Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a gorgeous area between Lake Superior & Lake Michigan with tons of great outdoor adventures!
U.P. Tips:
Book your lodging early! There are not a ton of options and they fill up quickly.
The Michigan Recreation Passport is Michigan’s version of a state park pass. Many of the scenic areas in the U.P. require a recreation passport for entry. The recreation passport cannot be purchased online, they are only available at certain parks.
It is $10 for a day pass for non-Michigan residents or $36 for an annual pass, so if you will be in the area for longer than 3 days an annual pass will probably make more sense. Michigan residents can purchase an annual pass for $12 with their license plate registration renewal or $17 any other time.
There are 3 cities that serve as good bases for exploring:
Houghton: This is a larger city on the western side of the Upper Peninsula. The downtown is full of restaurants and shops. Michigan Technological University is also here giving the city college town vibes.
Marquette: This is a cute little town with lots of shops, restaurants, breweries, trails and views. It is a great home base for exploring the entirety of the U.P. Marquette is also home to Northern Michigan University.
Munising: This little town essentially exists as a gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Explore Minnesota’s North Shore along the western edge of Lake Superior while you are in the area—check out my beer and travel guide here.
On a Michigan road trip? Check out my other guides:
Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:
Kayak Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: The best way to see the Pictured Rocks is from the water! There are several different companies that offer various length kayak tours. The full day kayak tour with Northern Waters Adventures was a lovely journey from Miners Castle Beach to Mosquito Beach. The scenery is stunning! Be prepared that tours will be cancelled due to inclement weather and kayaking on the open water of Lake Superior can be quite difficult.
Miner’s Castle Trail: A short .6 mile trail that takes about 20 minutes to see two different viewpoints of the Pictured Rocks. The views are beautiful and I would highly recommend a visit!
The Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains: A stunning viewpoint that should not be missed. The walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint at the top is quite short. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter. The Lake of the Clouds trail is 1.6 miles long with 351ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete. This trail goes straight down to the lake and back up, but there isn’t a great view from the bottom so it wasn’t quite worth it. The view from the top was much better.
Summit Peak Observation Tower in the Porcupine Mountains: This trail is 1 mile long with 230ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes. This is a popular trail and leads to incredible views of the Porcupine Mountains. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.
Barrel + Beam Brewery: A fantastic brewery in Marquette specializing in Farmhouse and Barrel Aged beers, ciders and meads. They use all Michigan ingredients and make delicious beers!
Superior Culture: A fun spot for drinks with kombucha, seltzers and beers. They are in a converted house with a cute space and nice backyard area as well. The drinks are delicious and the vibes are great.
Blackrocks Brewing: A spacious brewery in Marquette with a nice upper deck, back patio and two different indoor spaces. The vibes here are great and they frequently have food trucks. Located just a block away from Superior Culture.
Hogback Mountain Trail: This trail in the Escanaba River State Forest near Marquette is 3.8 miles long with 565ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. Almost all of the elevation is in the last half mile which is very steep and involves a short bit of rock climbing. The views from the summit are fantastic. Wetmore Pond is located here as well and the AllTrails route includes a stop here for the viewpoint. For this trail you will want hiking boots due to the roots and rocks and also bug spray. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.
Keweenaw Brewing Company: A brewery in the heart of downtown Houghton with average beers, fun vibes, a back patio, and cheap prices.
Contrast Coffee: A coffee shop in Marquette with food as well. This is a popular spot so I’d recommend going early.
Presque Isle Park Loop Trail: Presque Isle is a popular area for picnics, walks and water access. The loop trail is 2.3 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about 1 hour to complete. It is a nice stroll around the isle with small, rocky beaches throughout. Half of the trail runs along the road and beaches and the other half is through the woods. You could make this shorter if desired.
East Channel Brewing: A brewery in downtown Munising with a small tap list and Cooking Carberry’s pizza onsite. They have a small patio and average beers.
Falling Rock Café and Bookstore: A cute little bookstore and café in Munising with a breakfast and all day menu. Quite delicious!
Taqhuamenon Falls
The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:
Taqhuamenon Falls: This is a must visit in the Upper Peninsula! I chose to do the Upper and Lower Falls trail which was 10 miles long with 636ft of elevation gain and took about 3.5 hours. Most folks choose to just do the short walk from the parking lot of each waterfall to the viewpoints which is less than a mile for each fall. You can also hike one way and then shuttle back to the other parking lot for $17. At the Lower Falls you can get into the river and swim or frolic as you desire. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter the parking lot.
Taqhuamenon Falls Brewery & Pub shares a parking lot with the Upper Falls trailhead, be sure to pop by for a beer and some food! There is also a gift shop, an ice cream shop and a BBQ restaurant here.
Boat Cruise to see the Pictured Rocks: There are several different tour companies, I would suggest Pictured Rocks Cruises and the sunset spray tour. Book ahead as they frequently sell out, and be prepared that tours will be cancelled due to inclement weather.
Palms Book State Park: Home to Kitch-iti-kipi, the “big spring.” This is a popular destination to go out on a raft above the spring where 10,000 gallons of water is coming up through the ground per minute. Touristy but actually quite cool to see. You will need the Michigan Recreation Passport to enter.
Sugarloaf Mountain Trail: This trail near Marquette is 1.4 miles long with 300ft of elevation gain and takes about 35 minutes to complete with great views of Lake Superior. This is a popular trail because it is pretty short and still leads to a panoramic view. The trailhead parking is a 2 minute drive from Hogback Mountain.
Munising Falls Trail: This is a popular, short .5 mile long trail with 3 viewing platforms of Munising Falls. You will need a National Park Pass to enter. Located just 5 minutes from downtown Munising.
Kayaking Pictured Rocks
Other ideas:
Explore Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin: The Meyers Beach Sea Cave Trail is 4.7 miles long with 270ft of elevation gain and takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. There is a boardwalk section which then pops out to the rugged lake shore. There are some great views but a majority of the trail is quite boring unfortunately. It is $5 to park here and a National Park Pass does not count.
Visit Bayfield, Wisconsin: A cute little town centered around exploring the Apostle Islands. Wonderstate Coffee is a great spot for breakfast and coffee!
Hidden Beach: A literal hidden beach near Marquette! Parking is a bit past where Google says the beach is on the side of the road and then there is a trail through the woods to get to the beach itself.
Bayshore Park: A nice area on the water near the marina in Munising with beach access, picnic tables, and restrooms.
Wagner Falls Trail: A small waterfall near Munising that is a quick 2 minute walk from the parking lot. Pretty if you are in the area but do not go out of your way to see it.
Campfire Coffee: A cute coffee shop in downtown Negaunee with food options as well.
Digs: A restaurant and bar in downtown Marquette with solid food and drinks. They also have a nice back patio space.
Ore Dock Brewing Company: A brewery in downtown Marquette with a nice patio, good vibes, average beers, and frequent food trucks. They also make hard seltzers.
Drifa Brewing Company: A brewery just outside of downtown Marquette across from the lake. They have a nice outdoor space and frequent food trucks + live music. The tap list is small and beers are average.
ByGeorge Brewing Co: A brewery in downtown Munising with flights, a small patio space, and average beers. Driftwood Deli is connected next door for food.
Velodrome: A coffee shop with two locations—one in the heart of Ishpeming and another in Marquette. They have a small food menu as well.
Bike! There are a ton of bike trails in the U.P. to explore.
Manistique Boardwalk Trail: This 3.1 mile, mostly flat trail takes about 1 hour to walk and has parking lots at both ends of the trail. It is essentially a paved greenway that runs along the northern shore of Lake Michigan with a lighthouse and beach.
Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery: Wine and beer flights in Manistique right near the boardwalk. They are located on the river which is nice but the beers were mediocre and very overpriced. They also have a location in Petoskey.
Teal Lake: A pretty lake in Negaunee with beach access and nice views.
Rustic Grounds Coffee Trailer: A coffee truck in downtown Munising with tasty beverages.
Bridge View Park: A nice spot for views of the Mackinaw Bridge. There is a picnic area, informational building and restroom. This is the last exit before the bridge. There is a $4 toll to cross the bridge.
Whitefish Falls Trail: A small, isolated waterfall in the middle of nowhere right off the main road. This trail is a quick 5 minute walk. The AllTrails has you go deeper into the woods for no reason—once you see the waterfall you can turn around. If visiting Kitch-iti-kipi from the Marquette area you will pass right by this so you might as well stop. Otherwise, do not go out of your way to see it as it is quite small.
