Shasta Takes On The Great Lakes

To celebrate my 40th birthday, we embarked on our first real RV trip. On this trip, Shasta takes on the Great Lakes!

Day 1: Crossing the Great Lakes on the S.S. Badger

We grabbed Shasta and headed toward Manitowoc, where we boarded the historic SS Badger ferry. A national landmark, the SS Badger is the last coal-fired passenger steamship running actively in the United States. During our journey across Lake Michigan, we toured the ships decks, lounges and arcade–complete with Galaga and Pac-Man.

Our Great Lakes crossing was windy yet surprisingly smooth overall. This 500 foot icebreaking steel ferry had no problem cutting right through those 4-6 foot waves!

After roughly 4 hours, we made landfall in Ludington, Michigan.

If there’s one thing we both like to indulge in while on vacation, it’s ice cream. On our way to Petoskey, we stopped in Manistee at the House of Flavors for a sweet treat. This cute 50’s style diner sits up against beautiful little river walk, so we stretched our legs before heading north on 31.

We passed through Charlevoix and arrived at Petoskey State Park around midnight. Poor Shasta was just covered with dead bugs. She’s clearly not aerodynamic!

Day 2: Beaches & Chocolate in Petoskey

After checking in at our campsite the next morning, we went for a leisurely stroll along the beach. Along our way back, we stopped for a picnic lunch as black squirrels frolicked in the nearby trees.

Once we were ready, we grabbed our rig and headed to Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen for a free tour. Our guide, Noah, shared the chocolatier’s history as candy makers prepared molasses taffy and peppermint truffles. At the end of the tour, we each had a small sample of chocolate. As you might guess, we also had ice cream.

Marshmallow S’more and Fudge Brownie Swirl? Yes, please!

By the time we finished our tour, the temperature outside was a sweltering 90°F. Despite the heat, we wandered around the Petoskey marina and downtown shops until it started to storm.

We got back to the campsite and kicked on our air conditioner. The fan kicked on, but the cool air never arrived. I guess we will have to add that to our list of things that need to be fixed. Once the rain stopped, we cooked up a hearty dinner over a roaring campfire.

Day 3: Hoeft State Park

We didn’t sleep well last night, so we swung past Wal-Mart for soft pillows, smart foam and bed linens before grabbing a tasty Greek lunch at Mim’s. We also added 4 cups of bleach to the potable water tank to clear out any bacteria from sitting over the winter. At this point, our battery and pump systems all seem to be in working order.

Hugging the coast of the Great Lakes, we made our way towards Hoeft State Park. Near Cheboygan, we stopped for a breathtaking view of Lake Huron. Because this was my first time ever seeing Lake Huron, we decided to take a brief walk along the beach before making our way to the park.

Hoeft State Park offers great hiking trails, but the campground leaves something to be desired. All of the sites are way too close together.

While picturesque, the beach is swarming with biting black flies. Nonetheless, we were here. And so, we were ready to walk fast and make the best of it!

On our way out of the park the next morning, we drained our portable water system and emptied our gray and black water tanks for the first time.

Drain. Fill. Drain. Fill.

And, just like that, WE FINALLY HAVE WATER!

Day 4: Majestic Tahquamenon Falls

On our way to Tahquamenon Falls, we toured the historic 40 Mile Point Lighthouse and grounds. Built in 1896, this lighthouse models the Big Bay lighthouse in Marquette.

Although it was really hot outside, the tour was well worth the effort.

On our way out, we scored some maple cotton candy for the pantry along with a brief lesson on tapping maple trees at the Maker’s Market in the parking lot.

We stopped for lunch at Darrow’s Family Restaurant in Mackinaw City just before heading over the Mackinac Bridge. If you’re ever in this area, I highly recommend you stop in and try the local Great Lakes whitefish and a slice of fresh apple pie!

With our bellies full, Shasta was now ready to traverse the Mackinac Bridge. This incredible 5 mile suspension bridge is a feat of architecture and a sight to behold!

This toll bridge will set you back $10, so be sure to have some cash handy. Once on the other side, we stopped by Bridge View Park to shoot some photos of this engineering marvel.

As we approached Tahquamenon Falls State Park, I drove the rig by myself for the first time. Up until now, I served as the co-pilot. Shasta feels less like driving a vehicle and more like a boat. After a beautiful drive and a quick check in, we finally arrived at our campsite.

Once we settled in, we hiked a stunning trail to the lower falls.

Along this trail, gorgeous boardwalks opened up to magnificent lower waterfalls of Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

We took many photos before making our way back to the concession store. Although they were closed, the shopkeeper saw us outside. He opened the door and yelled, “Do you two want some ice cream?” Come on. Is this for real? Yes, we definitely want some unexpected ice cream.

At this point, I realize that I’m living my childhood fantasy!

Waffle cones loaded with Mackinac Island Fudge in hand, we watched bald eagles fishing in the water as the sun set over the horizon.

Day 5: Happy Birthday to ME!

This morning, we kicked off my 40th birthday celebration with functioning toilets. Woo hoo! After walking through the dead of night to bug-infested pit toilets, I can’t tell you how awesome it is be able to use a real bathroom right here the rig. Until now, we avoided using Shasta’s toilet because we were a bit nervous about the dumping process.

Who knew that THIS would be the highlight of my birthday?!

We decided to hike to the upper falls. We could hear the sound of water rushing long before we arrived on site. On arrival, we realized that the upper falls were much, much larger than the lower falls.

After pausing to take in the majestic views, we shot a few photos before heading along the wooded boardwalk to the gorge. Before hitting the road, we stopped for lunch at the rustic Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub for locally caught whitefish sandwiches.

Next, we stopped at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. This intense museum showcases the unrelenting fury of the Great Lakes along with the perils of maritime transport.

Legendary shipwrecks come to life through exhibits, video and artifacts–including the bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald. We also climbed the steel lighthouse, which was built around 1860.

After touring the museum, we headed South towards Indian Lake State Park. Of course, we stopped for a scoop of birthday cake ice cream in Manistique along the way. As we pulled in to our campsite at Indian Lake, panoramic views of the lake consumed our view through the windshield. Campfire blazing, we cooked our dinner as the sun set over the lake.

Day 6: Escanaba & Ticks Along the Last Leg

We fell asleep to the sound of the surf, and woke up to our serene lake view. We’ve reached the last leg of our Great Lakes journey, and it’s time to head home.

Along the way, we stopped in the sleepy waterfront town of Escanaba for a quick lunch at Stonehouse. My caprese panini was melty & good, but John totally won with his broiled whitefish. Before leaving Escanaba, we also stopped by the Sand Point Lighthouse. This old, white brick structure stands in memorial to to it’s original lighthouse keepers–John & Mary Terry.

Because John owns some rural property nearby, we decided to drive over and check it out. What started as a nice hike through the woods quickly turned into a nightmare when we realized we were absolutely covered in ticks. SO MANY TICKS! While the property is beautiful, I certainly won’t be going back without long pants and gaiters. Eek!

As we approached home, we hit a major fuel economy milestone when we averaged 10.3 mpg. Suffice it to say, John was very excited about this little goal achievement as he was actively tuning his driving style for fuel economy this entire trip. And hey, that’s money in the bank for more RV adventures!