The average price of a 7-day trip to Lake Michigan is $1,426 for a solo traveler, $2,561 for a couple, and $4,801 for a family of 4. Lake Michigan hotels range from $57 to $258 per night with an average of $100, while most vacation rentals will cost $190 to $470 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) are between $616 and $936 per person for economy flights and $1,933 to $2,937 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $41 to $88 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Lake Michigan, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to MKE and stay in a Lake Michigan hotel:
- January 8th to March 11th
- April 23rd to May 6th
- August 13th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Lake Michigan is usually early to mid September.
Average Lake Michigan Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $1,111-$2,031($159-$290 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $41 to $88 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $392 to $749 for economy
Lodging: $72 to $95 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $91 to $111 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $2,238-$3,770($320-$539 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $82 to $176 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $784 to $1,498 for economy
Lodging: $72 to $95 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $91 to $111 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $3,580-$6,600($511-$943 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $164 to $352 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,568 to $2,996 for economy
Lodging: $144 to $190 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $146 to $155 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Lake Michigan
How cheap can you make a vacation to Lake Michigan? The cheapest trip to Lake Michigan is about $117 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $106 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $47.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $821-$1,806($117-$258 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $21 to $43 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $392 to $749 for economy
Lodging: $47 to $57 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $106 to $126 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $1,360-$2,856($194-$408 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $42 to $86 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $784 to $1,498 for economy
Lodging: $47 to $57 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $106 to $126 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $2,720-$5,256($389-$751 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $84 to $172 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,568 to $2,996 for economy
Lodging: $94 to $114 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $170 to $176 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is harder to travel to Lake Michigan cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Lake Michigan Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Lake Michigan.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $2,455-$8,429($351-$1,204 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $78 to $158 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,141 to $2,247 for first class
Lodging: $128 to $258 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $470 to $846 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $4,142-$11,782($592-$1,683 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $156 to $316 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,282 to $4,494 for first class
Lodging: $128 to $258 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $470 to $846 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Lake Michigan for a week is $8,284-$21,536($1,183-$3,077 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $312 to $632 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,564 to $8,988 for first class
Lodging: $256 to $516 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $752 to $1,354 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Lake Michigan Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Lake Michigan is higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Lake Michigan due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Lake Michigan Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Lake Michigan hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Lake Michigan.
Flight Costs to Lake Michigan
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $936 average in early to mid July to a low of $616 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $574. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Lake Michigan our data includes 594 originating airports, and 120 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Lake Michigan from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $5,974 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Orlando Sanford International (SFB) in Sanford, FL (the United States) at an average of just $167.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Lake Michigan, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $320, so you can easily save about 52% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Lake Michigan can easily cost $320 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $21 per person. Private tours can cost $643 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.