Upper Peninsula Michigan Sight-Seeing and Camping

On the first day, I drove up to the Upper Peninsula, which us Michiganders affectionately call, "The U.P." It was a decent drive from where I lived, so even though I started in the morning, the first day was mostly driving with some touches of sightseeing! If you're coming from a different origin location wanting to do this trip, there are a few smaller airports in the region and it is designed as a loop, so you can start from any stop on the trip and see all the sights still!

But, if you're coming from the lower peninsula, the first cool thing you'll get to see on this trip is the Mackinaw Bridge. This is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hempisphere, and its pretty amazing! It was opened in 1957 and hovers just 155 feet over the lake. Driving over this bridge can be a bit nerve-wracking if it's your first time, or on a windy day, but the views are so worth it babe! With expansive water views in either direction, just remember to stay focused and keep one eye on the road.

Next, stop, Tahquamenon Falls State Park! If you can get there before sunset, this is an amazing place to end the day and rest up for tomorrow. I arrived at the falls just before dusk, hiked the trail to view the lower falls, and took in some of this magical scenery before settling into my campsite for the evening. There is a small entrance fee to the park for out of state visitors and a small fee to camp, but very affordable and convenient.

The next day, I woke up and went to view the upper falls. There was a nice exhibit outside with life-size stuffed wildlife with various interesting facts about the nature in the area and the falls. Standing at the top of the falls watching to water tumble over the rocks, I felt electrified with a powerful rush! Waterfalls give me a magical feeling.

After spending some time with the falls, I drove up to Crisp Point Lighthouse in Newberry, Michigan on Lake Superior. This is a lighthouse that allows you to do self-tours, so I got to explore and climb to the top. The view from way up there was pretty cool, and Lake Superior seemed as vast as the ocean.

I spent the day on the beach near the lighthouse, painting, swimming, and soaking up the sunshine. It was absolutely lovely. There aren't a lot of restaurants or stores in the area, so I'd recommend stocking up on snacks before your trip, but if you come across a little Mom'N'Pop convenience stores selling "pasties", get one! These are an Upper Peninsula staple and something the "Yoopers" (people from the U.P.) are famous for!

I returned to Tahquamenon Falls State Park for the evening to stay at the campground another night before continuing on my way.

The next day we drove about 8 hours to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising, Michigan. We arrived just before sunset for a nice little hike along the lakeshore. This area has picturesque views and is popular for kayaking along the layered rocks.

We camped at Twelve Mile Beach campground, which is a rustic campground but has views of Lake Superior, which was nice to wake up to the next day.

If I could go back and do it again, I'd have spent one more day here and rented kayaks to explore the Pictured Rock views from the water. There are kayak rentals and guided tours available at Paddling Michigan.

The next day we woke up and visited more waterfalls! We visited Miners Falls and then Wagner Falls, both in Munising Michigan, not too far from each other. We spent the first half of the day hiking to these falls (both short and easy hikes) before driving south to Manistique, Michigan.

In Manistique, we visited Kitch-Iti-Kipi, or "Big Spring". This is a freshwater spring in the Upper Peninsular surrounded by trees, the subject of many stories and myths of the Native Ojibwa people of the area. Approaching the spring towards the end of the afternoon, I hear that I was incredibly lucky to visit the spring at a time when it was not very crowded, as this is a popular tourist destination and the middle of the summer is prime tourist season for the Upper Peninsula. However, as I approached, there was only one other vehicle there, leaving as I arrived. Approaching these still waters, you get an instant sense for why the natives revered them. The feeling of having entered sacred space sent chills down my spine. Surrounding the spring, you see the gnarly twists and turns of exposed tree roots, holding this beautifully pristine and crystal-clear water. In the center of the spring, there is a platform installed with a hole in the center so that you can travel across the spring and look through the waters beneath. My experience here was nothing short of amazing and I one hundred percent recommend making sure to visit this stop!

As the sun went down, I headed to Indian Lake RV Resort and Campground, where there is RV parking as well as tent campsites available, to sleep for the night.

The next day, we drove along the lakeshore, returning to our starting point at the Mackinaw Bridge. I definitely recommend stopping at the Mackinaw Bridge lookout and taking in the view before crossing over and returning home.