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Hi all, I am thinking of taking a road trip from west central Indiana to visit areas in the U.P. of Michigan. I am an older gal who loves nature, hates interstates and would like suggestions of places to visit, routes to take, interesting parks, museums, non chain restaurants to enjoy, etc. I live in Lafayette, IN.
All the tourists visit Mackinac island . so you may as well go ahead and put that on your list. It is neat and worth visiting, especially if you spend at least a little time off the main drag where it is less touristy. Plan on spending at least one night if you can.
Taquamenon falls is really beautiful and you can walk right out into the lower falls. The hike between the lower and upper falls is really beautiful and not terribly challenging but it has a lot of hills and stairs. Go on a weekday if possible. Avoid crowds.
A beautiful hike that is little known is canyon falls. It is also called the Grand Canyon of Michigan. It runs along the top of a small box canyon with a river in it. Their are places where you can jump off the cliffs into the river if you are bold. There is a big foot painted on the rick at the jumping place, but just find college students who are jumping, if they don't die, you probably won't either. There rare almost always college students jumping even if it is not that warm.
Painted rocks is awesome for both hiking and kayaking. Rent Kayaks from Northern Kayak adventures or something like that (they have better guides than Uncle Ducky IMO. It is not cheap but really worth doing. Go for a full day. Then do some hikes. I really like Mosquito Beach. It is a nice hike and another place you can jump off a small cliff. I also really like the dune hike at the eastern end of the park. There is a chute where loggers used to push the logs down into Lake Superior. It is also a nice hike, but challenging because it is mostly in sand.
I really like Munising the little town where yo rent kayaks for painted rocks tours. The only place I can think of by name i Muldoons Pastries and Gifts. They have a giant bigfoot statue out front. If you take the time to get to know some of the local people in Munising and you are nice to them, they may share with you some of the semi-secret local cool spots. Some require 4x4 to get there.
The porcupine Mountains are really awesome two. Having only been there once, I cannot give you a lot of specific locations. We found a cool copper mine tour in the edges of the mountains. Lots of neat tiny cities in the Porcupines.
Marquette is a awesome little city. I cannot help you with the names of some of the cool places because I did not write them down. It is one of our best cities. There are some nice beaches and cliff jumping locations between Munising and Marquette.
Houghton and the Kewanaw (I think) peninsula are also supposed to be really cool, but I cannot help you there, other than a brief visit to Houghton, I have not been there. There is a neat campground on a native American reservation right near there (Ojibwa or soemthing). It was kind of dirty, but the location is phenomenal. And it was cheap.
Lower peninsula
East side:
The dunes along the Ausable river are magnificent. Some gorgeous campgrounds in there. Lumbermans monument is worth a visit. A few days canoeing or kayaking along the Ausable river is one of the best vacations you can have. East Tawas is nice, Oscota is better IMO. Great lake Huron beach there. Port Austin area is also beautiful and you can rent sea kayaks and go out to Turnip rock where you can get out and splash around. Also some cliff jumping there, but you are trespassing on private land and the owners are a bit sick of people doing it. Inland, Gaylord is an awesome town.
West Side:
Beautiful area, some parts are hilly. Lots of forests. Fall is stunning. My favorite towns are Charlevoix, Leeland, Petosky, Traverse City (in that order). TC is the most hyped town in he area, but it is awfully touristy/kitschy (I actually do not like TC all that much anymore,but it is still hugely popular, so I include it). Sleeping bear dunes is beautiful. The Entire Leelanaw Peninsula is gorgeous. Torch lake is a neat place to rent a boat. Beautiful clear water. Harbor Springs is supposed to be beautiful. I have not been there. As you head south on the Western Shore (we call it the west coast), there are tons of beautiful towns and parks. Silver lake Dunes is neat, Ludington can be fun, Muskeogon has its charms. Holland during the Tulip festival is amazing but crowded. Grand Haven is nice. Saugutuck is sort of an art/artist haven and a really cool town. South Haven also awesome (we love the Kirk park dog beach). Grand Rapids has some super great parts.
Here's a few Yooper Adventure Sight Seeing suggestions for you: Definitely, you should see Tahquamenon Falls in Northern Luce Co. Then drive up to Paradise, & visit Whitefish Point. (If you like whitefish & fries for dinner, Brown's Fisheries in Paradise can't be beat! But get there early - They sell out quick!) Then drive down M-123 to Newberry & visit the Logging Museum... Head West on M-28 through McMillan... & visit the Seney Natl. Wildlife Refuge, near Germfask... Continue West on 28, to visit Pictured Rocks Natl. Lakeshore near Munising... Then drive West along Lake Superior's South Shore to Marquette... Stop off at LakenenLand Scrapyard Art Park in Harvey... Enjoy delicious Mexican Food @ Sol Azteca; or wonderful Cajun Food @ Lagniappe Creole Eatery; in Marquette... Drive up to the Kewanee & Brockway Mountain Drive; then down to Escanaba, & spend a night in Paulding on the way. (See if you can spot the Paulding Mystery Light while you're there!) From Esky, head back East on U.S.2 for a truly memorable drive along Lake Michigan's Northern Shore. Visit the Garden Peninsula; then have the U.P.'s Best Burger @ Clyde's in Manistique... From there continue East on 2 back toward St Ignace... And if you're heading East on Sunday morning, & looking for a place to worship, stop off in Engadine (east of Manistique) at Calvary Bible Church of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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We went to the U.P for the first time last September. I really enjoyed it and want to go back in the next couple years. Disclaimer that I only saw from Marquette east to Mackinac so I can't speak to things west of there. From Indiana there are two routes to get to the U P, going through Chicago and Green Bay or going through Grand Rapids or Lansing up to the Mackinac Bridge. You'd be a bit closer going the western route. Munising would be a central location if you just want one motel. Otherwise I'd recommend splitting up your lodging into two and do one towards Houghton and one towards Munising.
In general I see three main clusters of attractions in the U P - Mackinac area / Tahquamenon Falls.
There is large fort reconstruction that is nice and next to a lighthouse that offers tours. Also an hour south Gaylord has a free elk park right off the interstate. T'n is one park with two different waterfalls, one larger than the other and both with easy walking access from the main road and parking lot. The town of Paradise nearby has a decent amount of restaurants and shops.
Pictured Rock / Munising and Marquette area
I really like Pictured Rock, not only several views of the colorful cliffs but also several waterfalls available with an easy hike from parking and a couple nice beaches. Outside the park there are quite a few small waterfalls. You can take a ferry over and access Grand Island Park as well. Munising is a small quaint town.
Marquette is the largest town in the U P and also home to a college. The best restaurant we had on the trip was Jean Kay's Pasties & Subs near the university in Marquette. Great pasties. Presque Isle Park is very nice. Just east of Marquette are some nice beaches that offer a great view of the city from quite a distance out. There are lots of bike paths along the lakefront from Marquette going out some distance.
Keweenaw Peninsula
I researched but didn't go to this area, it's 2.5 hours from our motel in Marquette. Houghton has quite a few restaurants and there are mine tours available throughout the entire area. Copper Harbor is known for some of the darkest skies in the USA, nice place to watch stars and maybe Northern Lights.
We went to the U.P for the first time last September. I really enjoyed it and want to go back in the next couple years. Disclaimer that I only saw from Marquette east to Mackinac so I can't speak to things west of there. From Indiana there are two routes to get to the U P, going through Chicago and Green Bay or going through Grand Rapids or Lansing up to the Mackinac Bridge. You'd be a bit closer going the western route. Munising would be a central location if you just want one motel. Otherwise I'd recommend splitting up your lodging into two and do one towards Houghton and one towards Munising.
In general I see three main clusters of attractions in the U P - Mackinac area / Tahquamenon Falls.
There is large fort reconstruction that is nice and next to a lighthouse that offers tours. Also an hour south Gaylord has a free elk park right off the interstate. T'n is one park with two different waterfalls, one larger than the other and both with easy walking access from the main road and parking lot. The town of Paradise nearby has a decent amount of restaurants and shops.
Pictured Rock / Munising and Marquette area
I really like Pictured Rock, not only several views of the colorful cliffs but also several waterfalls available with an easy hike from parking and a couple nice beaches. Outside the park there are quite a few small waterfalls. You can take a ferry over and access Grand Island Park as well. Munising is a small quaint town.
Marquette is the largest town in the U P and also home to a college. The best restaurant we had on the trip was Jean Kay's Pasties & Subs near the university in Marquette. Great pasties. Presque Isle Park is very nice. Just east of Marquette are some nice beaches that offer a great view of the city from quite a distance out. There are lots of bike paths along the lakefront from Marquette going out some distance.
Keweenaw Peninsula
I researched but didn't go to this area, it's 2.5 hours from our motel in Marquette. Houghton has quite a few restaurants and there are mine tours available throughout the entire area. Copper Harbor is known for some of the darkest skies in the USA, nice place to watch stars and maybe Northern Lights.
You're missing a great scenic area in the western UP, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon County. That is one of my favorite places in the UP. Also, Gogebic Lake to the south of there is quite nice, and of course the lake country of Vilas County, WI. I would recommend all three areas combined for a complete trip.
Calumet: Have a beverage at Shute's Bar (from the mining glory days) and tour the Calumet Theater (Opera House) next door. Check out the Italian Hall memorial down the street. Local craft brews at the Michigan House Cafe & Brewpub. All on 6th Street. Other historic things to see in the small downtown area. Drive north on US-41 to Copper Harbor and take Brockway Mountain Drive.
Have a pasty, Suomi Bakery in Houghton and Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium (across US-41 from Calumet) have good ones.
My husband and I took a two week vacation to the UP this past summer. It was one of my favorite vacations ever!! We're also VERY into nature and are avid hikers. The first week we stayed near Munising in a small cabin on a lake that had no internet, TV, or electronics. It was SOOO nice to escape the noise and be PRESENT. The second week we stayed in the Porcupine Mountains in an ADORABLE home across the street from a park and lake. I can't remember the small town's name right now, but it was only 10 minutes from the Wisconsin border, so it was quite far west!
I can share our itinerary and the places we stayed if you'd like. It was perfect! Just let me know and I'm happy to share. Best to you! And ENJOY!!!!
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Worth the Drive from Lafayette
