How good of a rider are you? If you're going to ride through or around Chicago, you'd better be on your game. If you take the ferry to Muskegon or Ludington, ride north to Manistee, cut over to M-22 at the big casino and follow the shoreline north to the bridge (Big Mac). US-2 along the northern shore of Lake Michigan is one of my favorite roads but the shoreline of Lake Superior a great ride too with much to see and do. The ride around Lake Superior is also a good one.

 

We rode from LaCrosse to EagleRiver and up through the U.P. to the Mackinaw bridge during our trip last year and LOVED IT! The weather was great, the scenery was great and the people were great!

 

Where ever in Illinois Dave starts from he can avoid Chicago!

 

Rode much of that last year. It was a very nice ride! Here are some suggestions of great riding:

-UP Kennisaw Penninesla to Copper Harbor
-Macinaw Bridge
-Lower Penninsela (LP) Tunnel of Trees road
-Big Bear Sand Dune State Park west of Traverse City

 

For most mid-western drivers, the "Chicago" portion of Lake Michigan's shoreline extends from the Illinois/Wisconsin border to the Indiana/Michigan border. If you want to ride around the southern tip of Lake Michigan, you take the big (Chicago) roads or you navigate through the maze of Indiana's secondary highways, which is not a bad ride - just longer.

 

Thanks for all your input on this. I will be riding instead of the ferry. I'm looking forward to the ride over the bridge (LOL) better half not looking forward to that ride. One of things a person has to do. Ride safe and be careful.

 

in wisconsin dont miss docs hd in shawano about a hour southwest of greenbay.going north through wis u got 2 choices right along the lakefront is some nice riding but can get very slow with all the populated areas or head a little west and avoid all cities,it can be very rural that way.