Posted: 3/26/2025 10:02:05 PM EDT
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Dear Michigan Hive: I am contemplating a family vacation to the UP this year. It will be me, my wife, and kids 12, 14, and 16. I'd be content to just drive around and visit parks and such, but I think the family would prefer a nice base of operations. I am thinking we would enjoy a sort of old school resort, the sort of place that has meals and Adirondack chairs with some activities. Nice but not over the top. I appreciate any recommendations on a place to stay as well as stuff to do. I love to fly fish, so any fishing recommendations are also appreciated. |
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (ESV)
| We are big into the mountain biking scene and camping. I'm not sure what kinds of activities you enjoy but I can tell you some places to center a trip around and upon which to look for resorts which may cater to your interests. Looking at the age range of your children I would say definitely make Munising one of your destinations. It has hiking, biking, touristy stuff, pictured rocks, kayaking and more. We also love Copper Harbor which is one of the more beautiful places in the country. It can be busy so plan way ahead. The porcupine mountains are another place worth exploring. I'll have more ideas as I think about it. |
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Resorts are usually mostly the same spot to spot. Best UP vacation we ever did was a remote cabin on shores of Lake Michigan. If you can find a remote cabin rental with a good rep, that would be my rec. Another rec would be Sylvania wilderness area. There is great inland fishing if you get back into the smaller lakes. |
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The UP is not a 'typical' resort type place. Cabin rentals, yes https://www.northwoodsresort.net/ |
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While not in the UP there is this place in the LP : https://gateslodge.com/ but it does fill up fast for the peak hatches, and is not very "modern" or upscale but it is one of the premiere trout fisheries |
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It really depends what part of the UP you want to stay in. We camped at Rippling River Resort in Marquette for a few nights a couple of years ago and used it for a base of operation. Fairly new place and I would definitely go back. There’s plenty to see and do around that area. |
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The UP is bigger than it might seem, you aren't cruising from spot to spot at 80 mph, legally. I'd shoot up to the Keweenaw and explore that first, plenty to do from Houghton to High Rock Bay. Plenty of VRBO/AirBNB listings. Estivant Pines, Brockway Mtn. Drive, Delaware Mine Tour, The Jam Pot, (and nearby waterfall) The Jam Lady, Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor area, US41 "ends", but actually goes out to High Rock Bay if you have AWD, some ground clearance and common sense, Mandan Road loop out of Copper Harbor is a nice off road loop. There is a bar in Gay. Black Flies. Mosquitoes. I'd grab the newest Michigan Atlas and Gazetteer as it is pretty detailed. There are Yoopers, and then there are just people that moved there from somewhere else, you need about 5 generations buried in the local cemetery before you are an actual Yooper. (I just say that as you will notice a difference if you are up there for a while) Fly fishing? I'd make that a separate trip unless the wife and kids do that as well. Enjoy the UP, spend all your money, just don't move there. @krecon1 I miss anything? |
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."
L.P. Hartley
L.P. Hartley
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In addition to what has already been discussed - I personally prefer the western UP to the eastern side as the western side is more "mountainous" than the relatively flat and swampy portions of the eastern UP. The UP is vast and many of the smaller towns not along the lakeshore all have the same amenities (meaning maybe a gas station and an IGA) but nothing that stands out as noteworthy and a must see. Munising is worth a stop to check out the pictured rocks. You can either take the cruise or a Kayak tour. Downtown Marquette is historic, as are most of the towns in the UP, but if you stop in Marquette then check out Sugarloaf Mountain. Anywhere in the Keweenaw is fun to explore and you can easily find old mining sites and ruins to explore with a little bit of research prior to your trip. Porcupine Mountains on western edge of UP too. As far as places to stay I would just recommend a few VRBO types and pick a few areas to check out, maybe one in Marquette, Houghton/Hancock/Calumet, then somewhere around Ontonagon. You can rent an ORV and base out of one of those cities in the Keweenaw and explore all the random snowmobile trails and two tracks in the Keweenaw too. Depending on time of year and currents swimming in Lake Superior can be enjoyable or a frigid ice bath. I cannot over emphasis proper bug protection if you venture into the woods. Like Lake Superior, the bug situation can be tolerable to miserable, so be prepared if you venture into the woods. If you mainly plan on staying along the lakeshore and other open areas, you should be fine. Food wise - pasties are a local favorite as is some Finnish cuisine in Hancock. If you like smoked fish Peterson's Fish Market on US41 (across from the Quincy Mine) has great smoked fish and cheese curds. You can also find thimbleberries along the road, but I image most good spots will have already been picked cleaned by the locals. |
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OP, are you driving up or flying up? Clyde's Drive-in (178 US-2, St Ignace, MI 49781) which is just over the bridge when you get into the UP was a good place for a burger. Shown as temporarily closed but my guess is they will open when it gets closer to tourist season. Soo Lock Boat Tour is fun. Tahquamenon Falls State Park https://shipwreckmuseum.com/ opens for the season May 1. I haven't been but I'll go some day. Pictured Rocks Boat Tour was already mentioned. You can also hike along the top of the cliffs. I've done the boat ride a few times. Never the hike. http://www.quincymine.com/ You can tour the mine and see all the equipment. They have a cog railroad that takes you to the mine entrance. One of only three cog railroads in the country. The other two are at Mt. Washington and Pikes Peak. http://thegaybar.com/ was already mentioned. Worth the stop just to tell people you went to the Gay Bar on vacation. You won't be impressed by it at all. You'll just have a story. Brockway Mountain Lookout gives you a nice view of Copper Harbor. If you are driving up, you could stop by the The Henry Ford in Dearborn. You could spend a day or two there. Lunch or dinner at https://fordsgarageusa.com/locations/dearborn/ also in Dearborn. |