Long trip questions

Originally posted by jato You can spend a lot of time in the mitten (Michigan) locating and exploring the 129+ lighthouses along Michigan's shorelines.  One that we have enjoyed bicycling to in the UP of Michigan is the Seul Choix lighthouse on Lake Michigan, it is east of Manistique near a town called Gulliver along US-2 and then south on a dirt road maybe 6 miles or so, pretty neat.

Every Michigan state park that I have visited was outstanding.  Clean and well kept.  Reasonsble rules and nice camp hosts.  I love camping in Michigan!

I will suggest, and it came from another member, Roadtrppiers.com

Thanks for the great advice everyone. Took first trip of the season this past weekend and had the US map out plotting points of interest while relaxing in the pod. While explore the various apps for sure. Don't know if we can wait that long to take this super trip!!   

Mark I have to give a +1 to CharlieM advice to you. Remember this you'll be retired when you take your trip so as they say plan on "smelling the roses" on your way out west. Which is exactly what I will do when we head out to Colorado and Wyoming this summer and return through the upper mid west and into PA before making our way back home to NC. I'm only about nine years older then you but I find that at most all I want to do is pull my Pod for five to six hours a day so I plan my trip accordingly. If you get someplace you really like then stay and extra day! There is no sense in beating yourself and your spouse to death hammering down the road just to get to someplace if you don't have to, hmmm? Most of the time I think of where I might be two to three days out from where I'm camping and make reservations accordingly. As in my recent trip to Edisto Island in SC I mixed it up between State and private campgrounds. Just kind of go with the flow and you'll have a much more enjoyable trip! 

Originally posted by Richand Cindy We saved our big trips for now that we are retired. A  three day drive to a destination no longer exists.  We research places to see on the way and stop over.  Thus a three day drive can take six days.  We use Roadtripper to map out our trips.  Roadtripper list off the beaten path places to see.  Roadside America is another source for unique stops.  We have found that there are many places to stop and sightsee and actually there are too many.  We aim for driving 4 hours (250 miles) on our trip planner.  And if there are no sights to see within 250 miles of our itinerary we will stop for a just a night.  We have not had to stop yet at a Walmart or equivalent.  We joined Harvest Hosts and stop at wineries. farms, museums etc for a night.  We prefer it to Walmart.  We also do most of our bigger travels during "shoulder" season June and Sept so no problem making a reservation a day before.  But we use private campgrounds (we try to use 50% off ones that accept Passport America) and not public parks. So far it is working nicely, but it is pricey doing it this way