Keweenaw is the best - Go if you havnen't been there - NOW!

I go up every year, but can%26#39;t help but do a little commenting on how great it is. For those of you unfamiliar with the Keweenaw, it is the northernmost peninsula of Michigan. My family has a summer house in Eagle Harbor (built in 1903 by my great great grandpa) and it is a yearly sojourn.. To anyone who hasn%26#39;t gone - go - now!! You can truly relax and unwind. Lakes large and small, waterfalls large and small, rivers large and small, eagles, wolves (my sister saw one this year), bear, deer, wildflowers and solace can be found everywhere. One of my favorite beaches in the world (well, of the ones I%26#39;ve been to in Hawaii and the Caribbean) is Bete Gris (pronounced Betagree) and it is pristine white sand that squeaks when walked on. The water is crystalline and you can venture out about 75%26#39; and it is about waist deep and all sand. Hills and trees are your companions and a busy day might see 35-40 people. The water there was pretty warm this year (compared to the usual. Superior chill) so I went swimming and of course the kids love it. There are some wonderful restaurants in the Keweenaw that include: Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor, Carmelita%26#39;s in Calumet, Joey%26#39;s in Houghton and Toni%26#39;s in Laurium. The weather was perfect! 70%26#39;s with low humidity so I walking everyday was a joy. As usual I forget all my troubles and relax and listen to the buoy clanging, look at the lighthouse and smell the pine and cedar trees. I was there 2 weeks and could easily stay the whole summer if I didn%26#39;t have to work. I%26#39;m back at work but still smiling just remembering.

Keweenaw is the best - Go if you havnen't been there - NOW!

Keeweenaw Mountain Lodge..very nice log-cabin type motel in Copper Harbor with golf course, lodge with restaurant...Clean accomodations with woods-view picture window, and fireplace

Keweenaw is the best - Go if you havnen't been there - NOW!

Ah, you reflect my sentiments exactly. Just got back from a week in the UP including two nights in Copper Harbor (Lake Fanny Hooe resort, the motel). Weather was outstanding! Should have actually stayed longer but we had reservations back in Munising. The Keweenau Peninsula is just as scenic as the Maine coastline (from pictures I%26#39;ve seen) without the crowds. It IS a looong way from lower Michigan but well worth the drive. Lake Superior is definitely ';Superior'; to the rest. Clear and beautiful from any angle. We did mostly rock hunting on the Copper Harbor area beaches but the kids ventured into the water a little. Insects were virtually non-existent, I never saw a single mosquito, just a few black flies (though I hear mid-June can be a problem with them).

The view from above Great Sand Bay rivals any in the Caribbean and muffins/jelly from the JamPot are a must! Maybe we%26#39;ll check out Eagle Harbor more someday rather than just drive through.

I%26#39;m still glowing from the trip!

Just curious...did you guys pick up any thimbleberry jam? I%26#39;ve not seen it anywhere else, but the stuff%26#39;s awesome!!

Picked up a jar from the Jam Lady in Eagle River. We have made it in the past, but didn%26#39;t get around to it this year. Those berries are the best melt-in-your-mouth goodness around

We didn%26#39;t get any Thimbleberry Jam but were saving our $$$ for our trip back through the JamPot. Got muffins, brownies (great stuff) and the best jelly I%26#39;ve ever tasted: ';Chablis Wine Jelly';. Unbelievable stuff. May just have to order more when it runs out.

For anyone interested, you can order The Jampot goodies online at societystjohn.com

We are seriously considering going to the UP for the first time either this spring, May or fall Sept. Any suggestions you can give or a place to go for further information would be very appreciated. It sounds like a wonderful place.

Coppercountry.com is a good site for lodging and other info. I think the best time to come up here is either February or March (if you enjoy snow sports) or July/August to enjoy the summer. The bugs are usually gone by that time.

Say Ya to da UP eh!

So does that mean there are bugs in May? What is the temp like in May? We ride a 1800 Goldwing Trike and so the elements make some difference to us when we are choosing a time to vacation. We were in Yellowstone last September and dealt with 2 days of snow flurries and cold temp. Prefer not to do that if we have a choice. Since we have never been to the UP we are needing all kinds of advice.

May is still unpredictable both weather and bug-wise. It may still get down into the 40%26#39;s at night and may reach the 70%26#39;s during the day. The snow should be gone (mosty) by then...I%26#39;m not kidding I%26#39;ve seen massive snowstorms as late as mid May - but that%26#39;s VERY rare. The bugs then are no-see-ums which while being very annoying can be kept at bay with a good bug dope. If all of that sounds OK then it%26#39;s a good time to come as there is very little tourist traffic then.

I prefer late July and August for summertime activities. You can swim in the lake then. Hike in the woods without being eaten alive. Kayaking and mountain biking are excellant then. Although there are more tourists then it%26#39;s never busy, BUSY up here.