I'm spending a week in Tawas City, Mi - what should I see/do near there?

August 10, 2009 3:59 PM

At the end of the month, I'm traveling to Tawas City, Michigan to meet some family. I've never been to Michigan before. I'm hoping some recommendations can be made on local, "must-see" places to hit up. I'm most interested in natural beauty, biking, fishing, and food. Any advice is appreciated!
posted by mikeo2 to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Here's the Things to Do and See page from the Tawas City Chamber of Commerce. Blues by the Bay music festival runs the last weekend in August. As far as natural beauty, Huron National Forest is right there.

For more specific locations, you might want to check on geocaches in that area. Even if you're not into geocaching per se, the caches are often located at spots worth seeing.
posted by paulg at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2009

Tawas City is a typical downtrotten beach town. There isn't much to do other than sit at the beach (there may be a mini-golf place, but it may have gotten torn down?) and drink beer, oh and go to Dairy Queen.

How long are you staying? How are you getting to Tawas?

The more outdoorsy stuff is more in the center of the upper part of the L.P. and on the Lake Michigan side. The Huron side, IMHO (of 30 years of going there in the summertime), leaves a lot to be desired.
posted by k8t at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2009 [1 favorite]

Oh, and just to beat up Tawas City more, cell coverage is quite spotty up there, or at least that was the case in late June 2009.
posted by k8t at 4:44 PM on August 10, 2009

drive over to grayling or roscommon, and rent a canoe. the north michigan experience can be best had floating down the south branch of the au sable river. pack a lunch, bring swimsuits. excellent fishing, but dry flies only.
posted by lester at 5:05 PM on August 10, 2009

On a weekday, at dawn, go to Iargo Springs, bring your peace, your introspection, your eyes, your ears, and your camera....

Walk down the 300 steps from the ridge to the springs along the banks of the Ausable...sit, and think...

This was considered a holy spot by native americans.....

Do NOT go during the day, on the weekend, when there are a crap load of idiots there that just.don't.get.it!

The Ausable is great to canoe, but you need to go upstream to grayling, close to Tawas and Oscoda it is one pond/dam after another, a lot of paddle time....
posted by HuronBob at 5:36 PM on August 10, 2009

Take your family to Frankenmuth and eat @ Zender's. Oh... so, so good. You will come out with your belt entirely loosened LOL..
posted by mittenbex at 5:12 PM on August 11, 2009