St Ignace, MI / Mackinac Bridge Trip

[DarnDog]

I'm somewhat of a rookie RV'er and just returned from an amazing trip. Seeing the Mackinac Bridge has always been on my bucket list.

I knew I'd get a late start and didn't want to make the 7-hour drive in one day. Night #1 was at Manistique Lake Campground in Manistique, MI. I decided to splurge and spend $50 for Lot #45. They offer full hookup (elec, water, sewer, cable, wi-fi) It's a more urban campground and they have concrete pads with gravel along side. Lake Michigan was only 30 feet from my site which offered amazing views. (pic 1) A small path right off my site led me to a beach where I immediately setup a chair and enjoyed the serenity of waves on the shoreline. The ultimate stress decompression!

Days 2-4 were at Straits State Park in St. Ignace, MI. I reserved campsite #5 which offered beautiful views of the bridge (pic 2) It was a little foggy the day I arrived. $34/day plus an $8 web-reservation fee, plus $32 for a State Park permit for my truck. Not cheap but the views directly from my site were priceless and absolutely breathtaking! My site had electric and bathrooms/showers were a close-by (but not too close) I highly recommend.

Sault St. Marie is an hour to the North. Made a day trip and visited the Valley Camp Museum Ship and also went on a Boat Tour of the Locks. Both are definitely worthwhile. The boat tour actually takes you through the locks which was quite an experience. After that I took a ride across the International Bridge and spent a few hours in Canada (just to say I've been there!) I'm glad a coworker told me to bring my passport!

I could not have planned a better trip. Weather was cool which kept the mosquitos to a minimum.

Yup, this is the whole reason I started RV-ing!

[tech740]

It is very nice up there. We are about three hours south of Mackinaw and head up there alot. We will be there in 2 weeks as a matter of fact.

[440justin]

Glad you had a great trip, the DW and I going to the UP in August. We are staying at Twin Lakes State Park and the Straits State Park. I am already looking forward to it, but know my week and a half will not be enough time to see everything!

[Frank G]

If you are up to it, they close the bridge every Labor day to traffic and you can walk it. When I was a small boy we had to take the ferry across to climb Castle Rock. I can still remember our first trip across the bridge in the 55 Studebaker, center front seat.

[CrazyCain]

I can never get enough looks at the bridge, Michigans true Gem.. Welcome to the great state of Michigan.

:cool::popcorn:

[MarcS]

Excellent write up and pictures! We love going to the U.P. every chance we get! The Mighty Mac is always a wonder to see!

[LuvsPalmTrees]

If you get a chance to do it again - go the Tahquamenon Falls. There is a state campground there to stay in. We stayed at the River Mouth side of the campground. The river runs along side of the sites. We had site #1 - our site faced the river. Just beautiful. We went in the fall and the colors were amazing. When you see the falls they will remind you of root beer.

BTW - welcome to Michigan

[EagleandFox]

We are headed that way in September! Overnight 1 night in Manistique on our way to near Traverse City (staying at the Holiday Park Campground) to meet my Aunt and Uncle who will be coming from OH with their camper. (We are in MN). Then 2 nights again in Manistique (at the KOA) on the way back. I would like to visit the Seney National Wildlife Refuge - we have driven by it for many, many years. We stayed a long weekend at Twin Lakes State Park last year and toured around Ontonagon, Houghton, Hancock and up to Copper Harbor. Our son graduated from Michigan Tech in 2016 and the whole time he was there, our trips consisted of going just to move him in and move him out. LOVE the area...!!!

[sourdough]

Thanks for the write up and the beautiful pics. We had never thought of MI as a destination - the NE yes, but not MI. Then we started spending winters in FL and lots of folks in the campground come from MI - upper and lower. They have told us so many great stories of the area that we had decided we wanted to make a trip through there - this just confirms what we were thinking. Thanks again.

[travelin texans]

We've been a couple times since retirement, beautiful in the summer. If the other unwanted guest would stay clear, black flies & Michigan's state bird, the mosquito, it would be even better. Have family from top to bottom of Michigan & need to go again.

[JRTJH]

It's just about 85 miles from our house to St Ignace. We make the trip often, just to go to Lethos for a pasty. The last time we were "up north" we found a pleasant surprise. Lethos has opened a new pasty restaurant in St Ignace, just across the street from the Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry docks.

Arguably the best pasties in the UP, the pasties are the same at either location, so no longer is there the extra 15 miles west on US2 for lunch.

We drove through the Straits State Park campground last week. It's all open, ready for the season and looks to be in great shape. For those who want rustic camping without hookups, there are several national forest campgrounds on or just off US2, about 5 miles further west than Lethos US2 location. One, Lake Michigan Campground, is essentially "just off US2" but has relatively short campsites and can't accommodate an RV much larger than about 25'. It is directly on Lake Michigan. A bit further out and on Lake Brevoort, is another NF campground with no hookups, but pressurized water and a dump station available on site. Both NF campgrounds are half price camping with the "Golden Age Pass".

[LuvsPalmTrees]

We love the pasty. We have camped at Wilderness State Campground a couple of times. Sites right on Lake Superior - so beautiful. Love camping in the Mitten State. We are the only one's who can give directions on our hands.

[Northofu1]

Looks awesome, thanks for pictures and locations. looks like a good reason to head to the upper portion of MI
Dan and Serena

[JRTJH]

We love the pasty. We have camped at Wilderness State Campground a couple of times. Sites right on Lake Superior - so beautiful. Love camping in the Mitten State. We are the only one's who can give directions on our hands.

Wilderness State Park and campground has just recently been improved. There are now some (not many) full hookup sites as well as sites with electric/water. It's in Emmet County, due west of Mackinaw City. It sits on the shores of Lake Michigan (not Lake Superior) but honestly, when all you can see is water with no "distant shore" it doesn't much matter... LOTS AND LOTS of water !!!!!

[LuvsPalmTrees]

Wilderness State Park and campground has just recently been improved. There are now some (not many) full hookup sites as well as sites with electric/water. It's in Emmet County, due west of Mackinaw City. It sits on the shores of Lake Michigan (not Lake Superior) but honestly, when all you can see is water with no "distant shore" it doesn't much matter... LOTS AND LOTS of water !!!!!

Darn :facepalm: and I have lived here all my life. Either way it is beautiful. Take your chairs down to the beach and drink a bottle of wine and look at lots and lots of beautiful water.

[hitchikerman]

there's a casino in st.Ignace and last I new you could stay there for $10.00 bucks a night

[JRTJH]

there's a casino in st.Ignace and last I new you could stay there for $10.00 bucks a night

Kewadin Shores Casino and Hotel. There are about 30 sites, all have water/electricity. None have sewer, but there is a dump station on site as you leave. No reservations (that I know of) so, it's pick a site, set up and then drive to the casino hotel checkin desk to register and pay. We've never had a problem, but I always "cringe" when walking up to the desk, expecting to hear, "That site is reserved, you'll have to move to another site." :facepalm:

The last time we stayed there, about 2 years ago, was during the fish fly hatch and everything was "slick with bugs" no matter how you tried to avoid stepping on them. That wasn't a fun trip, but it wasn't the casino's fault, just bad timing......

[CrazyCain]

My Up North is anywhere between Bay City and The bridge... The UP is well, the UP!! :lol:

:eek:
:hide:

[cavediver]

If you happen to be a scuba diver, they have some of the best diving in the world.

Jack

[johnlewis]

We have reservations in July at Straits State Park. Looking forward to it, since we have never been in the UP. Thanks to all for the suggestions on places to visit in the area.