Randal S. Olson · Optimal road trips
Pure Michigan road trip, optimized
Restored in 2026 with open data. Originally published March 18, 2015. Read the original post . Routes are recomputed on OpenStreetMap, so distances can differ from the original.
Stops 43round trip
Distance 2,117 mi3,407 km
Time driving 47.2 hours2 days nonstop
Legs 43all by road
The original post quoted 2,098 mi and 40 hours.
Take the route with you
Google Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Apple Maps Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Stops in order
1 Ypsilanti 25 mi (40 km), 34 min driving to 2. The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village 2 The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village 13 mi (21 km), 24 min driving to 3. Detroit 3 Detroit 93 mi (150 km), 1 h 50 min driving to 4. Port Sanilac 4 Port Sanilac 89 mi (143 km), 1 h 44 min driving to 5. Flint 5 Flint 23 mi (37 km), 37 min driving to 6. Frankenmuth 6 Frankenmuth 21 mi (34 km), 34 min driving to 7. Bay City 7 Bay City 46 mi (74 km), 1 h 4 min driving to 8. Mt Pleasant 8 Mt Pleasant 106 mi (171 km), 2 h 25 min driving to 9. East Tawas 9 East Tawas 63 mi (102 km), 1 h 28 min driving to 10. Alpena 10 Alpena 71 mi (114 km), 1 h 24 min driving to 11. Gaylord 11 Gaylord 51 mi (82 km), 58 min driving to 12. Cheboygan 12 Cheboygan 17 mi (27 km), 25 min driving to 13. Mackinaw City 13 Mackinaw City 0.4 mi (0.6 km), 2 min driving to 14. Mackinac Island 14 Mackinac Island Reached by road via a separate drive point 7.3 mi away 7.1 mi (11 km), 15 min driving to 15. St Ignace 15 St Ignace 51 mi (83 km), 55 min driving to 16. Sault Ste. Marie 16 Sault Ste. Marie 111 mi (179 km), 2 h 21 min driving to 17. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 17 Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Reached by road via a separate drive point 17 mi away 104 mi (167 km), 2 h 19 min driving to 18. Marquette 18 Marquette 140 mi (225 km), 3 h 15 min driving to 19. Mt Bohemia 19 Mt Bohemia 41 mi (66 km), 1 h 6 min driving to 20. Keweenaw Peninsula 20 Keweenaw Peninsula 165 mi (266 km), 3 h 24 min driving to 21. Escanaba 21 Escanaba 54 mi (87 km), 1 h 8 min driving to 22. Manistique 22 Manistique 127 mi (205 km), 2 h 47 min driving to 23. Harbor Springs 23 Harbor Springs 10 mi (16 km), 19 min driving to 24. Petoskey 24 Petoskey 17 mi (27 km), 26 min driving to 25. Charlevoix 25 Charlevoix 50 mi (80 km), 1 h 13 min driving to 26. Traverse City 26 Traverse City 20 mi (32 km), 35 min driving to 27. Leelanau Peninsula 27 Leelanau Peninsula 24 mi (38 km), 36 min driving to 28. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 28 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 69 mi (111 km), 1 h 40 min driving to 29. Cadillac 29 Cadillac 50 mi (80 km), 1 h 7 min driving to 30. Manistee National Golf & Resort 30 Manistee National Golf & Resort 23 mi (37 km), 34 min driving to 31. Ludington 31 Ludington 48 mi (77 km), 55 min driving to 32. Michigan's Adventure 32 Michigan's Adventure 9.1 mi (15 km), 15 min driving to 33. Muskegon 33 Muskegon 41 mi (67 km), 50 min driving to 34. Grand Rapids 34 Grand Rapids 28 mi (45 km), 38 min driving to 35. Holland 35 Holland 30 mi (48 km), 36 min driving to 36. South Haven 36 South Haven 38 mi (62 km), 1 h driving to 37. Kalamazoo 37 Kalamazoo 26 mi (42 km), 36 min driving to 38. Binder Park Zoo 38 Binder Park Zoo 34 mi (54 km), 48 min driving to 39. Coldwater 39 Coldwater 70 mi (113 km), 1 h 20 min driving to 40. Lansing 40 Lansing 38 mi (61 km), 47 min driving to 41. Jackson 41 Jackson 35 mi (56 km), 54 min driving to 42. Tecumseh 42 Tecumseh 30 mi (49 km), 48 min driving to 43. Ann Arbor 43 Ann Arbor 8.2 mi (13 km), 17 min driving to 1. Ypsilanti