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Next summer (end of July 2012) I'll be attending a wedding in Milwaukee. My wife and I have never been to any of the states up around the Great Lakes and were wondering where our time would be best spent (approx. 10 days). Google maps says its only an 8 hour drive and we were thinking this will be a leisurely drive with an opportunity to visit some places we've never been.

Should we do the drive through Michigan, to see Detroit, then cross into Canada at Windsor or Flint and Port Huron, or stick with the 80 and go through Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo?

Kate Gregory
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The_Buff
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2 Answers2

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Careful here. If Google says "8h drive" this means absolutely no red lights, no traffic jam, going max allowed speed all the time and no pit stops. I would double that for a realistic estimate, or plan 3x as much if you want to stop for roadside attractions every now and then.

I have been to Toronto during winter. The area on the Canadian side is pretty built up with ugly urban sprawl and I didn't like it that much.

I dont know what type of sightseeing you want to do, but the Canadian side of the great lakes seems to be mainly city attractions (skytower, museums etc.), and not much outdoor stuff...

Flimzy
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iHaveacomputer
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If you're thinking about visiting the area surrounding the great lakes I would suggest crossing at Niagara Falls but not spending too much time at the falls themselves. Niagara Falls is somewhat urban but really tacky. I would suggest spending time in Niagara-on-the-Lake which is the centre of wine country in Southern Ontario. There are great hotels, inns, B&Bs as well as theatre and great restaurants. Peller Estates and The Charles Inn are my favourite places for dinner. The wine route winds all the way up to a town called Grimsby just before Hamilton. Stick to the smaller wineries like Thirty Bench, Angels Gate or the underground Megalomaniac http://winecountryontario.ca/ Wineries like Angels Gate or Vineland Estates have a great lunch too.

Since you've got 10 days you can drive to Toronto (2 hours from the border) or if you're really feeling adventurous I highly recommend the Muskoka area in July/August (4.5 hours from the border).

Michael Glenn
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