just add water

As this year's boating in the Midwest is coming to an abrupt end, we are starting to plan next year's adventures.

Every year we spend at least a week at LOTO, but I am wondering if there are any other good boating vacation suggestions. Ideally, I would like a hotel/condo where we can rent a slip for the week. Once I am there, I want to forget about the car.

Any suggestion????

Does anyone know about the accomodations at Mackinac Island? Is it power boat friendly?

Ms PatriYacht

Mackinac is great, the marina is smack in the middle of everything, but you MUST have reservations. Actually the docks are high and the showers are weird, but the town makes up for it. Harbor Springs, & Petosky are both good and no need for a car. If you like a little city night life with your boating we enjoy Chicago if you can't sleep on your boat use priceline.com for a hotel. On Lake Eri you have Put In Bay(party town), no cars there also, unfortunately most boats have to raft off.
On Lake Huron, you have Pt Huron, Bayfield( quaint little town) and Grand Bend (great sandy beach and awesome sunset).
I sound like a travel agent!!!
It looks like you are new to the board, welcome. Where
do you live
Donna

just add water

I am in the Chicago area. I can't sleep on the boat (Donzi 28ZXO open bow), so hotel is important. To get to Mackinac, where do you launch, and is there a place to leave car/trailer?

I've heard a lot of Put In Bay. I've never been on Huron or Erie, I've spent all of my time on Michigan. LOTO and Cumberland. Sounds like a lot of good options on Huron as well.

Thanks!

Where are you?

Ms PatriYacht

The closest place to launch is Mackinaw City, its only about 10 miles across. They have a pretty nice marina,
and launch. Across the street is a huge outside mall, there are even a few motels nearby, a lot of people stay there and take the ferry over to the Island.

We are in Waterford MI near the Silverdome. I have been boating on Lake St Clair and Lake Huron for about 15 yrs, my husband most of his life. About 4 years ago
we bought a trailer and have started visiting more places on Lake MI, which I love, my husband gets to boat and I get to window shop and eat in nice restaurants. We bought our BT because of the cabin We almost never use the boat without spending the night.

Since you are from Chicago have you been checking out the COPS threads? You will have to hook up on some of their runs, there is a wide variety of boats and power, we're one of the slowest. There is COPS party on 10/1, we might be coming in for it.

Donna

Ms PatriYacht

Here we are on one of the last COPS Runs

Raypanic

If you want to go to mackinac Island. The best way is to travel the inland waterway, It starts at Crooked Lake near Traverse city you would put in there. Then travel across the lake to the river go through a lock then down the river to Burt Lake, Then through Indian river to Mullet lake, cross mullet lake the into the river agian untl you hit Cheyboygan. Pleanty of hotels and motels there. There is even one on the river with dockage (I think it is a Ho Jo) This would take one day. Note the rivers are no wake.

Day two: From Cheyboygan travel down the river through the Lock to Lake huron then head N.W. about 20 Miles. Then your there. Spend the night then return or whatever. Get reservations though!

Its a great trip.

http://www.irchamber.com/inlandwaterway.htm

http://www.irtourism.com/inlandwaterway.htm

just add water

Can you recomend any hotels with slips on Mackinac? Sounds like a great trip. How deep are the rivers? Any problems with running aground?