[Va-Cat]

Hi all - Hubby & I are flying to Michigan to meet up with family over the 4th. We are trying something new by flying into Grand Rapids instead of Detroit. Can anyone give me an idea on about how long it will take to drive from the Grand Rapids airport to the Harbor Springs area?

Thanks!

[alliteration]

Around 3.5 hours or so. My mother lives in Petoskey, and its such a beautiful area up there.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by alliteration

Around 3.5 hours or so. My mother lives in Petoskey, and its such a beautiful area up there.

Thanks for the answer. I'm happy to hear that flying into Grand Rapids will save money and time. How bad are your gas prices right now? I heard somewhere that I'll need to take out a loan to fill the gas tank

[Michigansnowflake]

2.99 as of today

[jmlowman]

Originally Posted by Va-Cat

Thanks for the answer. I'm happy to hear that flying into Grand Rapids will save money and time. How bad are your gas prices right now? I heard somewhere that I'll need to take out a loan to fill the gas tank

I'm somewhat surprised at hearing that it's cheaper to fly into Grand Rapids than Detroit. Typically the smaller airports cost much more to fly into and the connections are terrible due to there being few flights. However, I've only looked into the possibility of flying directly to Flint instead of Detroit, so that may not be the best example.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by jmlowman

I'm somewhat surprised at hearing that it's cheaper to fly into Grand Rapids than Detroit. Typically the smaller airports cost much more to fly into and the connections are terrible due to there being few flights. However, I've only looked into the possibility of flying directly to Flint instead of Detroit, so that may not be the best example.

I was surprised too but its over $100.00 cheaper to fly to Grand Rapids. The even stranger thing is that we change planes IN DETROIT! Cost for a Houston to Detroit round trip $400.93. Houston to Grand Rapids round trip $277.21. Go figure

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by Michigansnowflake

2.99 as of today

eeeeek! There goes my savings

[Va-Cat]

I posted a while back about all the things from my Michigan childhood that I miss eating. Between Grand Rapids & Harbor Springs I'm seriously hoping to find......

White Castle hamburgers (yeah - I can buy 'em frozen but they just aren't the same)
A good place for Lake Superior Smoked White Fish
A good Pasty (may end up taking a trip to the UP one day for those)
Sanders hot fudge sauce
and.....Probably a whole bunch of other things that I didn't even realize I missed until I see them again

I haven't been back to Michigan in years & I'm really excited to be coming home!

(even if it is just for a visit)

[Northman]

Originally Posted by Va-Cat

I was surprised too but its over $100.00 cheaper to fly to Grand Rapids. The even stranger thing is that we change planes IN DETROIT! Cost for a Houston to Detroit round trip $400.93. Houston to Grand Rapids round trip $277.21. Go figure

You may as well just get off in Detroit and drive from there, then. It's 4 hours from Detroit Metro to here in Petoskey (averaging 75 MPH). By the time you go through the hassle of changing flights and getting to GR you could nearly be up here. Plus, the drive from Cadillac to the Petoskey/Harbor region (about 90 miles) is two lane highway, while the majority of the drive from Detroit is interstate.

Enjoy your stay regardless. Hope it warms up for you, because it has been an absurdly chilly spring thus far, even for these parts.

[Va-Cat]

Originally Posted by Northman

You may as well just get off in Detroit and drive from there, then. It's 4 hours from Detroit Metro to here in Petoskey (averaging 75 MPH). By the time you go through the hassle of changing flights and getting to GR you could nearly be up here. Plus, the drive from Cadillac to the Petoskey/Harbor region (about 90 miles) is two lane highway, while the majority of the drive from Detroit is interstate.

Enjoy your stay regardless. Hope it warms up for you, because it has been an absurdly chilly spring thus far, even for these parts.

Thanks Northman. Especially for the weather info. Its in the mid 90s here in Texas so I'll have to pack some different clothes for the trip. As for flying into Detroit... I'm trying to avoid I-75. I know it used to be chaos on 75 heading north before a holiday weekend and heading south after. Don't know if with this recession its still bad but also wanted my husband to see the west side of the state as well as some of my favorite northern areas. All he knows of Michigan so far is Detroit & its suburbs Can't wait to show him its natural beauty.