Mountain Biking in Northern Michigan- Help!

My husband and I are looking for a beautiful place to mountain bike and camp along the northern Michigan shoreline. Thoughts?

Mountain Biking in Northern Michigan- Help!

There are some very nice Mountain Bike Trails in the Traverse City Area. VASA Singletrack, Sand Lakes Quiet Area, Lost Lake Pathway and Lake Ann Pathway. Sand Lakes Quiet Area allows camping. You might search for campgrounds in the TC area.

Also, Wilderness State Park allows some mountain biking on trails. The rustic cabins are very nice (if you like rustic, that is.) There are not a lot of trails there - maybe could be one day or so.

Mountain Biking in Northern Michigan- Help!

The Little Traverse Wheelway is a great bike path that paralells the shoreline of Little Traverse Bay from Charlevoix, through Petoskey and into Harbor Springs. There are several camping options along the route and plenty of interesting side trips for you and your bikes. Petoskey state Park is right on the path and gorgeous for camping. There%26#39;s the tunnel of trees North of Harbor Springs that%26#39;s a can%26#39;t miss on a bike, shredding the hills at local ski resorts, maybe a day biking on Mackinac Island, various inland trails, etc.

Has anyone stayed @ the Quality Inn & Suites or the Hampton?

We will be visiting the SSM area this year on vacation and are looking for a moderately priced hotel that is respectably clean and maintained and offers a few nice amenities (ie pool, breakfast, cable).

After searching online, I think I%26#39;ve narrowed it down to the Quality Inn %26amp; Suites Conference Center or the Hampton Inn, both of which are located on the I-75 Business Spur.

Has anyone stayed in one or both of these hotels? Or does anyone know anything about them? Please give me the good %26amp; the bad.

Thanks!

Has anyone stayed @ the Quality Inn %26amp; Suites or the Hampton?

We stayed at the Quality Inn back in November when we were visiting Lake Superior State University. It%26#39;s slightly older, but still comfortable and it was pretty nice. The breakfast (included) was ok, and the rooms were large and comfortable. The indoor pool and hot tub area were small but clean and it was fine. The nice thing for us was there is a big ';atrium'; like area that must have been a pool at one time. We could leave our room and walk through this carpeted area to the pool without walking through the hallways. (There was a sliding door opening to it). This area would be perfect if you have small children, because they could easily run and play a little in here and not be unsafe or in anybody%26#39;s way. There were refidgerators in all the rooms. There was an attached restaurant (but we didn%26#39;t eat there) and a small bar which was convenient. They had a small business center, free to use, with two computers.

I saw the Hampton, and it looks new and nice, but I didn%26#39;t go in.

Has anyone stayed @ the Quality Inn %26amp; Suites or the Hampton?

I have not personally stayed in both of these hotels, but I do live in %26#39;The Sault%26#39; and I can tell you that the Hampton will be a better choice. The ';Quality Inn%26#39; is quite old and has changed names annually it seems. The Hampton is about 10 years old and much cleaner. Personally I would recommend the Holiday Inn Express overall.

Hello Hozz2,

We are going to SSM in May and I am wondering which hotel did you stay at and what did you thingk of the place? Also Did you eat anywhere that was really good or fun.

makeup powder

reliable taxi service to DTW

Has anyone used a reliable taxi/shuttle service from Ann Arbor to DTW? I want to go alone, not in a shuttle that stops to pick up other passengers first.

Thanks

reliable taxi service to DTW

I%26#39;ve not used it, so I can%26#39;t speak to their reliability, but Metro Cars is very popular.

www.metrocarexpress.com

One- way to AA will cost you about $50. It%26#39;s about a 20-30 minute drive str8 down I94.

Good luck.

reliable taxi service to DTW

I have used CampusCars. they charge $39.00 to metro airport. It was not a shared ride. 734-444-5354

Yes, a company called Gold Star Car Service. They are based almost at DTW and i%26#39;ve found to be very reliable, affordable and courteous. I travel alot and I cant be worrying about getting to/from DTW.

Call them 734-652-1761 or www.goldstarcarservice.com or their email which they respond to very well reservations@goldstarcarservice.com

Enjoy your travel !

Five star Quality limos serves in the washtenaw county from Ann arbor to DTW is about $50 or less depends where in Ann arbor your traveling from.

Call them at this number 734-846-9119.

they have good reliable service

I was there in sept and used the Metro car service. On time and just a few more than a taxi . Very clean car and no other passengers

KW

There%26#39;s a new bus service.

We used it recently, it%26#39;s very good-$15.00 each way %26amp; on time.

http://www.michiganflyer.com

My family and extended family have used Metrocars for years with very good results.

I%26#39;m using Ann Arbor Airport Shuttle at

http://www.annarborairportshuttle.net/1.html

The rate is $30 flat, $1.50 extra for credit cards.

(734) 394-1665.

I posted the reply below.

Do NOT use them.

They were more than 30 minutes late, did not apologize. Driver was not courteous.

This service is UNRELIABLE.

I%26#39;m planning to use it ever again.

Stay away!

http://www.annarborairportshuttle.net/1.html

The rate is $30 flat, $1.50 extra for credit cards.

(734) 394-1665.

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canterbury village lake orion, mi

Has anyone been to canterbury village in Lake Orion, MI. What%26#39;s it like, is the food at the Castle Grille good?

canterbury village lake orion, mi

It%26#39;s a neat place to shop. I ate at a brunch there. I don%26#39;t know the name of the place that we ate at, but it was located in the castle. It was very good. Also, at the same exit off of I-75 in the other direction is Great Lakes Crossing which is like a huge indoor outlet mall. Tons of shops and some good restaurants.

canterbury village lake orion, mi

The Kings Court Castle Restaurant at Olde World Canterbury Village is exceptional. Chef Elio is wonderful and the decor is extremely beautiful. A 5 star dining experience for a 3 star price! www.KingsCourtCastle.com

The shopping is a bit different, and the Christmas store is a lot of fun. I%26#39;d wait until it gets warmer, so you can see all the flowers they put out. Though it doesn%26#39;t have a lot of stores, it is a ';cute'; place and like I said, gives you a bit of a different experience. I have not eaten there, however. Have fun!

Mary's Bistro

What is the location of Mary%26#39;s Bistro. I don%26#39;t remember seeing it. Thanks

Mary's Bistro

Mary%26#39;s Bistro is located near the Star Line Dock, which is toward the west end of Main Street. They are reviewed here on TripAdvisor and their website is http://www.mackinacmarysbistro.com.

They have their menus available on the website as well.

The Boathouse Restaurant on West Bay

We went to the restaurant this past summer and had a simply awesome meal. The staff was outstanding, the food was excellent and Mari the Manager was so accomodating. However, we were in town for a friends wedding in February ent to this place again and had the worst meal, the worst service and the most rude person at the door that we could imagine. We inquired what had changed and apparently now they have a new chef, a new manager, and a new owner. The following night we went to Hanna%26#39;s, where we have an excellent experience and were told that the new owner is actually the old owner, and that the person cooking is not a chef. We feel totally ripped off as they advertise they have a chef. We will not be back and others should be wary as this place is now overpriced without a chef. If not for the view, it would not be anything.

The Boathouse Restaurant on West Bay

We are planning to have dinner after our wedding at the Boathouse for a small group (about 25 people) in the fall. I met with the restaurant proprietor the other day and he was very friendly and professional. He was well organized and asked all the right questions. He came up with great food ideas and was willing to accomodate our desires for the dinner. I thought the price he was charging us was fair for all that he was willing to do for us. Admittedly we haven%26#39;t eaten there yet (it is a destination wedding and we were just up there for a short time; it came highly recommended to us by others we had talked to) but I am excited about the wedding dinner--they seem to have everything put together well for this sort of thing. The restaurant is very nice inside (not too casual, not too formal) and they are lucky to have a great view (a definite plus for a wedding dinner). I checked into his chef%26#39;s credentials, he is a %26#39;real%26#39; chef. I suppose they are very accomodating because they are guaranteed to make a fair amount of money from our dinner but I have had other friends planning weddings recently and they have encountered caters and restaurant owners that were completely rude and/or disorganized that charged far more money for less food and service.

The Boathouse Restaurant on West Bay

The Boathouse is a fabulous restaruant. You will not be disappointed. I have been there many times, never had any of the issues listed above. It is a local favorite for those of us who live in TC. You made a great choice.

We had a disappointing evening when we stopped for a visit last Septemeber as well. The atmosphere was nice but we were greatly disappointed with the quality of the food. They were not that busy and we expected much more. So many other great choices in the area that I doubt we will ever return.

I wanted to give a little update: we did have our wedding dinner at the Boathouse and they did a fantastic job! Everyone at the restaurant was very helpful and the service for our guests was great. They printed a special menu for our guests with a limited menu (which we had planned on), set up the tables with our vases of flowers and placed all our wedding favors on the tables for us so that everything looked great when we arrived. Our guests commented on how good the food was and how much they enjoyed the atmostphere of the restaurant. We both thought everyone at the restaurant did an excellent job and were very professional.

Glad it worked out for you, Plantdoctor. The Boathouse is a good place. Glad they did everything that you requested. Congrats.

Congratulations and I’m glad everything worked out. I just got back from the area on girls weekend and all 9 of us really enjoyed eating at the Boathouse. We will be back next year.

I ate at the Boathouse twice this weekend. Firday night I attended a special wild-game, African themed event with a friend and then took my wife the next night. Our service was very good and not ';uptight';. The chef personally showed us our cuts of beef, just like at a ';big-named'; steakhouse, before cooking it.

Unbelievable, melt-in-your mouth Kobe steaks. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal. They will serving a lot of very happy people this summer.

We ate at this restaurant last week. There were only a few tables which we actually found charming, however the first 3 wine selections we asked for were not available. Thereafter the food was simply marginal. The fish was definately not fresh and the steak was still partially frozen when it came to the table. We really loved the setting and the staff were friendly, however, for the price, this was well overpriced and mediocre.

Getaway for Easter weekend in April

Hello. Me and my girlfriend will be in Petoskey next weekend at The Inn at Bay Harbor. Can someone give us some idea%26#39;s of what we can do on Fri night and Sat.? We%26#39;ll be relaxing in the room but will want to get out too. What is good do to this time of year? Cool bar/grills to eat at? Shopping? We don%26#39;t want to venture outside of the town. Thank you!

Getaway for Easter weekend in April

Shopping downtown is nice for an afternoon.

Casino is there:

http://www.odawacasino.com/

My fiance %26amp; I were in Petoskey last weekend and hung out at the City Park Grill %26amp; the Noggin Room @ the Perry Hotel.

Both had live music and were fun places to hang out...good food at both as well.

www.cityparkgrill.com

www.staffords.com/noggin-room-pub-41

Papa Lou%26#39;s downtown, also

http://www.papalous.us/

That should give you a good start. I would imagine the deadheads will chime in here,too.

Getaway for Easter weekend in April

Forgot to add this, too:

http://www.mitchellstreetpub.com/

Thanks for the info! Can we walk to some of these places from The Inn?

No, the Inn at Bay Harbor is actually south of Petoskey outside of town. It%26#39;s a nice place but none of the places I mentioned are in walking distance.

We go to Peoskey often and always stay at the Perry Hotel. The downtown and nightlife are within walking distance from the Perry..the casino is a short drive away.

The Inn at Bay Harbor is a great place to stay near Petoskey, but as 24fan said, you%26#39;ll need to drive to get anywhere outside of the resort. I second the Noggin Room at the Perry Hotel. It%26#39;s a popular spot for visitors and locals. We always have it on our list, especially if we can catch my friend Sean Ryan when he plays.

Redrox...

Sean Ryan played last saturday nite...fun as usual...

All good suggestions so far...Sean Ryan plays pretty much every weekend this time of year. He and my other good buddy, Mike Ridley trade weekends, one will be Friday and one Saturday on a rotational schedule. If you happen to catch Ridley, tell him his favorite deadhead says hello...he%26#39;ll know exactly who you mean and get a kick out of it. Wait a minute, I%26#39;ll probably be there...lol...tell whomever%26#39;s playing to mention TA and maybe we can meet up.

Have a great weekend!

Oh, PS...the Perry Hotel (Rose Room) has an AMAZING Easter brunch...I%26#39;ve seen the menu for all the others around and the Perry looks like the best...check it out, you won%26#39;t be disappointed!

Also, should have mentioned, pick up a free copy of The Northern Express in most of the restaurants, bars, etc. for a good idea of what%26#39;s going on in the area...good little free publication.

Thanks Deadheadcouple! Any ideas for things we can do to get outside this time of year? We%26#39;re already planning to stroll and shop a little bit. Weather is supposed to be partly sunny and 40%26#39;s this weekend. Not sure how much is going on up there this time of year. Thank you.

bernieb...

I totally told you wrong about the Noggin Room schedule, since this time of year%26#39;s pretty slow, they%26#39;re going with some smaller acts (both Ridley and Ryan are quite expensive to book). Both Friday and Saturday nights the Noggin Room has Pinky Lee playing...do a myspace search to see what they%26#39;re all about...female duo...kind of rootsy, accoustic tunes.

Also, at City Park Saturday is Bionic Fonzy...haven%26#39;t seen them, but I%26#39;m sure they%26#39;re on myspace too.

There really isn%26#39;t much going on this weekend. Weather%26#39;s supposed to be nice, so it might be a good time for a stroll or bike ride along the Little Traverse Wheelway. Maybe take a walk through Bay View and check out some of the cool old, victorian summer homes. Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls is still skiing, but both Nubs Nob and Boyne Highlands have closed down. It%26#39;s really an in between time up here...there are some good hiking trails that will be pretty much open and snow free by this weekend. Other than that, I really don%26#39;t have much for you...wish I could give you a few more ideas, but it%26#39;s too cold for anything to do with the water...snow%26#39;s gone, so all the snow activities are out...pretty much leaves shopping, eating and drinking.

Couple of others worth mentioning:

Knot Just a Bar at Bay Harbor has live accoustic music Thurs and Sat, beer bucket specials on Sat.

Thai Orchid has great Thai food, but no beer...good lunch spot right downtown.

Crooked Tree Art Gallery%26#39;s really cool, not sure about their weekend hours, but well worth a look.

I%26#39;ll keep looking and let you know if I come up with any other events, attractions, etc.