SS Badger
National Historic Landmark · Ludington, Michigan
The SS Badger is a car ferry that crosses Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in about four hours. Launched in 1952 and in service from 1953, it is the last coal-fired steamship in regular passenger service on the Great Lakes, and it was named a National Historic Landmark in 2016. You can drive aboard, take a stateroom, watch films, play bingo, walk the open decks and see the steam plant and ship displays. It runs only in the warm season, roughly mid-May to mid-October, and vehicle and passenger reservations are required. It suits road-trippers, ship enthusiasts and anyone who prefers a lake crossing to driving around Chicago. Weather can delay or cancel sailings. Confirm the schedule, fares and season before you plan. It is not a cruise: it is a working ferry on a timetable, and the vehicle deck is the busy part of the day. Dress warmly for the open deck, even in July.
701 Maritime Drive, Ludington, Michigan, 49431, United States
The Badger is seasonal, running roughly from mid-May to mid-October, with no winter service. Sailings follow a posted schedule that is usually a morning or midday crossing in each direction on most days, with fewer days at the edges of the season. The crossing takes about four hours and time zones differ between the two ports, so allow for the change in the clock. You must check in and board at the stated time, often an hour or more before departure, and late arrivals lose their place. Schedules, days of operation and season dates change by year, so confirm all of these before you plan a trip around it.