Summer 2023 - Merle and Tom Drive Around Lake Michigan -
2 Weeks, 1,787 Miles!
First Stop - Baraboo, Wisconsin
Day One - We head to Wisconsin for the town of Baraboo. This was the place where the seven Ringling Brothers created their famous circus in1884!
Turns out the circus enterprise started in Baraboo and the town served as the Winter Quarters for the circus through 1918. At one point, it seemed that the Ringlings owned most of the city as the circus expanded and required a ton of people and facilities to operate. Part of the town is called Ringlingville. Some of those buildings have been incorporated into the Circus World Museum that has a number of fun things to do. There is a number of exhibits and artifacts about circus history. There were a huge number of travelling shows and between 1847 and 1998 over 100 circuses called Wisconsin home. We saw a talk about elephants as we walked to the Big Top. The trainer said he had been working at Circus World for over 30 years and sort of grew up with the two elephants who are in the show.
The highlight of the visit was the old-school one ring circus show - "Go West!" There were trained critters, a strong man, juggling, clowning, and elephants!
Stop #2 - Sheboygen
Two hours east to the shore of Lake Michigan to stay overnight in Sheboygen. On the way we spent the day at the beauutiful Kohler-Andrae State Park. "Kohler-Andrae State Park is a scenic gem on the shore of Lake Michigan offers a peaceful getaway. Wooded campsites and 2.5 miles of sandy beach. The park features 137 family campsites, 52 with electrical hookups, two group sites, and a cabin for campers with disabilities. Camping, vault toilets and electricity available year round. Cross-country ski trails and Nature Center open May through October. " We staed at the lovely river side hotel, The Watershed. We ate dinner river side and then watched the Venetian Night flotilla of lit up boats cruise by.
Stop #3 - Neshotah Beach
A little north of Sheyboygan is Neshotah Beach. The hotel manager suggested it as a local favorite. So, we checked out and headed there for lunch from the concession stand.
Stop #4 - Green Bay
It was a short hop to Green Bay. We stayed at the Hampton Inn on the river. It was "Fire Over the Fox" Festival with food trucks, live music on multiple stages, and a spectacular fireworks show. Merle and Tom thought it was possibly the best they'd ever seen - and that includes sitting in the VIP section for the Macy's Fireworks on the Hudson River!
The next morning we visited the Neville Public Museum. It wasa fun space with local history, science, and art items. Of particular whimsey was an exhibit of inflatable art.
Stop #5 - Munising
It was a three hour drive to the Upper Peninsula. We planned the trip with a series of driving jogs, no more than three hours. Our destination was Munising, on the shore of Lake Superior. The town is located atr the widest part of the lake, Canada being 165 miles north. Lake Superior is 400 miles long and has 3,000 miles of shoreline and a surface area of 32,000 square miles, making it the largest body of fresh water in the world. All the water from the other four Great Lakes would not equal the water in Lake Superior. It is also the deepest of the Great Lakes, with depth as great as 1,300. It is also the roughest with waves reaching up to 30 feet. It is also the coldest with water in the low 60s during the summer. It is, by far, the cleanest of the Great Lakes.
Our main goal was to take a cruise along the shore of Lake Superior to view the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore just east of Munising. On Thursday morning we embarked on a Pictured Rocks Spray Cruise from Pictured Rocks Cruises. There were about 150 people on the large tour boat that set out at 10am.
After the cruise we stopped by the Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore for some browsing and ice cream. We drove south to see Fayette Historic State Park on the northern shore of Lake Michigan. "Once a bustling industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and 1891, Fayette offers visitors historic buildings set among the unmatched serenity of a Lake Michigan harbor, white cliffs and verdant forests." It was like stepping back in time to see the combination of ruins and preserved structures. A number of buildings had re-created rooms filled with period artifacts and furnishings - a hotel lobby, a manager's house, a store, etc.
Stop #6 = Petoskey
Friday, July 7 we drove east and south crossing the Mackinac Bridge heading to the quaint town of Petoskey for lunch. The City Park Grill has been around, in one form or another, since 1875. From the 1910s – 1920s, Ernest Hemingway made northern Michigan his summer home. The Annex was one of his favorite places where he would sit in the second seat from the end of the bar and write his ideas for short stories and books. The short story “Gentleman of the World” makes mention of the Annex.
Stop #7 - Traverse City
We continued on to Traverse City on Lake Michigan. We stayed at the Sugar Beach Resort, where we had stayed when we vsited in 2021. Early Saturday morning we boarded the Schooner Manitou for a brunch cruise. Quiche made on an onboard wood birning stove and drinks were served as we cruised along the shore. We helped haul sails - work! One of the deck hands told us that the knot is one of the greatest inventions of all time!
It was enjoying the beach at the hotel in the early afternoon and there were ducks on parade! Later that Saturday we went into town for the 97th Annual Cherry Festival! There was a totally retro carnival rocking along the shoreline. We had dinner at Firefly located along the Boardman River. Then browsing along Front Street we shopped and browsed at Cherry Republic, old time treats at Rocket Fi It was enjoying the beach at the hotel in the early afternoon and there were ducks on parade! Later that Saturday we went into town for the 97th Annual Cherry Festival! There was a totally retro carnival rocking along the shoreline. We had dinner at Firefly located along the Boardman River. Then browsing along Front Street we shopped and browsed at Cherry Republic, old time treats at Rocket Fizz, great gelato at Milk & Honey Cafe, and the awesome Horizon Books.
