Magical Michigan U.P. Itinerary

July 17-24, 2020

You are about to become a member of a wonderful and intimate group of adventurers in Michigan’s U.P! What follows is a full, yet flexible, itinerary including practical background information intended to inform and enhance your experience.

Our experience starts very soon! After reading this information, if you have any questions or concerns please share them with Mark! Please note the many clickable web links.

Pre / Post Tour

If your schedule allows, please consider starting your trip a day or two earlier and/or extending your tour a day or two later to take even more advantage of being in the U.P.! Mark will be delighted to advise you. There are many other wonderful places outside of our itinerary in the U.P. that you might like to visit on your own at leisure. Some favorites across the U.P. include Tahquamenon Falls, The Whitefish Point Light & the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Kitch-Iti-Kipi, the Museum of Ojibwa Culture, and the Soo Locks, just to name a few.

For Friday night dinner 7/17/20 Mark’s plan is to order and bring in take out for our group to enjoy together al fresco at the picnic tables outside the Big Bay Lighthouse. Your choice is to either place your advance order with Mark by Thursday night 7/16/20 or else dine in person at Duke’s Grill @ Thunder Bay Inn (~8 minutes from lighthouse).

Friday 7/17/20

  • 2:00 - 3:30 PM: Mark will try to contact you in the morning (e.g. via text message) asking you to inform him of your estimated time of arrival at the Fayette Historic State Park. Please consider trying to arrive 30-90 minutes early if possible to have additional time to enjoy this place in a relaxed way. If you don’t already have a Michigan Annual Recreation Passport for your car, please buy one as you enter, (Mark will reimburse you) as they will provide easy access in many other state parks you may want to visit. At Fayette there is a high quality welcome / info center with public bathrooms. In good weather Fayette is a delightful place to stroll around enjoy your own picnic lunch (if you can bring it with you). The visitor center also has a scale model of the town as it looked in the 1860s, and a gift shop that sells souvenirs… and delicious ice cream! Walk the ~1 mile overlook trail for a great view of Fayette from a slightly elevated vantage point. FYI - Mark is trying to arrange a ~2 PM appointment with the local historian. Sun screen, & bug spray is recommended for walking the grounds.

    Fayette Historic Site phone: (906) 644-2603

  • 3:30 - 6:00 PM: Drive from Fayette to Big Bay Lighthouse B&B (~2.5 hours)

  • 6 - 7 PM: check in / settle in to Big Bay Lighthouse B&B, phone: ‭(906) 345-9957‬. Proprietor's name: Nick Korstad. Please observe the Kcymaerxthaere marker for Tumbles of Tlapak near the entrance to the lighthouse. Later, Mark will be delighted to tell you more about this!

  • 7 PM: dinner - Mark will pick up and deliver your order from Duke’s Grill @ Thunder Bay Inn (~8 minutes) to our Friday dinner al fresco on the picnic tables with a view of Lake Superior at the Big Bay Lighthouse (or alternatively inside at the dining room table). For beverages to accompany this meal, Mark will provide water, and a limited amount of beer and wine. If you have other beverage preferences, please inform Mark at the same time you place your food order.

    Note: Not shown on the menu link above is Duke’s Friday night weekly fish fry specials: Fried Cod, Fried Yellow Perch, Fried Whitefish (with tartar sauce), or Broiled Whitefish w/ lemon tarragon options. If you decide that you’d rather enjoy dinner in person inside at Duke’s Grill instead of al fresco at the lighthouse, please advise Mark in advance and he will reimburse you for dinner. As you’ll see from the menu, there are many non-fish options. Duke’s Grill proprietor, Wayne, tells Mark that they practice “social distancing” precautions such as tables spaced apart at reduced capacity. The restaurant officially closes at 10 PM and Wayne says there usually is little or no wait to be seated.

  • 9:00 PM: Gather at lighthouse’s picnic tables for evening sunset cliff walk. Tonight’s sunset will happen about 9:40 PM. Bug spray is recommended.

  • Option: Pop in to the Lumberjack Tavern in the late afternoon or evening for a look (and possibly a drink) (~8 minutes from our lighthouse). Light fare such as pizza may also be available here. This place is famous for the murder depicted in the novel and cinema classic “Anatomy of a Murder”. They have a spacious outdoor back yard where you will likely see offspring from some local bunny rabbits released into the wild.

Saturday 7/18/20

T8:30 - 9:30 AM: Lighthouse Breakfast

After Breakfast you have variety of choices to experience between rural Big Bay and the small inviting university town of Marquette.

  • Suggestions you might consider:

    • Have a lazy day in / around the light house! (~0 minutes) Bring a book or read books in the lighthouse’s library!

    • Lakenenland (funny, funky, outdoor folk art from scrap iron - some tableaus with with decidedly politically liberal messaging…surprise!) east of Marquette (~60 minutes)

    • Pictured Rocks via kayak - in Munising (~90 minutes). Highly recommended (and also recommend that you purchase your ticket in advance.)

      If the lake is calm and weather clear, a 3 PM departure is great because of the quality of afternoon light. Apres Kayak dinner recommendation: Tracey’s in Munising (advance reservations also recommended). Lunch recommendation in Munising: Muldoons Pasties.

    • Sunrise or Sunset walk trail (with steps and railings) to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain near Marquette (~30 minutes). This is a great lookout point. Although during the day on a Saturday it will likely become crowded, sunrise and sunsets here are spectacular and have far fewer people.

    • Provision yourself up at the Marquette Food Co-op (~40 minutes). This is Mark’s “go to” food store in Marquette. It’s a great place to buy food and beverages e.g. for picnic meals. It’s very reminiscent of a Whole Foods. They also practice good “social distancing” protocols here. You might like to buy a supply of ice, wine, and/or beer here and keep it in a cooler or refrigerated bag that you bring around with you. Of course other towns also have stores where one can buy ice, wine, and beer.

    • Walk around historic downtown Marquette (~40 minutes)

    • Marquette, being a university town has many distinctive coffee shops. Here’s a short list of five to get you started.

  • Marquette Restaurant suggestions:

    Note: Aside from Duke’s Grill, there are no other restaurants that Mark recommends near Big Bay. The restaurants below are in Marquette, about 40 minutes from our lighthouse.

    • Donkers is a classic and atmospheric breakfast/lunch counter restaurant (with homemade choclolate) - and outdoor seating available.

    • Stucko’s Pub and Grill - on third street amidst an array of similar restaurants, pubs, and pizza parlors (you may wish just to go to third street and look at the many similar options there).

    • Casa Calabria - Italian restaurant on Third Street

    • Taste a Pasty at a Marquette Pasty Shop (some listed here)…consider sharing one with a friend or else be prepared to go into a food-induced coma!

    • You might also like to consider another meal (restaurant take out or delivered pizza) enjoyed al fresco at our lighthouse’s scenic outdoor picnic tables.

Sunday 7/19/20

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Lighthouse Breakfast

11:00 AM (or earlier if you wish): Lighthouse Check-out

The drive from Big Bay Lighthouse to Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor will last at least ~3.5 hours, and goes through Marquette as well as smaller towns.

En route to Copper Harbor you may like to consider:

3 PM (or later): Check in at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge

7 PM: Welcome & tour & BBQ dinner at Eagle Harbor General Store Museum & Social Aid & Pleasure Club (~30 minutes)

Monday 7/20/20

Except for breakfast & dinner, today is on-your-own

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast nearby at Zik’s (Restaurant at The Pines)

Suggestions you might consider:

7 PM: Dinner at Harbor Haus restaurant in Copper Harbor (German Cuisine)

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast nearby at Zik’s (Restaurant at The Pines)

11:00 AM (or earlier if you wish): Check out of Keweenaw Mountain Lodge

12:00 Noon: Lunch at Michigan House Cafe in downtown Calumet

After lunch suggestions you might like to consider:

3 PM (or later): Check in at The Vault Hotel (Houghton)

Dinner tonight will be on your own (Mark will provide recommendations)

Tuesday 7/21/20

Wednesday 7/22/20

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast provided at hotel or consider a (heavy) Finnish breakfast or lunch at the Suomi restaurant near hotel

After breakfast suggestions you might like to consider:

Lunch and Dinner will be on your own (Mark will provide recommendations)

Thursday 7/23/20

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast provided at hotel

11:00 AM (or earlier if you wish): Check out of The Vault

After breakfast suggestions you might like to consider:

  • Any of the items listed for Wednesday that you haven’t already experienced.

Drive to Hampton Inn Marquette/Waterfront (~2 hours)

En route to Marquette, if you haven’t previously done so already, you might like to consider:

3 PM (or later): Check in at Hampton Inn Marquette/Waterfront

6 PM: Farewell Dinner at Blackrocks Brewery (al fresco tables). The brewery serves beer under a large outdoor tent. We will be seated together and can bring in outside food and/or order from a local food truck. Mark will discuss food options with our group the day before (click here for location).

8:30 - 9:30 AM: Breakfast nearby at hotel

11:00 AM (or earlier if you wish): Check out of Hampton Inn

End of tour

Friday 7/24/20

Packing List suggestions

(NOTE: No tour occasions will require fancy clothes, please bring comfortable summer active wear clothing):

  • Bathing Suit

  • Sun Screen

  • Insect Repellent

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Nature Guides

  • Book(s)

  • Sun hat

  • Beach towel

  • Canvas Bags to carry shopping & beach items or daypack

  • Hiking Shoes and/or sandals (that are OK to get wet, muddy, and/or sandy)

  • on phone, pre-download Google maps for U.P.

  • charging cables / backup batteries

  • food cooler or insulated bag for keeping food cool

  • hand sanitizer

  • Water Bottle

  • Lawn / Beach Chair

  • Sunglasses

  • Binoculars

  • Camera & tripod, etc

  • Jacket / Windbreaker

  • Favorite snacks

  • Medicines for health and well-being

  • Soothing lotion

  • Shorts

  • pre-download Music / Padcasts/ Playlists

  • facemasks / face coverings

  • room in your car / luggage to bring things home

  • picnic items (plates, cups. cutlery, napkins, etc)

Miscellaneous Notes / Reference:

  • You may hear people in the U.P. refer to themselves as “Yoopers,” and to people from lower Michigan as “Trolls” (because “trolls” live under …or, south of… the Mackinac Bridge connecting the lower pensinsula to the upper pensinsula).

  • The Pasty (pronounced “Past-ee”): a traditional hearty U.P. meal especially popular with miners - is a meat pie that originated from Cornwall, England.  In the U.P., it is traditionally enjoyed together with ketchup. It is not a type of skimpy costume. Yes, there’s even a “Pasty Trail” in the U.P.

  • Although peak Black Fly & Tick Season in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is mid-May through mid-June, you’ll still be wise to use bug spray to guard against these, mosquitoes, and other potentially bothersome insects.

  • We recommend the Alltrails app & website (free app version is availalble)

  • For general info regarding the Keweenaw Peninsula and what is open or closed during the time we’re visiting, visit www.keweenaw.info

  • As of 7/11/20, wearing face masks is required in public indoor spaces throughout Michigan, but there are a few exceptions to note (click here to read article)

Songs

Authors & Literature for your reading pleasure:

Movies:

If you have any other articles, movies, books, songs, websites, or other recommendations, Mark will be delighted to add & share them here!

This just in!

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