S.S. Badger Lake Michigan Carferry Service — Attraction in Manitowoc

The S.S. Badger is unique. The last coal-fired steamship car ferry on Lake Michigan. We made the afternoon crossing from Manitowoc to Ludington and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The crew and staff know what they are doing. Once we left our car behind in line, we didn’t worry about it until they drove it off the ship in Michigan.

Though stateroom berthing is available, the day crossing is just about four hours, so we chose to roam the ship.

We decided to chill out both on deck and in the after bar-lounge, as it was quite foggy on our crossing. It’s also easy to stroll the boat deck. Seven laps is about a mile. The day on the lake was cool and cloudy even though it was beastly hot in Wisconsin. We were glad we wore layers and carried windbreakers.

The ship has two restaurants and lots to do to occupy the time, chief of which is Badger Bingo but we did not indulge in the game, choosing instead to eat lunch and enjoy some microbrew drafts.

Some things to know: the ship doesn’t have A/C in common spaces. Not sure about the staterooms. The lake is cold all the time, so natural ventilation works great but you can get pretty steamy waiting to embark or debark in high summer. Also, bring a hat for the ports and use it at your own risk on the lake. Depending on the wind speed and direction the decks can be breezy.

Check the website for a list of acceptable items to bring aboard. The ship has satellite WiFi available but it’s not free, so it’s a good time to take a break from the socials and livestreams unless you are ready to lay down some coin.

I can’t say enough about the great service from the young people who staff the restaurants. They are very polite and helpful. And...

So much fun taking the grandkids on the SS Badger from Manitowoc to Ludington, then visiting Michigan (blueberry picking, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, visiting beautiful Glen Arbor) and taking ferry back after 2 nights staying at Comfort Inn in Ludington (they liked the KidSuites there!)

This is a hard working crew! Absolutely everyone was so incredibly nice and helpful. Kids had snacks and lunch, enjoyed the gift shop, played Bingo, scavenger hunt, and trivia and loved going to the upper deck. There's even a bar for the grownups! This was a wonderful adventure and not simply just the best way to get from Wisconsin to Michigan or vice-versa. Well worth it!!!

The only concern I had was the long steep steps to go up to the deck. Would not be a problem for most people, and there is a landing, but problematic for an aging population who aren't as steady on their feet or strong as they once were. They do have a chair lift for those who require it, and I'm sure would refuse no one, but the wait would be long and the inclination would be to leave it for those who definitely need it for obvious medical issues. Maybe a crowd-funding effort to raise money for an elevator for the SS Badger??? Would also be helpful for babies...

My parents had always wanted to do the Lake Michigan ferry crossing and we finally had the opportunity. We opted for the longer, but far less expensive, SS Badger crossing from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI. This ferry ride was 4 hours and truly gives you the best perspective on how big the Great Lakes are. At its widest, I believe we were told, it's 120 miles across. There was a substantial amount of time where we couldn't see either shore...which definitely contributed to my motion sickness. Not the fault of the ship, but I spent the majority of my time outside enjoying the weather and avoiding the interior. They had a gift shop, food service, trivia, bingo, a movie theater, a kids play room, several different seating areas both indoor and outdoor, TV lounges, private cabins if you wanted to pay extra - just to name a few of the services. Extremely efficient staff made this trip a very pleasant past time and what would have been an 11 hour drive home for us around the UP ended up being about 5 hours of driving and the 4 hour ferry ride. It was well worth it and a great experience...