We spent $374 to take a ferry across Lake Michigan with our car. The journey was nice, but I'll do things differently next time.

• My family and I spent astir $750 to return a roundtrip ferry crossed Lake Michigan.
• We took our car connected nan ferry, which accounted for nan mostly of our expenses.
• The travel was relaxing, but adjacent time, I'll rent a car astatine our destination.

As 1 of nan most populous cities successful nan US, Chicago has immoderate beautiful unspeakable traffic. However, I person to brave it respective times a twelvemonth erstwhile walking betwixt Wisconsin and Michigan for activity and family events.

By nan clip I scope my destination, I usually person a migraine, my kids person mobility sickness, and my hubby is crabby and exhausted.

So, erstwhile I recovered retired we could return nan Lake Express from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan, pinch our car and wholly debar walking done Chicago, I was thrilled.

Over nan summer, my family gave nan ferry a try. Here's what our acquisition was like.

We booked our tickets successful beforehand and took advantage of a fewer discounts

I purchased our tickets a fewer days successful beforehand and utilized a college-student discount since I was taking a graduate-school course. We besides saved almost $200 pinch a summertime "kids thrust free" promotion.

After these discounts, we only spent $187 each measurement for nan 4 of us.

However, connected each limb of nan trip, we besides had to salary $72 for port, security, and substance fees, and bringing our car costs america $115 each way. In total, we spent $748 roundtrip.

We boarded nan ferry pinch our car

For our departure, we arrived astatine nan terminal half an hr early and waited successful a statement of cars until it was clip to board.

Driving onto nan ferry was easy, but parking required guidance since nan cars were packed successful for illustration sardines. Thankfully, nan Lake Express labor eased america into our abstraction pinch manus signals.

The ferry was overmuch much comfortable than driving

I was pleased to find tons of comfy cushioned seating connected nan Lake Express, moreover successful nan astir basal cabin. My kids emotion coloring, paper games, and messy snacks, and I for illustration to crochet, truthful we grabbed a ample array pinch aisle access.

My hubby and I didn't battalion capable snacks for ourselves, but thankfully, location were plentifulness to acquisition astatine nan onboard café. Its paper included sandwiches, salads, coffee, and moreover beers by Bell's Brewery and Milwaukee Brewing Co.

The travel wasn't stress-free, but nan views made up for it

Throughout nan mostly of nan voyage, my accent melted away. Despite mean winds, nan rooftop deck's gorgeous views of nan entity and shoreline were a treat. Sailboats, lighthouses, waterfowl, and different surprises delighted my kids passim nan ride.

However, nan deboarding process was stressful. Because nan cars were parked truthful adjacent together, we recovered it tricky to maneuver retired of our space. Plus, stepping betwixt nan cars required immoderate insignificant acrobatics.

However, dealing pinch these insignificant inconveniences was still amended than driving done Chicago. Next clip we take nan ferry, though, we'll get personification else's car astatine our destination aliases rent 1 astatine nan terminal.

After all, nan conveyance fees were nan astir costly portion our booking and leaving our car astatine location could've saved america hundreds of dollars.