[lilred0005]

First a big THANK YOU to everyone who replied, I wish I had checked back earlier! I know it sounds wierd that someone from So. Fla would want, or even think, to move to the U.P. Frankly I really do NOT like living in So. Fla, I have never enjoyed it and have always felt like a square peg. I hate the weather, really can't take the heat, and although I have never lived up North, I have spent a decent amount of time in Maine, NH, and Mass in the winter and I loved it. So. Fla has also become really crime filled plus the cost of living has skyrocketed, we pay almost $5 grand in property insurance a year because of the constant hurricane threat and I don't even live by the water. Finally, it is cement city here unless you go to the beach, I long for natural beauty and nature away from endless condos and strip malls.

I am flying into Marquette but will be settling in Hancock/Houghton as I will be going to Finlandia to finish school. I've looked all over City Data for a place to relocate that is safe, has natural beauty, and a lower cost of living. My mom, who just retired from 40+ yrs teaching, will be coming with me. She is from Iowa and dearly misses the Mid-west, so I won't be moving alone. I'm taking this trip to look around, get a feel of the place, and look at property to see if this is a viable option for me. I truly hope my years of research pan out and the U.P. is the place for me. Wish me luck, lol! Thanks again to everybody for your help!

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

I think you are going to love it hear. We recently moved from Atlanta to Grand Blanc and couldnt be happier. Its going to take a lot of adjusting. But the one thing that inspired me was the welcoming I got from the posters on CD. If you are looking to relocate city-data is the site to get all your information.

[darstar]

Its good that you have did your research using CD. I did the same over 5 years ago. In our case it was Retirement. I was always looking at the UP, ( have been coming here for years, camping ( but just where- the Soo or Marquette?. I soon found out that Marquette has transformed near 100 per cent these last 30 years. So , City Data was a win win for me. I hope it works as good for you in making choices .
I must have misread what you were doing. Did not know you were young and going to College.Sorry for that, I might have had other ideas you might find interesting.The gateway to the copper country is quite different than around Marquette. Just using the next county to the west, Baraga with very high unemployment( was over 22 per cent, some lower now). Marquette County has dropped to 6.7 per cent , which is actually low for the UP. We have so few people, it does not take much to change the numbers.

[alaskaflyer]

Originally Posted by lilred0005

Well, I will finally be flying into Marquette on Tuesday, Oct. 30. I started searching city data for a place to relocate , and after four yrs of looking, have decided on the Western U.P., specifically Houghton/Hancock area. It was easier to fly into Sawyer in Marquette, plus I wanted to check out Marquette as well.

I do have many questions for those of you who live in this area or are familiar with it. I am a South Florida native and have never lived anywhere else. We will be visiting the U.P., trying to look at property and get a feel for the area before we finally move. We will be there from Oct 30 thru Nov 17 so first I need to know what to expect weather wise AND how to dress for it. I have a down-filled jacket, a wool pea-coat, a lined, thick nylon , hooded jacket, and a very heavy full-length wool coat. Which of these would be appropriate? I know it's not the dead of winter but I don't want to under-dress either and be miserable. Also, I will be renting a car and driving about the U.P. and into Northern WI too. Being I have only drivin in snow once, am I going to be okay to drive with no winter experience?

Finally, I was hoping you all could recommend, or point me in the right direction, to see some unique sights. Can you recommend any hotels or B&B's? How about restaurants? Is it too late to see the leaves?

Thank you so much for any/all suggestions, advice, or comments. I really appreciate your help!

I live in Houghton. Relocated here a short time ago for work (by choice ) We bought a four bedroom 1700 square foot house built in the forties but almost completely updated recently, with lake views on a quiet street, in the low 100's.

Marquette is more of a small city, Houghton/Hancock is more of a small town. For serious chain shopping here it is Walmart, Shopko and a very small JC Pennies. Marquette has the Home Depot etc etc. but that said you can find almost anything you need here in a pinch and Marquette is only about ninety minutes away. Green Bay is a weekend trip too though some do it in a long day.

With that out of the way, I have lived all over the country in almost every region including Alaska. We like this town so far. We leave our doors unlocked as there is almost no crime here. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Michigan Tech and Finlandia Universities bring culture and resources to an area which would otherwise be sleepy. For example the Student Development Center at MTU offers community memberships that open up the facility to you - Olympic pool, workout facilities, tennis center, racketball and more. There are plays and concerts. The population which might otherwise be considered provincial in many ways (like any small town not near suburbia) is enhanced by professionals with the university and our two hospital systems, both of which are good for their size by the way. We were advised to look at Houghton instead of Hancock or some of the other local villages because though they are beautiful and nice in many ways the provincial factor is increased there while Houghton has more of the university influence. That advice was good for US, others may not find that an issue.

Summers are absolutely wonderful and tourism brings opportunities for things to do and see which again might not otherwise exist in this area or elsewhere in the UP. It can get hot especially in July but not to Florida standards. We don't have AC but there were really only about five or six nights this summer that tempted us to drive to Walmart for a window AC unit Fall was great this year though colors ended somewhat abruptly with a few days of rain /wind last week that knocked em all down.

I write this as I'm sitting in Houghton's historic downtown at a diner owned by a woman who knows me by name and who specializes in country bfast food colored by Lebanese culinary influences. The table next to me has four seniors who could only be lifelong locals judging from their Yooper accents. Tables upfront are full of college kids with their laptops. There's a couple of different coffee shops just down the street. This morning I woke up to a crisp clear sunrise at 27 degrees F but it should be in the low forties by afternoon. We had some light snow blowing through over the weekend which quickly melted, I think we have a few weeks before anything sticks for good. I'm looking forward to it because this place sports the most amazing network of maintained cross country ski trails I've ever experienced and like I said I've been everywhere. They make great bike trails the rest of the year. Hunting and fishing is great here plus the towns are divided by a lake/canal which opens into Lake Superior at both ends and which supports a lot of recreation in the summer and winter.

This was somewhat random, I apologize, I'm on my iPhone here. If you don't like winter and if you don't like the outdoors do not move here. YOU MUST embrace winter or you will be unhappy (or become a snowbird resident.)

As for your visit I'd dress for rain and high twenties to low forties to be safe. I don't know about the bed and breakfasts though I know they abound and you can find them on the Internet. You might spend a couple of nights at the Keewenaw Mountain Lodge http://www.atthelodge.com/index which is a CCC-era lodge now owned by the county and which is easy driving distance to the tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula and Copper Harbor. The colors are mostly gone as I said but it should still be nice. If I think of something else I'll post again.

[alaskaflyer]

I will say a couple of other things. We were spoiled in Alaska. You wouldn't think so but culinary opportunities there abound and we ate wonderfully when we chose to do dinner out. Here, not so much, we've been disappointed with restaurants (except for bfast!) so I can't recommend a single place for dinner they are all equally mediocre. That shouldn't influence your moving here...just thought I'd complain a little.

Don't think you mentioned your age or family status but there are a lot of safe, fun things for kids, families and seniors to do. Post-college to middle-aged singles might find it the most difficult to adjust - even with the university here that scene is pretty small. You'd have to really shake the bushes and make your own fun. Concentrate on outdoor activities maybe a ski or bike club.

And for other things to do while here you might drive up to Calumet and check out the Keewenaw National Historic Park visitor center. And in Copper Harbor there is Fort Wilkins State Park.

We really appreciate the twice daily flights to Chicago from Hancock. United and ORD are not our favorite but you really can't complain about it too much - better than driving long distance to an airport.

Check out Realtor.com for an idea of the housing market.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyer

I will say a couple of other things. We were spoiled in Alaska. You wouldn't think so but culinary opportunities there abound and we ate wonderfully when we chose to do dinner out. Here, not so much, we've been disappointed with restaurants (except for bfast!) so I can't recommend a single place for dinner they are all equally mediocre. That shouldn't influence your moving here...just thought I'd complain a little.

Don't think you mentioned your age or family status but there are a lot of safe, fun things for kids, families and seniors to do. Post-college to middle-aged singles might find it the most difficult to adjust - even with the university here that scene is pretty small. You'd have to really shake the bushes and make your own fun. Concentrate on outdoor activities maybe a ski or bike club.

And for other things to do while here you might drive up to Calumet and check out the Keewenaw National Historic Park visitor center. And in Copper Harbor there is Fort Wilkins State Park.

We really appreciate the twice daily flights to Chicago from Hancock. United and ORD are not our favorite but you really can't complain about it too much - better than driving long distance to an airport.

Check out Realtor.com for an idea of the housing market.

Interesting post as you came from AK. Over here in Marquette we see more and more Alaska plates every year. Not sure if its all the mining we have that connects, maybe something else. From your comments about food I would guess you are from Anchorage. You can not compare however. Anchorage has more people in and around the city then we have in the whole UP !. Population brings amenities for sure, that Why I picked Marquette IE; small progressive city at the edge of the wilderness,that thinks its four times the size it is, which describes a lot of places in AK. What we do not have and AK. does is the cruise Ships and all their infrastructure. I hate to see it, but that industry is running Alaska. Very disappointing.Ad to that all the oil rigs on the north slope, the pipeline that breaks almost daily.... I guess I get the feel every time I drive towards downtown and the Lake, that I could be in a suburban part of Anchorage., which, If I were younger would consider living up north in Ak. or maybe even more BC, Yukon, NWT, .where you can still get that frontier feeling.My favorite place is Yellowknife, few US folks have even heard about it before " Ice Road Truckers" series came along 5-6 years ago
Not to get too far off topic here, but the way I see it, in order to enjoy anyplace you move to is to have a comparison. Its not a lot different than Chicago, as they say, " Just outside Chicago is a place called Illinois". Where ever you live, its all about Choices never loose site of that, and you will be happy with what you have done. I for many years always kept a suitcase by the front door...just in case...., you never know !

[alaskaflyer]

Originally Posted by darstar

Interesting post as you came from AK. Over here in Marquette we see more and more Alaska plates every year. Not sure if its all the mining we have that connects, maybe something else. From your comments about food I would guess you are from Anchorage. You can not compare however. Anchorage has more people in and around the city then we have in the whole UP !. Population brings amenities for sure, that Why I picked Marquette IE; small progressive city at the edge of the wilderness,that thinks its four times the size it is, which describes a lot of places in AK.

Actually even Fairbanks and Healy (in the summer) had better dining so far as dinner quality goes. Some of that can be credited to tourism but the Copper Country lives on tourism too.

Don't want to hit this too hard and insult my fellow 'Keewenawians' - after all what it lacks in quality is more than made up in affordability (especially compared to Alaska!) We like where we landed here.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyer

Actually even Fairbanks and Healy (in the summer) had better dining so far as dinner quality goes. Some of that can be credited to tourism but the Copper Country lives on tourism too.

Don't want to hit this too hard and insult my fellow 'Keewenawians' - after all what it lacks in quality is more than made up in affordability (especially compared to Alaska!) We like where we landed here.

Too cold in Fairbanks, although when I was there in July it was boiling heat.!I did not care for Fairbanks at all. ( except the University )Yes it was expensive to live there, depending if you are living off the grid or not. TV show on last night ( could have been travel channel ) was about buying a home in AK. Average monthly gas bill was 3,000.no indoor plumbing, but great log cabin.
I know a woman that just moved from Fairbanks, she is living near you ( water color artist ) in Chassell. I think the people living in Copper Country are more laid back than over here in Marquette.A lot of locals around here resent many of us who come up and build expensive homes. They feel we are driving up their living cost of living They party a lot and work their butts off in summer trying to catch that tourist dollar. I always come over to Copper Harbor for my birthday in July, Have been off and on for 40 years.

[cjcolorado]

I'm in Houghton, too. Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. As you're likely finding out, weather is somewhat chilly and wet this week; though sunnier than the past 3-4 weeks which have been some form of rain nearly every day. I'll 2nd Alaskaflyer's comments. Low crime, nice for young families, gotta love snow and winter, the food/restaurants are generally pretty bad. I can see why many people like the area, though I am not a big fan of it and will be glad to move on in another year. I have found the community to be fairly insular. The trails for outdoor activities are quite good and water sports are popular here, too. I will say, though, that the cost of living is still quite high. Property taxes here are the highest we've seen and we've lived all over the US. Food prices are high and the quality is generally low. It just depends what you're used to. If I had my druthers between Houghton and Marquette, I'd be in Marquette. But, ymmv.

[Lindseyup67]

Bring your heaviest jacket! I have lived here 25 years and still cannot tolerate the cold!! Do not worry about being overdressed! You will need all season tires and a NON- rear wheel drive vehicle, especially in Houghton, where hills and inclines are abundant. If you like antiques, the little town I live in, Negaunee, which is about 9 miles directly west of Marquette has 5 in the downtown area. Jasper Ridge brewery, Jasper Ridge Brewery: Ishpeming, MI, 3 miles west of Negaunee, has good food and beer. The Up North Lodge, Up North Lodge, around 20+ miles SW of Marquette is a beautiful place, with excellent food and ambiance. Welcome to the U.P.!!