Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

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Hendrik
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Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

Hi there,

I know the re line sounds strange and I admit this is waaay early to ask but I feel I can rest quite comfortably in the knowledge that I am not the only one who enjoys the anticipation for the Open House well in advance. And, really, it is not too much in advance as I need to book stuff, such as the hotels.

I plan to go to the States a couple of days (5 or so) before the Open House and put my rental car to the best possible use and go for a little roadtrip.

Now, I do not know the States very well. Last OH I concentrated on some sightseeing in Detroit (The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village were awesome!). This year (well, 2012) I would love to experience the more "rural"/countryside US, small towns and such.

What would you advise me to see (certain counties, towns, places) in Michigan, respectively within a radius of about 300 miles around Detroit. I will likely, for the sake of not travelling only but to actually have the time to see/enjoy stuff and relax before the OH :D only go in one direction and then circle back and home in on Westland. A Michigan roundtrip seems to suggest itself, alternatively I could go see parts of Ohio or Indiana, I guess. As I am European, a total trip of 600 miles is the max I feel I am up to (here 150 miles is considered far away :lol: ).

Naturally, I must go to a baseball match at least once (while that is great, it is wee bit sad that the OH is not in the football season, but you can't have everything, eh).

I am interested for example in
    - Michigan wine/vineyards;
    - US history in general;
    - enjoying the beauty of nature - a not too touristic fishing village would suit me well and will, if I find it, defintely wiggle its way onto my itinerary;
    - a county or other fair,
      does anybody incidentally know the Vermontville, MI, or Sheperd, MI, Maple Syrup festivals or the National Trout Festival in Kalkaska, MI ... and whether it is worthwhile to go to any of them (they should be end of April)?;
    - good meals and, believe it or not, for the movie-induced "typicality",
    - pointers to classical diners.
    - If I can avoid it (need some money for Pally books, too, eh) I would rather not have to spend too much, so if you can recommend inexpensive (shabby gentility is fine 8) , but not bedraggled :shock: ) bed & breakfast / simple guesthouses that would be great.
    - Also, I would really appreciate safety warnings, if any are necessary.

Thanking you in advance for any advise.

Kindest regards,
Hendrik
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by mumah »

If you were in the states later in the summer or in the fall, I'd have a ton of recommendations for you. During the spring we're generally recovering from the winter and preparing for Summer fun, but the trees should be green by then. Kalkaska is a good six hours from Detroit, even further north than I am. But if you're looking to tour around the state and looking to head that far up, you should at least pay a visit to Mackinac Island, or travel across the state to either Benton Har Ludington, or Grand Haven and go on a chartered fishing or sailing trip on Lake Michigan. Who knows, there may even be a concert playing somewhere that you may want to see in either Detroit, Lansing, or Grand Rapids.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

mumah wrote:If you were in the states later in the summer or in the fall, I'd have a ton of recommendations for you. During the spring we're generally recovering from the winter and preparing for Summer fun, but the trees should be green by then. Kalkaska is a good six hours from Detroit, even further north than I am. But if you're looking to tour around the state and looking to head that far up, you should at least pay a visit to Mackinac Island, or travel across the state to either Benton Har Ludington, or Grand Haven and go on a chartered fishing or sailing trip on Lake Michigan. Who knows, there may even be a concert playing somewhere that you may want to see in either Detroit, Lansing, or Grand Rapids.


Hi Mike,

thank you very much!

Naw, can't go at another time. It is "difficult" enough to get the family stamp of approval for going on a not so inexpensive extravaganza (not the tickets, price is perfectly fine for me, but the associated costs, such as flight etc) as the Open House is for me at all, so even only extending that period is already fraught with certain "perils" but going at another time of the year is out of the question (for now).

Kalkaska got me interested because of the trout festival. I just love fresh fish.

Hmm, just looked up the distance between Kalkaska and Detroit metro airport. According to the stupenduous ;-) Google maps the route is 231 miles or 3 hours, 49 minutes via I-75 N. Are you saying that such distance cannot be crossed under 6 hours (assuming that I will stay completely within legal limits)??

Just asking because that would necessitate a complete re-thinking of what I can possibly do in the time I hope I have. I know for example out of experience that if I do not use motorways (expressways/interstates) but "only" countryside highways I need about 1 hour for 30-40 miles in France or Germany, so I would not be too terribly surprised if a similar rule of thumb would be valid elsewhere, i.e. the States in this case, but I thought if I stay on the interstate as long as possible I should be able to make better time.

Kindest regards
Hendrik
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by mumah »

That time is probably right. And I-75 is probably the most direct route. While up there definitely go to Mackinac Island, and the bridge. Traverse City also is very nice and nearby. You could easily spend 2-3 days up there and never run out of things to see.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

mumah wrote:That time is probably right. And I-75 is probably the most direct route. While up there definitely go to Mackinac Island, and the bridge. Traverse City also is very nice and nearby. You could easily spend 2-3 days up there and never run out of things to see.


Thank you, Mike!

Hmmm, and they have a lot of wine in the Traverse area. Nice! And Mackinac city has a fort ... awesome! Ever seen that?

Cheers
Hendrik
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by mumah »

No problem. Having lived here all my life, I always forget how big an state Michigan is, especially when I consider I can drive to New York in the same time it would take for me to drive to the Michigan-Wisconsin border, and I live in the middle of the state. You should have no problem finding fresh fish; you may notice there's a lot of blue surrounding the state, as well as hundreds of rivers and lakes within it as well. Like I said, it's a shame the OH is in the spring rather than the summer or Autumn. So much more to do on the water than just fish.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Jorel »

mumah wrote:Having lived here all my life, I always forget how big an state Michigan is, especially when I consider I can drive to New York in the same time it would take for me to drive to the Michigan-Wisconsin border, and I live in the middle of the state.

Do you have to drive through Canada, to get to New York?
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by mumah »

It would be quicker, but no, you don't HAVE to. Back before you needed a passport that would be the way to go, but not anymore.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Juce734 »

I would def suggest going to Mackinac Island. Michigan has quite a few wineries all over the state. Michigan has a little bit of everything.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

Hi Juce 734,

Mackinac - check (seems to be a must)
Wineries - check (any in particular?)

A little bit of everything, pray tell what.

Cheers & thanks,
Hendrik
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by mumah »

Wineries are everywhere, particularly up in that neck of the woods. Also, if you golf, bring your clubs.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

mumah wrote:Wineries are everywhere, particularly up in that neck of the woods. Also, if you golf, bring your clubs.


Wine is great! I need to check out those Michigan Rieslings (although I am normally much more particular to red wines). I have had a look in Johnsons World Atlas of Wines, who mentions Michigan wines as "coming", and I think that his auguries are best listened to although I am not a specialist. Anyways, I got very curious. Unfortunately, Johnson does not go into much of any detail.

Can anyone recommend a good Michigan white or red (no "sweet" wines for me, for red barrique would be best, e.g. I love Bordeaux wines or Spanish wines, especially from the areas of Priorat and Ribera del Duero)? Just asking because I will not have the time for more than one tasting, I guess.

Alas, I do not golf but I will be quite content to walk on some of the Michigan beaches (near one of the blue things :wink: ).
Last edited by Hendrik on Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by The Galactus Kid »

Hendrik wrote:
mumah wrote:Wineries are everywhere, particularly up in that neck of the woods. Also, if you golf, bring your clubs.


Wine is great! I need to check out those Michigan Rieslings (although I am normally much more particular to red wines). I have had a look in Johnsons World Atlas of Wines, who mentions Michigan wines as "coming", and I think that his auguries are best listened to although I am not a specialist. Anyways, I got very curious. Unfortunately, Johnson does not go into much of any detail.

Can anyone recommend a good Michigan white or red (no "sweet" wines for me, for red barrique would be best, e.g. I love Bordeaux wines or Spanish wines, especially from the areas of Priorat and Ribera del Duero)? Just asking because I will not have the time for more than one tasting, I guess.

Alas, I do not golf but I will be quite content to walk on some of the Michigan beaches (near one of the blue things :wink: ).

I will educate you on the fine art of Bourbon if you would like. I think last time we had three different kinds and they are all great in their own right.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Carl Gleba »

Hendrik wrote:
Wine is great! I need to check out those Michigan Rieslings (although I am normally much more particular to red wines). I have had a look in Johnsons World Atlas of Wines, who mentions Michigan wines as "coming", and I think that his auguries are best listened to although I am not a specialist. Anyways, I got very curious. Unfortunately, Johnson does not go into much of any detail.

Can anyone recommend a good Michigan white or red (no "sweet" wines for me, for red barrique would be best, e.g. I love Bordeaux wines or Spanish wines, especially from the areas of Priorat and Ribera del Duero)? Just asking because I will not have the time for more than one tasting, I guess.

Alas, I do not golf but I will be quite content to walk on some of the Michigan beaches (near one of the blue things :wink: ).


I know a few wineries in New York that make a real good Riesling. I'll bring a bottle if you're interested. Or something else.

If you're a beer drinker I'm also near the FX matts brewing company, home of Saranac.
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

Hi there,

Brandon,

I would certainly relish to learn more about Bourbon. My education in that regard is sorely lacking - the best I know is Woodford Reserve - as so far I have been partial only to Scottish single malts. So, that would be great company and useful broadening of my horizon :-)

Carl,

I would love to have that Riesling with you, that would be an awesome opportunity to have that conversation we so shamefully neglected to have (well, my fault that!) last Open House.

Kindest regards
Hendrik
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Carl Gleba »

Hendrik wrote:Carl,

I would love to have that Riesling with you, that would be an awesome opportunity to have that conversation we so shamefully neglected to have (well, my fault that!) last Open House.

Kindest regards
Hendrik


Noted, and it's no one's fault. Just a small amount of time that the universe delcared that we be at different places at different times! :D This is certainly something to look forward to :-D
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Re: Open House: Sightseeing advice requested

Unread post by Hendrik »

Carl Gleba wrote:This is certainly something to look forward to :-D


So do I! :-D
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