Michigan Road Trip Advice

Northern Maroon

Registered User
Feb 21, 2014
113
52
Mississauga ON Canada
Hello

Planning on seeing the Battalion in Saginaw , Flint and Sarnia in late February

Whats the best place to get a hotel for Fri & Saturday Night? I was thinking Flint (Saturday Game) and drive up for Friday and leave Sunday Morning for Sarnia game. Can anyone recommend a good spot to stay and or good places to eat in either of the 3 towns?

Is it a bad idea to stay in Sarnia Hotel and cross the border twice?

Anyone who has done the trip, any tips would be welcome!

Thanks in advance!
 

HockeyPops

Registered User
Aug 20, 2018
7,803
6,857
Birch Run has some great shopping and is pretty much halfway between Saginaw and Flint. I'd probably look at staying there on Friday and Saturday night, then making my way to Sarnia on Sunday.
 

bcspragu

Registered User
Aug 17, 2012
1,275
776
Saginaw, MI
Hello

Planning on seeing the Battalion in Saginaw , Flint and Sarnia in late February

Whats the best place to get a hotel for Fri & Saturday Night? I was thinking Flint (Saturday Game) and drive up for Friday and leave Sunday Morning for Sarnia game. Can anyone recommend a good spot to stay and or good places to eat in either of the 3 towns?

Is it a bad idea to stay in Sarnia Hotel and cross the border twice?

Anyone who has done the trip, any tips would be welcome!

Thanks in advance!

Harvey’s in Saginaw is a great spot to eat. (Not the same as Canadian Harvey’s).

Frankenmuth is also a great midpoint between Saginaw and Flint for hotels and there’s some touristy stuff to do
 

Jawk

Registered User
Sep 29, 2021
553
607
Doing the Flint/Saginaw trip the exact same weekend for the Bulldogs.

I'm going to travel to Flint on the Friday, then right after the game head to Saginaw to spend 2 nights there. Travel home on the Sunday.
 

HockeyPops

Registered User
Aug 20, 2018
7,803
6,857
Doing the Flint/Saginaw trip the exact same weekend for the Bulldogs.

I'm going to travel to Flint on the Friday, then right after the game head to Saginaw to spend 2 nights there. Travel home on the Sunday.
You and OP could go halves on hotel rooms!
 
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OHLTG

Registered User
Nov 18, 2008
16,915
9,198
behind lens, Ontario
Is it a bad idea to stay in Sarnia Hotel and cross the border twice?

I wouldn't recommend going over the border twice in the same trip (assuming you mean crossing over both days for the different games). Customs may ask you why not just stay up in Flint or something and it's not worth the hassle. Flint/Frankenmuth/Saginaw have some great hotels and aren't far from Sarnia on the final day.
 

Jawk

Registered User
Sep 29, 2021
553
607
I did have all the current arenas until the Bulldogs moved. I will be there with the Spirit in March. Bummer that Wacky Wings is no longer in Brantford.
There's a real lack of good restaurants near the rink in Brantford. Hopefully when they announce the new building there will also be a development plan for hotels and food in the immediate area.
 

OttersFan

Registered User
Jan 6, 2018
1,322
902
We did this deal in Saginaw. We stayed at the Springhill Suites. Worth it in itself to get 4 tickets to the game without paying extra. Mention you want the Go Great Lakes deal when reserving.

Flint we stayed at the Hyatt Place. They were friendly and the room was huge.

Sarnia was stayed at the Hampton Inn.

I would stay in the States and then go into Sarnia if possible. I wouldn’t cross the border twice.

All rinks were easy to get to using the GPS from the hotels.
 

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DCruickshank

Registered User
Jan 8, 2022
275
287
Owen Sound fan club ALWAYS stays at Comfort Inn in Saginaw and travels back and forth to Flint...then off to Sarnia....great spot, always treat us Fantastic
 
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Slap Shot Rick

Registered User
Apr 1, 2015
127
59
Most OHL teams stay in Saginaw when making the Flint/Saginaw road trip, rather staying in Flint. There are several hotels about 10 minutes from the arena, along with several places to eat.
 

BThumme

Registered User
Oct 2, 2023
59
63
For food, if I had to recommend two places in Saginaw:

-Tony's Original (on 2612 state st, there are multiple tony's, only 5 minutes from rink). They have the world's best hashbrowns and I will die on that hill.

-Levi's Food & Spirits - about 15 minutes away - really good honey ham amongst other items.

In Flint, my wife and I kind of like West Side Diner but we don't usually eat there beforehand

I know the Tony's in Birch Run is a cult classic too, especially if you like Bacon.

Brantford will be my last OHL arena to cross off in March!
 
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Otto

Lynch Syndrome. Know your families cancer history
For food, if I had to recommend two places in Saginaw:

-Tony's Original (on 2612 state st, there are multiple tony's, only 5 minutes from rink). They have the world's best hashbrowns and I will die on that hill.

-Levi's Food & Spirits - about 15 minutes away - really good honey ham amongst other items.

In Flint, my wife and I kind of like West Side Diner but we don't usually eat there beforehand

I know the Tony's in Birch Run is a cult classic too, especially if you like Bacon.

Brantford will be my last OHL arena to cross off in March!
Tony's is the only place I have ever taken home breakfast leftovers from. Usually I can finish it.
 

rve24

Registered User
Oct 26, 2022
1,759
2,047
Firenzies for a Za in Sarnia. Or Giresis ( but haven't tried it yet )
Bains was good ( smoked meat) but that was a couple years ago.
Id ask on the teams board.
 

donjohnson

Registered User
Jan 29, 2013
350
374
I just stayed at the Ramada Saginaw on Wednesday and it was perfect. 5 minute drive straight shot to the arena.


Hope this helps.
Yup, while there's no hotel directly adjacent or walking to the arena, the hotels are only a 5min drive either from the Ramada or the Tittabawassee Rd. locations (Marriots, etc).
 
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BThumme

Registered User
Oct 2, 2023
59
63
Hello

Planning on seeing the Battalion in Saginaw , Flint and Sarnia in late February

Whats the best place to get a hotel for Fri & Saturday Night? I was thinking Flint (Saturday Game) and drive up for Friday and leave Sunday Morning for Sarnia game. Can anyone recommend a good spot to stay and or good places to eat in either of the 3 towns?

Is it a bad idea to stay in Sarnia Hotel and cross the border twice?

Anyone who has done the trip, any tips would be welcome!

Thanks in advance!

Post-trip thoughts?
 

Northern Maroon

Registered User
Feb 21, 2014
113
52
Mississauga ON Canada
Tony's Diner and going to Birch Run in general was a huge help! Thank You! And thank you to OttersFan for the Hotel deal info, Much appreciated and recommended to anyone else planning on going to Saginaw, as you can also upgrade the upper bowl tickets to lower bowl for a couple bucks more.

All in all a good trip (Battalion went 2-1 with a loss in Sarnia day 3)

Found the crowd in Saginaw very friendly and really looking forward to the Memorial Cup. As an added unplanned bonus, the game we attended retired #22 for Saad so I'm really glad to make the trip! Only 3 rinks left on my list!
 

donjohnson

Registered User
Jan 29, 2013
350
374
Tony's Diner and going to Birch Run in general was a huge help! Thank You! And thank you to OttersFan for the Hotel deal info, Much appreciated and recommended to anyone else planning on going to Saginaw, as you can also upgrade the upper bowl tickets to lower bowl for a couple bucks more.

All in all a good trip (Battalion went 2-1 with a loss in Sarnia day 3)

Found the crowd in Saginaw very friendly and really looking forward to the Memorial Cup. As an added unplanned bonus, the game we attended retired #22 for Saad so I'm really glad to make the trip! Only 3 rinks left on my list!
Glad you had a good time but since you got a road win you're not welcome back :)

I love talking to road fans when they are in the Dow...with the lone exception of Kitchener the fans in the 10ish arenas I've been to have all been so friendly that I always try to pay the hospitality back when I see them in Saginaw.
 

ckg927

Registered User
Apr 2, 2007
2,632
344
Buffalo, NY
I'm sure OP is a wonderful person, but there is less than a 0% chance my wife is sharing a room with a message board stranger.

Last 2 rinks I have to complete all current OHL buildings.
I'm down to 3 myself: Flint, Sarnia & Kingston. I'll get to them at some point.
 

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