Possible iItinerary for UP trip... feedback please :-)

Hi Michigan experts!

I%26#39;m planning a trip to the UP in the fall this year, and after doing some research on what we%26#39;d like to see there I%26#39;ve come up with a rough draft.

It would be more like a road trip through the area with stops on the way. Kind of a first timers overview.

I%26#39;d love to get some input to see if the places I%26#39;ve mentioned are worth seeing, or if I need to be warned about anything, etc.

The plan is to fly into Green Bay, Wisconson some time in late September, and rent a comfy car for all the driving we%26#39;ll be doing. (would you suggest an SUV for UP roads??)

We%26#39;ll be starting off the trip by visiting some friends in Appleton for an overnight or two.

So here%26#39;s the plan...

From Appleton, early in the morning, we%26#39;d drive to Fayett to see the park and Ghost town for a few hours. From there we%26#39;d drive to St. Ignace. (or around that area)

We%26#39;d stay for two nights there so we can spend a day on Mackinac Island, and at some point would love to drive over the bridge and back if possible. (I hear it%26#39;s an experience in itself!)

From there we%26#39;d drive up to Tahquamenon Falls State Park to spend the afternoon, then drive down to Newberry for an overnight.

In the morning, I%26#39;d like to stop off to see the Bear sanctuary, then on to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Not sure how long we%26#39;ll need for a look see, I%26#39;m guessing a couple of hours since I%26#39;m not planning any dune hiking.

From there, I%26#39;d like to stop off in Marquette for dinner then on to the Hancock Houghton area where we%26#39;ll be staying for about 3 or 4 nights.

This area is the reason for the trip in the first place. A bit of a pilgrimage to see where my Finnish family is from. Apparently they were all over the Keeweenah. Hancock, Calumet, Laurium etc. So we%26#39;d be planting ourselves there and making a few day trips including Copper Harbor and Porcupine Mountains.

After that, we%26#39;d leave the Hancock area in the morning and visit Iron Mountain for the afternoon. Then we%26#39;ll drive back down to Green Bay in the evening and catch our flight home the next day.

Sounds a bit ambitious huh? But after mapping it, looking at the time it would take from place to place it seems doable at least on paper.

I%26#39;m planning on eating lots of pasties!!! :-)

Welcoming any feedback, tips etc. especially if you have any insights or fave things to see and do at these destinations? We like pretty scenery, ';easy'; hikes, and bike rides.

Thanks a bunch in advance!! You betcha!! :-)

Possible iItinerary for UP trip... feedback please :-)

Hello podo994,

Welcome to the Michigan Forum.

I think your plan is good. You will not need a SUV unless you want one. The roads you will be traveling on are all paved.

You may want to check out the Seney Wildlife Refuge.

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/seney/

If you go to Munising and want to check out the Pictured Rocks, the boat cruise is something you may want to look at. It takes about 3 hours and this is a good way to see the rock formations.

http://www.picturedrocks.com/Home.php

Fayette is a nice trip. The harbor there is beautiful.

If you have any questions about certain areas just post back.

Possible iItinerary for UP trip... feedback please :-)

Thanks for the encouragement Yooperbacker! So I%26#39;m not crazy after all eh? :-)

Thanks for the links too... the refuge sounds like an excellent place for biking (if there%26#39;s a bike rental around there) and the cruise sounds just the sort of thing I%26#39;d love to do! Great suggestion!

Thanks again!

I don%26#39;t know of any bike rental around the Seney Wildlife Refuge but they do have a tour you can take with your car.

Just a few miles South of the refuge is Germfask. In Germfask you can rent canoes to go down the Manistique River. Northland Outfitters rents canoes.

http://www.northoutfitters.com/

The town of Germfask was founded by 8 families. Each letter in Germfask is the first letter of the last name of one of the families.

Between Fayette and St. Ignace you may want to stop and see the Big Spring (Kich-it-kipi). It is West of Manistique.

exploringthenorth.com/bigspring/spring.html

Here are some web links to the Upper Peninsula -

www.exploringthenorth.com/mich/mich.html

http://hunts-upguide.com/

http://www.travelbaysdenoc.com/

http://www.marquettecountry.org/

www.superiortrails.com/up-michigan.html

http://www.superiorsights.com/

http://www.upmichigan.com/

Since you are thinking of going to Fayette there is a Winery in the area you might want to check out.

Threefold Vine Winery

www.exploringthenorth.com/threefold/vine.html

There is also a wine tasting place in Manistique. Just after you go over a big bridge that goes over the Manistique River (and yes this is the same river in Germfask) look to your right toward the Harbor and you will see a sign.

http://www.mackinawtrailwinery.com/

Thanks Yooperbacker! You%26#39;re always helpful!

Question about canoeing, or kayaking...

I see a lot of pics of folks doing that sort of thing up in the UP! I%26#39;ve never done either, but it looks fun. But how good a shape do your arms have to be? Is is a strenuous activity? Will my arms need ice afterwards? :-)

The river you mentioned sounds nice... we%26#39;re talking smooth water right? Do you know of nice places to go canoeing up in the Keeweenaw?

Also, since we%26#39;ll be visiting in the fall, how cold would it be on the water? If we fell in would we get hypothermia? Just wondering...

Thanks!

YB has given you a lot of good information and I will add a couople of pennies worth

';We%26#39;d stay for two nights there so we can spend a day on Mackinac Island, and at some point would love to drive over the bridge and back if possible. (I hear it%26#39;s an experience in itself!)';

I would suggest you drive across the bridge and stay in Mackinac City. There is a lot more to do there and you can easily catch a ferry to the Island for a day trip. Rent bikes on the island and explore beyond the town.

If you are in Mqt for dinner I would suggest Elizabeth%26#39;s or the Vierling. They are close to each other overlooking the lower Harbor on Front St. downtown. Elizabeth%26#39;s is fine dining and a bit more pricey. The Veirling has the best Whitefish in Marquette.

If you plan to stay in Marquette just up the street from these two restauarnts is the Landmark Inn. I would highly recommend it for an overnight stay.

More Marquette info at:

http://www.marquette.org/

Hi - If you are in the Munising side of pictured rocks, it is not dunes. (Grand Marais side is where the dunes are.) There are nice hikes you can take. For a short one, try stopping at Miners Castle and then hiking the path to Miner%26#39;s beach and back. We saw beavers there last time!

Oh, and Northland Outfitters also rents bikes. Seney is a nice place to bike. It can be buggy sometimes, but if you are moving it doesn%26#39;t matter. Last year we watched an Osprey bring a fish back to its nest and feed it to baby. Binoculars are must.

If you are a mtn biker, my favorite place in the whole state is in Munising harbor - Grand Island Natl Recreation Area. It is so nice.

I%26#39;m glad Seney was added. Thats a MUST DO in my book but it you will want 2-4 hours minimum. Last time we were there you could do a self guided drive through tour and get an over view.

When you leave Fayette, (a good stop) plan on stopping at Indian Lake State Park, actually Palm Brooks park I believe. But visit the huge spring ';kitchitikipi';. That is about a hour stop, good place for a picnic lunch if your packing one. There will be a daily park fee.

See: uppermichiganwaterfalls.com/Kitchitikipi.html

or google it. (as if I have to say that :) )

Your going to see tons of signs advertising MYSTERY SPOT along US 2 on your way to St Ignace. That is an old tourist trap with supposed gravity defying ';illusions';. It has become a bit of a local lore downstate. I only mention it because your going to wonder if its worth stopping and seeing. It%26#39;s pretty lame but still it seems almost everyone stops once .... LOL......... Michiganders are groaning that I brought that up LOL. Helps the local economy I suppose but its very much a part of tourism dollars for someone in that area.

On your way back when you go into Iron Mountain, there is a copper mine that is worth while to visit. Quaint town. I remember another museum there on mining and huge machinery that was memorable. I like alot of the other places your visiting. The locks at Sault Ste Marie (if you go there) are a huge draw, but you have alot on your plate. Mackinaw Island will be a treat and highlight. So will driving back up to the Houghton Hancock area. Beautiful part of the state and more copper mines.

between Fayette, Mackinaw Island, the falls, Pictured rocks, Seney and Houghton Hancock you have definately covered alot of the main draws.

should be a great visit for you.

If you are going out of season, the Big Spring Kitch-iti-kipi might be nice. We were there last year during high season in August and it was a nightmare. Stuck on the raft with 50 screaming kiddies and parents yelling ';look at the fishie! look at the fishie!'; A disaster. :)

Just west of Munsing is Christmas, you goota stop to get pictures. They have a casino and right across the road is Foogys r esturant where to get to cook your very own steak, what fun this is.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas,_Michigan