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.
Getting here · US-31, I-96
Getting here from Milwaukee by ferry
Two car ferries cross Lake Michigan from Wisconsin, the Lake Express from Milwaukee to Muskegon and the S.S. Badger from Manitowoc to Ludington.
Travelers coming from Wisconsin can skip the drive around the bottom of Lake Michigan and sail across instead. Two car ferries make the crossing, and both land in the region.
The Lake Express runs between Milwaukee and Muskegon. Its operator describes it as a high-speed catamaran with a drive-through vehicle deck, carrying passengers and their vehicles on daily round trips during the sailing season. The Muskegon terminal is on Lakeshore Drive, and from Muskegon US-31 follows the shore north and I-96 heads inland toward Grand Rapids.
Farther north, the S.S. Badger links Manitowoc, Wisconsin, with Ludington. The 1953 steamship carries passengers along with cars, RVs, motorcycles and trucks, and docks on Maritime Drive in Ludington. Pure Ludington lists the Badger season as mid-May through mid-October. From Ludington, US-31 continues north to Manistee and beyond.
Both ferries are seasonal, running roughly from May into October by their operators’ own schedules. Reservations, sailing times and current details are on each operator’s site.
The route
- Lake Express terminal
- S.S. Badger dock
- Manistee
Map of Getting here from Milwaukee by ferry
3 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Before you go
- Both ferries are seasonal. Lake Express lists sailings from May into October for 2026, and the S.S. Badger lists a May through October season.
- Lake Express carries passengers and vehicles, including motorcycles and towable trailers within its posted size limits.
- The S.S. Badger carries cars, motorcycles, RVs, trailers, buses and commercial trucks.
- Check each operator's site for current schedules and reservations.
Towns along the way
Ludington & Manistee
Manistee
A Lake Michigan port city where the river meets the lake, with a historic downtown riverwalk, three city beaches and a pierhead light to climb in season.
Stops worth making
Attraction
S.S. Badger
A 1953 coal-fired steamship and National Historic Landmark that carries passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.