SIT AROUND HOTEL FOR A WEEK?!-
just make sure the raod you are on is as close to water as possible. stop often, and talk to locals. little stores with restaurants are the best. the perch and suckers will be running in the rivers soon, and there will be guys fishing in every ditch from ohio to the straits.
personally, i like the east side of the state better. no "shops", but lots of far out nature and hill billy's. start in pinconning, and take the 23 north to the bridge. tawas, mio, oscoda, sand lake, long lake, grand lake, alpena, rogers city. man you cant go wrong. lots of shipwreck museums and light houses. the calcite quarry up that way is the largest open pit in the world, and is like 300 feet below the level of lake huron, and goes right out into the lake. omer is a big party this time of year.
either way, stick to the lake front.