Lake Michigan resort areas?

Hi all,

Long story short, my family is trying to do a reunion next summer. There will be at least 30 of us. We are shooting for a beach/water destination. Closer to Chicago is preferred, as that is where many will be flying into. Looking to rent a house or a couple of houses in close proximity to each other for about a week. It doesn't HAVE to be Lake Michigan, but it does have to be somewhat close to Chicago and have water to play on. We aren't destitute, but we aren't rich either, so keep that in mind. Where would you target to find what we need? Bonus points if there is a go-kart track near by(we always have a race at a family outing).

Gracias.

Look around Michigan City, IN towards St. Joseph, MI area. If everyone flies into Chicago Midway airport, it will be a simple drive from the south side.

Cheap? Only in January. Lake houses = $$$$

Elkhart Lake, WI is an hour and 45 minutes from my house. They have a lake and I've heard there's a race track around there (road america). Fly in to Milwaukee (often cheaper than O'hare and much easier to get in and out of) and your an hour away. Around the WI/IL border about 45 minutes west is Lake Geneva, WI. The Black Hawk Farm track is not too far from there.

pete240z wrote: Look around Michigan City, IN towards St. Joseph, MI area. If everyone flies into Chicago Midway airport, it will be a simple drive from the south side. Cheap? Only in January. Lake houses = $$$$

I was thinking the same area.

oldtin wrote: Elkhart Lake, WI is an hour and 45 minutes from my house. They have a lake and I've heard there's a race track around there (road america). Fly in to Milwaukee (often cheaper than O'hare and much easier to get in and out of) and your an hour away. Around the WI/IL border about 45 minutes west is Lake Geneva, WI. The Black Hawk Farm track is not too far from there.

^This

Or go a little bit furth north and hit up Door County. Sturgeon Bay is nice. The connecting flight from Chicago to Green bay is usually only a little bit more. You'll probably see more Illinois license plates than Wisconsin ones the farther north you go.

I lived in Manistee MI for 16 months, part of that time right on the beach. There is airline service from Milwaukee. Many houses are available on the beach. Sheila Bookheimer manages many vacation houses in the area. There are also many inland lakes in the area with houses to rent. I have included her website.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/Sheila-Bookheimer_Manistee_MI__573994415?source=web

Does it need to be touristy, or just kinda near Chicago on a Great Lake and affordable?

Go up to Pentwater and Ludington for a bit quieter scene

I do not have first hand experience with the Indiana Dunes area. I have friends from Chicago that go there and rent a beach house regularly. They love it. They are thrifty folks, so I do not think that it would be too expensive. They get a small place without all of the fancy trimmings( hot tubs, big TV etc..)

Doesn't need to be touristy. We are simple, doesn't need hot tubs or a big tv. Some water for the kids to swim in is about all we need. We'll probably have at least one ski boat.

Look for an inland lake if you are bringing a ski boat. Very few days are safe for a ski boat on Lake Michigan.

pilotbraden wrote: Look for an inland lake if you are bringing a ski boat. Very few days are safe for a ski boat on Lake Michigan.

Yeah, I really have to agree with this. And I have skiied on lake Michigan.

Ski boat is the wrong term. I'm not a boat guy. It was plenty big for Lake Champlain and Lake of the Ozarks. It's not something like a ski natique. It has space below deck and is fairly large. Good for towing tubes, adequate for skiing etc. It would be too big for smaller lakes.

sachilles wrote: Ski boat is the wrong term. I'm not a boat guy. It was plenty big for Lake Champlain and Lake of the Ozarks. It's not something like a ski natique. It has space below deck and is fairly large. Good for towing tubes, adequate for skiing etc. It would be too big for smaller lakes.

Sounds like it should be okay, but I'd still be wary of it. Lake of the Ozarks is nothing compared to any of the Great Lakes (Can't talk for Champlain).

Just north of michigan city we found a nice rental - Long Beach - wasn't bad.. Going farther north towards New Buffalo/St Joe gets a lot nicer but cost climbs. (Michigan city itself kind of sucks - my office is here so I am stuck driving through it daily)

I have rarely seen a dock on Lake Michigan. Most boats are pulled up on the beach out of reach of the often big waves, 3-5 feet are common. You will need to get a slip at a Marina or trailer it to a ramp. This film is not atypical of the conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFoHva3JEdQ

In reply to pilotbraden:

on my side (in/mich) tons of boat docks - they are in little coves, my boat sits in one up in St Joe mich