Hey all, looking for a nice place to stop, splitting our trip in two somewhere between Port Huron and Kalamazoo, Michigan. I'm not entirely sure the nice areas and the areas to avoid. Last time I drove straight through but trying to make it a more relaxing trip. Any help is appreciated. Will be staying at something in the Choice line of hotels. Is Battle Creek nice?
Battle Creek is probably your best bet. It's a nice little town that you should be able to find a hotel at a decent price. Ann Arbor will be a bigger city so there will be more hotel options, but it is farther away from Lake Geneva. Jackson is halfway between the two and isn't a terrible option. It is small, so there won't be many options. There really isn't much there. There used to be a huge prison in Jackson, but it has been closed for several years. This is assuming you are taking 94. If you are driving 69, then there will be plenty of hotel options in the Lansing area.
I did 94 from Detroit last time but considering 69 from Sarnia to 94. As long as Battle Creek is a nice safe place, there is a hotel there. I'd love to get a place on the Great Lake but by then I might as well complete the trip. I used to have family around Flint/Lansing/Ann Arbor but places like Flint have changed a lot and I don't remember much about Lansing. Figuring taking out a 9 or so hour chunk the first day leaving a much smaller chunk on the second leg but want a quiet area that's safe. Last time (2011) I think I took 16.5 to get there in one shot but only 12 to get back. So much depends on construction/accidents/rush hours. This time trying to break it up. Leave Tuesday and get home the following Tuesday.
Glad to help. I used to live in Ann Arbor and Jackson, so I've spent plenty of time all through that stretch. I'm glad you didn't go with a hotel in Flint. I wouldn't have recommended that one at all. Battle Creek is a nice town. I know you won't be spending much time there as you will just be passing through, but they have a really nice little zoo there that we miss.
I'd take I-69 just to avoid Detroit. Honestly...I would grab a hotel guide at the tourist-info centre just outside Port Huron, drive until it got late, then check the guide for places along the Interstate. But Huron to K-zoo is only about a 3:15 drive. Why do you need to stop partway? :?:
He's driving from Canada to Lake Geneva, and was looking for a spot to stop for the night to split the 12-16 hour drive up. I second the vote for taking 69 and avoiding Detroit.
It's one of those trips that has a large grey area of time. Last time I hit traffic everywhere making it 16.5 hours I believe. Yet if you hit no traffic anywhere and the border waves you through it could be 12. I did both directions in one leg just stopping for gas (2011). I'm trying to get the big leg out of the way first. I essentially have three routes - Through Syracuse NY, Port Huron MI, or Detroit MI. All the times are negligible according to Google and last time I went through Detroit. This time Sarnia/Port Huron (that leg from London to Sarnia can be a little boring). If we can find time, I'd love to check out the Battle Creek Zoo. Thanks for noting it! I mentioned it was the Cereal City and surprised someone who thought I was talking about serial killers. I'm not just finding hotels last minute because I'm using a discount coupon that requires pre-booking. I haven't booked the hotel on the way back yet but maybe in Waterloo, ON to visit St. Jacobs briefly (Mennonite country).
You were so right. The name of the place grabbed my attention and beyond that, we found a Comfort Inn that was fantastic and had loads of stuff nearby while being right on route. I am very appreciative of the nudge toward Battle Creek.
