Sun Sept 7 WI to Upper Peninsula MI

We started our day at the Michigan Welcome Center.  What an amazing place, they love tourists!  Of course my greatest need was a MI map.  Then a few other things including a nine page list of waterfalls in the UP (upper peninsula). 

Tom was amazed at how many Catholic Churches were within minutes of our hotel.  We went to mass then a drive to Escanaba for lunch.  We continued on to Palm Book State Park where Kitch-iti-kipi Spring is located.  Kitch-iti-kipi is a brilliant, emerald green fresh water spring that is ~40 ft deep and 200 ft across.  We took a hand-powered raft across the spring on a glass-bottom raft.  It is amazing to see.  You can see the water coming out of the springs, fish swimming around and lime-crusted trees.  This water flows into nearby Indian Lake which in turn flows to Lake Michigan.  No wonder Chicago water tastes so good!  I remember Kitch-iti-kipi from my childhood it was so amazing to me.  

Note Tom's Lake Superior lake going vessel, I'll let you know how far he gets.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/Q63p7343G6

Hurray,  an easy day for us.  We checked into our cabin then searched for a nearby restaurant.  We had baked fish for dinner, Tom got whitefish, I got walleye and we did a taste test.  Walleye was wonderful!  A buttery smooth tasting freshwater fish.

Most of the UP is on Eastern time, so now we're 3 hours different from home.  

Most notable today, I got stung by a wasp while on the raft at Kitch-iti-kipi.  It is almost done hurting.

Sat Sept 6 Milwaukee to Mariette WI

This morning we got up and drove to Sheboygan to meet with our friends Tom & Nancy who are here helping with Tom's mom.  We met at the Kohler Design Center where they have the Great Wall of China.  The Design Center is part showroom, part museum.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/739s6w180V 

Next we visited the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay.  Have you ever seen a Big Boy?  We seen three of them and there was one here.  From what we've read there are only eight Big Boys left.  Big Boy is the name given to the very large steam engine.  Take a look at the pictures and you'll see one.

Then it was off to Door County, on the peninsula of WI.  Take a look at the map and you'll see what I referring to.  It sounds so nice but the Native Americans called "porte de morts" which translate to Death's Door, later shortened to Door County.  We drove about halfway up the peninsula to Sturgeon Bay, we had to decide what we wanted to see so cut out the full peninsula.

We went back to Green Bay because we decided to see Lambeau Field.  We ended up taking a tour that lasted 90 mins.  It was a good tour, take a look at our pictures.  There was a game on Sunday so the place was a buzz with activity.  We also couldn't get a hotel room $$$$ so had an hour drive north to Marinette.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/b0P3uJ1343

Fri Sept 5 Milwaukee, WI

We visited the Mitchell Conservatory Domes first thing.  One dome is a Tropical Dome which had lots of tropical plant, as you might imagine.  Another dome was the Desert Dome with succulents, cactus and even a desert tortoise (our first wild animal of the trip).  The last and smallest dome was the Floral Dome, it was filled with flowers, their summer show end on the 7th.  Let me just say it could have ended today.  The weather was cool 65 degree, partly sunny but windy.

We had tickets for an 11:30 Pabst Mansion tour.  The Pabst Mansion is pretty much on the Marquette U campus.  We parked the car and walked a bit around the campus and visited the Chapel of St Joan of Arc.  It is said to be the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere which was still being used for its original purpose.  It is a lovely little chapel which mass is still said daily during the school year. 

It was then time to check in for our  Behind the Scene Tour at the mansion.  It was a great tour.  It seems like our tour guide is a Pabst historian.  Our tour lasted 2.5 hours, we visited the home then the attic and the basement.  It was an interesting story about Capt. Pabst and his home.

Our next visit was to the Basilica of St Josephat, it was ok not fabulous as basilicas go.  It was a quick visit then back to our room to reorganize for walk along the Milwaukee River to Lake Michigan.  We visited the Public Market, kind of small but nice.  Then went to dinner at the Swinging Door Exchange, good food but an upselling waiter which I find unscrupulous.  It was good food.

After dinner we walked to the Lakeshore waterfront park.  Along the lake are venues for Summerfest. We enjoyed our time in Milwaukee.

 https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/564vvLH127

Thur Sept 4 Family & Friends in ILL

 We spent the night with my friends Tricia & Greg in Aurora IL, which is a far west suburb of Chicago.  It was great to hang out with Tricia & Greg.

Today was a day of visiting!  

I visited with my Aunt Jule who is also my Godmother.  Aunt Jule is 98 years old  and looks terrific!  She still has her great sense of humor.  I loved visiting with her.  Also my cousins, Julianne & Ken, were visiting my aunt, so I got to catch up with them too.

Next it was off to lunch with my friends and Tricia's family.  Her sisters' Martha & Connie, Connie's husband Alan and the girls' mom Jean.  Another great time catching up.  For those of you wondering, we went on the Japan Rail trip with Martha, Connie & Alan.

Next was my cousin Julie and her husband Gary.  We had a great dinner with great company.  We caught up on family news and current info.

Then we were off to Milwaukee.  What a day, we were pooped. 

https://www.flickr.com/gp/8663407@N07/564vvLH127

Tues Sept 3rd Fly to Chicago

We had a 10:40 am flight.  

We arrive in Chicago and had a slight issue with our rental car.  The guy fixed it on our way out.  It seems the car wasn't ready to be rented yet.  So we washed the windshield and we'll run through the car wash.   

Map of trip around Lake Michigan

 

Midwest trip September 2025

Midwest trip around Lake Michigan

September 3-23, 2025

• Wed, Sept 3  Fly to Chicago, Overnight in Aurora, IL
• Thu, Sept 4  Wed Visit family and friends, overnight in Milwaukee, WI
• Fri, Sept 5   Milwaukee
• Sat, Sept 6   Sheboygan, Door County, Green Bay, overnight Marinette, WI
• Sun & Mon, Sept 7 & 8   Munising, MI
• Tue, Sept 9  Marquette (UP) MI
• Wed, Sept 10  Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
• Thu & Fri, Sept 11 & 12  Mackinaw City, MI
• Sat, Sept 13  Traverse City, MI
• Sun & Mon, Sept 14 & 15 Empire, MI
• Tue, Sept 16  Grand Rapids, MI
• Wed, Sept 17  Holland, MI
• Thu, Sept 18  South Bend, IN
• Fri - Mon, Sept 19-22  Chicago-area, IL
• Tue, Sept 23 Fly back to Seattle