Outdoor Book Club | Discover your inner heroine.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Book Club Schedule
  • Contact
  • OBC Store
  • Monthly Book Themes

Outdoor Book Club Blog 

Newsletter sign up:
    Built with ConvertKit

    5 Places in Michigan's Upper Peninsula You Should See Right Now

    9/9/2017

     
    Picture
    *Guest post by OBC intern Victoria
    My parents were never considered the “outdoorsy” type. Our vacations consisted of Disney World, The Wisconsin Dells, beach towns down south, Jamaica, and relaxing on cruise ships for weeks at a time. Since going to college, I’ve realized many families are like this — so I wasn’t alone. With the “standard” vacations and time out of the Midwest, there was a huge part of Michigan that we were all missing: The Upper Peninsula.

    F
    or anyone who is unaware of what the Upper Peninsula is (like I was five years ago), we can jump into a mini geography lesson. Michigan consists of two major peninsulas — one that looks like a mitten, and another that is north of there. Typically the Upper Peninsula is forgotten about in trendy t-shirts or other memorabilia but it’s the main part of what makes this state so great.

    ​
    With that being said, here are six places in the upper peninsula you need to drop everything and see as soon as possible.

    Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

    Unfortunately, I wasn’t exposed to images of Pictured Rocks until college — I had no idea a place like this ever existed in Michigan. I finally made my first trip there summer of 2015 with a group of friends and later returned summer of 2016 to hike the whole shoreline. There are many things you can do in order to experience this natural beauty. There are kayak tours, sunset cruises, boat rentals, hikes and more. My preferred way of seeing the rocks is to hike the “Chapel” route. This hike is perfect for those who are getting their toes wet in the day-hike universe. I recommend bringing snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, long pants, shorts, and comfortable shoes. Regardless of how you choose to view this national park, it will leave you breathless. ​

    ​Sugarloaf Mountain

    S​ugarloaf Mountain is one of my favorite places in the Upper Peninsula — once you make it to the top (the challenging part) you can see all the way to Lake Superior. Luckily, Sugarloaf is around twenty minutes outside of Marquette. So, after you’re done climbing up twenty flights of stairs you can enjoy a cold beer at Black Rocks Brewing Company or Ore Dock. 

    ​Fayette Historic Townsite 

    Fayette is an amazingly preserved historical landmark located in the southern region on the Garden peninsula. Fayette was once a community based on coal and iron manufacturing in the mid-1860’s until the 1890’s. The town was built right on the shore of Lake Michigan with large limestone cliffs surrounding it. There are many preserved houses and businesses that are free to roam. Fayette is great for anyone who loves a glimpse into Michigan’s historical past. ​

    Marquette

    Marquette is easily one of my favorite cities in the state of Michigan. Marquette is your typical U.P. town — there are plenty of breweries, restaurants, shops, and sights to see (Sugarloaf Mountain as an example). Since Marquette is home to Northern Michigan University, there is always something happening around town. Usually it includes hammocking next to Lake Superior, jumping off Black Rocks, or kayaking around the shoreline — there’s always something exciting going on! ​

    ​Kitch-iti-kipi (Big Spring)

    The Big Spring is located just outside of Manistique, Michigan. Kitch-iti-kipi is Michigan’s largest freshwater spring. When you visit the spring you get on a wooden boat that brings you out into the middle so you are able to get a better view of the water gushing out of the fissures below. Every time I visit the Kitch-iti-kipi it never gets out! After visiting, I recommend grabbing dinner and a beer at The Big Spring Inn! ​
    What did I miss? Leave your favorite UP activity in the comments below!

      Jill Hinton Wolfe,

      Chief Heroine

      I love helping women discover their inner heroines.

      NOTE: Affiliate products are clearly marked with an asterisk (*) and you can always ignore the link and go straight to the company website if you prefer. Or... if you enjoy this site, buying through my affiliate links is a great way to support my efforts get more women outdoors & reading :)

      Jill's books

      Kindle Bestseller Publishing: Write a Bestseller in 30 Days!
      Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
      Dumplin'
      Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message
      News of the World
      The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters
      Summary of Essentialism: by Greg McKeown | Includes Key Takeaways and Analysis
      Dolores Claiborne
      An American Marriage
      The Shining
      Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them): A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
      Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
      Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
      Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
      Intermittent Fasting: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Live a Healthy Life!
      Exit West
      This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life
      Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel
      Educated
      Summary of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: by Mark Manson | Includes Key Takeaways & Analysis


      Jill Wolfe's favorite books ยป

      RSS Feed

      Categories

      All
      Backpacking
      Book Club
      Books
      Celebrities
      Gear
      Inspiration
      Michigan
      Mountain Biking
      Outdoors
      Planning
      Reviews
      Skills
      Travel
      Video
      Women

      Archives

      June 2022
      January 2020
      September 2019
      August 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      September 2017
      August 2017
      June 2017
      September 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      February 2015
      January 2015
      December 2014
      November 2014
      October 2014
      September 2014
      August 2014
      July 2014
      June 2014
      May 2014
      April 2014
      March 2014
      February 2014
      January 2014
      November 2013

    ©2019 Outdoor Book Club Terms of Service
    • Home
    • Blog
    • About
      • Book Club Schedule
    • Contact
    • OBC Store
    • Monthly Book Themes