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Most Michigan getaways involve a lot of highway, but this one starts with a boat ride.
The SS Badger gets you across Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc in about four hours.
You can take your car across with you, but you may not need it.
The Badger’s new passenger-only Great Lakes Getaway Deal drops you in a walkable waterfront town where restaurants, breweries, museums, shops, and lakefront attractions are a short walk from the dock.
This is the Badger’s passenger-only deal.
Round-trip tickets are $112 per adult, and up to two kids ages 5-15 ride free with each paying adult.
Details: Leave the car behind and complete your trip within three days.
(For us, that meant crossing Lake Michigan, spending a long weekend in Wisconsin, and paying $224 instead of $620 for our family of five.)
You’ll need to call 1-800-841-4243 to snag this deal since it can’t be booked online.
Our family tried out this trip over Memorial Day Weekend and it was amazing. Between the lake views, the onboard activities, the good food, and four hours where nobody asked, “Are we there yet?”, the trip across Lake Michigan felt more like a mini cruise than a ferry ride.
As the last coal-fired passenger steamship operating in the United States, there is genuinely nothing else like the Badger on the Great Lakes. (It’s a National Historic Landmark!) We can tell you with absolute certainty, it’s something to be experienced.
We left our minivan in Ludington, arrived in Manitowoc, and spent the weekend exploring on foot. We crossed the drawbridge, checked out attractions, grabbed good food, and wandered along the lakefront.
By the end of the weekend, I wasn’t missing the minivan at all.
Four hours might sound like a long time on a boat. It didn’t feel that way. Let me give you a little tour of the things to do on the boat:
Outdoor Decks:
You might want to watch the boat pull off, and the outdoor decks are a great place to do that.
For my kids, the main event was “World Famous Badger Bingo.”
The Gallery was packed with people of all ages playing along while the callers mixed number calling with trivia, corny dad jokes, random chit chat and light-hearted teasing. My kids never moved from their spots at their table (except to get food – more on that later).
The rest of the ship gives you plenty more options, too.
You can bring a water bottle and some pre-packaged snacks on board, but honestly, half the fun is eating your way across Lake Michigan.
Nobody in our family went hungry on this boat.
Between the pizza, popcorn, cheese curds, Dippin’ Dots, hot meals, snacks, and desserts, there is something to satisfy every appetite.
Water is always free, just ask for a cup.
My kids’ favorite discovery? About an hour before arriving in port, leftover hot food and popcorn gets marked down to $1. There are no guarantees on what will be up for grabs, but at a buck, it’s fun.
Heads Up: No coolers allowed on passenger decks – if you bring one, it has to stay in your car.
There is a super cool feature on the SS Badger: private staterooms!
They’re small in size and just the ticket if you want some quiet time or have little ones that do better with their own place to nap.
Each room has a regular bed, a Murphy bed, a tiny bathroom, a sink, and a power outlet. (Note: 2-prong only.)
If you don’t need the second bed, fold it up and you’ve got a little desk area instead.
For a daytime crossing like the Great Lakes Getaway, most people probably won’t need a stateroom. But I can definitely see the appeal if you’re traveling with young kids or taking one of the overnight sailings.
Boarding the SS Badger is super easy.
The ship leaves Ludington at 9 AM. Parking is free, and there are plenty of spaces. (Plan to arrive about 45 minutes early, or a little earlier if you’re bringing bikes.)
After a quick security check, you can load larger luggage onto a cart and keep a backpack or bag with anything you’ll want during the crossing. Then it’s up the gangway, a quick ticket scan, and you’re aboard.
Getting off is just as simple.
Grab your belongings, follow the line off the ship, and pick up any checked luggage on your way out.
Since we left our van in Ludington, we were off the boat and exploring Manitowoc within minutes.
FYI: The ship is wheelchair accessible (there is a chairlift to transport wheelchairs and passengers needing assistance), and we saw plenty of families with strollers, too.
A few things we learned along the way:
Just like traveling by plane, if you’re spending the night in Wisconsin, you’ll want a carry-on bag for the ship that’s separate from your main luggage.
Bring sunscreen and an extra layer for the open deck.
And if you’re prone to motion sickness, it’s worth coming prepared. Our crossing was smooth, but the lake doesn’t always cooperate.
We didn’t need Dramamine, but they sell it in the gift shop if you need it. They’ll also give you free ginger ale on board if you ask.
Leave the cooler at home.
On Time Zones
Season: May 15 – October 11, 2026
Daily Sailing
Ludington → Manitowoc
9 AM (EST) → 12 PM (CST)
Manitowoc → Ludington
2 PM (CST) → 7 PM (EST)
Overnight Sailings
Available June 19 – September 7, 2026
• Depart Ludington: 8:45 PM (EST) → Arrive Manitowoc: 11:45 PM (CST)
• Depart Manitowoc: 1:30 AM (CST) → Arrive Ludington: 6:30 AM (EST)
And don’t forget about the The Great Lake Getaway package: 37% off round-trip passenger fare, two kids free per adult, bikes allowed, must be booked by phone. Call 1-800-841-4243.
Check the Badger website for current fares and schedule updates.
If sailing the Badger sounds like fun, but you want to stay in Michigan, a Shoreline Cruise may be just the thing for you.
On select days this summer (four in Ludington and four in Manitowoc), the SS Badger will cruise along the shoreline for two hours so you can experience the best of the Badger. This is PERFECT for a unique summer date night!
While onboard a Shoreline Cruise, you can enjoy bar service, the gift shop, museum, and lounge indoors or out. Tickets include food and live entertainment and a cash bar is available.
You can even enjoy the SS Badger without going anywhere on a dockside event!
Open Boat Night lets you go aboard and explore the ship and enjoy live entertainment. The gift shop, concessions and bar will also be open. $10 / person
Friday, June 5 at 8 PM
Murder Mystery Night adds a fun twist to the evening. See if you can solve the mystery!
Scheduled in spring and fall – check website for details
Pilot House and Engine Room Tours: Get a behind the scenes look at how the SS Badger Ferry works.
In the Pilot House, you’ll learn about the history of the SS Badger and how it’s steered and sailed.
Go into the bowels of the ship and see the engine room. Learn about how the last remaining coal-powered car ferry operates.
Scheduled in spring and fall – check website for details
The SS Badger is one of the most recognizable ships on the Great Lakes and a floating piece of history.
Built in 1952, the Badger originally hauled railroad cars across Lake Michigan. Today, it’s the last coal-fired passenger steamship operating in the United States and a designated National Historic Landmark.
At 410 feet long, it’s also the largest car ferry ever built for the Great Lakes, carrying up to 600 passengers and 180 vehicles.
There was a stretch of time when it looked like the Badger’s days were over. After rail traffic declined, the ship sat docked for years before Ludington native Charles Conrad stepped in, restored the vessel, and brought it back as a passenger and vehicle ferry.
Now, more than 70 years after her first voyage, the Badger is still making daily crossings between Michigan and Wisconsin.
After four hours on the water, the SS Badger pulls into Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a friendly lakeshore town with a surprising amount packed into a relatively small area.
Manitowoc is like Holland if all of 8th St was right on the coast. It’s small enough that you can walk to most of the best things to do, but big enough to have a real downtown and a genuinely good museum.
The city has deep maritime roots, including the Smithsonian-affiliated Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the USS Cobia, a fully restored World War II submarine.
Beyond that, you’ll find waterfront trails, restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and plenty of spots to wander.
Fun fact: Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is 80 miles north of Milwaukee, almost directly across Lake Michigan from Ludington. In fact, the SS Badger follows US-10 across Lake Michigan to connect the two ports, making it the only highway that goes over water.
It’s about a 10 minute walk from the dock to downtown.
The Badger may be the reason you come to Ludington, but the town is worth exploring in its own right.
We spent a extra time here before and after our crossing and had no trouble filling the time.
Between the beaches, downtown shops, waterfront sunsets, and miles of trails at Ludington State Park, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
Start your day with a hike out to Big Sable Point Lighthouse. Then grab burgers at Stix and go bowling at the adjacent Park Lanes. Finish the evening with ice cream from House of Flavors.
If you’re taking the Badger, consider adding an extra day or two in Ludington. It was the perfect way to extend our adventure before and after the journey across Lake Michigan.
Yes, the SS Badger still burns coal, and the resulting ash is captured and removed from the ship via a unique onboard conveyor system.
We think so – especially if you take advantage of the Great Lakes Getaway.
Whether it’s “worth it” depends on your priorities, but for most travelers, it’s a highly recommended, relaxing, and nostalgic travel experience.
The 410 ft SS Badger can accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, motor coaches, and commercial trucks.
Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online or by calling 800-841-4243.
Changes to reserved tickets may be made up to time of the departure for no fee. (Tickets can not be changed to the following year. They have to be used within the same season).
Reserved tickets cancelled prior to the reserved departure time are refundable minus cancellation fees.
The car deck is not accessible during the crossing due to safety and security regulations.
No, it does not. Passenger fares and vehicle fares are separate from one another.
Plan to arrive at the dock one hour prior to departure for ticketing and boarding.
Reservations are only held until 30 minutes prior to departure. After that, the SS Badger may start taking Standby reservations.
The S.S. Badger has ample space for large vehicles such as RVs, trailers, buses, semi-trucks, and oversized loads.
A handicap-accessible restroom is available onboard the ship. The Movie Lounge and Badger boutique are wheelchair accessible from the port-side passageway.
There are free wheelchairs available for use onboard (first-come, first-served basis).
There is also a chairlift to help passengers get onto the main deck.
For no additional charge, animals may be kept in a well-ventilated portable kennel on the car deck or transported in the owner’s vehicle.
Due to security restrictions, no pets of any kind are allowed in any passenger area. Service dogs trained to work or perform tasks for a passenger with a disability may accompany that individual.
About half way thru the crossing, the Cruise Director’s office will make an announcement asking any passengers traveling with a pet who want to check on them to come to the office located in the main lounge.
This will happen on most crossings. If weather is bad, they may not be able to take passengers down the stairs for safety concerns.
Water bottles, non-alcoholic beverages and prepackaged snacks may be brought on board.
Coolers must be left on the luggage cart or in a vehicle.
There is a smoking section located on the top deck on the Port Side of the ship.
Wifi codes are $8 per device and are available at the Cruise Director’s Office.
There is free parking at the docks in Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI for paying passengers.
Let’s be real: Wisconsin doesn’t always make the shortlist when Michiganders are planning a midwest vacation.
Driving all the way around Lake Michigan, and usually through Chicago, definitely puts a damper on the idea.
The Badger chops that part out and replaces it with relaxation.
Instead of spending hours on the highway, you spend four hours on the water. You watch the shoreline fade into the distance, grab a bite to eat, wander the decks, play a little bingo, and settle into vacation mode before you ever arrive.
Whether you bring the car or take advantage of the Great Lakes Getaway deal, the trip itself ends up being part of the fun.
As the crew likes to say: Big Ship, More Fun!
Editor. Elizabeth Rudd is a former elementary school teacher, now stay-at-home mom to three. Elizabeth spends her time taking kids to school activities, hunting for great deals, spending way too much time on Facebook and finally reading all the books she’s bought.
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