# Road Trip (Great Lakesish Region) Advice Needed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616 "2009-05-25T22:51:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/1 "2009-05-25T22:51:37Z")
Woohoo! We’re taking the first major Briston Family Road Trip this summer – a couple days with friends near Pittsburgh, and a couple days with family near Minneapolis. The trip between the two is about 15 hours, but we’re going to be breaking it up. The plan is to leave Pittsburgh sometime around midday on Monday, July 6th and get into Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 8. The departure/arrival times are flexible, depending on where were going to be spending the day on Thursday. We want to do _something_ that day, but we’re not sure what. Chicago would be perfect from a travel standpoint, as it’s right between the two, but my wife wants to avoid cities. So, what I need is suggestions for Thursday. Were looking for something: [ul] [li]More or less en route. Northern Indiana, northern Illinois, western Iowa or southern Wisconsin are best, but we’ve got a lot of time to kill so going out of the way isn’t a huge deal. Also, parts of Michigan would work if there is ferry service across Lake Michigan (no idea if that’s offered or not).[/li][li]Family friendly. This trip is the wife and myself, plus The Littlest Briston, so something fun for a three-and-a-half year old is important. [/li][li]Relatively inexpensive. Amusement parks that hang you 60 bucks per person are out.[/li][/ul] Other than that, sky’s the limit. Anyone have any good ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/2 "2009-05-25T23:01:49Z")
[The Lake Express ferry across Lake Michigan](http://www.lake-express.com/promo/traffic.aspx?gclid=CIT4vZrJ2JoCFQoMDQodpgH_2g). ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/3 "2009-05-25T23:13:10Z")
This is out of your way but if you got some time, consider Thunder Bay, Ontario. It’s got about 100,000 people and you can visit places like Hibbing and Duluth on your way. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is absolutely beautiful and Mackinaw is worth a trip for their fudge. \ Those are out of your way. In Southern MN, you have Mayo Clinic, you have the Spam Museum in Austin, Eastern IA and North Indiana you have the Amish Counties. The Wisconsin Dells are overly commerical but they are fun. If you never rode the ducks at the Dells you gotta try. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/4 "2009-05-25T23:39:57Z")
[Devil’s Lake State Park](http://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/) is in southcentral/western Wisconsin and is quite nice. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/5 "2009-05-26T00:21:27Z")
How long are you going to be in Minneapolis? I’m going to be there for 3 days starting June 9. ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/6 "2009-05-26T13:27:25Z")
If youl take I 90 up through Wisconsin. You could try [Lake Lawn Lodge](http://www.lakelawnresort.com/) in Delavan WI. It’s about 30 minutes east on I 43 from I 90 as you just get into Wisconsin. It’s a resort on Lake Delavan with a beach. My family vacationed there for three generations. It used to be a very family oriented place in the past few years it’s gone more up scale. It’s still a nice place to spend a day though. You’ll also be driving right past the [Wisconsin Dells](http://wisdells.com/). More water parks than you can name and plenty of other hokey attractions. Heck ride the [Ducks](http://www.wisconsinducktours.com/). Madison would be a nice place to stop. Get out walk the [Arboretum](http://uwarboretum.org/) or walk through downtown and take a tour of the Capitol. Then stay on we Western edge of town and take Highway 12 north back to I 90. If your staying in Madison you have to eat at [Ella’s Deli.](http://www.ellas-deli.com/) Half amusement park half deli. A three year old could spend all afternoon there. It’ so close to I-90 you could just pull off and eat lunch or dinner there. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/7 "2009-05-26T16:24:54Z")
Not sure if it’s on your way or not, but since you’ll be in Pittsburgh…The Hallkids and I just spent a couple of days in Erie at Presque Isle. We’ll be heading back this summer (at least Hallboy and I will be heading back) to spend more time there. Nice beach with lots of stuff to do on the isle. Very friendly people as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/8 "2009-05-26T16:59:44Z")
The Wisconsin Dells is an okay stop. It’s about 3-1/2 hours away from Minneapolis. Plenty of places to eat, swim if you want, or just hang out with a toddler at Knuckleheads (it’s a glorified Chuck-E-Cheeses, games with tickets, rides, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/9 "2009-05-26T17:26:37Z")
Take I90/94 through Wisconsin you’ll pass a lot of stuff. That will go past Wisconsin Dells and there are towns you can pull off for the whole length. Tell us what you want to do and I can tell you what to visit in Wisconsin. I don’t know if you want nature and walks or entertainment activities, or historical stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@Rascal\_s\_Mom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rascal_s_Mom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/road-trip-great-lakesish-region-advice-needed/497616/10 "2009-05-26T17:39:40Z")
Definitely do the Ducks if you choose Wisconsin Dells. If you think your 3-year-old would enjoy a bit of a surprise, sit in the last row. If the driver does things right, the water splashes up and you’ll get soaked.