<p>There is also the annual Michigan tradition of a trip to an apple orchard. Buy some cider and doughnuts and enjoy a beautiful fall day.</p>
<p>Ah but it’s too early for cherries.</p>
<p>Based on all your wonderful and thoughtful responses, I think we have the beginnings of an intinerary for a drive along Lake Michigan. Ideally, I want to keep the trip to five or six nights (although I might be able to squeeze in one more day of vacation), exclusive of the first night, which will be in Ann Arbor with our D, and the final weekend, which will be my stepson’s wedding in Troy. (If anyone has ideas for where to hold a rehearsal dinner in the Troy area, they would be most appreciated. Somehow, it looks like the rehearsal dinner may be for 80 or so people, which I find absolutely ridiculous. When I have gone to out of state weddings with large “rehearsal dinners”, I have found that a more casual place can be fun, as well as less expensive. Who needs two “fancy” dinners in a row, anyway?)</p>
<p>The hardest part is knowing how long to stay at each stop and whether I am trying to fit too much in to go all the way to Mackinac Island (which I think is the case). Below are my current thoughts, but am still open to fine-tuning or alternative lodging recommendations. (I think all the drives will be pretty manageable but if I should move the destinations to better break up the drive, please make suggestions.)</p>
<p>Drive from AA to Sagatuck (Maplewood Hotel)–one night
Drive from Sagatuck to Onekama (Portage Point Inn)–?? nights
Onekama to Glen Arbor (Homestead)–?? nights
Glen Arbor to Mackinac Island (Main Street Inn and Suites)???
??? to Troy</p>
<p>The reason I was interested in going to Mackinac Island is because it is the only Michigan location in “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” The “place”, though, is actually the Grand Hotel, which I don’t really need to see and certainly don’t need to stay there. Thoughts?</p>
<p>My thinking in working south to north is that it might increase the chance of good foliage and avoid the possiblity of chasing the leaves going south and missing it all. (Perhaps the distance is short enough that it doesn’t much matter.) </p>
<p>Agian, thanks for the help. I cannot remember the last time I actually planned a trip months in advance. It’s quite fun. I can’t wait to go. It seems a long way off, and I am probably making two trips to Ann Arbor between now and then. I guess it is good that I have grown to love Michigan!</p>
<p>Sigh…wish I were planning a trip to Ann Arbor. This doesn’t sound too difficult, and your agenda makes sense because then you can go straight down to Ann Arbor after your “up north” stay. </p>
<p>I have old family friends who go to Mackinac Island regularly and they often do stay at the Grand Hotel. You could get a good price there in Oct. Be sure to see the historical sights relating to Mackinac Island both on the island. It’s interesting.</p>
<p>80 people at the rehearsal dinner–yikes! My friend is currently planning one for her son and they are having it at a trendy brewery with related restaurant. Maybe you can find something like that.</p>
<p>You can easily make it from Mackinac Island to Troy in a day. Go for it. And go for the Grand Hotel if you can get a good rate. That and the Sleeping Bear Dunes are the ultimate Michigan experience. I think this is easily doable in the time you’ve allotted.</p>
<p>My only concern is whether the night in Ann Arbor is a football weekend. There’s an excitement to it, alright, but football weekends in Ann Arbor can be a zoo if you’re not headed toward the game—traffic snarls, parking, hard to get into a decent restaurant, etc. Love the town and in early- mid-October a stroll through the Law Quad, across the Diag, and down throuigh the Arb should be just lovely. But it doesn’t show itself at its best on football weekends.</p>
<p>A rehearsal dinner for 80 people?! Yikes!!! When I got married, my in-laws were also coming from a long distance, and they arranged to have the rehearsal dinner at the hotel where most out-of-town guests were staying. The hotel did a very nice job, and it was very convenient for my in-laws.</p>
<p>A (probably pricey) alternative would be Andiamo’s ( [Welcome</a> to Andiamo Restaurant Group](<a href=“http://www.andiamoitalia.com/locations.html]Welcome”>http://www.andiamoitalia.com/locations.html) ); they may be too upscale for a rehearsal dinner, but since it’s not a June wedding, you might get a decent rate.</p>
<p>Or you could check golf courses in the area which have banquet facilities; the only one I’ve visited near Troy is Pine Trace Golf Course, but I never ate there. Still, there’s no shortage of golf courses in the area, so maybe someone on the other side of the family can provide some guidance.</p>
<p>bclintock: the night in AA won’t be a weekend so no need to be concerned about a football Saturday. We have already had that experience.</p>
<p>mexxomom: My stepson likes Andiamo and Ithink he looked into it. It ws either an issue of price or insufflicent space, I don’t recall. I just wish we could find something more fun and casual. I don’t want the rehearsal dinner to feel like a scaled back wedding.</p>
<p>I will recheck the prices of the Grand Hotel. It doesn’t appear that they have lower rates in the Fall so the prices are pretty steep. Also, we prefer not to be locked in to eating at the hotel. If we make it up to Mackinac, we will definitely check it out and have a meal there.</p>
<p>Fall is a peak season in Mackinac. Leaf season.</p>
<p>RE, if you want something a bit different, you could look into the Detroit Princess ([Detroit</a> Princess Riverboat - Welcome!](<a href=“http://www.detroitprincess.com/]Detroit”>http://www.detroitprincess.com/) ). It’s a bit of a drive from Troy (the Princess docks near Cobo in Detroit), but it’s certainly a break from the usual banquet hall venue.</p>