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.
- Tahquamenon Falls
- Pictured Rocks
- Marquette
- Houghton
- Copper Harbor
If I were making that trip, I would eat at every one of the following places:
- Marquette - The Border Grill
- Negaunee - Iron Town Pasties - You must try a pasty in the U.P., and these are really, really good.
- Ishpeming - Ralph's Italian Deli - Get the Cudhigi sandwich; it's a kind of Italian sausage and it is fantastic. I ask for marinara sauce, mozzarella and a toasted bun.
- Baraga - Irene's Pizza - This one may be pure nostalgia, but I love everything about this pizza, ask for extra thin crust.
- Houghton - The Ambassador - others have recommended it. It's great. The subs and the tostada pizza are the best.
In Marquette, you should check out Presque Isle, and I highly recommend staying at the Nestledown Bed and Breakfast. It is very new, very clean, Scandinavian feel, run by an older couple that is very sweet. And it's very affordable.
Swing through Upper Hand Brewery in Escanaba and tell them Dean Walker sent you. The operations manager, Sam, owes me a couple favors.
Tino's Pizza in Negaunee, if you're in the area.
If you're into fishing be sure to take a rod along. There is a good chance that the majority of streams you cross heading west towards Munising (there will be lots) will have brook trout in them. Regular old hook and worm will do the trick as will small Mepp's spinners.
We camped in Munising and Tahquamenon for a week last August, great time. Was able to catch brook trout and splake in the streams, saw most of the water falls in Munising, and even jumped off the rock cliffs into Lake Superior at Miners Beach.
If anyone is at Tahquamenon Falls in early to mid August, take CO-500 north and stop off on one of the various two-tracks that split off the road. Wild blueberries EVERYWHERE!
Fayette Historic State Park at the tip of the Garden Peninsula east of Escanaba is amazing. It contains the ruins of a mid-19th C iron smelting facility, and has a great campground right on the lake.
Ft. Wilkins Historic State Park just outside Copper Harbor is beautiful. It contains the well-restored 1840s U.S. Army fort as well as a great campground right on a Lake Fanny Hooe, a small lake just a few hundred yards from Lake Superior.
Brockway Mountain Drive, which follows the crest of Keweenaw Peninsula has a amazing views of the Peninsula and Lake Superior.
Estivant Pines is a small patch of old growth white pine forest, also near Copper Harbor.