OT: Upper Peninsula recommendations
Wife and I are looking for a five- to seven-day vacation and are considering the UP. It's been on our list for a while and neither of us has ever been so we're looking for recommendations on where to stay, how long, what todo, etc. Major caveat: we will have an 11-month old with us so nighttime activities will unfortunately be restricted to drinking as much beer as possible by 6:30 PM and then calling it a night.
We know Pictured Rocks is the major attraction, but should we stay out that way for a couple nights? Should we stay on Mackinac Island for a night? Is there a preference between St. Ignace or Mackinaw City? How the hell do I pronounce Ignace anyway?
Thanks in advance.
My family has been taking summer vacations in the UP the last several years and we agree Marquette is great. A great little college town but you can still do "UP-stuff" like hiking and swimming. Houghton is similar but on a smaller scale.
For those who are runners, The Marquette Marathon and Half Marathon are run Labor Day weekend. They feature net downhill runs that make it feel like you are practically flying.....until you get to the last mile which is all uphill. A great chance to PR or BQ though.
Porcupine Mountains are great and Lake in the Clouds.
I do have one question for any Yoopers here: Why does it seem like there are more Subways that McD's in the UP and Wisconsin? I've never seen so many Subways.
April 11th, 2018 at 11:13 PM ^
I'm a Yooper re-located. I take it you're a troll? (for those who don't know, I don't mean an internet troll)
Why so may Subways? To us it doesn't seem like a lot. You ever had a pasty? How about pork pie? There's a drive thru pasty place in my home town.
On a side note, most Yoopers are Green Bay Packer fans, not those Lions from that LP that keeps calling itself Michigan, but we know it isn't. The only thing Michigan to me in the LP is the Wolverines.
April 12th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
I guess I was just surprised at the fact that every little town had a Subway, seemingly moreso than any other fast food option. Which was fine with me, but I have not noticed that anywhere else in the US.
April 12th, 2018 at 11:54 PM ^
Ovens for Subway are made in the UP, in Menominee, so maybe that is a factor.
The reason I said "troll" is because we used to say people from the UP are Yoopers, and people from the LP are trolls because they live below the bridge, the Macinac Bridge, as trolls live below the bridge.
A lot of this has been said but we love Marquette (great bike rides, restaurants and scenery) and Copper Harbor. Not sure how much you can do with the young one but there are great hikes around Copper. Houghton and Munising are also great towns.
The Seney nature preserve can be done from the car (perhaps good with the baby) and Grand Marais is pretty town
Last year we did paradise, Tahquamenon, Munising, and Marquette. Make sure to stop at the beaches along superior on the way up to Marquette (specifically around Au Train where the river dumps into the lake).
I loved Marquette. Lots of nice restaurants and breweries. Love the history there too. All the old ore docks and giant freighters.
It probably depends on how busy you want to be quite honestly. How much driving you want to do. It can get tiresome with a little one....
Good luck!!
One More!! Our families favorite of all was the shipwreck museum at whitefish point. It only takes a few hours but is really interesting!!
April 11th, 2018 at 10:02 PM ^
April 11th, 2018 at 10:19 PM ^
April 11th, 2018 at 10:42 PM ^
April 11th, 2018 at 10:54 PM ^
April 11th, 2018 at 11:00 PM ^
Ig-nes
April 11th, 2018 at 11:03 PM ^
April 12th, 2018 at 12:26 AM ^
Menominee says no.
April 12th, 2018 at 10:06 AM ^
I grew up in Delta County and could not disagree more. Not a whole lot for tourists IMO.
April 11th, 2018 at 11:15 PM ^
April 11th, 2018 at 11:21 PM ^
Great little town with character and with everything you'll need. One summer in the 70s, breathtaking views of sunsets on the Lakes, of grand ships crossing and cars being pulled over at the checkpoint... Hopefully things have not changed a whole lot since then. Are the Locks still as awesome as they were back in the day?
Stay at The Plaza Motor Motel, it's immaculate and way reasonable, even by UP standards. Dinner at Carl's at the west end of town on the locks ... it approaches fine dining, at least when it comes to the menu. It's a nice, warm room as well. Drink at Antlers at the other end of town.
April 11th, 2018 at 11:26 PM ^
2. Pictured Rocks, Munising. Stay a night at any of the hotels in town. Take the Sunset Pictured Rocks Boat Cruise, take your camera, and relish one of the most amazing natural scenes in the World. Also, two great brew pubs in town.
3. Porcupine Mountains. Along the shore of Lake Superior. Some of the most beautiful coast line in the US. Easy camping, but also several small inns great for families.
Hit those three and you will have an amazing week.
April 11th, 2018 at 11:33 PM ^
Porcupine Mountains
Lake Gogebic
A li'l more west into Wisconsin..... the Apostle Islands. Pretty sweet.
A li'l more more west.... Duluth MN. Neat town in spite of their damn hockey team. I'll give them the nod for beating Notre Dame, but PFAUGH otherwise.
Over east of Saint Ignace....the Les Cheneaux Islands are awesome in the summer. Hessel and Cedarville...tiny towns but awesome. Great little ice cream place in Cedarville next to the public docks.
A li'l more east into Canada... Manatoulin Island. Cross at the Locks, head east. Can take a car ferry off Manatoulin to Tobermory and make the loop around the east side of Lake Huron back to Michigan.
April 12th, 2018 at 12:33 AM ^
I spent a week in the UP with my family last summer. My mom and step dad were up from Florida (I live in the Grand Rapids area) and brought their camper, so we stayed at Tahqaumenon Falls State Park. My two kids (8 and 3 at the time) stayed in the camper with them and my wife and I slept in our tent. This is what we saw on our trip (which was one of my most favorite summer vacations ever):
Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls - the lower is awesome because you can walk into the falls and really feel their power. Rent the row boat to go over to the island. The boat across the small lake is worth it! While your in this area, and if you dont mind driving down a bumpy, dirty and possibily muddy single lane road for over an hour each way, do yourself a favor and visit Crisp Point Lighthouse. What an amazing place!!
Sault St. Marie - we drove over to the Soo Locks. We just spent a couple hours there, enough time for dinner and to watch a couple huge barges go up and down the locks. It was really cool and worth the drive (take the scenic route, which hugs Whitefish Bay the entire way. There are a couple of Lighthouses along the way that are worth stopping at as well as a bunch of scenic turn offs to get great views of the Bay and the sand dunes
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - You can't go to the UP without going here! You have to see it from the water to appreciate it. I actually rented a pontoon boat so we could go at our own pace. DONT DO THIS WITH AN 11 MONTH OLD!! It will be too rough. Take the tour boats! There is a lot to do around this area (parks, waterfalls, lighthouses, etc). Our next UP trip I want to stay in the Munising area and do more exploring over that way.
Kitch-iti-kipi spring - look it up if you've never heard of it. It's quite the site!!
Fayette Historic State Park - Lot's of history in a beautiful setting! Check it out!
Whitefish Point and the Shipwreck Museum - Learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald and other shipwrecks. Bring a change of clothes so you can scour the Lake Superior shoreline for rocks!
Mystery Spot - corny and touristy, but if you've never been there (or even if you have been there), it's worth a look. Kids love it.
The above took every bit of a week to see. We didn't even make it over to Mackinac Island (we are doing that this summer and staying at Mission Point Resort, which I can't wait for).
No matter where you go, you'll see some of the most beautiful country there is in Michigan, if not in the United States. It truly is like another country!! Man, now I'm ready to go back!!
April 12th, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^
While your in this area, and if you dont mind driving down a bumpy, dirty and possibily muddy single lane road for over an hour each way...This aptly describes about 90% of directions given to find places in the U.P. Hidden gems abound if you don't mind getting your vehicle slightly dirty and risk the frustration of finding a turn off on a single lane, two-rut road when you encounter the rare oncoming traffic!
April 12th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
I'll second Kitch-iti-kipi as well. A neat way to spend an hour or so looking down into the incredibly clear freshwater and seeing massive trout swimming below.
did a week with the kids last July. Stayed five nights in Sault St Marie, but made the drive to Tahquamenon Falls, as well as Pictured Rocks for the tour. Quite a bit of driving, but I enjoy it and driving up there is nothing like driving in metro Detroit. Our youngest was almost 3 at the time, tho. Your driving experience may differ with an 11 month old!! Anyway, those two locations, along with the Soo Locks are musts in my opinion. I suppose Mackinac Island is as well, although I could do without it. We spent the last two nights in Mackinaw City, which has quite a bit to do, as well as awesome views of the bridge both day and night.
One other thing I haven't seen mentioned, but may not be feasible with an 11 month old, is Headlands International Dark Sky Park:
It's just over 3 miles directly west of Mackinaw City. If you get an ideal night for star gazing, its spectacular. Jupiter was so bright, it was reflecting off the lake. The night we were there somebody showed up with the largest portable telescope I've ever seen. Thing looked like a cannon. Viewing Saturn through it was unreal, as well as some other cool stuff that people much smarter than me spoke about. Anyway, that's enough nerdiness from me. Whatever you do, enjoy!!!
this tidbit from our trip. Here's a photo from the website of the hotel we stayed in at Mackinaw City:
Here's what happened literally the night after we checked out and went home:
https://www.clickondetroit.com/lifestyle/watch-northern-lights-appear-o…
I was pissed.
DISCO YURT 2K18! Yes Mt. Bohemia is awesome for a winter trip.
Mackinaw - Ft. Michilimackinac / Historic Mill Creek State Park (Stay 1 nite in Mackinaw)
Forget Mackinaw Island - Too touristy. The fort is the only cool place. Not worth a nights stay. I spent a weekend once and biked every inch of the island. Bored out of my mind and I was with a group. Cannot see anyone going there more than once.
Da Yooper Tourist Trap (Museum) just west on US2 - absolutely hilarious
Taquanemon Falls (camp @ Rivermouth campground) / Whitefish Point Museum
Munising - Pictured Rocks / Munising falls / Miners Rock and falls / Muldoons Pasties (Camp @ Pete's Lake NFCG S. of Munising)
Laughing Whitefish Falls
Sturgeon River rapids and cascades on M-38 just west of baraga
Jam Pot Bakery outside Copper Harbor run by cool monks (Best bakery in the world!) Not cheap, but worth every penny
Ft Wilkins (Copper harbor)
Porcupine Mountains / Black River Falls / Presque Isle River hike (rocks and rapids) (Camp @ Porcupine Mountain SP)
Bond Falls
Iron Mountain Iron Mine tour (Camp along US 2)
Indian Springs SP - rope-powered floating raft over clear spring
Get a waterfall book. The UP has more than a hundred.
Cannot do it all in 7 days. Need 9 days.
Definately stay on the island if you can and can afford it. It becomes a whole different world after the last ferry leaves. Stay out late, hit the restaurants and then the bars, sleep late. It's best after Labor day. We usually stay two or three nights. Drive home hungover. My wife and I like the Metevier, but all the B&Bs down that row are very nice. Not cheap, but worth the money.
Mackinaw City is a lot of fun. My wife and our 7 year old camped in St. Ignace last year for the Fourth of July and had a blast!
Mackinac Island is a must. You take a really cool boat over to the island, and it is just a beautiful place! No cars of any sort on the island. All bikes and horses. Very cool!
I highly recommend Tahquamenon Falls in Paradise Michigan. That was the highlight of our trip! Beautiful waterfalls and great hiking.
Have fun! The UP is amazing! Heading up there myself again for the Fourth this year.
i didn't read all the responses, so some of this may be duplicated.
If you're into camping, Straights State Park is right across the bridge just inside of St Ignace. They have showers etc... so there's that. not sure how much fun that'd be with an 11 month old, but figured I'd put that out there.
Take a nice drive up and see Tahquamenon Falls. The hike isn't rought, so having an 11 month old won't be prohibitive. http://www.exploringthenorth.com/tahqua/tahqua.html
There's the mystery spot http://www.mysteryspotstignace.com/
Historical sights like Macknaw.
Ship Wreck Museum https://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/
Soo Locks https://www.michigan.org/property/soo-locks
St Ignace has some quaint shopping as well as nearby are great views of the bridge.
April 12th, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
Not a big fan of the eastern UP and Mackinac Island - too many touristas.
My contrarian tour of the UP.
1. Take one of the ferries across Lake Michigan. Take one that arrives in Wisconsin late at night. Get a stateroom on the ferry if you can. The ride is fun for awhile but how much water can you look at, especially at night.
2. Spend the night in Wisconsin where you get off the ferry. Head north in the morning to Piers Gorges back in Michigan, it's fabulous! Watch the kayakers run the whitwater.
3. Head west to the Porkies. Plan to spend two nights and explore both the eastern and western part of the park. Take a hike to Lake in the Clouds. Don't miss the Presque Ille River at the western end of the park. Look for bears.
4. Head up into the Keewenaw Peninsula and stay at least 1 night in Copper Harbor. Explore. Look for bears.
5. Head to Munising and stay at least 1 night. Explore Pictured Rocks.
6. Head to Grand Marais. DO NOT TAKE THE SHORE ROAD unless you have a big SUV. Spend 1 night in Grand Marais. Explore west to the Log Slide - fabulous dune about 300' high. Go on down the dune,but remember you have to come back up.
There are waterfalls all over the UP which you can reach from just off the highway. Stop at a few and take a look. Get a copy of Hunt's Guide to the Upper Peninsula originally published in 1997. Great book.
Ok,ok - check out Taquamenon Falls, but be prepared for a lot of tourists.
I actuall did this tour with my wife and 3 children. Everyone loved it.
April 12th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^