Chicago skyline rising above Lake Michigan at sunrise.

Lake Michigan · 7–10 days

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Connect shoreline towns, beaches and cities around Lake Michigan.

Photo: NorbertNagel · CC BY-SA 4.0

Chicago Skyline Sunrise March 15 2026 - 02.jpg by NorbertNagel · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Is this the right trip for you?

Why go

Make it your own.

Sugar-sand beaches, towering dunes, cherry country and Door County's harbors — about 1,100 miles linking Chicago, Michigan's sunset coast and Wisconsin's lighthouse shore.

A road trip through Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Route length and duration depend on side trips and pace.

Approx. routeAbout 1,100 miles
Suggested time7–10 days
Good seasonSummer to early fall
When to go

Trace your itinerary

Follow the shoreline.

Loading the map. The links and itinerary below are always available.

Suggested itinerary connections, NOT roads or directions. Gaps are not connected.

9 of 16 stops mapped. 7 remain in the list without a map pin. Unverified locations and precise shipwreck sites are not plotted. Pins are representative locations, not verified entrances.

Black-and-white basemap by OpenStreetMap. Great Lakes highlighted in color. Hold Ctrl (or Command) while scrolling to zoom. Use two fingers on touch screens.

Lake outlines: Natural Earth (public domain). Town centers: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation.

Day by day

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour itinerary.

  1. Day 1

    Chicago's lakefront

    Walk or bike the Lakefront Trail, see the skyline from the water on an architecture cruise, then head east around the lake's southern tip.

    Chicago
  2. Day 2

    Dunes and Harbor Country

    Hike and swim at Indiana Dunes National Park, then cross into Michigan for an evening in New Buffalo.

    Indiana Dunes National Park New Buffalo
  3. Day 3

    Holland to Ludington

    See Holland's red pierhead light, then follow Michigan's sunset coast north to Ludington's beaches.

    Holland Harbor Lighthouse Ludington
  4. Day 4

    Big Sable and Point Betsie

    Walk the sandy path to Big Sable Point, then continue north to Frankfort and the Point Betsie light.

    Big Sable Point Lighthouse Point Betsie Lighthouse
  5. Day 5

    Sleeping Bear Dunes

    Drive the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, try the Dune Climb and finish at Glen Haven or a quiet Leelanau beach.

    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
  6. Day 6

    Traverse City and the peninsulas

    Cherries, wineries and farm stands: Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas both make a fine afternoon drive.

    Traverse City
  7. Day 7

    Petoskey and the Mackinac Bridge

    Hunt for Petoskey stones, cross the five-mile Mackinac Bridge and follow US-2 west along the Upper Peninsula's Lake Michigan shore.

    Petoskey
  8. Days 8–9

    Door County

    Bluffs and bike paths at Peninsula State Park, the Cana Island light and harbor villages on both shores, finishing in Sturgeon Bay.

    Peninsula State Park Cana Island Lighthouse Sturgeon Bay
  9. Day 10

    Wisconsin's shore to Chicago

    Boardwalk dunes at Kohler-Andrae, a Milwaukee lakefront stop and Wind Point's tower near Racine before closing the loop.

    Kohler-Andrae State Park Milwaukee Wind Point Lighthouse
Short on time? With four or five days, choose Michigan's sunset coast from Holland to Traverse City, or ride the S.S. Badger and pair Ludington with Door County.

Where to stay

Good bases.

Great for Beaches & dunes Lighthouses Food, wine & orchards Harbor towns & villages Cities & culture Islands, boats & paddling

Know before you go

Route tips.

  • The S.S. Badger and Lake Express car ferries can split the loop into two shorter halves.
  • Book Traverse City and Door County lodging early for July, fall color and festival weeks.
  • Michigan and Wisconsin state parks require vehicle permits; check national park entrance fees too.
  • Lake Michigan's rip currents are most dangerous on windy, wavy days — read the beach flags.

Stop by stop

The stops that make the journey.

Numbered highlights in route order. Allow your own time at each stop; connecting map lines are illustrative, not roads.

  1. 01
    Chicago

    Start with Chicago's lakefront.

    Illinois · Lake Michigan
  2. 02
    Indiana Dunes National Park

    Dune trails and beaches at the lake's southern tip.

    Indiana · Lake Michigan
  3. 03
    New Buffalo

    Cross into Michigan's Harbor Country.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  4. 04
    Holland Harbor Lighthouse

    Holland's red pierhead light.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  5. 05
    Ludington

    Beach town and home port of the S.S. Badger.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  6. 06
    Big Sable Point Lighthouse

    A sandy walk to the black-and-white tower.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  7. 07
    Point Betsie Lighthouse

    Add a lighthouse stop near Frankfort.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  8. 08
    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

    Scenic drive, Dune Climb and Glen Haven.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  9. 09
    Traverse City

    Continue north toward Grand Traverse Bay.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  10. 10
    Petoskey

    Petoskey stones, then across the Mackinac Bridge.

    Michigan · Lake Michigan
  11. 11
    Peninsula State Park

    Follow US-2 across the Upper Peninsula into Door County.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan
  12. 12
    Cana Island Lighthouse

    Door County's lake-side lighthouse.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan
  13. 13
    Sturgeon Bay

    Shipyards and the maritime museum.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan
  14. 14
    Kohler-Andrae State Park

    Boardwalk dunes south of Sheboygan.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan
  15. 15
    Milwaukee

    Lakefront museums and parks.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan
  16. 16
    Wind Point Lighthouse

    A last tower near Racine before Chicago.

    Wisconsin · Lake Michigan

Route distances and conditions are approximate. Check current road, border-crossing and attraction information before travel.

On the road

Make room for the coast.

Reserve the fixed parts.

Book essential ferry crossings, campsites and popular park parking first. Leave the spaces between them flexible.

Ferry connections

Let weather change the plan.

Keep an inland walk, museum or harbor-town stop in mind for rough-water days. No scenic stop is worth ignoring a closure or warning.

Check official forecasts

Build a personal shortlist.

Save the stops you care about most, then add nearby places. Your list stays in this browser and is easy to revisit.

Open your shortlist