Holiday Road Trip Suggestions in Michigan
If looking for a holiday road trip to take with the family, consider a few spots in Michigan where the scenery is beautiful, the hit to the credit card is low, and the impact on the temperament is dramatic. As the economic climate continues to decline and the pressures are building as the holidays approach to meet the budget necessary to sustain the typical holiday traditions without maxing out the credit cards, a family car trip may be just the thing to relieve tension and put everyone into a warmer holiday mood.
The most important element of my suggestion for a holiday day trip is to plan locations that fit the holiday theme, but do not even require exiting the vehicle. A driving trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan is always a holiday favorite, as the city itself prides on sustaining the Christmas holiday throughout the year. Boasting the largest holiday Christmas shop in the world, and “world famous” family style chicken restaurant, I never find it necessary to even walk the shops down main street. Simply stopping for a meal and driving around the city is relaxing enough to put me in the mood for the holiday, and relieve the stress associated with credit card bills and shopping for the “perfect” gift.
Another favorite option is to take advantage of the increasing number of large scale holiday light displays, set up outdoors specifically for drive through enjoyment. Many of the light displays local to Detroit area include narration of the displays over a particular radio dial frequency and encourage interaction with the children in the car to bring them into the spirit of the holiday. Some are religious, others are more secular, the best part is you are warm and dry inside your car with your family. No standing outside in the sleet waiting for tickets for an event, or waiting for the Polar Express to arrive. Simply driving through the season’s beauty with the family is gift enough.
A simple drive to and through Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan, will take the family back to the old days of holiday tradition. Again, it’s the drive with the family that always brings back memories of my childhood trips with the family around the holidays. It didn’t matter where we went or what we did, it was the car ride that I always remember with such warm fondness. There are no interruptions with a car ride. No immediate distractions. Just you and your family enjoying some time together, and looking forward to a common destination.
The car trips is what the memories are made of.

