[potzy81]

Thank you so much for all of your input! I cannot believe how many people just jumped to help me. I have decided to take a week off next month and drive along the west coast. I have to sit through the Chicago traffic now to get to the airport, and there is no way that I am moving to Michigan and still flying out of Midway! The traffic around the entire city is so bad that I have to leave my house 5 hours before my flight...I am all done with that. Thank you again for all of your help, I am always open to opinions/suggestions.

[Bearcat]

Start from the South like New Buffalo and then drive upwards...but don't rule out towns alittle off the path like Kalamazoo/Portage, both have plenty to do. Grand rapids is also a larger area but nice from what I remember.

[needing more]

If you dont want to fly out of midway then your ONLY other choice is to live by kzoo, GR, or traverse city... I still like TC best.. Go to the penisula when you are there and go wine tasting... Yummy!!!

[paprgypc]

We live on a golf course about 10 miles north of Grand Haven. It is great. We are not from MI but love the things the western part of the state have to offer.

If you are a golfer or think you might enjoy it this is a great place. Flowers, wildlife, and produce are very plentiful. Just love the blueberries we get at a farm just down the road from our house.

We are located so that you can get to the Muskegon airport in 20 minutes or the Grand Rapids airport in about 50 minutes.

This is a great time to buy.

Good luck

Jim

[Northman]

Originally Posted by potzy81

Thank you so much for all of your input! I cannot believe how many people just jumped to help me. I have decided to take a week off next month and drive along the west coast. I have to sit through the Chicago traffic now to get to the airport, and there is no way that I am moving to Michigan and still flying out of Midway! The traffic around the entire city is so bad that I have to leave my house 5 hours before my flight...I am all done with that. Thank you again for all of your help, I am always open to opinions/suggestions.

I live in Petoskey and fly out of the Chicago airports quite often, although I don't travel for business. Most of the airports in west MI do not offer near the amount of direct flights that, for instance, O'Hare or Detroit Metro do, and it is much more expensive to fly out of them due to the lack of carrier competition.

[SeaSideBay]

Benton Harbor.

[YAZ]

Some hand clappin' for Grand Haven!

I love it there. South Haven too.

Ludington is beautiful, but kinda out of the way. That's what makes it beautiful.

You can be in downtown Ludington, drive ten minutes, and be in "wilderness". "The Hemlock" is one of the finest golf courses I've ever played. World class fishing, deer, and "dogman". LOL


Very green this time of year.....

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by YAZ

Ludington is beautiful, but kinda out of the way. That's what makes it beautiful.

You can be in downtown Ludington, drive ten minutes, and be in "wilderness". "The Hemlock" is one of the finest golf courses I've ever played. World class fishing, deer, and "dogman". LOL


Very green this time of year.....

Well this is my personal favorite place in all of Michigan so I have to agree with you. You nailed the feel of Ludington as well.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Well this is my personal favorite place in all of Michigan so I have to agree with you. You nailed the feel of Ludington as well.

yep.

I've posted this before, but my good friend has some property in between Baldwin & Reed City. Just off of M-10, right on State Rd. Take that dirt road straight north, and BAM! you're in Ludington. Cool town.

Be careful, as the deer, turkeys, et al will jump right in front of ya! I love that part of the state.

I saw a woodpecker up there last weekend that would blow your mind. This thing was HUGE. "Woody" was kickin' some arse on an old oak tree.

I swear, this bird was over a foot long. He didn't give a darn if we were watchin' him or not. Just workin' on that tree....

I didn't see Dogman or Bigfoot; but I was lookin' for 'em.

Turkeys came right up on the property (Chase, MI), I could've thrown a rock and hit one (yeah, right). Heard the 'yotes hollerin', and prob'ly a barn owl...sounded like it anyway.

Bear tracks too. I think a sow claimed the property as her own. Lots of diggin' goin' on.

We cooked a chicken on the grill. Didya know that sasafrass grows there? This guy I know has 30 footers growin' on his property. We just break the twigs off and throw it on the charcoal. Delicious.

Bydand, I want to retire there. The trout fishing is phenomenal. The deer hunting is stupendous. I can grow almost anything in a garden there.

I love Alpena, but I think the Ludington area might be better.