Road Tripping from Northern Michigan to Niagara Falls

Families have been road tripping to Niagara Falls ever since Henry Ford’s Model T rolled off the assembly line in Detroit. The youngest children, to Grandma and Grandpa, and everyone in between, are awed by the roaring waters that drain four of the five Great Lakes.

Niagara is just a one day drive from Northern Michigan. You’ll head south on I-75, then east on I-69. Some of Michigan’s most unique roadside attractions are along the route to the Canadian border.

Michigan Stops on Route to Niagara

• Gaylord – Take a detour to the The Pigeon River State Forest just outside of downtown Gaylord to view the midwest’s only free-ranging elk herd. You can view the elk from your car at several locations throughout the forest. September and April through May are the best times to see elk.
• Grayling – At the Grayling Fish Hatchery Museum you can fish for trout and take them home for dinner. The hatchery charges 50 cents per inch. Kids will also love feeding the hundreds of hungry rainbow and brown trout. A self-guided tour of the historic facility is also available.
• Roscommon – Stop at the family owned and operated Roscommon Zoo where you will  interact with a variety of exotic and domestic animals. Animals include kangaroos, bob cats and peacocks.
• West Branch – Take a family photo in front of the Giant Sitting Lumberjack outside Lumberjack Food and Spirits in West Branch. He holds a spoon instead of an ax and towers about 20 feet in the air. If you’re hungry, head inside where you’ll learn about the history of Michigan’s logging industry while you lunch.
• Pinconning – Down the road from the Giant Lumberjack is Wilson’s Cheese Shop and the Big Cheese Mouse. This is another family photo opp. Pose with the 11 foot mouse holding a 7 foot piece of cheese! Customers say the large selection of cheese inside the shop is also worth the stop.
• Bay City – The Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum claims to be home to the world’s largest fire truck. It houses over 60 fire trucks in all. You’ll also find over 12,000 antique and collectible toys, most of them police and fire related.
• Saginaw – With its turrets and spires, it’s hard to believe that the building that houses the Castle Museum in Saginaw was originally built for use as a post office. Now it’s home to a museum that showcases the history of the Saginaw area.
• Flint – The Huckleberry Railroad takes you on a 40-minute ride aboard an authentic steam engine. Experience the way people traveled cross-country in the past while enjoying the scenery of Genesee county.
• Fort Gratiot – You can climb all the way to the top of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, the first lighthouse ever built in Michigan, and the second oldest on the Great Lakes.
• Port Huron – The Bluewater Bridge takes you into Canada, but before you cross the border stop and take a walk along the Thomas Edison Parkway. The boardwalk follows the amazingly blue waters of the St. Clair River. It takes you under the bridge and to the spot where Lake Huron flows into the St. Clair. You may even spot a freighter or two.

In Niagara Falls

Once you cross into Canada, you’re about three hours from Niagara. You’ll notice the landscape looks a lot like Northern Michigan with its rolling hills, farmland, vineyards and orchards. Farm markets and wineries offer opportunities to take a break from driving.

There’s a lot to do and see in Niagara. Allow at least three days to do it all at a relaxing pace. Both the Canadian and American sides offer unique attractions and different views of the falls.

Niagara Parks manages the attractions on the Canadian side. At their Journey Behind the Falls, you walk through a tunnel 13 stories below the brink of Horseshoe falls. You’ll stand behind the wall of water and see, hear and feel it as it rushes down. You can also take the Hornblower river cruise to the base of Horseshoe Falls. The Whitewater Walk is a boardwalk that takes your right along the Niagara River Canadian rapids, one of the world’s wildest stretches of rapids.

A five-minute drive across Rainbow Bridge and over the Niagara river takes you to New York and the American side of the falls. Here the falls are part of a state park, America’s first state park in fact. The Cave of the Wind tour takes you from the bottom of the Niagara gorge up to the Hurricane Deck where you’re just a few feet away from the rushing water. You’re so close you can reach out and put your hand in the water and touch the rocks. Conditions on the deck are like being in a driving rain and wind storm. You can also take a ride on the Maid of the Mist that, like the boat on the Canadian side, takes you on the river right to the base of the falls. The Maid of the Mist tour has operated since 1848.

Back on the Canadian side, spend a day exploring the city of Niagara Falls, OT. A water park, mini golf, bowling, casino, giant Sky Wheel, wax museum, dinner shows, shopping and slew of eateries provide entertainment for the whole family. At night the Canadian falls are lit in a rainbow of colors and many nights at dusk fireworks are displayed over the falls.

Niagara Falls drains the waters of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie into Lake Ontario. Be sure to make the short drive to Ontario’s shores so you can see the one Great Lake that isn’t in Michigan.

Part of Niagara is in another country and none of it is in Michigan, but it is a major part of the system of Great Lakes that is so important to Michiganders and our way of life. Just imagine, some of that 75,750 gallons of water rushing over the falls every second traveled all the way from the shores of Northern Michigan!

Things to Know Before You Go

• American citizens need a full passport, passport card or enhanced driver’s license to travel to and from Canada by car. Children under 16 must present a birth certificate showing U.S. citizenship. Check the U. S. Department of State website for full details.
• There are tolls on the bridges that provide access to Canada and they only accept cash. You must pay with American currency when traveling into Canada from America.
• Both the Canadian and American Niagara parks offer passes the include multiple attractions for one discounted price. You can also purchase a discounted multi attraction pass for entertainment in the downtown district of Niagara Falls, OT. See their websites for details.
• You will get wet. A waterproof camera is recommended for many of the attractions.
• Because of the current exchange rate, Americans may find that they save money staying, shopping and dining on the Canadian side of the falls. Using a credit or debit card will ensure low fees and the best rate. Check with your card’s issuer to be sure you can use it in Canada or consider a prepaid American Express card.