After getting off of the Starline Ferry from Mackinac Island, I hopped into my car, opened up a podcast, and got back on the road. I had a lengthy evening drive ahead of me.
Friday Evening: Driving through the UP
As soon as you cross over the Mackinac Bridge, you are in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. You are immediately greeted with a shoreline drive. Endless lake with sandy shoulders on your left, and hilly sand dunes on your right. The view makes for a tranquil and somewhat surreal feeling.
After some time, the view changes. You suddenly are engulfed in pine trees and a marshy setting. The environment reminded me somewhat of Maine. Being so far north calls for a harsh climate - however, it produces a beautiful landscape. The shades of green and brown almost looked fluorescent as I was making my way further up north.
My end game was to go to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Saturday. The park, located in Munising, MI, is a sought-after place for those looking to see...you guessed it...the rocky shoreline along Lake Superior. Hotels near this area are far and few in-between, driving the costs up. I wasn't in the mood to take out a loan, so I made the choice to stay 45 minutes away from the park, making it much cheaper.
Pro Tip: If you want to see a place, but can't afford the location, get creative! Stay away from the destination and drive into the city. You may surprise yourself with what you find in-between your hotel and where you are trying to go.
While at a gas station, I did some homework and discovered that the cheapest (and closest) place that I could land was Marquette, Michigan. I honestly planned to lay my head down for the night and get a good rest before hopping right back in the car and heading off to Pictured Rocks. As I was closely approaching my hotel, I came across a causeway of sorts, accompanied with one of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen. I pulled over to the side of the road, walked to the shore of the beach, and just took in the moment. The drive through the UP is one that I strongly encourage everyone to take. It doesn't matter where you are going within the UP - the drive is incredible.
After a long day of exploring Mackinac Island and traveling through the UP, I finally arrived in Marquette. I got a shower, laid down, and was quickly out.
Saturday: Marquette, MI and Pictured Rocks National Shoreline
I woke up early on Saturday morning, grabbed some free breakfast at the hotel (gotta save dat $), and quickly packed up the car. As I sat down in my car, something told me to drive into downtown and see what the city looked like before I headed toward Pictured Rocks. I google mapped some points of interests in the area, and came across Presque Isle.
Holy shit. This little town was incredible.
I quickly fell in love with the town on my drive there. The downtown area was a lively place; complete with historical architecture, local shops, and great eating options. There were parks, bike trails, and active people everywhere - and this was early in the morning!
People. Go to Presque Isle. Seriously.
I then walked out to and sat on Black Rocks - this spot looks like something you would see in Hawaii. As I took a seat on a rock, I noticed a fog bank across the water.
Within minutes, I was enveloped in the dense, yet cool, blanket of moisture.
This spot was outta this world - and really hard to leave. But I knew I had more to see.
Instead of planning my lunch, I decided to park downtown and walk. After some serious thought (approximately 3 minutes), I saw Doncker's Restaurant (not gonna lie, the old school theater beside it caught my attention). When you walk in the building, it feels like you are in the shop where Charlie gets the Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka. The narrowed building allows for the shops to seemingly go on forever. Candies in glass jars, fudge by the pound, old scales on wooden counters - the starter kit for a back-in-time store.
After looking around, I started to believe that this was the extent of the store. Before I turned to leave, I found stairs leading upstairs to the "Lunch Counter". As I topped the flight, I walked into a packed restaurant. The Formica tables and chalkboard menu drew me in. But I had no idea how to order.
Joys of traveling solo - you definitely look awkward not knowing what you're doing...and you don't have the security of someone else to share the awkwardness with you. Which means you need to EMBRACE THE AWKWARDNESS.
I stepped to the counter and asked the procedure. The friendly cashier handed me a menu and said that once I decide on a meal to let her know, and to grab a rock.
Me: A rock?
Cashier: Yes, a rock. You'll see them behind you along the wall.
When I turned around, I noticed the entire wall lined with small rocks. Each rock is hand-painted with things from names to pictures of anything you can imagine (and everything in between).
I probably spent 5 minutes to find the perfect rock. After grabbing one, I found a barstool seat at the counter and got my food shortly thereafter.
The food was delicious - fast service, great portion sizes, and very inexpensive. The staff was very friendly, too! I talked with one of the workers behind the counter throughout my time there about my solo trip, Cincinnati, and Asheville, NC.
After scarfing down my food, I headed to my car and was off to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. On my way, in the middle of nowhere, I drove past "Lakenenland". I quickly slowed my car and pulled off onto the side of the road to get a better look. This place, an old roadside attraction, is a free-to-all showing of art. Artists will take junk and create new and artistic pieces. Folks can park their car and walk through the wooded looped trail, seeing the various art sprinkled throughout the pine trees. This place was a pleasant surprise.
After taking in an impromptu open-air art museum, I headed to Pictured Rocks. This park is more of a series of sights along the shore, as opposed to one concentrated area. This forces you to set aside a good amount of time if you want to see everything. Some points were over 45 minutes apart from one another. While I was there, I had the ability to see Sand Point Beach, Miner's Falls, and Miner's Castle.
Verdict:
Meh.
Don't get me wrong, Miner's Castle and Miner's Falls were absolutely beautiful. The curved rocky edges were breathtaking. But the distance between each point of interest made it difficult to take it all in. Additionally, you couldn't see much of the edges...because you are standing above it. Pictured Rocks would be best viewed from a kayak or a boat - which is possible to do!
I finished up Saturday by hopping in the car, driving back through the beautiful UP. The 2-hour or so drive went by quickly - the landscapes and quirky places made time arbitrary. I mean, how often do you get to drive through the town of Christmas? and towards Gaylord, Michigan (en route to Traverse City).
Lessons Learned
Do something unplanned
I had zero intention of visiting Marquette, Michigan - or even checking out the city. This ended up being one of my favorite places that I visited. If you are a planner, at least allow yourself some flexibility or a half-day to do something that you were not expecting to do.
But also do something planned
It is sometimes fun to have no lodging planned for the night and find a place as you go. That is also more expensive. If you are pressed for money on your trip, be sure to plan out your lodging in advance - otherwise you will pay the price (quite literally).
Be Prepared to be surprised
When I reflect on my trip to the Upper Peninsula, I find that my favorite memories were the things that I had not planned for: the drive throughout, the restaurants visited, and the cities I didn't do any research on. On the flipside, the most lackluster event of the day was the place that I did the most research on. You never know what will catch your eye and what will be the best, which is why you need to have the time set aside for the unexpected.
-MT