MI UP road trip

[Backstrap]

My Mom's side of the family is from the Keeweenaw. +2 or 3 on the Ambassador in Houghton. For pizza and pasta across the bridge in Hancock is Gemignani's. If you're going from the Copper Country to Marquette, stop at the Hilltop Restaurant in L'Anse for the cinnamon bun. Stop anywhere for pasties, pretty much all good. A Cudighi Sausage sammich in the Marquette area is great too, there's a couple places that sell them. Oh, and after a couple cold ones at Keeweenaw Brewing and then a few more at the Ambassador, go a little further west and have a pickled egg night cap at the B&B Bar.

 

[3forks]

My wife is from the UP, and I don’t have too much to add that hasn’t already been mentioned, but I’m glad to see that I have visited most of the recommendations others have already posted.

I’ve only ever lived in the mountain west, and I’ve always enjoyed visiting the UP. We got some harsh winters in Montana, and I grew up with the idea that you could never have enough firewood as a general rule. However, I have NEVER seen would piles like a lot of the houses up there have. I would make a point to drive through some of the towns in the UP just to look at who had the most and best stacked wood.

Also, because diversity and equality is such a theme these days - if someone finds themselves in the town of Gay, you may want to stop and hit the town bar which is named the “Gay Bar”. That way, if you ever find yourself in the situation where you have to defend yourself in an argument with some liberal or progressive and they question your perspective on same sex issues - you can say you’ve been to a gay bar and didn’t feel insecure or uncomfortable in the slightest.

 

[Beendare]

Thanks to all, this might just be our next family trip.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks to all, this might just be our next family trip.

Feel free to reach out if you decide on coming up and have any questions.

 

[AnnualRye]

Wife's aunt lives in Ontonagon, and we visited the UP for about a week 2 years ago. Definitely go up along the Keweenaw Peninsula. Lots of cool lighthouses and other landmarks. Adventure Mine was cool as well if you're into spelunking. Marquette is beautiful and has a good pasty shop right across from NMU's basketball arena.

 

[Ddog]

Thanks to all, this might just be our next family trip.

You'll love it up there, it's beautiful.

 

[PaleAiles]

Did a trip way back in the porcupines, you can't go wrong with most of the coastline on lake superior up there!

 

[mi650]

Haven't seen it mentioned yet: Jumbo perch should start running off of Drummond Island soon. It's been many years since I've done that. 1st time my dad took me up there, we went out with 4 dozen minnows, which really equaled about 400. The perch were biting so fast, we couldn't keep our lines baited, using 2 rods each. We also caught a couple nice smallies each, 3-3 1/2 lbs. Helluva lot of fun on the ultra-lights we were using!!

Dock to dock was about 5 hours, we filled a 5 gallon bucket, and didn't keep anything under 11". As we were cleaning them, my dad said, "Sorry, it's usually better than this."

He's coming up here from FL in a couple weeks. Might have to see about a perch trip.

 

[Watrdawg]

Speaking of fish. I missing the Smelt runs. I’m in NC and of course we don’t have smelt here. I loved eating deep fried smelt!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

My wife went to college at Michigan Tech in Houghton, was just there in October. Cinnamon rolls at the cafe in L'Anse, as big as your head. Another for the pizza at the Ambassador in Houghton. We had it twice when we were there. A beer and a pickled egg is a must at the B&B in Houghton also. And you HAVE to eat a pasty. Now whether you're a ketchup or gravy guy, that could start an argument.

 

[Oregon]

The UP is awesome. Been there twice. Once in the summer once in January. Sault St Siberia.
Tahquamenon falls was a great camping spot. We stayed there 3 days. Shipwreck at Whitefish point was neat. That's all I know. Unfortunately, we never explored the western part.

 

[Watrdawg]

If you think the Soo gets a lot of snow you ought to see what the Kewennaw Peninsula is like. It’s colder and snowier. They typically average around 200 inches of snow a year.

 

[magtech]

Ahh da yoop. I try to go that way when i hunt montana. Who wants to go down past chicago.... not I.

I havent been everywhere up there but i do love taking 28 and stopping at the roaside park on superior. I could retire to a house there.

 

[coloyooper]

My Mom's side of the family is from the Keeweenaw. +2 or 3 on the Ambassador in Houghton. For pizza and pasta across the bridge in Hancock is Gemignani's. If you're going from the Copper Country to Marquette, stop at the Hilltop Restaurant in L'Anse for the cinnamon bun. Stop anywhere for pasties, pretty much all good. A Cudighi Sausage sammich in the Marquette area is great too, there's a couple places that sell them. Oh, and after a couple cold ones at Keeweenaw Brewing and then a few more at the Ambassador, go a little further west and have a pickled egg night cap at the B&B Bar.

That cinnamon bun was a staple anytime we had hockey tournaments up that way as a kid

 

[BigE]

Another thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, yooperlites. Pretty cool to go look for them if you are in the right areas.
Yooperlites

 

[arudelic]

Good brook trout fishing up there.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I have been to the Gay Bar.

 

[5811]

Don't forget to watch Escanaba in da Moonlight before you go up there. It will help you understand the locals.

 

[Coveyleader]

It's a different place, that's for sure. I think the hunting and fishing is a bit overhyped though. It's just everyone up there does it.