In Michigan what will high gas prices do to summer tourism?

[GKirk]

Living in Michigan everyone talks about going Up North for the weekend.
Will anyone be able to afford that now?

I would normally go up to my summer house every weekend, but now I might cut that down to once a month and I'm thinking about leaving the jet ski in the garage all summer.

This will kill all the small businesses up north.

[etherealtruth]

1. Gas prices certainly will curtail many trips "up north"

Even when I lived on the east coast I vacationed in Northern Michigan every summer (there's nothing like relaxing on "the lake") ... Even driving my very fuel efficient car I can't imagine driving up there more than 3-4 times this summer.

We all know the effect this will have on the northern Michigan economy.

[littlewolf]

2. there was a segment on Today show

about the fuel cost and travel ... they had a family that usually went to FL to
see Grandma over Easter. Not this year .... a lot of folks are changing travel plans ....
I thought about going to MI this year and see some friends and all ...
Not likely ....
we usually go to FL during the summer and see wife's family ....
this year we might go to Myrtle Beach ..... or just go to OBX .....
we live in NC ... so OBX is the nearest ....

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. I think it will balance out

Folks will travel shorter distances, so visitors be from closer locations rather than farther away.

I live in a heavily promoted tourist area, and they predict this years visitors will come from not-so-far away places.

[logosoco]

4. Not visiting MI

but my family and I are going to Virgina Beach and stopping by DC. We live outside of St. Louis. Part of me is watching the gas prices and saying "Are we nuts?" (our annual income is about $34,000). But I really have the desire to take my grandsons there (even though they are only 1 and 3) and I want to take my kids to the ocean once more before it gets messed up like the gulf. We are not doing an extensive trip to DC, mainly just want to see it (perhaps before it, too is too messed up!).
WE will not be spending as much while we are there because of so much of our limited budget going to the oil companies!!!

[ThomWV]

5. Its tough being so broke you can't visit your summer home or use your Jet Ski.

As the man once said, "all I want to do is live in a country where even the poor people are fat."

[cali]

6. what the hell? so the op has a summer house? his point is still

valid.