Summerfest in Milwaukee is a great time if you're in the area late June/early July.
Summerfest in Milwaukee is a great time if you're in the area late June/early July.
I live in Duluth and I can vouch for the trail system here and along the north shore of Lake Superior. Fantastic.
Try the north shore of Lake Superior from Two Harbors, MN up to the Canadian border. Fantastic.
And check out Copper Harbor, MI (and adjacent areas). Thank me later.
So my friend is looking to maybe do 4-5 days instead of a week. And he wants to ultimately head towards or end up in Minneapolis because he has some friends who will let us stay a night or two with them there.
I am trying to figure out the way to make the most of the trip now. We are tentatively thinking of going in mid July - leaving on a Thursday or Friday and coming back on Monday or Tuesday.
I am still budgeting about 1000 miles which will be roughly $90 in gas. If we stay at his friends house in MN for 1-2 nights, we'll probably grab a hotel the other 3-4 days because he doesn't want to camp anywhere. I figure a room will be $50-$80 a night. We are going to bring a lot of snacks and food with us, but will also assume spending money on meals. And then any events/landmarks/things to do that cost money we are setting aside $100 or so each for that. Aiming for $250-$300 per person total cost now for the trip. That would be nice.
Anyways since it's not a week anymore and we're trying to head to Minnesota, what would be the best plan for us to make the most of each day? And are there any cool events going on mid July throughout the Midwest that we could hit up? I still want to get in nice runs each day but I don't want to bore my friend with planning this only for myself to run places. I figure I'll look for a Saturday or Sunday road race to do for fun wherever I will be (most likely Minneapolis).
So, should we still go through Wisconsin and hit up Michigan, or should we just focus somewhere else since our goal is Minneapolis and back now. Help me plan a good itinery Letsrun. I need some fun crap to do
If it ends up being late July, consider the Tall Ships festival in Duluth:
[quote]new yorker wrote:
The term "flyover states" exists for a reason.[/quote
I don't get it.
Ontheroadagainn wrote:
And are there any cool events going on mid July throughout the Midwest that we could hit up? I still want to get in nice runs each day but I don't want to bore my friend with planning this only for myself to run places.
Milwaukee has a different ethnic festival each week during the summer. Here's the events calendar in July & these are all popular.
Summerfest ends July 7th
Bastille Days July 11-14
Festa Italiana July 18-21
German Fest July 25-28
You have the right idea in heading north. Northern Wisconsin, Michigan, & Minnesota is amazing & greatly underrated. You'll soon find out. Plus it's be much cooler temperature wise. You can find great running trails at any state park (especially in the northern half of these states). If you want to avoid paying admission to the park then just park at a nearby gas station or somewhere outside the park & then run to the park & find endless trails.
As the other said, check out Miller Park & a Lambeau Field tour. It's $11 for the tour, but pay $19 & you get to check out the Hall of Fame, which is worth it.
new yorker wrote:
The term "flyover states" exists for a reason.
No freaking kidding. They've been renamed though, they are now called the "Walmart Fly Over States."
just dont go to indiana. buncha rednecks
Ok so I've been getting ready to plan for the trip. I realize Wisconsin goes quite far north before it turns into Michigan. I didn't realize that. I'm thinking maybe it isn't worth going into Michigan at all at this point.
The goal is still to end up in the Twin Cities after a few days and stay there for a night or two. Then head back. I'm trying to figure out what places to hit in Wisconsin. Do you think we should just go through Wisconsin then over to Minnesota?
We are tentatively thinking of doing this trip from July 5th-8th or July 11-15th. Just a weekend thing, either Friday to Monday or Thursday to Monday. I'm trying to see what fun events or good things to do in different areas are happening in each week but I think I need to settle on a route first of where we are going each day. I also realize we are going to be in the car a lot - 2 to 5 hours a day. I want this to be fun, not just drive mindlessly to the next location and do nothing.
Once we get to Twin Cities I'm not exactly sure what's going on. I guess we'll hang out with my friend's friends who are letting us crash at their place. Maybe just see some local sites. But I really want to find some cool events or just things to do for each day before we settle in the Twin Cities. Please help me out!
Also, I still want to plan a nice place to run each day but I don't want to detract from the rest of the trip. If I could just get in a nice hour run each day I'd be fine. I don't need to do any workouts over this trip weekend.
I'm still budgeting 1000-1200 miles round trip. We are going to grab a $50-$80 hotel for the nights we are not in Twin Cities at a friends place. Someone help me plan a more detailed route and trip itinerary please
How far north in WI would you like to go? All the way to Lake Superior?
Ontheroadagainn wrote:
So my friend is looking to maybe do 4-5 days instead of a week. And he wants to ultimately head towards or end up in Minneapolis because he has some friends who will let us stay a night or two with them there.
You friend is a puss. He took what could have been an epic trip and changed it to a long weekend to visit his friends.
Fvck it. Go to Mall of America. I hear they have a great Sbarro.
Ditch the "friend."
Four to five days is basically a weekend in Minneapolis. I'd spend one day/night at Summerfest in Milwaukee if that aligns with your schedule. Then do one day/night in Madison exploring campus/the Union Terrace in the day and the bar scene at night. Combine that with two days in Minneapolis and you're done.
Also, look at all us Wisconsinites getting so excited that someone asked about our state.
genuine random a hole wrote:
You friend is a puss. He took what could have been an epic trip and changed it to a long weekend to visit his friends.
Fvck it. Go to Mall of America. I hear they have a great Sbarro.
Yeah your friend changed the whole dynamic of the trip just to save 150 bucks in hotel fees. Lame.
Haha it's actually more so that he just has other academic stuff to take care of over the summer so he's pretty busy.
indy5000 wrote:
just dont go to indiana. buncha rednecks
Don't go to where this guy is from. Bunch of quick-to-judge idiots.
People have been giving some recommendations here. The great part about the upper Midwest in the availability of lakes and rivers. Grab a canoe or kayak, make you have a fishing license (those funds support conservation!), and spend time on the water. Land of 10,000 lakes, my friend.
Also, another great stop is the islands in the Great Lakes. I hear Manitou Island at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a great place. You get dropped off a boat and can only hike around the island. Rock Island up in Door County is the same, but more crowded, I imagine, considering it's Door County.
This is nowhere near Minneapolis, but I enjoyed Washington Island in Door County. Even though I stubbled upon the tourist trap of Door County on Labor Day, Washington Island was till relatively peaceful and uncrowded. I imagine that place is super peaceful in the wintertime when the tourists and second-home owners abandon it.
Porte des Morts in Door County is VERY haunted. Be careful.
short trip wrote:
Four to five days is basically a weekend in Minneapolis. I'd spend one day/night at Summerfest in Milwaukee if that aligns with your schedule. Then do one day/night in Madison exploring campus/the Union Terrace in the day and the bar scene at night. Combine that with two days in Minneapolis and you're done.
Also, look at all us Wisconsinites getting so excited that someone asked about our state.
This is probably one of your best options if you have that little time.
IF you want a different route on the way back, follow the Mississippi River south for as long as you want. There are lots of state parks and it's a nice drive.