Photograph Courtesy of Door County Visitor Bureau
Isn’t it about time for a break? With so much talk of work, work, work, it’s easy to forget that life exists outside the office. The mere thought of a vacation—waves lapping at your feet, breeze at your back—is enough to produce a sigh of relief. So to offer you a way to escape the rat race, we found six awe-inspiring destinations within a day’s drive. From art in Saugatuck to skipping stones in Duluth, roller coasters by Lake Erie to rocking on a porch on Mackinac Island, we searched within a 13-hour radius to highlight must-visit spots. For the best road-trip experience, we also researched perfect pit stops along the way. But don’t think we forgot about our own neck of the woods: We’ve got weekend-warrior destinations at Lake of the Ozarks and in Branson, plus a chart of promising local lakes. Now gas up and get outta town! (Note: We've also made routes available, via Google Maps.)
Lake Erie Thrills in Ohio: Kelleys Island, Put-in-Bay, Sandusky, and Cedar Point
Drive Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes (520 miles)
Want to just plain have fun? Sail and party at Put-in-Bay, on Lake Erie’s South Bass Island, or play at nearby Cedar Point Amusement Park (cedarpoint.com), where you can splash around in the Soak City water park, loop-de-loop on the corkscrew roller coaster, or go screaming down the Dragster (don’t swallow your saltwater taffy). There are 17 roller coasters here, all trying to outdo one another.
To recover, try the wineries in Port Clinton or a little mindless shopping at the boutiques on the Marblehead peninsula. Climb the Marblehead lighthouse for a view of the islands, or ferry over to Kelleys Island (buy the island-hopper pass at jet-express.com) and play a little quarry golf.
Even the museums are fun here. Sandusky has the Merry-Go-Round Museum (merrygoroundmuseum.org) and a cool Maritime Museum (sanduskymaritime.org) by Battery Park. Put-in-Bay has the world’s largest geode, Crystal Cave, beneath Heineman’s Winery (heinemanswinery.com), and the Chocolate Café Chocolate Museum (chocolateohio.com). And if you want to gild that particular lily, drive north to Toft’s Dairy (toftdairy.com) for Moose Tracks peanut butter–and–fudge ice cream.
If you prefer other vices, try Put-in-Bay’s venerable Roundhouse Bar (theroundhousebar.com), the first on the island to allow women to drink with men, or dine at The Boardwalk (the-boardwalk.com), famous for its lobster bisque. St. Louisan Carole Thouvenot suggests staying on Kelleys Island—“It’s quieter, more laid-back. We biked all over the island. And because it’s close to Canada, the water’s so clear you can see your feet!” If you can, stay at A Water’s Edge Retreat (watersedgeretreat.com), a luxury B&B with its own yacht. For dinner at The Village Pump, start with lobster chowder (your mission is to consume lobster in every way possible), and finish with a brandy Alexander. Or ferry back to Sandusky for upscale French at the Zinc Brasserie (zincbrasserie.net), across from the state theater. —J.C.
Along the Way: If you leave early and drive straight out I-70, you’ll be in Effingham, Ill., by lunchtime. Exit 160’s signs list some familiar choices: Cracker Barrel, Wendy’s. But what you want is a little farther afield: the Firefly Grill. Trust us, this is some of the finest, freshest gourmet you’ll find anywhere—and at small-town prices. —M.B.
Step Back in Time:Mackinac Island, Michigan
Drive Time: 10 hours, 45 minutes (660 miles)
Mackinac Island (pronounced “mack-i-naw”) takes a radical approach to peace and quiet: Ban motor vehicles. To reach the island, you must venture across the straits via ferry; park in Mackinaw City or St. Ignace, and take Shepler’s Ferry (sheplersferry.com) across. The moment you set foot on shore, you’ll notice that the utter lack of cars—replaced by horse-drawn carriages and bikes—preserves the island’s Victorian feel.
Nearly everything on Mackinac emphasizes the island’s history (mackinacparks.com). You can still see sparks fly in historic downtown’s Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, hear a bugle call at Fort Mackinac, or take the kids to Colonial Michilimackinac. The 122-year-old Grand Hotel (grandhotel.com), arguably the island’s most famous building, is a sight to behold. Named to Travel + Leisure’s “500 Best Hotels in the World 2009” list, the hotel boasts the world’s longest porch, at 660 feet. You can almost imagine Mark Twain—just one famous guest among many, including five presidents, a string of actors, and Thomas Edison—enjoying one of the porch’s many white rockers. A single night for two can run upwards of $400, so we have another suggestion: Stay in a hotel like Main Street Inn & Suites (mainstreetinnandsuites.com) for roughly half the price, but visit the Grand Hotel for its extraordinary buffet during lunchtime. And for dessert, buy a bag of homemade fudge, Mackinac Island’s equivalent to our gooey butter cake; we suggest sampling Joann’s Fudge (joannsfudge.com).
Afterward, work off the calories by biking Mackinac Island State Park, established in 1895. Covering roughly 80 percent of the island, it includes 70-plus miles of trails that wind along Lake Huron and past the 150-foot Arch Rock. If you’re looking to see the island at its most stunning, visit June 5 through 14 for the 60th Annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival. Finally, while you’re in the neighborhood, don’t forget to visit Charlevoix, a favorite destination for many St. Louisans that’s just an hour southwest, or go north across 3,800-foot Mackinac Bridge to cruise the Upper Peninsula. —J.M.
Along the Way: When you’re about 15 minutes from the shore, get out and stretch your sea legs in Cheboygan, Mich., home of Sea Shell City. In the shell game since 1957, these guys have thousands of tropical specimens for sale—but the killer catch is the 505-pound “Man Killing Giant Clam,” stationed outside the men’s restroom. —M.B.
Discovering Wisconsin’s Slower Pace of Life: Door County
Drive Time: 9 hours, 45 minutes (560 miles)
Heading north for the summer might seem backward, but generations of St. Louisans who frequent northeast Wisconsin can’t be wrong. St. Louisan Mary Jane Driscoll has vacationed there since the ’60s. “Door County is my favorite vacation spot in the whole world,” she says, recalling traditions like supper clubs and fish boils. “Our favorite is The White Gull Inn in Fish Creek” (whitegullinn.com). For a more formal affair, Driscoll suggests The Summer Kitchen (thesummerkitchen.com), just south of quaint Sister Bay: “Their spicy tomato soup is to die for...and the chicken soup with real dumplings.” In Sister Bay proper, you’ll want to stop by Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik (aljohnsons.com); the Scandinavian eatery has a grass roof where sheep graze, just like in the old country. Down the street is Gage Inc. (920-854-2359), where you’ll find high-end furniture, stationery, and candles.
If it’s your first visit to Door County, tour the area’s vistas and towering lighthouses, including those at Eagle Bluff and Cana Island, via the Door County Trolley (doorcountytrolley.com) or a horse-drawn carriage.
Jumping from rock to rock at Cave Point in Whitefish Dunes State Park is also a must, but be warned: It’s typically too chilly for a swim. And before you leave, load up on sweets—jellies, jams, penny candy—at Uncle Tom’s Newport School Candies (uncletomscandies.com). —D.M.
Along the Way: About six hours into the drive, you’ll hit Milwaukee, Wis., a city of breweries and camaraderie—and a secret haven for spies. To learn more, take Exit 72C off I-43 to the International Exports Ltd. storefront. After completing a special “spy test,” you’ll gain access to The Safe House, an espionage-themed bar and restaurant. —M.B.
The Art Coast of Michigan: Saugatuck/Douglas
Drive Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes (410 miles)
Saugatuck’s the quintessential harbor town, set alongside the Kalamazoo River as it curves its way to Lake Michigan. The town has its own cultural ecosystem: Its picturesque backdrop draws artists, and the artists keep away the kitsch.
First, you’ve got to go to Oval Beach. A huge, gentle oval, it was ranked one of the best beaches in the country by Condé Nast Traveler and National Geographic Traveler, and now a billionaire’s threatening to develop it. (He’s in for a fight.) Ride the Dune Schooners (saugatuckduneride.com), and learn about Singapore, the city buried beneath the sand. Trudge up the 282 wooden steps to Mount Baldhead, and run down the other side with your arms in the air, screaming. Then repossess yourself and browse all the hip galleries and antique stores across the Kalamazoo River in now-blossoming Douglas. Or just stroll, noticing all the pre–Civil War Greek Revival and Italianate architecture that’s miraculously intact. No great fires raged here; no railroads roared through.
In the evening? Do dinner and a play at the Mason Street Warehouse (masonstreetwarehouse.org), run by two guys who at one time produced off-Broadway and set up an Equity theater here as an incubator. Where to stay? Choose your pleasure: rustic beauty in Sherwood Forest’s Log Cabin Suite (sherwoodforestbandb.com), a sexy tryst at Hidden Garden (hiddengardencottages.com), or luxurious spa treatments at Bella Vita (bellavitaspa.biz). And for your repast? Choose Toulouse for serious food; The Butler for its cocktails and view; Chequers as a great rainy-day pub; Su Casa in Fennville, a fish-out-of-water Mexican restaurant and mercado that’s unbelievable. St. Louisan Bob Luth, who’s had a cottage in Douglas for years, often heads for the Corner Bar at Coral Gables (coralgablesresort.com): “You can sit out on the deck, overlooking the harbor at sunset, listen to live music, and eat a lake perch dinner. And if it’s Friday, seconds are on the house.” —J.C.
Along the Way: On your Sunday drive home, just before you hit Illinois, hop off I-80 at Exit 1 and scoot south to Munster, Ind.’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery (219-838-7111). Visit the shrines inside the three-story, sponge-rock Grotto of the Holy Mother for free. Then check out the black-light Memorial Chapel, known to many as the “Ultraviolet Apocalypse.” —M.B.
Relaxing on the Carolina Coast: Hilton Head Island
Drive Time: 13 hours (840 miles)
If you’re a sucker for the beach but want to avoid the swarm of tourists on the Gulf, the long drive to South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island is worth the gas money. Endorsed by National Geographic, Commander Zodiac (843-671-3344) offers scenic dolphin tours. On the island’s south side, Harbour Town Lighthouse (harbourtownlighthouse.com) is not to be missed. Visit the gift shop at the top of the 90-foot beacon to find island collectibles, or just gaze out at the yachts in the harbor.
For dinner, visit The Sea Shack (843-785-2464), and savor your favorite fish—fried, grilled, or blackened. If you’re looking for higher-end dining, stop by Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana (michael-anthonys.com), and order the Veal Involtini.
Afterward, grab a cocktail at The Big Bamboo Cafe (bigbambooofhiltonhead.com) while soaking in the 1940s tropical theme and beachside view. Want to relax with the locals? Visit the Shoreline Ballroom (shorelineballroom.com) or Remy’s (remysbarandgrill.com) for live music, or sail into Dafuskie Island’s Marshside Mama’s on the weekend.
And since you’ve already driven so far, head an hour south to Savannah, Ga. The setting of John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the historic city is well worth the trip. It offers many of the same beachside activities as Hilton Head Island, but the Southern charm, Spanish moss–covered trees, and endless ghost stories (the city was once dubbed “America’s Most Haunted City”) lend Savannah an unparalleled mystique. —D.M.
Along the Way: Nashville is now known as Music City, but in the late 19th century, residents dubbed it the “Athens of the South.” Take Exit 209B off I-65 to see the city’s original “house of rock,” a full-scale replica of the Parthenon (nashville.gov/parthenon) that contains the city’s art museum and a 42-foot statue of Athena, the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world. —M.B.
Cruising Minnesota’s North Shore: Duluth
Drive Time: 11 hours (680 miles)
In Gore Vidal’s novel Duluth, he wrote: “If, as it has been so often said, every society gets the Duluth that it deserves, the United States of America in the last but one decade of the 20th century has come up with a knockout.”
In truth, the novel’s Duluth bears little resemblance to the actual Minnesota city, but the destination nonetheless deserves “knockout” status. Perhaps that’s one reason Outside magazine crowned Duluth among “America’s Great Outside Towns.” Hugging Lake Superior, the city is full of outdoorsy activities: You can charter a half-day fishing expedition for about $400, bike Willard Munger State Trail, and get an overview of the scenery from Enger Tower, a historic 80-footer overlooking the city. Duluth’s greatest asset, though, is its location, serving as a base for day-trips along Minnesota’s North Shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse.
Where to sleep? Lakeside, of course. Fitger’s Inn (fitgers.com), located inside a renovated brewery with lakeside views, is farther from downtown than newer resorts, but the historic atmosphere makes it worth the walk. Canal Park is the hub of downtown activity, with affordable sandwiches at Grandma’s Saloon & Grill (grandmasrestaurants.com), an otter exhibit at Great Lakes Aquarium (glaquarium.org), and the nearby Aerial Lift Bridge, Duluth’s most recognizable landmark. You can also skip stones or go agate hunting along Minnesota Point, the 7-mile sandbar that extends out from Canal Park.
Spending just a short time here may cause you to recall another line from Vidal’s book: “Duluth! Love it or loathe it, you can never leave it or lose it.” —J.M
Along the Way: As you head up I-94, about 1½ hours north of Madison, Wis., take a 15-minute detour out Highway 33 to Dr. Evermore’s Art Park (608-219-7830). There you can explore the world’s largest scrap-metal sculpture, the Forevertron, a quasi-Victorian mechanical marvel surpassing even the salvage sculptures of our own City Museum. —M.B.
By Margaret Bauer, Jeannette Cooperman, Jarrett Medlin, and Dan Michel
