Michigan's Upper Peninsula Travel Blog

Hard to believe it’s already that time of year, again. This weekend brings us the official end of summer. I can’t complain too much, though. This summer’s weather has been fantastic and one of the best in recent years. Overall, it seemed we stayed comfortable with a few warm streaks here and there. We also had quite a bit of rain, which helped us stay green and push the water levels closer to the norm.

As always, there are a couple annual events happening this weekend. Over in Grand Marais is 7th annual Grand Marais Triathlon happening on Saturday and Sunday. The events include a 5K run, a junior triathlon and the main triathlon for adults. Here in Munising, the annual Rubber Duck Race & Raffle will take place on Sunday on the Anna River. Each year the prizes and raffle items get bigger and better at this great event. Then on Monday, the Moose Lodge of Munising hosts its annual Family Fun Day. Open to everyone, they feature great food and games for the kids.

For all of those looking for a challenge, the annual “Tour da Woods” mountain bike race is just on the horizon. The main races will take place on Saturday, September 11th and then on Sunday, Sept. 12th is “Tour da Valley” – free event for youth pedalers. To learn more about this mountain biking spectacle visit www.tourdawoods.org. Make sure to visit the rest of the Explore Munising Michigan website to help organize your trip for this race and the autumn color tours.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

This past week, the weather has given us a small taste of autumn. The temperatures have been much cooler and I’ve even seen a few rare trees with a slight tint of yellow. Even though the fall colors are several weeks away, it’s a good time to start planning your trip to Munising to see them! The colors tend to peak here towards the end of September into the first part of October. This can vary a little from year-to-year because of the climate conditions. Lake Superior also plays a part in the color change as the warmer water temperatures tend to delay the color change near the shore while trees, say 20 miles, inland will peak earlier. According to the 7-day forecast, these cooler temperatures will be rising as it’s suppose to be in the mid-80s for several days and summer will be back!

Click to view poster

If you’re looking to have some fun this weekend and hear some great music, we’ve got something for you. Starting today, at noon (Aug. 27th) and running through Sunday, Aug. 29th is the Porcupine Press’ Birthday Bash & Salute to the Military in Chatham, MI. This 3-day event is being labeled as the “Biggest Party of the Year.” It will feature 5 bands, vendors, silent auctions, beer tent, a mechanical bull and much more. If you’ve ever heard or been to the Sturgis Bike Week in South Dakota, you’ll definitely want to attend this event! For more info, visit the Birthday Bash website.

Have an enjoyable weekend!

The beautiful weather is still continuing here in the U.P. It’s been in the mid-80s but a bit on the muggy side. The water temperature of Lake Superior is great for swimming and a nice relief from the heat. Please, though, use extreme caution while swimming in the big lake. The conditions can change drastically and rip currents are always a threat. Tragically, we saw four drownings last Thursday in the area– two individuals in Grand Marais and another two in Marquette. The waves on Lake Superior can be fun to play and swim in but also extremely dangerous. Please, please, please use caution!

In other news, the 29th annual Grand Marais Music & Arts Festival begins tomorrow August 13th and runs through Sunday, August 15th. The event features great music acts throughout the entire weekend and the weather forecast is looking great as well. The fun begins tomorrow at 6:30pm with a parade and the first music act starts at 7:00pm. Then on Saturday and Sunday, the music gets going at noon and runs all day. Visit the Music & Arts Festival website for a complete schedule of events and video clips of the bands. We hope to see you there!

As always in the Upper Peninsula, it’s going to be a great weekend!

We’re almost to the weekend and it’s going to be a busy one as Munising plays host to two very unique events. They include the 2nd annual Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest and the annual Grand Island Trail Marathon. Here’s a little more information about them.

Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest – Saturday, July 31st
Hosted by the Munising Lions Club, this kayak challenge takes participates along the beautiful shore of Lake Superior. Encompassing Munising Bay, Grand Island and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, this event provides miles of spectacular shoreline to enjoy. The quest features two different courses, a 15-mile loop and a 30-mile-loop, with the start/finish at the Munising City Dock. The start times are 8:30am (long course) and 9:00am (short course) with a mandatory meeting at 8:00am. If you’re interest, there’s still time to register! Visit the Pictured Rocks Kayak Quest website for complete details!

Grand Island Trail Marathon – Sunday, August 1st
Labeled as “One of the Top 10 Marathons in North America” by Runner’s World magazine, the Grand Island Trail Marathon is a fan favorite. The marathon trail takes runners around the perimeter of Grand Island and features pristine forests and beautiful views of Lake Superior! Besides the actual marathon, there’s also a 10K race for those not looking to run the whole marathon distance and a 2K race for youth (held at Bay Furnace and registration is still open). If you want to enter this event you have to do it early – both races are usually full by April! For those lucky enough to be part of the race, good luck! For those looking to cheer on the runners, head to the Grand Island Ferry Dock and take a ride over to the island. The marathon race begins at 7:00am while the 10K race starts at 8:30am.

Besides these two great events, it is also the weekend of the Alger County Fair & Homecoming held in Chatham. The fair runs from Friday, July 30th thru Sunday, August 1st.

We hope to see you around!

116th annual U.P. Firefighters Tournament – July 22-24, 2010

It’s another beautiful week here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The temperature has been in the 70s and we’ve had a few scattered rain showers for a couple days. Besides the rain, it’s pretty awesome outside. With our early spring, it pushed everything way ahead of schedule and the wild blueberries have been plentiful for a couple weeks now. During an average year, they might not even be ready yet.

Tomorrow, a great event kicks off as Munising plays host to the 116th annual Upper Peninsula Volunteer Firefighters Tournament & Convention. The theme for this year’s tournaments is being labeled as the “Battle by the Bay.” This historic event brings firefighters from all over the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin to compete in a variety of skill challenges. Besides the skill challenges, there’s also street dances and parades. It is a great time and the firefighters would love to see you there to cheer them on!

The firefighters tournament runs from Thursday, July 22nd thru Saturday, July 24th. For a complete schedule of events, visit the City of Munising’s Firefighters webpage.

Come up north and experience the Upper Peninsula!

First off, I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July celebration. The weather was great for our Munising celebration except for the fireworks being delayed. The good news is they’ve been rescheduled for tonight! Today’s forecast looks awesome and they should go off without a hitch. So, if you’re in the Munising area, head down to Munising Bay at dusk to see a great fireworks display.

Also starting today is the “Relay for Life” event at Munising’s Mustang Stadium. Everyone is invited to come out and show your support for the fight against cancer. The event starts at 1pm and ends tomorrow (Saturday) at 1pm. There will be food, games and lots of family fun. The weather forecast looks great for this event, too.

On the horizon, there are a few major events happening in Alger County. Next weekend (July 15th-18th) is the annual Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium held in Grand Marais. The symposium is a great event for kayak enthusiasts as well as those looking to take-up kayaking. Then the following weekend (July 22nd-24th) Munising will be the host for the 116th Annual U.P. Volunteer Firefighters Tournament. This multi-day event features skill competitions, parades and streets dances. The firefighters love seeing community support, so come out and cheer them on!

There’s always something happening in the Munising area, so check out our Summer Events page for the details. It’s a great time of year to explore Munising!

If you don’t have plans yet for your July 4th weekend, then Munising should be your destination! (If you already have plans for somewhere else, cancel them!) This is the time of year when the population about doubles (for this small town) as family and friends return “home.” The celebration dates back many years and people from all over look forward to Munising’s big July 4th celebration and the traditions it holds. To kickoff the celebration is always the “Firecracker 2-Blocker” Soap Box Derby on July 2nd @ 5pm. Come cheer the kids as they race their homemade vehicles to the finish! Also, on July 2nd is a huge fundraiser for the Munising Volunteer Fire Department at the Barge Inn from 7pm-midnight. For the second year running, the fundraiser will include live music, a silent auction as well as hat and t-shirt sales to benefit the volunteer firefighters. Then on Saturday, July 3rd is the Munising Bay Arts Festival. This great event was moved to the July 4th weekend and features some amazing artwork from around the Upper Peninsula. The art festival is being held from 9am–5pm in the People’s State Bank parking lot on Elm Avenue. Come out and see how talented Yoopers really are. And finally, July 4th!!! The day everyone in the area looks forward to every year! This day features something for everyone! From the early morning “Fun Run” to games, music, food and entertainment throughout the entire day. Some of the highlights include:

• Parade through downtown Munising, 12:30pm
• Pet parade – dress up your pet & yourself, 3:30pm
• Fire dept. water fight, 4:30pm
• Grease pole, 5:30pm
• Fireworks – one of the best displays in the U.P., 10:30pm or dusk

So there you have it! A great weekend is on the horizon and the weather forecast is looking perfect! We hope to see you in Munising!

Sunday, June 27th

After a very dry spring, we have moved to the other end of the spectrum. For the month of June, so far, we’ve received around 5.5 inches of rain! This is about 2 inches more than our normal June average. With all the rain, the impressive waterfalls in the Munising area are excellent viewing right now and the streams should be up for some good trout fishing. Bring your camera and the bug spray. As for the temperatures, it has been really warm but muggy. The extended forecast is showing mild temperatures and a few chances of rain.

This weekend is a busy weekend here in Munising and in Grand Marais. Here’s what’s going on:

Pictured Rocks Road Race – Run for the Red Cross – June 26th & 27th
Here in Munising is the annual Pictured Rocks Road Race “Run for the Red Cross” on Sunday morning. Everyone is invited to take part in this great event as it features a Half-Marathon, a 5K Run and a Fun Walk. Also, join everyone for a spaghetti dinner at Bayshore Park on Saturday night from 4:30-7:00pm. For those registered to run/walk, the meal is free! Visit the Pictured Rocks Road Race website for additional race info and race starts.

Grand Marais Offshore Fishing Tournament – June 25th-27th
Here’s your chance to fish Lake Superior and potentially win $4000 with a first place fish as well as other great prizes. To kick off the event, there will be a dinner and captains meeting on Friday night beginning at 5:30pm. Everyone is invited! Then on Saturday and Sunday the boats will head out to catch that winning fish. Once the boats return to the marina on Sunday afternoon, the awards and a fish-fry will take place. Visit the Fishing Tourney website for more information, online registration and pictures from last year’s event.

Grand Marais Garden Tour – June 26th
For those looking to view some beautiful gardens and learn a few new gardening tips, head to Grand Marais on Saturday for this annual event. From 10:00am-4:00pm there will be garden tours, workshops and a silent auction. The event is hosted by the Green Space “On-the-Bay” Committee.

So there you go, a few great events happening in the beautiful central Upper Peninsula. Check back next week for details on the Fourth of July Celebration!

After a few months of renovation, the our new Visitor Center is now open and you’re invited to our Grand Opening this Friday, June 11th. The official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at noon. The building is located on highway M-28, in Munising, next door to Hardee’s. This travel information center, operated by Explore Munising, will give visitors a chance to learn more about what Munising, Grand Marais and the central U.P. has to offer. The Center will also have a real estate property board (for those looking to purchase property in the area) and artwork by local artists. The facility will be staffed  7 days a week during the busy seasons to answer questions and promote the area. What’s especially nice is the ample room for parking! (Those with campers, RVs or trailers will like this.)

So, stop by on Friday for the Grand Opening or whenever you visit! We especially love hearing from our blog readers and Facebook friends!

We’re just over a week from the big Memorial Day weekend and Mother Nature has been treating us exceptionally nice. This week, the temperature has been in the mid-70s, although, in town and along the Lake Superior shoreline it’s been 10-15 degrees cooler. The extended forecast is showing the same for next week and we’re hoping it continues through Memorial Day weekend. (Keep your fingers crossed)

Last Saturday, Pictured Rocks Cruises opened for the season while the Glass Bottom Boat Shipwreck Tours will start running tours tomorrow, May 21st. Then on Monday, May 24th the Grand Island Ferry Service will be making daily trips to Grand Island. All three of these family fun attractions are a must-see when you’re in the area. Learn more about them by visiting our Attractions page.

Other events happening include a golf scramble, this Saturday, at Pictured Rocks Golf Club. This annual fundraiser should be a great time with golfing, dinner and an evening dance with music by Evergreen Seven. Contact the course for details – (906) 387-3970. Then on Wednesday (May 26th), Munising’s new gift shop, The Frozen Flamingo, will be having its grand opening. Located next to the Days Inn, this trendy gift shop features great gifts and has an ice cream parlor serving Jilbert’s Ice Cream. Yum! The annual Pictured Rocks Trout & Salmon Classic fishing tournament rounds out the schedule of events with it taking place next Saturday, May 29th.

The weather is awesome and we hope you can come enjoy all Munising and Alger County has to offer! See you soon!