[JRTJH]

Munising Tourist Park is "literally on the Lake Superior shoreline" and you can park on the beach with full hookups. There's not quite anything else that matches sitting in the trailer on a "crisp summer morning" drinking a cup of good coffee while the sun rises over the lake, changing from pink to orange to brilliant sunshine with a clear blue sky reflecting off the water.... Yeah, I know, sort of dramatic, but if you're going to stay in Munising and can get a site along the western part of "Tourist Park" (sites 72-79) plan to "park on the water for an early sunrise).

As for the Pictured Rocks boat tour, take it, get in line early enough to get one of the top deck front row benches (wear sunscreen, even on cloudy days) and bring lots of film or batteries and SD cards.

The shipwreck boat tour isn't as inspiring as the coastline boat tour, so if you need to choose only one, do the coastline tour.

Muldoons is a great place to eat a pastie, get the authentic beef with rutabaga(no self respecting Yooper would eat chicken or vegetarian) and the apple pastie for dessert is a wise addition. As for "sit down restaurants" in Munising, don't expect much for the severly overpriced costs at every one I've tried. Save your money and eat at Muldoon's....

On your way to the lower peninsula, if you're going through Newberry, spend an afternoon at Tahquamenon Falls. There's parking for large rigs and the falls are "abundant" this year with all the rain.

Oh, there's a very small waterfall on the side of the road between Munising Tourist Park and Muldoon's, so stop where you see the wide spot on the shoulder, just before the hill, it's on the right side of the road, going to Munising and worth the 10 minutes to stop and look.

If you decide to skip Tahquamenon Falls, take US 2 along the southern edge of the UP. You'll spend most of the time inland, a mile or so from Lake Michigan, but the 30 miles or so that US 2 is on the water's edge are some great sites.

Not much to do in St Ignace except eat a pastie at Lehto's or catch the ferry to Mackinaw Island.

Traverse City is a great "central point" to spend a few days doing day trips to Sleeping Bear Dunes, Sutton's Bay, Old Mission Point (and lighthouse built in 1870). If you're staying at the State Park campground (almost downtown TC) don't forget to take time to walk across the road to walk along the beach on Grand Traverse Bay.

The Great Lakes, "Unsalted and shark free" is literally at your fingertips from Green Bay to Ecanaba, to Munising and then back to Chicago.