Cadillac Michigan: Rockin' Things to Do (See the KISS Monument!), Splash in the Lake, Best Restaurants/Hotels and Interactive Map For Your Unique Michigan Vacation

Rockin' Things to Do For Your Unique Michigan Vacation | By Sherry Trautman | Travel-Mi.com | Last updated: September 20, 2022

Isn't it time for an incredible Michigan vacation?  Cadillac MI, located in the heart of Michigan is one of our favorite places to go in Michigan.

Why?

• Well, there's great camping, boating, hiking trails, scenic lake, sandy beach and well, a monument to KISS! Seriously, what more do you need?

Where is Cadillac Michigan?

Cadillac to Grand Rapids - 1 hr, 25 minutes. 95 miles

Cadillac MI to Traverse City - 52 minutes, 47 miles

Cadillac to Manistee - 57 minutes, 50 miles

Cadillac to Petoskey - 1 hr, 43 minutes, 90 miles

Cadillac to Detroit - 3.5 hrs, 207 miles

Interactive Cadillac Michigan Map

Lake Mitchell-Our Favorite Place to Visit in Cadillac

Lake Mitchell is located to the west of Lake Cadillac. It is the larger of the two inland lakes and is fantastic for boating, fishing and kayaking.  We love to boat along the shoreline looking for birds and taking photos!

The William Mitchell State Park is where you access Lake Mitchell.  You will need a state park pass.  There are numerous shady picnic tables for enjoying your lunch at the beach, great sandy spots for building sky high sand castles and bathrooms. 

Pavilions are also available if you wish to eat your lunch in the shade!

Camping in Cadillac Michigan at the William Mitchell State Campground

If you park at William Mitchell State Park, you can walk under the street and connect to the lovely campground.  I adore kayaking and exploring this area as it is so peaceful.

Nothing beats the smell of campfires as you kayak through the Clam Lake channel. This channel connects you to Lake Cadillac!

CAMPING?  We Can Help!

17 Best Camping Food Ideas and Easy to Make Meals

Ingenious Camper Checklist

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Mitchell State Park - Cadillac Heritage Nature Trail

We love finding nature trails wherever we vacation in Michigan. We really like the William Mitchell state park. You will want to bring bug spray if you visit in the middle of the summer.

City of Cadillac Trail Map

This is a trail map of Cadillac Michigan. The blue path is the Cadillac Bike Path, the orange trail is the Lakefront Walkway and you can see several city restrooms marked in purple.

Cadillac River Walk Along Lake Cadillac - Keith McKellop Walkway

Chris and I absolutely love the Cadillac River Walk as it is a paved trail with a couple bridges meandering along Lake Cadillac.  There are several benches to enjoy the views of the sparking water and bobbing boats. 

This river walk should be at the top of your Michigan vacation list!

Take time to enjoy this scenic paved pathway as it's really very enjoyable! 

Cadillac Michigan Sound Garden - Make Music With Your Family!

Make some music at the Cadillac Sound Garden!  Our video above features Chris as a famous musician...lol! 

There are several colorful medal moving objects for you to get musical and compose your own masterpieces in this outside sound garden located at 398 Chestnut St, Cadillac, MI 49601. 

See the Famous KISS Monument in Cadillac Michigan!

The monument to the famous rockers reads, "On October 9, 1975, Cadillac High School hosted an event that attained worldwide acclaim as one of the most iconic stories in Rock and Roll Lore. On that day, KISS came to Cadillac, and a legend was created.

In 1974, Head Coach Dave Brines and Assistant Coach Jim Neff, decided to play the music of KISS before football games to energize the team. With KISS as its inspiration, the team had a seven game wining streak and captured the conference co-championship.

Neff stayed in contact with KISS, and the result was KISS coming to CHF. The band participated in the homecoming parade, performed a concert in the gym, receive the key to the city of Cadillac, and departed via helicopter from Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Vikings won the 1975 homecoming game. 

The renowned bond between Cadillac and KISS endures to this day and has brought distinction to Cadillac and Cadillac High School."

Wikipedia says the assistant coach, Jim Neff, a rock'n'roll fan, inspired the team by playing Kiss music in the locker room and connected the team's game plan, K-I-S-S or "Keep It Simple Stupid", with the band. 

What an incredible story, right?! 

Adventure Island

If you love go-karts, mini-golf, bumper boats and waterslides, check out Adventure Island in Cadillac, Michigan! Lots of fun for the whole family!

Address: 6083 M-115, Cadillac, MI 49601

Top Cadillac Restaurants

We enjoyed our dinner at Lakeside Charlie's restaurant. We had a prime rib dinner that was delicious. If you are hoping to sit outside during the popular and busy summer months, you will need a reservation or arrive on non peak hours.

Cadillac Hotels, Motels and Cabins

Pilgrim Village - If you like to stay on cottages on the lake, check out Pilgrim Village. They have a private beach and swimming area plus they rent boats for an afternoon on Lake Mitchell!

Coyote Crossing - Check out their cabins! Each one has two bedrooms with a full bath, living room, fully equipped kitchen and patio. One room has a queen-sized bed and the second room has two beds – a double and a twin.

Most living rooms have a pull-out couch as well. There's a bar and grill there along with live music! You can even request a charcoal grill and firewood! Check it out!

What is Cadillac MI known for?

The North American Snow Festival is held in Cadillac every January! See the specific date on our January Events Calendar!

What County is Cadillac Michigan?

The city is the county seat of Wexford County

Cities Near Cadillac Michigan

Cities near Cadillac Michigan include Midland, Gladwin, Manistee, Frankfort, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse City.  Grab our guides to all of these cities and locations for an incredible Michigan vacation or Michigan road trip! 

They are all such beautiful places to vacation in Michigan, check them out.

Explore Gladwin Michigan! 

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