The Beauty of Michigan

We learned that the most recommended place to visit in Michigan is the Upper Peninsula. (Referred to as “The U.P.”) 

We ventured into the state through Northern Wisconsin and spent a night in the Walmart parking lot in Marquette. (Did you know you can park your RV for free overnight in almost any Walmart, Cabellas, Camping World and Cracker Barrel? It’s super convenient since Walmart is a great place to stock up on groceries and RV toilet paper but I can’t say I always sleep great. I mean, Walmart doesn’t exactly calm and relax me…)

Anyhow, we love the UP! It’s so beautiful. There really is no shortage of outdoor places to explore.

St. Ignace

We stayed in St. Ignace, at Lakeview Campground, with a wonderful view of Lake Michigan. There is beach access which is perfect since we spent many of our days parked on the beautiful shore. There were a few days the water was too rough, but most days we kayaked and paddle-boarded and basically, just loved summer. 

We also ventured into town and loved it. Farmer’s markets, Sunday night movies in the park and Saturday fireworks over Lake Ontario. Small towns hold the best charm. 

Soo Locks

The Soo locks are located in Sault St. Marie, right across the water from Canada. They are an engineering marvel that connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron and enables ships to maneuver the 21 foot change in water level. You can see massive freighters enter the locks and navigate a tight area that doesn’t seem large enough to contain them. 

This would have been even more fascinating for us had there actually been a ship passing through when we were there. Instead, I’m quite certain my kids were plotting my demise after the wasted 2 hour round-trip tour up north and most likely decided they never want to go on one of my special adventures again. 

You win some, you lose some.

(If you go, call this number ahead of time for a schedule of ships 906.253.9290 and redeem your relationship with your kids)

Mackinac Island

Mackinac Bridge is a sight to see. It’s the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world. We loved driving across it (and by that I mean, it was amazing to see even though I was on the verge of a panic attack at the thought of us plunging to our death in the waters below. This is a totally normal thought to have when driving over a bridge pulling a huge 5th wheel, right?)

Nearby is also Mackinac Island which I hear is an amazing place to see. Horse drawn carriages, great views, bike rides around the island… But the price of ferry trips for all 6 of us was more than we hoped for so we decided to pass and spend our days doing absolutely nothing but floating in Lake Michigan in front of our campground. I did feel like we were missing out not seeing the island but suddenly felt better when we were assured, “Don’t bother, it’s just a bunch of fudge and horse poop.” 

Munising 

We stayed here for a week and half and it wasn’t long enough. Munising is a cute small town on the north coast of the UP. There are waterfalls and hikes galore and it’s nearby the breathtaking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We had pasties near the dock in downtown (pronounced past-ee, not paste-ee). There are several beaches around here to park it for the day and many mountain bike trails and hikes inviting exploring.

Pictured Rocks

The best way to see these beautiful cliffs is from the water. If you have fewer kids or more money than me, I recommend taking a boat tour of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. 

But if, like me, you need the cheaper option, there are great views of the Pictured Rocks from Miners Castle. I recommend checking out both lookout points.  

We hiked from the lookout area to Miner’s Beach, and were amazed at the waves and white sand. It felt like we were at the ocean. It’s truly a beautiful place. 

The hike down to the beach is 2 miles round trip. (But you can drive to the beach and skip the hiking part.)

I was getting concerned about Grady’s trip back up and how much this was going to affect the rest of us when he hit that point where he decided he couldn’t possibly take another step. It’s a bit steep on the way up and I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of carrying him.

But then, he found the perfect little stick to become his knife and decided he would chase his siblings until he stabbed them all. This meant he basically ran 1 mile uphill with an evil laugh and mischievous grin on his face. This probably should have concerned me a bit but all I could think to do was encourage him. This was better than carrying him. 

Fortunately his siblings kept the pursuit going and pretended they were scared of him. (Or maybe they weren’t pretending. He is a bit of force to be reckoned with…)

Anthony went back to Miners Beach with a couple kids another day and the water was really calm so he ventured out on our inflatable kayaks to see some of the rocks. (But know that certain sea kayaks are recommended for Lake Superior and they can be rented in Munising.) (We didn’t go this route because the rental price for our entire family was close to the price of one of my kidneys.)

Anthony didn’t get pictures. But there are caves and waterfalls and the view is amazing. (Google it! It’s beautiful!)

Kitch-iti-kipi

This is quite possibly one of the most amazing things I’ve seen on our adventure so far. While you are on Google, you should probably look this place up too because my pictures definitely don’t do it justice.

Kitch-iti-kipi is a natural spring with absolutely crystal clear water. It produces 16,000 gallons of water per minute and stays 45 degrees year round, even when Michigan is frozen over.

You can travel across the 200 foot-wide spring on a hand-cranked raft and peer 40 feet down to the bubbling fissures at the bottom. Fishing is not allowed here even though the massive trout beckon. These fish are brought here to finish out their retirement years.

Paradise 

This is a secret, local spot near the town of Christmas and requires a four-wheel drive, or at least a truck to get here. It is completely amazing. We explored the area one day and then Anthony brought a couple kids back to camp. The water is as clear as can be and the rocks and cliffs are unreal. 

Nothing like a campfire on the shores of Lake Superior. 

There is so much more to explore on the UP. I feel like we only scratched the surface. Hikes, waterfalls, lakes… there is no shortage of beauty and adventure. We are in love with this place. And we have heard that fall here is a sight to behold. A visit to the UP should be on everyone’s bucket-list.