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I'm putting this in a different strand because I think I'd have to do it on another trip, but can anyone tell me what is Kalamazoo like? (I love the name.) Another place I'd love to visit is Mackinac Island--and I see there is a Thruway bus (Indian Trails?) from Kalmazoo to Mackinaw City and St Ignace, although it sounds like a very long ride. Does anyone know what this bus is like? Could I get from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island without a car? What is St Ignace like? Could I get from there to the Ste Sault Marie Locks without a car?
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Indian Trails is a localized version of Greyhound and thus I assume their busses are similar caliber. Not sore the distance from Mac. city to the island, however cars are not permitted on the island.
Posts: 332 | From: Long Island, NY USA | Registered: Jan 2004
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Can't address the other questions, but you cannot take a car to Mackinac Island. Only emergency vehicles are allowed on the island. Horse-drawn taxis are how people get about.
Warning: On a hot summer day the island is redolent of horse hockey. This can make dining in one of the chichi restaurants somewhat difficult.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Good morning, Sojourner -- having spent about 3 years of my life in Kalamazoo, as a graduate student at Western Michigan University, I can say there is nothing real special about the city, other than its name! It is a typical, pleasant, Michigan town. Mackinac Island is nice, though, and, as others have said, there are no cars allowed on the Island. From St. Ignace you can take a ferry over.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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We thought Mackinac Island was a total waste of time. It was very touristy.The best part was the ferry ride over and back. We stayed in St. Ignace over night and with the exception of a good restaurant it was nothing special. We took a horse carriage ride on the Island and the guide spent the whole time telling us about the horses (we couldn't have cared less) and nothing about the Island. We also found the prices of everythingn quite inflated.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Well, I've looked further into all this, but it does seem difficult without driving. RRRich, I am sorry to hear Kalamazoo does not live up to its name, so maybe I would head north out of E Lansing instead; it seems easier and perhaps even a little shorter. The means apparently must be a bus called Indian Trails, don't know much about it (but they are affiliated with the Michigan Flyer I mentioned in a different strand).
However, it seems like an AWFULLY long bus trip to Mackinaw City or St Ignace, and gets in late a night, although in St Ignace it stops right at a Quality Inn; is that where you stayed, Train Lady? Anyway, there are ferries from either M City or St I to Mackinac Island, which I really have to visit at least for a day trip if I'm up there--though I will keep your warnings in mind, Train Lady!
Anyway, I'd also love to see the Sault Ste Marie Locks and ride the Agawa Canyon train.
If I'm willing to brave the bus ride, I figure I could do the following:
LSL to Toledo to Amtrak bus to E Lansing (or Dearborn/Ann Arbor/E Lansing as described in the other strand, if I were to combine all into one long trip), then Indian Trails bus up to St Ignace, staying at Quality Inn 2 nights. Next day, ferry over to Mackinaw Island for the day only, then back to Quality Inn for another night. Then an early morning shuttle (not cheap!) up to Sault Ste Marie MI, then the public bus (cheap!) over to Sault Ste Marie Ontario, staying there 2 nights and taking the Agawa Canyon RR the second day.
The problem is, what next? Costly shuttle back to St Ignace and the bus back to E Lansing, with an overnight there and then Blue Water into Chicago and LSL home?
I thought of Canadian Greyhound (much better than US) to Sudbury and VIARail home via Toronto, but that has lotsa problems. First, the only train is the Canadian, 3x a week, always a pain to figure out the right day! Then, it leaves from Sudbury Junction at 2 in the morning!
Another possibility would be Canadian Greyhound all the way to Toronto, overnight there, and Maple Leaf home. This might be cheapest (esp if I buy my ticket in advance) but it is is 10 1/2 hour train ride. Canadian Greyhound may be better than US, but 10 1/2 hours is still a heck of a long time on a bus!
So, I don't know. I suppose I can wait until a friend or relative who wants to travel to these places does it with me and wants to drive . . . but it's so much more fun planning all the logistics of no car!!!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I don't remember the name of the motel. As I said my journals are all packed. It was nice,clean and comfortable.I do remeber we left the car there and they took us to the ferry. If I had to choose between Mac. Is. and the canyon trip the canyon wins hands down.The Island is lovely but as my husband said "if I wanted to know that much about horses I woud have gone to Kentucky". But I am sure there are others who love the place. Sudbury was great. We took the trip into the nickel mine and toured a terrific nature museum.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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We did do everything by car. they were two separate trips. The Mac Is was part of a 6000mi.trip from Va. to Denver and back and the Sudbury was the after a Chicgo wedding and we returned home by way of Canada. We spent most of the day on the Island and stayed overnight in St.I.We took the ferry over as a slow trip and were in such a hurry to get back took the fast boat back.As I said before I wish I could help you more but my organizer has packed all my travel books and journals. The motel did take us to the ferry and picked us up. The restaurant nearby was excellent and if you aren't already aware of it broiled white fish is the lobster of the UP and Canada. I must say we really gorged on it with much satisfaction.When are you planning this trip? If I get moved before you go I can get my journels and be of more help. As to the mine...there was only one open at the time an the gold mine was closed. They took us inside in the small miners carts and the tour was very interesting. These two trips were different for us as our normal was to "Amtrak" to Dnver and rent a car there for 2-3 weeks and take off from there. All the earlier eastern Canada and U S trips were by car with a few exceptiions.We were very lucky. My husband loved to drive and I love to navigate and plan.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I forgot to add that we found everything on the Island to be very high,lodging, food etc.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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Have you considered the possibility of riding the Algoma Central (operator of the Agawa Canyon train) all the way to Hearst, overnighting there, then catching the Ontario Northland bus from Hearst to Cochrane which connects with the Ontario Northland train service all the way in to Toronto?
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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