[Eastender67]

I need advice. I'm thinking about coming up to Michigan and staying a month or 2 in the summer of 2009. I'd like to stay in a rather small town (10-25 thousand or so) that has at least a few places to sit and drink beer, at least several restaurants (or else I'll starve on my cooking), a downtown that is walkable and a bike-friendly coutry side. Woods, water and hills would be nice. I'm not sure if I would seek out a small apartment or where I would stay but am not looking for anything too expensive, definitely not those nice $$ lakeside homes that are so common on the internet. I'm open for suggestions concerning that (lodging) too. Something furnished would be a big plus. If I can narrow the town choices down to a few I think I can find some suitable lodging in those places so that's secondary. From what I've seen on the internet there appears to be a lot of places that would easily fulfill what I'm looking for. But, getting advice from those that live there is best I think. so I'm asking you.

What town or towns would YOU Michigan folks recommend? I've looked at a lot of the Michigan photos here and see a lot of places that I like. I see names like Marquette, Traverse City and others that are mentioned often. The Upper Peninsula stands out because of its mining history. My Dad, both of my Grandads and several of my Uncles were miners so I can relate to a lot of those folks. Thanks in advance.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Eastender67

I need advice. I'm thinking about coming up to Michigan and staying a month or 2 in the summer of 2009. I'd like to stay in a rather small town (10-25 thousand or so) that has at least a few places to sit and drink beer, at least several restaurants (or else I'll starve on my cooking), a downtown that is walkable and a bike-friendly coutry side. Woods, water and hills would be nice. I'm not sure if I would seek out a small apartment or where I would stay but am not looking for anything too expensive, definitely not those nice $$ lakeside homes that are so common on the internet. I'm open for suggestions concerning that (lodging) too. Something furnished would be a big plus. If I can narrow the town choices down to a few I think I can find some suitable lodging in those places so that's secondary. From what I've seen on the internet there appears to be a lot of places that would easily fulfill what I'm looking for. But, getting advice from those that live there is best I think. so I'm asking you.

What town or towns would YOU Michigan folks recommend? I've looked at a lot of the Michigan photos here and see a lot of places that I like. I see names like Marquette, Traverse City and others that are mentioned often. The Upper Peninsula stands out because of its mining history. My Dad, both of my Grandads and several of my Uncles were miners so I can relate to a lot of those folks. Thanks in advance.

If I was doing somethinglike that I would check Charlevoix, Empire, Leland, Maple City, Paradise, Petoskey and depending on if it's in the price range you're looking for, a Bed and Breakfast -- there are some in those towns that look like they'd be nice to stay in.

Top Rated Bed & Breakfast Inns, Bed and Breakfast Gift Certificates Most Popular B&Bs, Hotels, Inns

Maple City, Michigan - Maple City Bed and Breakfast Inn, Gift Certificates, Travel, Lodging, B&B, Inn, Hotel select city.cityId, city.name, state.name stateName, country.name as countryName, city.countryCode from city, state, country where city.cityI

That site gives information -- rates and policies on those.

Otherwise I'd check The Traverse City Record Eagle or other area newspapers and see what they are offering for longer rentals.

They have this page which lists cottages, apartments, that might be available in TC or surrounding areas, or that you can list what you'd be looking for --- and there's always craigslist.

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[Eastender67]

Thanks malamute. I appreciate that. That (info you provided) will keep me busy looking for a while at least. I'm seeing enough already to maybe make a quick run up that way this summer.

Maybe, if I have to evacuate before this storm season's over, I'll just head north and not stop till I reach Michigan.

[snoopygirlmi]

Marquette and Traverse City are good choices - you might want to consider Petoskey, Sault Ste. Marie, and St. Ignace as well.

[bryan61]

Top 10 Summer Destinations

[magellan]

You could try New Buffalo, Michigan:

) Nice little small town on Lake Michigan with lots of visitors in the Summer
) A few bars that will give you that "Key West" feel
) A lot of cottages, condos and/or apartments to rent
) A quick 8 mile trip puts you on the commuter train from Michigan City to Chicago, where for $15 (round trip) you can be in the heart of Chicago in 1.5 hours
Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (broken link)
) Indiana Dunes State Park is also just minutes away

new buffalo, michigan - Google Maps

[Brent85]

As I read your post, Traverse city stood out. It's a wonderful town in the summer. Microbreweries, festivals, very walkable/bikeable, beaches, etc.