The Hologlobe Press -- Michigan Travel Tips #46

MICHIGAN TRAVEL TIPS
FROM
THE HOLOGLOBE PRESS
(The 46th Edition)
by
Victor Edward Swanson,
Publisher
www.hologlobepress.com
RULES OF USE

    The reports and stories contained on this Web page have been put together with information taken from "The Victor Swanson Fabulous Files of Places to See in Michigan and Wisconsin" and with information obtained from operators and staffers of tourist attractions and from press releases, Web sites, and other sources. The reports and stories are provided as a public service by Victor Swanson and The Hologlobe Press. Almost all persons and entities, such as staffers of radio stations, may freely use the materials; neither AAA Michigan nor any employee of AAA Michigan may use, distribute, download, transmit, copy, or duplicate any of the material presented on this page in any way or through any means.

- - - Travel Thoughts for Everyone - - -

    In essence, for people who travel on land, Michigan has three international entry points, or Michigan has three cities that can be called international entry points, since the cities are places that offer travel links to Canada. Detroit (of Wayne County of the Lower Peninsula) is one of those three places, and Detroit offers two links to Canada, specifically Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and those two links are the Ambassador Bridge (which was opened up for the first time to official use on November 15, 1929) and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel (which was opened up for the first time on November 3, 1930). Port Huron (of St. Clair County of the Lower Peninsula) is one of the other three links, and, officially, it has two links to Canada, more specifically two links to the Sarnia area of Ontario, Canada, and the two links are the old Blue Water International Bridge and the new Blue Water International Bridge (the first bridge was opened up to two-way traffic on October 10, 1938, and then a second bridge, which was built along side of the first bridge, was officially opened up to traffic on August 5, 1997, the date on which the new bridge began to be used for eastbound traffic and the other of which began to be used for westbound traffic). The other city that has an international link is Sault Ste. Marie (of Chippewa County of the Upper Peninsula), and the link is the International Bridge, which offers access to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, and which was opened up to traffic on October 31, 1962.
    For decades, residents of Michigan and residents of the other states of the United States of America have been lucky because they have been allowed to easily travel back and forth between Michigan and Ontario at the three international entry points by showing, for example, nothing much more than a simple piece of identification, such as a driver's license. Recently--this past January 31--new rules about identification took effect. Now, at the very least, a person must have both a valid driver's license and a birth certificate (which, for Michigan residents, is obtained from the state government) to get through customs stations,, and one reason the driver's license is used is it has a photograph, and instead of both a driver's license and a birth certificate, a person can use an official passport (Vic special note: I am not going to take up the subjects of what identification can be used by a few particular types of peoples, such as Native Americans, as alternative pieces of identification).
    It costs $100.00 for a person who has never had a passport to get a passport (a person who is renewing a passport only has to pay $75.00).
    Eek!
    Recently, I learned through information provided to the public by the State Department of the United States of America that, instead of offering passports, the federal government offers "passport cards" as identification, which can be used instead of a true passport to travel between the United States of America and Canada and between the United States of America and Mexico. I have no intention of ever going to Mexico, but I surely expect to go to Canada again, and I am not thrilled with having to spend about $100.00 to get a passport. So, sometime in the near future, I am going to get a "passport card." The "passport card" will not be issued to residents of the United States of America by the federal government till sometime in the spring, but the passport card can be applied for already. I can report that a passport card costs only $45.00 for adults and $35.00 for children.
    A little over a year ago, I had to get another copy of my birth certificate from the state government of Michigan, and it cost nearly $30.00 to get a copy, and I do not want to travel around with a birth certificate, and I do not recommend you travel around with a birth certificate in your possession, so I recommend, if you go to Detroit or Port Huron or Sault Ste. Marie, you should have a passport card with you so that you can see parts of Canada near those places.
    Here are some reasons for you to see Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan), and they are some of the reasons that I am using to see Sault Ste. Marie this summer. You will find a 1917 stream-powered freighter on display--it is a freighter called "Museum Ship Valley Camp" or, simply, "Valley Camp." A company known as Soo Locks Boat Tours & Dinner Cruises provides dinner cruises in the area, such as on the St. Mary's River, and Sault Ste. Marie is where you will find the River of History Museum and the Tower of History. And you might want to see such buildings as the Ermatinger Old Stone House and The John Johnston and Henry Schoolcraft Houses, and some of the buildings of Lake Superior State University were once a part of old Fort Brady.
    Once you get to Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan), plan to cross to International Bridge and see some things in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, and here are some of the things that can be seen. The Art Gallery of Algoma, which is at 10 East Street, was opened in 1976, and it is open most days of the year. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre is also in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and it is open most days of the year, and it is at 50 Pim Street, and it has a lot of planes for visitors to see, some of which are a Beech 18, a Grumman CS2F Tracker, and a Republic RC-3 SeaBee (in fact, there are eighteen planes in the collection). Another place to see is the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, which is open most days of the year, and it is at 690 Queen Street (East), and on the first floor of the museum is the Military Gallery and the Durham Gallery, and on the second floor is the "Discovery Gallery," which is for children, and there are other galleries, some of which are on the third floor.
    Port Huron, which is in what is informally called the "Blue Water area," has a number of things for vacationers to see. One of the most well-known places to see is the Thomas Edison Depot Museum. And another place to go that has "Thomas Edison" in the title is The Thomas Edison River Walk, which is a walking trail near the two "Blue Water" bridges. Given what you have read in this paragraph so far, you should not be surprised, it seems to me, to known Port Huron has a statue of Thomas Edison to see. Remember: Thomas Edison is credited with having invented the incandescent light bulb.
    In the Sarnia area, which is at the eastern ends of the Blue Water International Bridges, you will find a number of things to see. The Sarina Historical Museum is at 137 Davis Street, and, generally speaking, it is open during the summer-tourist season, but it can be seen by someone who makes an appointment ahead of time to see it. The Sarnia Flea Market, which is at 100 Christina Street, is open on weekends throughout the year. And somewhat near the Sarina Flea Market is the Stones 'N Bones Museum, which is at 223 Christina Street, and, as a rule, it is open most days from February 1 to December 31 of each year. And the Children's Animal Farm is open most days of the year and is at 1200 Lake Chipican Drive.
    Detroit has much for visitors to see. Not far from the campus of Wayne State University is the Motown Historical Museum, and it is also not far from the famous Fisher Building, the peak of which is lighted at night and is called the "golden tower." (In the mid-1970s, when the building for the museum was not yet a museum and was yet somewhat being used to make records, I was given a special tour of the building, and, today, the building has much more to see related to Motown Records than it did when I was there.) Detroit has two more music-themed museums--the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Graystone International Jazz Museum (or, simply, the Graystone Museum).
    Windsor has more than what a person could see in one day, as is true for Detroit and especially for the Detroit area. A person who goes to 930 Marion Venue (in Windsor) will find the Canada South Science City. The Serbian Heritage Museum, which is open only on weekdays from noon to 4:00 p.m., is at 6770 Tecumseh Road (East). The Windsor Woodcarving Museum is at 850 Ouellette Avenue. And Windsor's Community Museum is at 354 Pitt Street (West).
    Besides places to see in Sault Ste. Marie (Michigan), Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario), Port Huron (Michigan), Sarnia (Ontario), Detroit (Michigan), and Windsor (Ontario), there are places near each place. For example, if you were to go to Windsor, you might drive down to Amherstberg (Ontario) to see Fort Malden National Historic Site of Canada. Also, for instance, if you were to go to Detroit and the Detroit area, you might bicycle on the Hines Drive Trail System, which, in essence, exists between Dearborn and Novi (of Wayne County).

    Your travel tips of Michigan in this edition of Michigan Travel Tips are:
    Detroit, Wayne County, the Lower Peninsula -- for the Graystone International Jazz Museum (or the Graystone Museum), the International Gospel Museum Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Motown Historical Museum.
    Port Huron, St. Clair County, the Lower Peninsula -- for the Thomas Edison Depot Museum and the Thomas Edison River Walk.
    Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, the Upper Peninsula -- for the Ermatinger Old Stone House, The John Johnston and Henry Schoolcraft Houses, Lake Superior State University (buildings of Fort Brady), the Museum Ship Valley Camp (or, simply, Valley Camp), River of History Museum, Soo Locks Boat Tours & Dinner Cruises, and the Tower of History.
    Your travel tips of Ontario (Canada) are:
    Sarnia, Ontario, Canada -- for the Children's Animal Farm, the Sarina Flea Market, the Sarina Historical Museum, and the Stones 'N Bones Museum.
    Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada -- for the Art Gallery of Algoma, the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, and the Sault Ste. Marie Museum.
    Windsor, Ontario, Canada -- for the Canada South Science City, the Serbian Heritage Museum, the Windsor Woodcarving Museum, and Windsor's Community Museum.

- - - Public Service Copy for Broadcasters (four pieces) - - -

Number One:
    Since Michigan is close to Canada, and, in fact, three places
of the state are international entry points with Canada, it is not
uncommon for Michiganians to take trips to Canada, such as to go
to restaurants. For example, Michiganians regularly visit Sault Ste.
Marie, Sarnia, and Windsor of Ontario, Canada. On January 31,
2008, new rules about crossing from Michigan to Canada and from
Canada to Michigan took effect, and the rules deal with identification.
For instance, to pass between the U.S. and Canada, a person should
have a passport, which can cost $100 for adults or some other
acceptable substitute identification, such as both a valid driver's license
and a birth certificate. Today, instead applying for a passport from
the U.S. government, a U.S. citizen can apply for a "passport card,"
which will cost only $45. Keep that card in mind, and enjoy your
safe traveling between Michigan and Canada.
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Number Two:
    By the time the summer tourist season comes, a person of Michigan
who wishes to go to Canada on trips will be able to carry a "passport
card" instead of a true "passport" so that the person pass easily
between Canada and Michigan--particularly in the Detroit/Windsor
area, the Port Huron/Sarnia area, or the Sault Ste. Marie area. If a
person were at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan--maybe touring such
places as the River of History Museum or the museum ship called
Valley Camp--the person could cross the International Bridge, enter
Sault Ste. Marie of Canada, and see such things as the Sault Ste.
Marie Museum and The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, which
is open most days of the year and, for example, has a collection of
eighteen airplanes. A passport card will cost only $45. Today, a
true passport costs $100. This summer, consider having a passport
card, and enjoy your safe traveling in Michigan and Canada.
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Number Three:
    One of the main reasons people visit Port Huron is to learn more
about Thomas Edison--the well-known inventor of the late 1800s
and early 1900s. For example, people go to the Thomas Edison
Depot Museum, which has artifacts and other materials related to
Thomas Edison, and when people are at Port Huron, they might
walk The Thomas Edision River Walk and stand by the tall statue of
Thomas Edition. This summer, some people who have the proper
identification, such as a "passport card," will probably cross over the
new Blue Water International Bridge to see things in the Sarnia area
of Ontario, Canada. In Sarnia proper, there is the Sarina Historical
Museum, which is open for regular visits during the summer-tourist
season. In addition, Sarnia has the Sarnia Flea Market and the
Stones 'N Bones Museum. No matter where you go in Sarnia or
Port Huron, go buckled up and enjoy your safe traveling.
                                                    ###
Number Four:
    Every day, people use the Detroit-Winsor Tunnel and the
Ambassador Bridge to travel between Detroit, Michigan, and
Windsor, Ontario, Canada. By the way, people are working on
plans to put up another bridge between Detroit and Windsor in the
somewhat near future. A good reason for Michiganians to go to
Windsor is to see the tourist attractions, such as the Windsor
Woodcarving Museum, Windsor's Community Museum, and the
Serbian Heritage Museum. Canadians who head to Michigan--and
particularly Detroit--could be heading to the International Gospel
Museum Hall of Fame, the Graystone International Jazz Museum,
or the Motown Historical Museum. The publisher of The Hologlobe
Press urges you get a "passport card" soon so that you can get to
Windsor easily this year. The card will cost only $45. Remember:
A trip to Detroit could include a visit to Windsor, too. Buckle up,
and enjoy your safe traveling!
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- - - Contact Information - - -

The Hologlobe Press
Postal Box 20551
Ferndale, Michigan 48220-0551
The United States of America
copyright c. 2008
File date: 10 February 2008
To see the next edition of Michigan Travel Tips,
    click on: Travel #47.
To see the previous edition of Michigan Travel Tips,
    click on: Travel #45.
To see the catalog page for Michigan Travel Tips,
    click on: Travel.
To go to the main page of The Hologlobe Press,
    click on: www.hologlobepress.com.

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