The Best Things to Do/See in The Upper Peninsula

I’ve lost count of how many trips I’ve taken through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. And each trip has been slightly different, always pushing to explore new places, hidden destinations and chasing sunsets along as many shorelines as possible. 

In my many adventures, I’ve slowly compiled a tally of the must-visit places. The destinations I would find myself constantly recommending to readers, friends or strangers at cafes who ask me about an upcoming trip to the region. 

On a recent trip in partnership with UP Travel, I found even more incredible places that have extended my list, and I’m ready to share all those details for anyone planning a trip to the area. From beaches to sunset spots and hikes, here are the best things to do/see in the Upper Peninsula, broken down into these categories: 

• Nature & Hiking 
• Sunset Spots 
• Waterfalls
• Hidden Gems 
• Beaches 
• Falls Colors 
• Coffee, Drink & Food 
• Oddities 

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

Grand Sable Dunes near Grand Marais

The Best Things to Do in The Upper Peninsula | Upper Peninsula Bucket List 

Nature & Hiking 

1. Pictured Rocks - The iconic Upper Peninsula destination, which deserves all the hype. Consider renting a private boat for the day or hiking along the shoreline from Chapel Rock to Mosquito Beach. 
2. Lake Gogebic - The Upper Peninsula’s largest inland lake, perfect for a week-long cabin rental, fishing and winter snowmobiling. 
3. Sugarloaf Mountain - A short and steep hike just a few minutes outside of Marquette with some of the best views of the area. 
4. Grand Sable Dunes - Think Sleeping Bear Dunes, but untouched along Lake Superior instead of Lake Michigan. 

Hiking to Mosquito Beach from Chapel Rock

Sunset Spots 

1. Grand Marais - Campfires on the beach? Yooperlite hunting at dusk? You can’t go wrong here! 
2. Brockway Mountain - A drivable summit at the tip of Lake Superior that is one of the best sunset spots in the state.
3. Breakers Beach - A short drive from Houghton and a popular hangout spot for Michigan Tech students. There are five fire rings for beach fires along one of Lake Superior’s black sand beaches. 
4. Hogback Mountain - Close to Sugarloaf Mountain, but a bit more off-the-beaten-path and requires better route-finding. But fewer crowds and epic views! 

Sunset at Lake Superior Beach, Grand Marais

Waterfalls 

1. Canyon Falls - A quick hike with great views, also perfect for a nice dip on a hot day. 

2. O Kun de Kun Falls - An easy 2-mile round-trip hike that first visits Peanut Butter Falls, and eventually ends at O Kun de Kun Falls. 

3. Agate Falls - Skip the lower viewpoint and take the short hike to the footbridge for the best view of the falls. 

4. Houghton - Douglass Falls - Once private and inaccessible, these falls became open to the public in 2022 and is Michigan’s tallest waterfall. However, the trail is currently closed for renovations and accessibility improvement for the rest of 2025! 

O Kun de Kun Falls

Hidden Gems 

1. Ironwood - The westernmost town in the Upper Peninsula and the entire state of Michigan, Ironwood is home to some of the best fall colors and hiking. 

2. Les Cheneaux Islands - Only 20 minutes east of the Mackinac Bridge, you could easily drive by this quaint and timeless UP location unless you’re looking for it. 

4. Big Bay & Huron Mountains - 25 minutes from one of the most popular destinations in the Upper Peninsula, it’s the perfect place to come disconnect and escape the crowds, even in peak summer. 
5. Open Skies Project - Newly opened to the public in 2022, the Open Skies Project offers free tours of the abandoned Calumet Air Force Base near Copper Harbor. It also sits at the highest point of the Keweenaw, so views from the top of the radar tower are STUNNING.

Open Skies Project

Beaches 

1. Au Train - Soft sand, shallow waters and a great place to bring a kayak or paddleboard. It also has incredible northern sunsets at the peak of summer! 

2. Manistique - The most underrated beach in the Upper Peninsula along the northern shores of Lake Michigan. A great alternative if Lake Superior waters are too cold! 

2. Naubinway - Another favorite Lake Michigan beach located just 20 minutes west of the Mackinac Bridge. 

3. Great Sand Bay - A short drive from Copper Harbor at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, that will never be crowded. 

Au Train Beach

Fall Colors 

1. Copper Peak Ski Jump - Located just outside of Ironwood in the western UP, it’s THE best place to come during peak color season.
2. Porcupine Mountains - One of the best viewpoints of fall colors, and all of the most seasoned leaf-peepers know it. Prepare for large crowds, but if you can slip away from the popular viewpoints, it’s not hard to find peace among the fall foliage.
3. Keweenaw Peninsula - There are many places to see fall colors up here - tunnel of trees, Brockway Mountain, Open Skies Project…visit them all! 
4. Thomas Rock Overlook - A newly discovered overlook on my most recent trip…and one that I am DYING to come back and see during the fall. 

View from the top of Copper Peak Ski Jump

Coffee, Drinks & Food 

1. Black Rocks Brewery - Great brews, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and lots of live music during the summer months. Drinks only, but there is often a food truck outside. 
2. Jampot - One of the best bakeries run by a local monastery, which is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Don’t miss out on their signature jams and chocolate cake! 
3. The Dream Bean - The best coffee and cinnamon rolls in the Upper Peninsula! 
4. Epoufette Bayview Inn - a diner-style breakfast restaurant with elevated views of Lake Michigan, just a short drive from the bridge. 
5. Muldoon’s Pasties - You can’t travel to the Upper Peninsula without indulging in some pasties smothered in gravy, and Muldoon’s has some of the best. 

Oddities 

1. Paulding Light - A mysterious, unexplained light that appears at the end of a dirt road nightly between the towns of Watersmeet and Paulding. 
2. Yooperlite Hunting - A type of rock that can only be found along Lake Superior that glows orange under UV flashlights. 
3. Pickle Barrel House Museum - A 16-foot cabin built in the shape of - you guessed it - a pickle barrel!
4. Lakenenland - A sculpture park outside Marquette along M-28 with over 100 sculptures remade from junk metal and scrap iron.

Yooperlite Rock

Post created in partnership with Up Travel. However, all opinions, photos, and advice are my own.