Nektar, and Founder’s without getting tipsy. A flight is the way to go: You can sample brews from Michigan-based Short’s, Upper Hand, B. Dubbed “the Fitz” by doting locals, there’s a lot to love about this low-key haunt: authentic smokehouse barbecue, big picture windows offering sweeping views of Lake Superior, and one of the best craft beer menus in the country. From here, you’re a two-minute drive to Fitzgerald’s Hotel & Restaurant in Mohawk. Stand on the nearby pedestrian bridge for the best views. Two and half hours later, you’ll be snapping photos of a 25-foot waterfall spilling over volcanic basalt right from the roadside parking lot. (Be sure to call your order in an hour ahead of your arrival if you want it hot and ready to go.) Next, program Eagle River Falls into Google Maps. In addition to the more traditional pockets stuffed with ground beef and rutabaga, this local bakery offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free alternatives. Gettyĭay 3: If you don’t eat a pasty when you’re in the U.P., did you even go? Your first stop after departing Marquette should be Irontown Pasties in Negaunee, just 12 miles west. You can take in Eagle River Falls's full glory from the parking lot. Here, you can pick up unique souvenirs like salty licorice and tar soap at Touch of Finland, dine on a creative farm-to-table menu under a garden trellis blooming with hops at The Marq, and rest your bones at the sumptuously attired, 60-room Landmark Inn. Don’t stay too long, though you have one more town to reach before nightfall-and that’s Marquette, 48 minutes west. Another alternative is to stroll the sun-dappled nature trail that leads to Miners Falls, a 50-foot tumbler deep in the forest. Only difference? You’re close enough to touch ‘em. You can join a packed sightseeing boat that runs up and down a waterfront roughly the size of Manhattan, but a less expensive, more intimate way to experience the scenery is by renting a kayak at Miners Castle Beach and paddling out to the same painted caves and color-shifting sandstone cliffs those tourists are photographing from the top deck. The fish and chips are legendary, but make time for Munising's better-known attraction: its Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Order the straight-from-the-lake whitefish at carnival-casual food stand The Fish Basket. The spring is loaded with trout (but no fishing allowed!) and you can steer a slow-moving raft to the middle and back. The natural cold spring, located in the 388-acre Palms Book State Park, is so crystal clear you can see 40 feet to the bottom. Your first stop is Kitch-iti-kipi (The Big Spring) in Manistique, about two hours in. It’s a lovely little spot for a half hour of sunbathing, beach combing, and general Instagramming. Four of these storybook gnome villas are available to rent, but there’s no time for that today: Instead, take your pictures and swing over to Michigan Beach Park, home to the lipstick-red Charlevoix South Pier Light Station. From here, cut east through Traverse City (a cherry pie stop at Grand Traverse Pie Company makes the backtracking worthwhile) and north for 50 miles toward the charming town of Charlevoix (population 2,514), where you’ll find a cluster of thatched-roof mushroom houses. The 2.8-mile roundtrip loop can be done in under an hour. For a breezy hike with terrific views of the Manitou Islands, follow the grassy dune crest along Sleeping Bear Point. Before heading north, go 40 minutes west to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where you can watch hang gliders launch off the sandy bluffs towering over Lake Michigan. The menu changes seasonally but the stack-ups are always inspired (e.g., an English muffin with fried egg, spinach, mozzarella, and pork shoulder confit). Day 1: The best fuel for the long drive ahead is a hearty trail sandwich from S2S | Sugar 2 Salt, a breakfast-only eatery in Traverse City.
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