back out lol.

How long did that trip take through burt and mullet lake?


Found a good site on google for this trip in case you guys want some more reference material.
http://www.fishweb.com/maps/inlandwater/


Thanks for the advise guys.

[berth control]

The trip is pretty sweet, it was the trip that made my wife and I decide to get a boat with a bed and head. I think your boat will be fine too, just make sure of simple mant. before you go, new water impeller in out drive, good belts, batteries, bilge pump works, ect.

Ditching the truck was a big deal for me too, makes you feel like you are "getting away from it all"! I think the best western was around 80, maybe more like 100. Not sure about how much the slip costs, maybe it was free. I just don't remember. The river right there has a couple places. The best western with a dock you can tie along, big boy restaraunt with a dock you can tie up to for free, and fleetwood inn. This is where we actually stayed, nice place, and they have slips so they can accomodate more boats. I think they may have been free to dock, but I'm not sure. 231-627-3126 for fleetwood, 231-627-5688 for the best western.

The trip through the lakes can be as fast or slow as you want really. Burt can go really quick because you enter at the south west side from crooked river and exit through the south east side to head to mullet lake. The rivers take a while because it is all no wake zone, but that makes it relaxing too. I think you could make the trip in about three hours if you were really trying to get there fast, but it took us 6 to 10 each time, stopping for food, stopping for potty breaks (ladies on board), and we toured around burt and mullet instead of just crossing. You could make it all the way through the chain and back in one day though if you wanted too.

[berth control]

thinking about this trip makes me wonder when this f##*!ng snow and ice is going to melt!!!

[sbw1]

The motel and slip may be more reasonable this summer. I just read somewhere that tourism was down 30% last summer in upper lower Michigan. We rented a motel room last December by the Grand Rapids airport because we had an early flight out to CA on the following morning and the weather was really snowy. It was a nice room, with happy hour snacks and breakfast in the morning for $85 with tax. I'm thinking the marinas up north will be pretty empty next summer as the recession deepens. I even got an email the other day from the harbor master at Leland. People are feeling the pinch. Don't be afraid to ask for a deal.

[Beer Thirty]

God everything sucks in this state right now. What a depressing winter. :smt009

[CIRRHOSISOFTHERIVER]

One place not mentioned yet is Torch Lake. My family and I spend a week every year there. Higgins Lake is one of my favorite lakes but Torch takes the cake!! You have never seen water as clear as there hands down! We always rent a house but there is other places to stay, plus you can get to 3 other lakes from there and my favorite spot the famous south end sandbar. And if you head north on the lake you can head to the Clam river and relax @ the Dockside bar. If you ever get a group together we would love to meet new boating buddies kinda like our own Sea Ray Rendezvous! Here are a few pics from Torch last July from our cabin and our group on the sandbar.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/gumby222/11.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/gumby222/112.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i219/gumby222/13.jpg

[HavingFun]

Torch lake is a great place to boat. You can boat to Elk Rapids and there are a lot of places to stop. We stayed at the motel which is located at the south end of Torch where it connects to the river. The motel is owned by the marina owner so you can use their launch. There were empty slips the week we were there so we rented a covered slip for the week.

[berth control]

Cirrhosis -
I second the Torch rec - spent a week there myself last summer, maybe we saw you and didn't know it. That is a pretty sweet spot for a cabin - you can about a quarter mile out from your shore on the bar, right? the cabin we rented was just around the bend in your middle picture. I could be talked into a raft up for this summer! I may bring my dad's crownline though, so it can't be sea ray exclusive!!

[berth control]

Having Fun -
what was the name of that motel? I think I know which you are talking about, just to the right of the boat ramp on the south side of the lake. Actually off the road that goes north along the shore line, right? How much was you room and slip? I may be wanting to do that for a couple nights this summer if my fam. doesn't rent a cabin again.

[HavingFun]

Having Fun -
what was the name of that motel? I think I know which you are talking about, just to the right of the boat ramp on the south side of the lake. Actually off the road that goes north along the shore line, right? How much was you room and slip? I may be wanting to do that for a couple nights this summer if my fam. doesn't rent a cabin again.


Nice clean rooms and there is a lot of room to park a trailer. Short walk to the Marina or to the public lanuch. We went 2 years ago and staying at the hotel gave you access to the marina lanuch. If you are interested I would ask about renting a slip. There is a large party during the 4th of July and there are a lot of police. Some group rents a barge for a band to play on.

http://www.torchriverresort.com/index.php
http://www.torchrivermarina.com/

[berth control]

Thanks for the links - That isn't the motel I was thinking of. Yours is farther up the river, under the bridge, right?

Also - another trip idea - Grand Haven Coast Guard Fest.

It's not that great of water or a place to boat, but it is a huge party. tons of fun.

[HavingFun]

Thanks for the links - That isn't the motel I was thinking of. Yours is farther up the river, under the bridge, right?

Also - another trip idea - Grand Haven Coast Guard Fest.

It's not that great of water or a place to boat, but it is a huge party. tons of fun.

Your right - its at the south end of the lake where the river enters Torch. Very close to the bridge.

[CIRRHOSISOFTHERIVER]

Cirrhosis -
I second the Torch rec - spent a week there myself last summer, maybe we saw you and didn't know it. That is a pretty sweet spot for a cabin - you can about a quarter mile out from your shore on the bar, right? the cabin we rented was just around the bend in your middle picture. I could be talked into a raft up for this summer! I may bring my dad's crownline though, so it can't be sea ray exclusive!!


Berth,

We were in walking distance of the sandbar and the cabin we got this year is even closer!! In fact last year we had a little to much to drink in the sun and just pulled the boat home!! We will be up August 1st- till the 7th 2009 so if your around then it would be cool to hook up! My buddy will have his Scarab so all hulls welcome!!!:thumbsup:

[berth control]

I might actually be up there around then - camping at Barnes Park on the NW side of the lake. The park is actually on Lake Mich, but it we take my boat we will for sure stop out to torch. Do I get a white knuckle ride in your pachanga or the buddies wellcraft? I will trade you for a 25mph booze cruise to and from the Alden bar or the restaurant on the river! Sober driver, of course

[berth control]

as long as someone else is sober and can drive my boat

[CIRRHOSISOFTHERIVER]

as long as someone else is sober and can drive my boat


You can go for a ride in either boat I assure you!!! The scarab has a 525 block with a whipple supercharger so if its white knuckles you want thats the boat to do it in!! The ole 27 is fast enough but not like his! Hope all works out to meet!!

[Beer Thirty]

We were in walking distance of the sandbar and the cabin we got this year is even closer!! In fact last year we had a little to much to drink in the sun and just pulled the boat home!!


HA I did something similar last year. Only not on purpose. We were out on a nice day after work about a week after i bought the boat. Had a couple too many and all the sudden the boat wouldn't start. We had to call my buddy and get him out of bed. Then have him grab another buddy's boat to come tow us off the lake. I spent about an hour diagnosing the problem the next day. Couldn't get 12v to the coil......






YEA.... needless to say i know where the kill switch is now. I've got a couple of buddies who like to sit behind the wheel and figure out what every button does.

[berth control]

don't feel so bad beer 30 - my buddy did the same thing in his 4 winns, but he had to get towed off lake MI and the mechanic put a rebuild kit in his carb. before they figured it out!

[26sxl]

The name of the motel on the so.end of torch lake is Torch River Resort#231-322-4444, torch river marine is right across the st. There is also a campground on elk lake called White water park(camping and boat launch)231-267-5091 If interested call way in advance they fill quick........good luck...

[berth control]

The name of the motel on the so.end of torch lake is Torch River Resort#231-322-4444, torch river marine is right across the st. There is also a campground on elk lake called White water park(camping and boat launch)231-267-5091 If interested call way in advance they fill quick........good luck...

Thanks for the info! I may be heading up there again this summer - it's beautiful boating that never gets too rough!:grin: