Suggestions for Amtrak traveling in Michigan?

[cpotisch]

If you like Middle Eastern food, you will have tons to choose from if you stay in and/or visit Dearborn. Dearborn has the highest concentration of Arab-Americans in the U.S. 

I saw a lot of Middle Eastern food in Detroit as well. Is that just the power of suggestion or does Detroit also have a high number of Arab-Americans?

 

[tim49424]

I saw a lot of Middle Eastern food in Detroit as well. Is that just the power of suggestion or does Detroit also have a high number of Arab-Americans?

There are alot of ME restaurants throughout the metro Detroit area but a majority of the Arab-Americans live in Dearborn.  So many that, as a matter of fact, Saddam Hussein visited the area.  Yes, THAT, Hussein.  It was back before he was known as a tyrant.  Also, there used to be a  ME chain restaurant in metro Detroit called La Shish.  All of the non-Dearborn locations closed years ago as the son of the owner was convicted of murder.  The only one left is in Dearborn itself and that one reopened in 2011, according to their website, due to popular demand. I can believe that because the food was great, the lamb chops were my favorite when I lived in a northern suburb of Detroit 15-20 years ago. Theirs were  the most prominent ME restaurants, however the little mom and pop ones had really great food as well.

 

[thully]

I figured I'd chime in, since I live in Michigan as well. As you've discovered, it's impossible to ride all 3 Michigan trains without backtracking to Chicago, unless you ride a bus.

For your itinerary, it would be easy to take a bus KAL-GRR instead of returning to CHI. Amtrak sells tickets on that route as Thruway service (though you'd have to purchase on the same itinerary as at least one train - could be multi-city though), or you could buy from Greyhound or Indian Trails (the bus company that services that route). You could also get to Holland by bus, though there are less options for that itinerary than GRR (an Uber/Lyft between the two cities is also a possibility, though there is no public transit option to speak of). Holland would definitely be a fun stop - I'd suggest trying to see Lake Michigan while you're there, though the lack of transit may complicate that (there is Uber/Lyft though). Lake Michigan could also be seen from the New Buffalo stop on the Wolverine/Blue Water (or in Chicago obviously).

You would miss out on the Blue Water by doing a bus KAL-GRR/HOM, though the Blue Water and Wolverine use the same route between KAL and CHI so you aren't actually missing any territory by doing that. To see anything different on the Blue Water, you'd have to travel east of Battle Creek (that route goes to Lansing, Flint, and Port Huron instead of Detroit). You could  take Blue Water east from KAL (Lansing would perhaps be most interesting, as it's the state capitol, though the train stops in neighboring East Lansing which is the home of Michigan State University) and bus from there to GRR/HOM if you wanted to.

As for the rest of the trip, I'd definitely stop in Detroit (downtown is seeing a renaissance, and there's a new QLine streetcar that extends from New Center by the Amtrak station to downtown), though doing Henry Ford/Greenfield Village in Dearborn sounds good as well. You could either take one of the Wolverines between the cities, Uber/Lyft, or public transit (there are a few bus routes between Detroit/Dearborn). There's also Ann Arbor (where I live), home of the University of Michigan - though getting there from Detroit would involve taking one of the Wolverines, Greyhound, an expensive Uber/Lyft, or a few times/day bus service (Detroit Connector) sponsored by the University (but available to the public).  If you wanted to go over to Canada you could ride VIA from Windsor (just across from Detroit) to Toronto (and from there connect to wherever VIA goes) - you'd have to take the Tunnel Bus to cross the border and then Transit WIndsor/Uber to the VIA station.

Interested to hear how your trip goes - excited that you're visiting my state!

 

[tim49424]

I figured I'd chime in, since I live in Michigan as well. As you've discovered, it's impossible to ride all 3 Michigan trains without backtracking to Chicago, unless you ride a bus.

For your itinerary, it would be easy to take a bus KAL-GRR instead of returning to CHI. Amtrak sells tickets on that route as Thruway service (though you'd have to purchase on the same itinerary as at least one train - could be multi-city though), or you could buy from Greyhound or Indian Trails (the bus company that services that route). You could also get to Holland by bus, though there are less options for that itinerary than GRR (an Uber/Lyft between the two cities is also a possibility, though there is no public transit option to speak of). Holland would definitely be a fun stop - I'd suggest trying to see Lake Michigan while you're there, though the lack of transit may complicate that (there is Uber/Lyft though). Lake Michigan could also be seen from the New Buffalo stop on the Wolverine/Blue Water (or in Chicago obviously).

You would miss out on the Blue Water by doing a bus KAL-GRR/HOM, though the Blue Water and Wolverine use the same route between KAL and CHI so you aren't actually missing any territory by doing that. To see anything different on the Blue Water, you'd have to travel east of Battle Creek (that route goes to Lansing, Flint, and Port Huron instead of Detroit). You could  take Blue Water east from KAL (Lansing would perhaps be most interesting, as it's the state capitol, though the train stops in neighboring East Lansing which is the home of Michigan State University) and bus from there to GRR/HOM if you wanted to.

As for the rest of the trip, I'd definitely stop in Detroit (downtown is seeing a renaissance, and there's a new QLine streetcar that extends from New Center by the Amtrak station to downtown), though doing Henry Ford/Greenfield Village in Dearborn sounds good as well. You could either take one of the Wolverines between the cities, Uber/Lyft, or public transit (there are a few bus routes between Detroit/Dearborn). There's also Ann Arbor (where I live), home of the University of Michigan - though getting there from Detroit would involve taking one of the Wolverines, Greyhound, an expensive Uber/Lyft, or a few times/day bus service (Detroit Connector) sponsored by the University (but available to the public).  If you wanted to go over to Canada you could ride VIA from Windsor (just across from Detroit) to Toronto (and from there connect to wherever VIA goes) - you'd have to take the Tunnel Bus to cross the border and then Transit WIndsor/Uber to the VIA station.

Interested to hear how your trip goes - excited that you're visiting my state!

There's been alot of noise lately about a possible transit system to connect HOM & GRR.  The track (if it were to be train) would be the same used for the Pere Marquette but up to about $20 Million would have to be spent on upgrades for the proposed passenger equipment.  Also in the studies/discussions an intercity bus system would be the alternative option.  Holland does have a fine bus system that covers the area, however, I believe it stops running before the arrival of #370, which is around 10:30.  It doesn't run as early as #371 heads to CHI, 6:49. However, during it's running hours, it's a pretty good system. That being said, there is a Courtyard by Mariott hotel walking distance from the station and Holland is a pretty safe place to walk at night/early morning.

 

[thully]

There's been alot of noise lately about a possible transit system to connect HOM & GRR.  The track (if it were to be train) would be the same used for the Pere Marquette but up to about $20 Million would have to be spent on upgrades for the proposed passenger equipment.  Also in the studies/discussions an intercity bus system would be the alternative option.  Holland does have a fine bus system that covers the area, however, I believe it stops running before the arrival of #370, which is around 10:30.  It doesn't run as early as #371 heads to CHI, 6:49. However, during it's running hours, it's a pretty good system. That being said, there is a Courtyard by Mariott hotel walking distance from the station and Holland is a pretty safe place to walk at night/early morning.

Heard a bit about that - sounds like they may start with a bus before doing rail. Of course, it wouldn't be operational by the time OP's trip happened, and even then it would probably be a Monday-Friday peak commute hours only operation.  I would hope they would add at least some off-peak service - it really annoys me when the only transit connecting two cities is peak-hour/weekday only... Would be funny (and sad) if they beat Detroit-Ann Arbor at getting something going - we've been waiting forever for that (came close with the RTA, but of course it had to fail in 2016).

As for Holland's transit system, routes generally run hourly and it does stop running around 7pm (there is a twilight route that runs until 10, though that still won't be late enough for the inbound Pere Marquette). Also, no service on Sunday, and no fixed-route service to the lake (there is a dial-a-ride service that would go there, though I think it's mostly focused on seniors/disabled).  It also may be a bit tight to make the outbound Pere Marquette (and impossible on weekends) using transit, as the buses start at 6am M-F. Given that, even if not taking the inbound Pere Marquette, I'd suggest staying downtown in Holland, either at the Courtyard or somewhere else.

 

[Pere Flyer]

Started a topic about potential Holland-Grand Rapids commuter bus service: Holland-Grand Rapids (Mich.) commuter bus service could be reality in fall 2020
https://discuss.amtraktrains.com/applications/tapatalk/index.php?/topic/74809-Holland-Grand-Rapids-%28Mich%2E%29-commuter-bus-service-could-be-reality-in-fall-2020

 

[SarahZ]

The Greater Michigan Tourism Boosters are doing a heck of a job selling their state. Sounds like a nice place to visit. 

Don’t get me started on northern Michigan. The list is about 20 miles long.

Also, COME VISIT.

 

[tim49424]

Heard a bit about that - sounds like they may start with a bus before doing rail. Of course, it wouldn't be operational by the time OP's trip happened, and even then it would probably be a Monday-Friday peak commute hours only operation.  I would hope they would add at least some off-peak service - it really annoys me when the only transit connecting two cities is peak-hour/weekday only... Would be funny (and sad) if they beat Detroit-Ann Arbor at getting something going - we've been waiting forever for that (came close with the RTA, but of course it had to fail in 2016).

As for Holland's transit system, routes generally run hourly and it does stop running around 7pm (there is a twilight route that runs until 10, though that still won't be late enough for the inbound Pere Marquette). Also, no service on Sunday, and no fixed-route service to the lake (there is a dial-a-ride service that would go there, though I think it's mostly focused on seniors/disabled).  It also may be a bit tight to make the outbound Pere Marquette (and impossible on weekends) using transit, as the buses start at 6am M-F. Given that, even if not taking the inbound Pere Marquette, I'd suggest staying downtown in Holland, either at the Courtyard or somewhere else.

The dial-a-ride service you refer to is operated by the Holland transit system (Macatawa Area Express, more commonly referred to as MAX).  It is available all the way to the lake (or will be in the very near future.)  It's not exclusive to seniors/disabled, however seniors over 65 do ride for free and there are accommodations that can be made for disabled (wheelchair accessible buses.)  Also, I believe the bus service begins at 7 AM, as when the #371 boards, there are cones marking off where the buses gather in the parking lot. That is MAX's home base and shortly after the PM departs the buses come in.  My late mother lived at Freedom Village (my future home), a retirement community that borders the station to the west.  She had a 6th floor apartment that faced the east and when I'd visit her (I used to live in Wisconsin), I'd sit at her sun porch, watch the train arrive and depart and the buses arrive and depart on their specific routes.  This happens four times per day, the last about 8 PM.  Regarding #371, the caretaker of the station, Gary, assists the crew with boarding Amtrak then goes about his daily duties. Another thing, there is no cab stand at the station. I would think something like that could mutually benefit the area cab companies and the riders of #370.  

There are no other hotels that I know of convenient to downtown other than the Courtyard.  Actually a majority of the hotels are located in my neighborhood, near the former mall, north of town including at least three under construction opening between this summer and fall of 2020.

 

[tim49424]

The list is about 20 miles long.
 

Only 20 miles?  I think our past discussions about the matter would add up to just that. LOL

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I can thank Amtrak for my love of the Henry Ford museum, there was a mix up with my ticketing on the zephyr a few years ago and I decided to just wait until the next day a roomette was available (like 3 days) but I was already in Chicago so I decided to go out to Dearborn as I had been wanting to ride the at the time fairly new 110 mph Michigan trains and I had also wanted to see the steam trains at Henry Ford.  

I fell in love with the place.  I bought a membership, extended my stay, and I go back at least once a year (the annual old car and ragtime music festival in September is not to be missed!). 

There is a comfort inn right next to the Amtrak station and they offer a free shuttle to the Henry Ford. Plenty of other hotel options nearby as well. 

Also dearborn has an open / accessible platform so when the museum closes I can sit and watch the evening  Amtrak trains come and go and get some photos. 

 

[thully]

There are no other hotels that I know of convenient to downtown other than the Courtyard.  Actually a majority of the hotels are located in my neighborhood, near the former mall, north of town including at least three under construction opening between this summer and fall of 2020.

I saw a couple other options when I was contemplating a trip to Holland last year - had actually booked the CityFlatsHotel, and saw a couple other options on a search (Teerman Lofts and the Haworth Inn & Conference Center). The Courtyard is larger, closer to the station, and probably a better option than those, though it can get pricy (it was $300+/night for some summer weekend days) and sometimes sold out.

 

[tim49424]

I saw a couple other options when I was contemplating a trip to Holland last year - had actually booked the CityFlatsHotel, and saw a couple other options on a search (Teerman Lofts and the Haworth Inn & Conference Center). The Courtyard is larger, closer to the station, and probably a better option than those, though it can get pricy (it was $300+/night for some summer weekend days) and sometimes sold out.

I wouldn't consider Haworth or City Flats as convenient to the station.  Also there are more hotel type structures being built in the direction of City Flats and I've heard they should be ready in the fall.  They are located on 8th Street between River and Pine near the Civic Center.  Again, not really convenient to the station.....quite a hike if you have luggage to tote.  Indeed, the Courtyard can be more expensive, but you're paying for location and better accessibility to downtown and to the parking ramps which are located at Columbia and 7th Street (not relevant to this conversation, but relevant to overall pricing). I'm sure during peak season (Tulip Festival) those rooms are reserved far far in advance and sold out quickly, maybe as soon as the year ahead of time, as the hotel is right smack on the parade route.

 

[daybeers]

Wow, I'm definitely bookmarking this topic! Not sure when I'll be in Michigan, but definitely some time in my life, and this will be incredibly useful.

 

[tim49424]

Wow, I'm definitely bookmarking this topic! Not sure when I'll be in Michigan, but definitely some time in my life, and this will be incredibly useful.

Michigan is very underrated as a vacation spot.  There actually is a ton of places to see and things to do for someone during their travels.....especially via Amtrak.  I think this is why people like SarahZ have been very outspoken about getting rail service up to Traverse City and the north regions of the Lower Peninsula.  I'm more outspoken about getting rail service to connect to Detroit to Grand Rapids/Muskegon.  People like Sarah and I even see our state as being a place to vacation as residents of Michigan.  Living in a tourist town like Holland, I see first hand how many people come for the Tulip Festival....however, once the second week of May is over, the numbers go down dramatically.  A prime example being Amtrak adding extra trains starting last year for the festival.  They got that now, but it took 34 years (the Pere Marquette came into existence in 1984).  Next thing to get for our favorite rail provider is intrastate usage....get all of our best tourist destinations connected to each other, then promote the heck out of this connection!

 

[cpotisch]

If only we could get a train like the International back... 

 

[MARC Rider]

Don’t get me started on northern Michigan. The list is about 20 miles long.

Also, COME VISIT.

But maybe not in the winter.  Some years ago, I had some business in Sault St. Marie in February, and the people I was working with said don't bother the the commuter flights, because the weather makes the service unreliable.  So I  rented a car and drove from Ann Arbor.  Of course, to save the taxpayers ' money, I was forced to rent a subcompact.  

When I left Ann Arbor it was about 40 degrees outside and pouring rain in buckets.  This turned to snow around Bay City, and at no time during the drive did I see a snowplow or salt truck.  (This contrasts with Maryland where the mere mention of possible snow results in pretreatment several days before the forecasted storm, a legion of snowplows on the road during the storm, and enough road salt to impair the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the rest of the winter.) The road surface on I-75 soon got slick enough that I was not comfortable driving more than 40 mph.  This didn't seem to faze the locals, as they zipped by me at full speed, spraying slush from the left lane all over my windshield.  Then there was the tractor trailer that passed me at full speed. then jacknifed right in front of me, fortunately (for me) sliding off the road into a ditch before I could hit it and end my life.  The real thrill, though was crossing the Mackinac Bridge in a full gale, with "wind warning" signs flashing, the road as slick as ever,  with the added surprise of open grates to really make me fell secure about my control of the car.  All of this made the last 50 miles of driving in a blizzard with 8 inches of snow on the ground seem relaxing in comparison.  What should have been a 6 hour drive took almost 10 hours.

The ride home was much less exciting, though even 3 days after the storm, the Interstate was still not 100% cleared off.  And it was pretty windy, so the drive back over the Mackinac Bridge was a white knuckle adventure.  I didn't fully realize how lucky I  was until I got back to Ann Arbor and had dinner with my boss before returning east.  After I told her of my experiences, she regaled me with a story about a Yugo that was blown over the side of the Mackinac Bridge in  high wind.  My rental car wasn't much bigger than a Yugo.

I may, indeed, return to the UP, but if I cross the Mackinac Bridge again, I'll only do it in the summer.

 

[tim49424]

But maybe not in the winter. 

Unless a ski vacation is involved, I would advise against a winter visit.  Most people plan Michigan vacations during the non-winter months.  

 

[SarahZ]

After I told her of my experiences, she regaled me with a story about a Yugo that was blown over the side of the Mackinac Bridge in  high wind.  My rental car wasn't much bigger than a Yugo.

Urban legend. The car wasn't blown off the bridge. It was a freak accident/chain reaction that started as a result of high winds combined with poor vehicle handling. A 48 mph wind gust caused her to lose control of her car and veer left onto the median. She then panicked, overcorrected, and veered right. Her vehicle hopped up onto the curb and then the guardrail. The wind pushed her over the edge rather than back onto the bridge.

That's one of the many reasons they close the bridge during high winds. I've seen semis tip over because a wind gust catches their trailer. When I had a little hatchback, I tried to avoid the grates, and I never drove on high wind days (more so because I didn't want a truck to land on me).

Also, the bridge has open grates because it's a suspension bridge. If it didn't have open grates in the center lanes, it would create a Galloping Gertie scenario. Those who do not like driving on the grates stay in the right lane, which is solid concrete. I happen to LOVE driving on the grates. If you're in the passenger seat and look down, the speed creates the illusion that there's nothing between you and the water. Plus, I have a larger compact now, so the wind isn't so bad.

As far as not pre-treating and fully clearing the roads: the northern counties have to pace themselves. They only have so much budgeted for road crews and salt every year, and if they go bananas every time it snows, they'll run out. Also, when there's a storm like that, there comes a point where they realize they can't keep up and the police tell everyone to stay off the roads unless it's an emergency. I would never, ever recommend anyone drive to the Soo in February unless they have lots of winter driving experience in all sorts of conditions. I'm glad you made it okay!

 

[PerRock]

But maybe not in the winter.  Some years ago, I had some business in Sault St. Marie in February, and the people I was working with said don't bother the the commuter flights, because the weather makes the service unreliable.  So I  rented a car and drove from Ann Arbor.  Of course, to save the taxpayers ' money, I was forced to rent a subcompact.  

When I left Ann Arbor it was about 40 degrees outside and pouring rain in buckets.  This turned to snow around Bay City, and at no time during the drive did I see a snowplow or salt truck.  (This contrasts with Maryland where the mere mention of possible snow results in pretreatment several days before the forecasted storm, a legion of snowplows on the road during the storm, and enough road salt to impair the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the rest of the winter.) The road surface on I-75 soon got slick enough that I was not comfortable driving more than 40 mph.  This didn't seem to faze the locals, as they zipped by me at full speed, spraying slush from the left lane all over my windshield.  Then there was the tractor trailer that passed me at full speed. then jacknifed right in front of me, fortunately (for me) sliding off the road into a ditch before I could hit it and end my life.  The real thrill, though was crossing the Mackinac Bridge in a full gale, with "wind warning" signs flashing, the road as slick as ever,  with the added surprise of open grates to really make me fell secure about my control of the car.  All of this made the last 50 miles of driving in a blizzard with 8 inches of snow on the ground seem relaxing in comparison.  What should have been a 6 hour drive took almost 10 hours.

The ride home was much less exciting, though even 3 days after the storm, the Interstate was still not 100% cleared off.  And it was pretty windy, so the drive back over the Mackinac Bridge was a white knuckle adventure.  I didn't fully realize how lucky I  was until I got back to Ann Arbor and had dinner with my boss before returning east.  After I told her of my experiences, she regaled me with a story about a Yugo that was blown over the side of the Mackinac Bridge in  high wind.  My rental car wasn't much bigger than a Yugo.

I may, indeed, return to the UP, but if I cross the Mackinac Bridge again, I'll only do it in the summer.

Having lived in MI most of my life, I'm not sure MI owns any snow plows... 

peter

 

[SarahZ]

People like Sarah and I even see our state as being a place to vacation as residents of Michigan. 

So true! Michigan is HUGE. I think people forget just how big it is. My friends and I often plan little weekend trips here and there. I've lived here my entire life, and I still haven't seen everything. I know lots of people who've never seen the Upper Peninsula, which is so sad to me because it's absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite places in the country.

I like that we have the three distinct areas: southern/urban/flat ("downstate"), rolling hills/forests/golf courses/skiing ("northern Michigan"), and then the Upper Peninsula. Plus, the entire western lakeshore is dotted with wineries and campgrounds, so even when you get downstate, there's still a "northern Michigan" feel to things once you get near the lake. You can do the big city thing in Grand Rapids and then drive an hour to the lakeshore and go camping. It's the best.

 

[thully]

It’s a shame we don’t have more trains and public transit to make it easier to enjoy the state without a car, though. We do at least manage to consistently fund corridor trains (unlike our neighbors to the south), though currently those are mainly limited to serving trips to/from Chicago. It would be great to have a corridor across the state (Holland/Grand Rapids-Lansing-Ann Arbor/Detroit), a train to Northern Michigan (Traverse City/Mackinaw City - it would seem the latter would do quite well with passengers heading to Mackinac Island as you won’t be using a car there...), one connecting to Ohio and eastbound trains, and something cross-border to Toronto. Though I’d settle for half-decent intrastate bus service - most of the time I’ve looked at taking Greyhound/Indian Trails intrastate from Ann Arbor, it gives me a 4 hour layover somewhere. The Amtrak California buses do a nice job in filling the gaps in the rail network, and something like that would be nice here. That’s not to mention local transit issues - glad to see they’re investigating Grand Rapids-Holland service, though they’ve been investigating Ann Arbor-Detroit for years and we’re still limited to Amtrak/Greyhound and the University-sponsored Detroit Connector (the RTA failure didn’t help, though...)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

So true! Michigan is HUGE. I think people forget just how big it is. My friends and I often plan little weekend trips here and there. I've lived here my entire life, and I still haven't seen everything. I know lots of people who've never seen the Upper Peninsula, which is so sad to me because it's absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite places in the country.

I like that we have the three distinct areas: southern/urban/flat ("downstate"), rolling hills/forests/golf courses/skiing ("northern Michigan"), and then the Upper Peninsula. Plus, the entire western lakeshore is dotted with wineries and campgrounds, so even when you get downstate, there's still a "northern Michigan" feel to things once you get near the lake. You can do the big city thing in Grand Rapids and then drive an hour to the lakeshore and go camping. It's the best.

I've lived in the 2nd smallest state most of my life and I still haven't seen everything. 

 

[Ryan]

Yes, but that’s because there’s nothing there to see!!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Michigan is HUGE. I think people forget just how big it is. 

Any state that can fit on one hand can't be that big.  :lol:

I remember a Michigander telling me about going to "the beach" for the weekend.  I was confused until I realized that she was talking about the shore of a lake.  Yes it's a very big lake, but it's also kind of tiny compared to an ocean or gulf.

Have to emphasize the Henry Ford Museum. My cousin got married there and it was so cool.

Sounds like a pretty steep entrance fee. h34r:

 

[SarahZ]

Michigan doesn’t fit on one hand; you need two - one for each peninsula. [emoji851]