How's Michigan?

[LBTRS]

Hello,



Work has me transfering in March 2003 and I've picked Michigan out of my list of choices (NYC, Buffalo, Atlanta, Philly, Boston, Nashville, Houston, San Antonio, San Francisco, Montgomery, Indianapolis, Michigan). I'm told I'll be in the Traverse City/Gaylord area. My questions are, what are the good bad points of Michigan? What's the cost of living? How urban is the Traverse City area, is it a small town or a large city? It is not too late to change my choice so I'd appreciate any information about the area. My reason for picking Michigan is that I like to hunt, fish, boat and like the outdoors (I'm from Idaho) and prefer a rural area to a urban area.



Thanks for the help.

 

[bighammer]

Like it

C'mon up and set a spell. I am halfway out the Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City. I have only been here 2 years, but finding my place here. PM me, or look me up in the travel companion and give me a call. It's pretty nice here.



Hunting, fishing, and boating are all excellent here. There is a good bit of state land and rural stuff inland. Not quite as much wide open space as ID, but plenty of room to play. Waterfront property is outrageously expensive esp close to TC, but a chunk of property can still be bought inland for a more reasonable price. (again, prob not like ID)



There are a bunch of nice inland lakes as well as Lake Michigan.



Downside, tourists. Because it's such wonderful spot, the population balooons with the seasons. In spring, the part-timers return in spring from their warmer refuge. Then later, the tourist season picks up and at the height of Cherry Festival, the town is packed. We all breathe a sigh of relief after Labor Day and know that after one last blast at fall color peak, we can enjoy our little town again.



The effect is not so prononced on more rural areas.



Give me a call, come for a visit, whatever.

 

[me4osu]

If you are tired of snow...

Make Houston or San Antonio your choice. It is rather warm here in the summer, but a friend of mine (from Traverse City) really liked the fact that he could golf year round.



The only problem is the hunting. Most of the rich guys buy the regular folks off of any good leases, and the state does not have a great deal of public hunting land.



The fishing is great though. Freshwater and Saltwater, year-round. Resident license for everything : $59. 00.

 

[DGFoster]

Nothing like northern Michigan in the summer,you will love it

 

[dremelts]

Michigan is a true four-season state. In the TC area you will get real cold winters and lots of snow for skiing and snowmobiling. Absolutely gorgeous springs when everything is budding and turning green again. Hot (sometimes really hot and humid) summers but that will be moderated somewhat by the prevailing westerly breezes coming off Lake Michigan. And spectacular fall colors. Each season has its own special advantages, although the weather can be very changeable.



One thing that the others haven't mentioned (yet) is the mosquitos and flies - they can get quite bad, but we had a really cold and long spring this year and the early crop of mosquitos did not materialize.



Traverse City is a basically a small town whose population quadruples in the summer, and you'll even experience traffic jams on the main drag thru town. It does have a mall though - probably the northernmost mall in Michigan.



Outside of the main resort towns (TC, Charlevoix, Petoskey, Mackinaw City) you will find things very quite and peaceful - lots of State/National Forests for recreation. Once you cross "the bridge" into the upper peninsula you are in another world - that's where you go when you really want to get away from it all. Whenever we want a really, truely relaxing vacation we always head north and if I had the opportunity to transfer to the TC area I would be there (if I could convince my wife to move away from our families and that new grandson of ours).



Come on over - you'll love it.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Ray,



So you like to hunt, fish, and boat eh? We have loads and loads of State land, that is not over populated in northern Michigan, espeicially in the U. P. (which is only a couple hour drive from T. C. )

The people are very freindly there, more so than down state where I live, (however, I do have a place in Northeast MI).



If you have a dirt bike or 4-wheeler or horses, there's plenty of places to ride, and get lost, if you chose. T. C. is in the snowbelt, and you WILL get hammered in the winter, 'cause of the lake effect, so I'm sure a sled will be on yer list of NEEDS, which, the north caters to snowmobilers so it's a good thing.



Fishing lakes are stones throw from anywhere up there, from panfish to Muskie to Salmon, and everything in between, from small lakes in canoe, to the great lakes and a charter, whatever you want.



Hunting is real good in the northern lower penninsula, but for a true hunting expeirience, you gotta try the U. P. The deer aren't as plentiful, but you really can escape the real world fer a while there, and there's Wolves, Bears, Eagles, Otters, and loads of other critters that are not common south of the bridge. The terrain in the U. P. can be rugged, but absolutly beautiful, any time of year.



Anyway I can go on and on, I love it here, for ALL the seasons, I wouldn't leave this state for anything! (except, I would like to move north, damn job )



Hope this helps you make up your mind, if I discouraged ya oppps, I didn't mean to. Good luck!



Later, Rob

 

[klenger]

I'm kind of curious where you go salt water fishing in Michigan.



I grew up in Grand Rapids, and spent most of my summers on Lake Michigan at Port Sheldon (between Holand and Grand Haven). I moved to Colorado 26 years ago, and don't want to move east again. Looking at moving to Tucson now.



Good luck

 

[Rob Thomas]

Originally posted by klenger

I'm kind of curious where you go salt water fishing in Michigan.

Who said "salt water fishing"?



Later, Rob

 

[me4osu]

I did

And I was talking about TEXAS!

 

[illflem]

Ray, I've never lived in any of the places on your list but have visited them all. Michigan would definitely be my first choice with Nashville second.

 

[Wolfgang]

I spent a year working in Detroit after spending my whole life in the west. I was really glad to get back to the Sierra's. If you are from Idaho originally you are going to be in for something of a culture shock. Didn't spend much time up in TC but "I am sure it is better than Detroit. Be prepared for humidity also.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Wolfgang,



You can't compare Detoilet with northern MI. , two different places, he!!, two different planets!! Ray, don't let Detoilet scare ya', it's a looooooooong way from TC!



Later, Rob

 

[Doc Tinker]

No No No - TC is NOT another Detroit!



Buy yourself a snowmobile for the winter, Ray. You'll love it!



TC has enough civilization that you won't miss out on any of the big town stuff. Drive five miles and you'll be in the woods. Best of both worlds.



Doc

 

[bighammer]

Being surrounded by water, we get cooler summer temps and warmer winter temps. (until it freezes) Our winter is just a bit longer.

 

[Briar Hopper]

Can't go wrong with either Michigan, or Tennessee. Nashville has Percy Priest Lake, you can pull in largemouth bass all day and all night. Also, Reelfoot Lake to the western part of the state is great. To the east of Nashville, you have the Great Smoky Mountains, world class fishing & hunting in the mountains of North Carolina, the trout streams high up in the mountains are making my mouth water even now, just thinking about it.

But Michigan? Wow. You won't be disappointed by Michigan. And some of my best friends live there. Shhh, Don't tell anybody, I don't want it overrun before I get up there on vacation.

 

[klenger]

"The fishing is great though. Freshwater and Saltwater, year-round. Resident license for everything "



Glad we got that cleared up. My bad.



Ken

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Michigan's ok, I would prefer to be living out west somewhere but it'll do for now (both my wifes and my families are in the area). Hunting is great here and a huge percentage of the population does so, heck the state nearly shuts down from Nov 15th-30th for gun deer season. One bit of warning on the fishing though, there are high levels of PCB's in the water here and you are only supposed to eat one serving of Michigan white fish per year. Myself - anything that I can only eat once I year I don't want to touch!! If you're a catch and release fisherman no biggie. Just thought I'd warn you about it. BTW, the TVC area is beautiful and only a stones throw from the UP - where I'll be vacationing for a week and half starting next saturday .



The great news is you'll be in the heartland of the most active TDR chapter in the country - the GLTDR!!!