Lake Superior Circle tour.....lodging ?

[trikerbiker645]

Our group of 6 in late July are taking the Lake Superior Circle tour from Wisconsin counter clockwise and have tentative plans for overnights in or around Ingadine Michigan, then Wawa Ontario then Nipigon Ontario, then Grand Portage, Minnesota, then Duluth Minnesota, then Ashland Wisconsin then home. We have a hotel at the Casino in Grand Portage thus far but don't have any for Canada areas especially or the others. Looks like slim pickings so does anybody who made the tour have recommendations, suggestions? Not campers, roughing it means that they don't have room service, just want clean, non smoking. thanks and safe riding!:dontknow:

 

[ARtraveler]

Our group of 6 in late July are taking the Lake Superior Circle tour from Wisconsin counter clockwise and have tentative plans for overnights in or around Ingadine Michigan, then Wawa Ontario then Nipigon Ontario, then Grand Portage, Minnesota, then Duluth Minnesota, then Ashland Wisconsin then home. We have a hotel at the Casino in Grand Portage thus far but don't have any for Canada areas especially or the others. Looks like slim pickings so does anybody who made the tour have recommendations, suggestions? Not campers, roughing it means that they don't have room service, just want clean, non smoking. thanks and safe riding!:dontknow:

Late July is peak season so its best to make reservations far ahead. I am a former Minnesotan and Wisconsinite. Better pickings in Grand Marais rather than Grand Portage. Quit a few motels all the way down North Shore Drive (Hwy 61). There are good ones and some 60 year old ones. I would stick with the newer ones. Duluth has lots--so should not be an issue. The Hotel Chequamagon in Ashland is 100 years old--but has nice rooms and an onboard restaurant. Also a lot of motels along the road in Ashland. The Expedia site or similar can give you pictures and details with availability and pricing. The Canada/Minnesota side of your ride will be the best as it actually follows the shores of Lake Superior. The Wisconsin/Michigan part is mostly inland.

 

[oldgoat]

Late July is peak season so its best to make reservations far ahead. I am a former Minnesotan and Wisconsinite. Better pickings in Grand Marais rather than Grand Portage. Quit a few motels all the way down North Shore Drive (Hwy 61). There are good ones and some 60 year old ones. I would stick with the newer ones. Duluth has lots--so should not be an issue. . Also a lot of motels along the road in Ashland. The Expedia site or similar can give you pictures and details with availability and pricing. The Canada/Minnesota side of your ride will be the best as it actually follows the shores of Lake Superior. The Wisconsin/Michigan part is mostly inland.

"The Hotel Chequamagon in Ashland is 100 years old--but has nice rooms and an onboard restaurant"


We stayed in this Best Western hotel in '14 for 1 night.. Sorry to say we were most disappointed, especially with the restaurant.

 

[rustynail51]

my wife is from Two Harbors Minnesota lots to see

Some of the things to see keckabeca falls many overlooks very interesting trip on the Canadian side. In Minnesota lots of places to stay along hwy 61 many state parks with hiking access or you can drive in with a park pass. Things to see, Minnesota high falls, split rock lighthouse, gooseberry falls, the ore docks in Two Harbors. Duluth takes a day or two to explore, Glenshen mansion on London Road, the lift bridge and the maritime museum at canal park, enger tower, the transportation museum downtown, the William a. Irwin ore boat, the whaleback museum in Superior, Wisconsin. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[ARtraveler]

"The Hotel Chequamagon in Ashland is 100 years old--but has nice rooms and an onboard restaurant"


We stayed in this Best Western hotel in '14 for 1 night.. Sorry to say we were most disappointed, especially with the restaurant.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience there. We used to eat there at least once a month for fine dining. And, I have been to some very nice places all over the US. There are many alternate places to stay but I thought it worth mentioning.

 

[jsbike]

Michigan Travel

Are you crossing at Sault Ste Marie? Are you doing Lake Michigan shoreline or Lake Superior shoreline? There are no hotels in Engadine.
Superior Shoreline takes some work - Munising probably best area for hotels and restaurants. Lake Michigan side is more populated - hotels after Manistique are few and far between. U.S. 2 is not fun after a while. You can get some ideas from Pure Michigan.

 

[motoswami]

Lodging in Wawa, ON

We use Air BnB whenever it works out. Found a great home in Wawa --
[h=1]WhiskeyJack Ridge B&B[/h]Tamara is the hostess -- great cook, absolutely lovely home, terrific view, easy to find not too far off the main highway.

It's always a pleasure to meet local folk who enjoy hosting folk on the road. You won't go wrong on this one.

Pete

 

[oldgoat]

Some of the things to see keckabeca falls many overlooks very interesting trip on the Canadian side. In Minnesota lots of places to stay along hwy 61 many state parks with hiking access or you can drive in with a park pass. Things to see, Minnesota high falls, split rock lighthouse, gooseberry falls, the ore docks in Two Harbors. Duluth takes a day or two to explore, Glenshen mansion on London Road, the lift bridge and the maritime museum at canal park, enger tower, the transportation museum downtown, the William a. Irwin ore boat, the whaleback museum in Superior, Wisconsin. Hope you have a great trip.

We really enjoyed the Split Rock Lighthouse.

Also consider a tour of the Soo Locks on US side of Sault Ste Marie.

 

[BamaJohn]

Doing the tour in June

Planning now on doing the circle tour in June, leaving from Alabama, and likely crossing the Mackinaw bridge on the way up to a starting point. Haven't yet decided on clockwise or counterclockwise. Also haven't decided whether to ride the F3-S or the BMW RT...but going.

Ride safe,
jb

 

[Trickie Dick]

If you go clockwise, the Lake will be on you right, easier to see, easier to pull on overlooks, etc. just saying.....

 

[rustynail51]

Oh did I mention

In Grand Marais you can get on the Gunflint trail a scenic drive into Superior National forest also if you like riding on roads with lots of twists and turns take Minnesota 1 from Illgen city to Ely. Just be careful of the wild life along the road beautiful drive all the way to Effie, MN.

 

[Joerolwing]

Duluth

My brother and I circled clockwise about three or four years ago. Our highlights: Aerostitch has an outlet in Duluth. They are in the downtown area and not much out of the way. I thought it was well worth it. If in southern Wisconsin, Duluth Trading and their "buck naked" underwear was a nice diversion. I especially enjoyed their plumb bob collection.
There is also a wooden boat school in Grand Marais
we happened upon a Finnish reunion in the Houghton-Hancock in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan with several entertaining musical groups and displays, especially the logging equipment. We didn't find that much of interest between the small Ontario towns. In Canada, we were told to watch out for big trucks and black flies but we were not bothered by either. We came back to Nashville through Michigan and Indiana covering 5 auto museums, GM and Ford in MI, Studebaker, Hudson and Auburn in IN.

 

[MurrayBrown]

Hotel Search/Booking App

Our group of 6 in late July are taking the Lake Superior Circle tour from Wisconsin counter clockwise and have tentative plans for overnights in or around Ingadine Michigan, then Wawa Ontario then Nipigon Ontario, then Grand Portage, Minnesota, then Duluth Minnesota, then Ashland Wisconsin then home. We have a hotel at the Casino in Grand Portage thus far but don't have any for Canada areas especially or the others. Looks like slim pickings so does anybody who made the tour have recommendations, suggestions? Not campers, roughing it means that they don't have room service, just want clean, non smoking. thanks and safe riding!:dontknow:

I use booking.com exclusively. They have daily "deals" and you can see the hotel amenities before hand. Many of the hotels do not require a credit card to hold the space. I have never, ever, been disappointed with any lodging secured with the booking.com app, and that includes travel throughout all of western Canada and Ontario, as well as the northern states from Washington through to Michigan.
As an aside, Duluth is a hot spot of activity for many months, especially in summer. If you can pre-book in advance, you are encouraged to do so.

 

[Questions]

Grand Portage stay on lake superior cirlcle tour

The motel at the grand portage casino is not great but clean and comfortable and food is good and gambling you will loose. We like to stay there. Duluth has many great places just check trivago. I am brand new to the spyder (in fact have pd for mine but I haven't picked it up yet but my wife and I have had many two wheelers and this is one of our favorite trips.