It’s the sunrise side, it’s the Lake Huron side, it’s
vacation land in the Thumb, also known as the Redneck Riviera! No, this is not derogatory
at all, we embrace our Bud Light and flannel! We are proud to be down to earth
with a little cabin on the bay, bonfires on the beach, camping and tubing, brats
and burgers, sand in our toes and s’mores all around. It is believed that the
moniker Redneck Rivera came from the laid back atmosphere of the Caseville
area. Many of the vacationers are blue-collar workers who have created a much different
vibe than can be found on the West side of our great state.
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| The M-25 Drive - Bayport the First Stop
Want to see what I’m talking about? Trust me you will love
how relaxed and casual a summer trip to the Thumb can be. Try taking the M-25
drive and you will be hooked! M-25 travels from Port Huron to Bay City and
there are many sights along the way. In this journey we focus on the route from
Caro to Caseville.
Take M-24 (Lapeer Road) north through Caro. You will drive
through much farmland and a small farming town called Sebawaing. Things start
to get really interesting as you reach Bayport, home of the fish sandwich festival. The Bay Port Fish Sandwich Festival is the largest
single eating event in Michigan's Upper Thumb. Bay Port Fish Sandwiches are an
original creation which began in 1978. The popular weekend event is packed full
of activities for family fun and continues to grow each year.
Your drive will take you along Wildfowl Bay with glimpses of
the great Lake Huron along the way. As you approach Caseville you begin to see
the traps of tourism at its Thumb Michigan best. Beautiful vacation homes,
cabins, cottages and trailers. T-shirt shops, souvenir stands, greasy spoons,
putt-putt golf and ice cream shops as well. If you are of a mind don’t miss the
bars that still smell of beer and smokes and where a game of pool is still a
quarter.
The pride of summer in Caseville and one of the big
highlights of the Redneck Riviera is the Cheeseburger in Caseville
festival. Cheeseburger is a festival in tribute to Jimmy Buffet, and different
types of cheeseburgers. The festival takes place in the final weeks of August,
celebrating the final weeks of summer vacation. Cheeseburger is amazing to see,
what started as a three-day weekend has turned into a 10-day festival that
includes laser light shows on the beach, concerts, fireworks, and, the
highlight of the festival, The Parade of Tropical Fools. The parade is
held on the first Wednesday night of the festival and is the biggest attraction
that the festival has to offer. The parade can last up to two hours and
attracts more than 50,000 people every year. Cheeseburger has won several
Michigan Fun Awards and is the only festival in Michigan to place in the top
five in every category of the Michigan Fun Awards. It probably goes without
saying that the partying during Cheeseburger is legendary.
So, you have lots of choices. A walk on the beach,
a bike ride along the bay, camping, fishing, tubing, sailing, kayaking,
shopping, a good meal, a cocktail or two, a swim, or just a drive along the
Lake Huron shoreline; the Redneck Riviera has so much to offer! Most of all,
you will love how laid back we are, it’s a whole different world here in the
Thumb!
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