Michigan Upper Peninsula

Category: Places to Visit

  • Lakenenland Sculpture Park

    An image of the Lakenenland Goofy Creature

    Lakenenland Sculpture Park is a quirky, free 37-acre outdoor art sanctuary located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Situated about 15 miles east of Marquette along State Highway M-28, it features over 100 massive sculptures handcrafted entirely from scrap iron and recycled industrial metal. The park was created by local construction worker and ironworker Tom Lakenen, who…

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  • Ontonagon Historical Museum

    An image of Ontonagon Historical Museum Iron Lung

    While travelling around Ontonagon, my wife and I stopped at this museum. Of course, there were rocks for my wife to look at, LOL! It was interesting to see the vintage marbles. It reminded me of the time I made a website that sold vintage marbles and postcards. They had a log cabin inside the…

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  • Monarch Butterfly Migration at Peninsula Point

    An image of the Monarch Butterfly Migration Information Plaque

    Every autumn, Peninsula Point becomes a crucial staging ground for thousands of migrating monarch butterflies. Located at the southern tip of the Stonington Peninsula within the Hiawatha National Forest, this narrow spit of land acts as a natural funnel for butterflies traveling south from Canada and the Upper Peninsula. Because monarchs avoid flying over large…

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  • Freda Ruins

    An image of Freda Ruins

    Here is another cool place to explore. The Freda Ruins. The Freda Ruins are the massive concrete foundations and iconic smokestack of the Champion Copper Stamp Mill, located in the historic ghost town of Freda on the rugged western edge of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Built in 1901 by the Champion Mining Company, it was the…

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  • Escanaba Car Show

    An image of a Route 66 Car

    The classic car exhibition that occurs right inside the Upper Peninsula State Fair in Escanaba and on Ludington St. is the annual Antique Car Show. It takes place during the massive fair week held every mid-August at the U.P. State Fairgrounds. The Ludington Street Cruise is held the same weekend after Memorial Day (May 29-30),…

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  • Hermansville, MI Car Show

    An image of a Classy Classic

    This post is about the Hermansville Car Show. At the same time, other events happen at the park, but this blog post just goes over the car show itself. The Hermansville Car and Motorcycle Show is a long-running, community-focused automotive event held annually in Hermansville, Michigan (Meyer Township). Organized by local enthusiasts like the Rusty…

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  • Agate Beach

    An image of Agate Beachs Never Give Up Tree

    Agate Beach (located inside Stanton Park) is a remote, ruggedly beautiful stretch of Lake Superior shoreline on the western side of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Situated roughly 25 miles southwest of Houghton and just north of Misery Bay, it is a legendary destination for rockhounds, wilderness campers, and sunset chasers. Agate Beach is a favorite of…

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  • Adventure Mine

    An image of the Adventure Mine located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

    Adventure Mine is a historic, remarkably preserved 1800s copper mine located in Greenland, Michigan (Ontonagon County). Unlike modern show caves, it features no permanent electric lighting or paved walkways; guests explore authentic, rugged underground shafts using only a hard hat and headlamp. I apologize in advance for the poor quality of the images when I…

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  • Van Cleve Park & Gladstone Beach

    An image of Van Cleve Summer Concerts

    Van Cleve Park in Gladstone, MI, is a 27.5-acre waterfront community hub along Little Bay de Noc featuring the Kids Kingdom playground, a 1.4-mile paved trail, pavilions, another playground for younger kids, a lighthouse to look at, and a sandy beach where you can sit under tiki umbrellas. During the summer, the park hosts free…

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  • Sculptures at Van Cleve Park in Gladstone, MI

    An image of a Bigfoot Sand Sculpture

    Come check out BIGFOOT at Van Cleve Park in Gladstone, Michigan. The Bigfoot sand sculptures are a highly popular, temporary public art installation designed to look like the legendary cryptid enjoying a relaxing beach vacation. First introduced in the summer of 2025, the playful sandy creature returned to Gladstone Beach for another successful installment. The…

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