Charlevoix & Petoskey
Petoskey
A walkable bay town for stone hunting, shopping the Gaslight District and riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, with historic Bay View next door.
Getting here · I-75, US-131, US-31, I-96, M-72
Getting here from Detroit
From Detroit, I-75 is the main road north to Gaylord, Petoskey and Mackinaw City, while I-96 leads west to US-31 and the Lake Michigan shore.
From Detroit, the shape of the trip depends on which end of the region you want. For the north, I-75 does most of the work. The Petoskey visitors bureau sends Detroit drivers up I-75 to exit 282 at Gaylord and then west on US-131 into Petoskey. From Petoskey, US-31 continues north toward the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinaw City, and Mackinac State Historic Parks describes I-75 as the main road to the ferry towns of Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.
For Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes, the National Park Service names I-75 and M-72 among the approaches from the south, with M-72 crossing west from Grayling to Traverse City.
For the southern shore, the route bends west instead. The Ludington and Grand Haven visitors bureaus both point Detroit drivers onto I-96 west to US-31, then north to Ludington or south into Grand Haven. Check MDOT’s road closure map before setting out.
The route
- Detroit
- Gaylord
- Petoskey
- Mackinaw City
Map of Getting here from Detroit
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Before you go
- The Petoskey visitors bureau routes Detroit drivers on I-75 to exit 282 at Gaylord, then US-131 to Petoskey.
- Mackinac State Historic Parks calls I-75 the main road to Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, where ferries leave for Mackinac Island.
- For the shore towns, the Ludington and Grand Haven visitors bureaus both start Detroit drivers on I-96 west to US-31.
- MDOT publishes current road closures and construction on its Mi Drive map.
Towns along the way
Mackinac & Straits
Mackinaw City
The base for the Straits, beside the Mackinac Bridge at the tip of the Lower Peninsula, with a reconstructed colonial fort and ferries to Mackinac Island.
Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Traverse City
A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.
Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
Southern Gateway
Grand Haven
A Lake Michigan beach city on the Grand River: a state park beach, a pier walk to two red lights, a riverfront boardwalk and free Musical Fountain shows.
Stops worth making
Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The five-mile suspension bridge that carries I-75 across the Straits of Mackinac between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, open since November 1, 1957.