introduction

Michigan is a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region. Detroit is Michigan's first and largest city. The total area of the state is 253,793 km².

The state is the only state to consist entirely of two peninsulas; The Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. 

The two peninsulas are separated by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile (8 km) wide channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Upper Peninsula, referred to as "Yoopers" by locals, is economically important for tourism and natural resources.

 

surfing

This is the hotspot of Great Lakes Surfing with excellent exposure to Lake Huron to the East and Lake Michigan to the West. When the winter winds whip the icy lakes into a frenzy, the lake surfers of Michigan sit in their cars with the heaters on full and wait...and wait.

Dec-Feb is your prime season for surfing here, remeber it's all fresh water so take something buoyant, depending on wind direction, the extreme reaches of the lakes will be your best bet. Grand Haven often offers the best rides and most regular swells. Try the Pier at Grand Haven or Rock Pile. The city is home to a very vibrant surfing community that have bee plying their boards through these waters since the 1960's - this is surfing in it's purest form.

travel

There are many ways of travelling in the US: by plane, private jet, train, bus, recreational vehicle (RV), motorcycle, thumb or car.

Trains are relatively expensive; private jets can begin at around $4000 per flight hour; buses are generally dependable, safe and affordable, though not available everywhere; renting an RV is up to your personal taste; motorcycling can be a thrilling way to see the country as well as travelling by thumb.

And of course, the idea of long-distance car travel is the most appealing to the majority of Americans. The United States is covered with a convenient system of U.S. and Interstate highways. Just keep in mind that the country is huge and be prepared to travel for hours behind the wheel, so pay attention to the comfort of the car you use. By the way, many of the country's major natural attractions, such as the Grand Canyon, are almost impossible to get to without a car.

where to stay

You shouldn’t have any problems with finding a place to sleep in Michigan. Motel is the most popular form of accommodation and they are usually located on the sides of the highways, so it’s very convenient for the road trippers. Don’t expect anything luxurious, but they will usually provide you with a clean room that includes the following amenities: bed, bathroom, TV, telephone. Price is also very reasonable. Motel 6 and Super 8 Motels are popular chains of motels that can be found all over the country.

Lansing (State capital) and Detroit (Michigan's first and largest city, the Motor City) have some comfortable hotels to stay in.

Lansing: budget (Econo Lodge Lansing Hotel, Comfort Suites Lansing, Quality Suites Lansing Hotel, Quality Inn University Lansing Hotel), mid-range (Best Western Midway, Red Roof Inn Lansing East University) and splurge (Radisson Hotel Lansing, Sheraton Lansing Hotel, Clarion Hotel And Conference Center, Candlewood East Lansing, Courtyard By Marriott Lansing, Holiday Inn Lansing West/South, etc).

Detroit: budget (Milner Hotel, Clarion Barcelo Romulus Detroit Hotel, Courtyard Inn by Marriott, Holiday Inn Southgate, Holiday Resort Hotel, etc), mid-range (Courtyard Inn by Marriott, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Detroit Marriott Livonia, Hyatt Place Detroit/Livonia, Sheraton Detroit Novi, Fort Shelby Hotel and Conference Center, Embassy Suites Hotel, Dobson House Bed & Breakfast, etc) and splurge (Ritz Carlton, Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Royal Park Hotel, Hyatt Regency Dearborn, The Atheneum Suite Hotel, etc).

what to pack

Michigan has a humid continental climate with two distinct regions. Basically, summers are warm/hot and humid, winters are cold. Pack accordingly. Pack some basic toiletries so that you do not need to spend unnecessary money to purchase these basics. You may want to just buy a travel pack and bring it.

A small backpack makes a good carryon bag and will be useful in daily life. Women: remember to take a good flat pair of shoes.... And for everybody: pair of comfortable walking shoes will be great for walking. Beach clothing & sandals will be useful if you are going in the warm season. Definitely take along some bug repellent spray, good sunscreen, a hat  and sunglasses.

 And of course, bring a camera, there're plenty of photo opportunities here to impress your mates with back home. And take a good protection for your camera from the sand.

You must be a registered user to comment. Click here to register.