I’m still recovering from our Michigan Winter vacation over New Year’s Eve in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We usually host a New Years Eve party but this year we decided to shake it up and head UP North and enjoy the snow.
Michigan Winter Vacation Itinerary
- Snowshoeing along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Dog sledding with Triple Creek Kennels in Munising, Michigan
- Dining at Foggy’s in Christmas, Michigan
- Sleeping in the “Haunted” and historic Landmark Inn in Marquette, Michigan
- Scaling Hog Back Mountain in snowshoes
- Exploring the banks of the Yellow Dog River
- Touring Big Bay, Michigan, where “Anatomy of a Murder” was filmed
- Celebrating New Year’s Even in Marquette, Michigan by watching the ball drop
Our winter adventure was spread-out over 5 nights with 3 nights in Munising and 2 nights Marquette, Michigan. We arrived in Munising, Michigan in a flurry of snowflakes and snowmobiles. There was some snow on the ground, but not the 3 or 4 feet of snow that filled Chuck’s dreams. He was consoled as the forecast promised more snow.
Beer in Munising
The first order of business is always finding the local watering hole and food. Shooters Fire Lounge was recommended for beer.
Foggy’s Bar and Restaurant
We’ve eaten a lot of pizza and white fish in the UP and Foggy’s Steakhouse has the best of both. The service, beer and atmosphere were outstanding for all the meals we enjoyed in Christmas, Michigan. It fills up fast with snowmobilers.
Snowshoes
Chuck and I have our own snowshoes, but our travel companions rented theirs from Northern Waters Adventures while we were in Munising, Michigan. Carl from Northern Waters delivered their snowshoes to our hotel and provided maps, and recommendations for snowshoeing. We were thankful for his parking instructions along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. While we were in Marquette they rented snowshoes from Down Wind Sports. We were especially delighted with the detailed map Bill Thompson from Down Wind Sports drew for us. He recommended snowshoeing along the Yellow Dog River and the “Anatomy of a Murder” tour in Big Bay, Michigan.
I can hear you laughing, but the adventure maps were indispensable. I’m sure the couple who buried their Subaru in the snow bank near Picture Rocks wished they’d talked to Carl before they started their adventure.
Our Adventure Stories
We loved our entire trip. We have shared the details in a series of posts. We hope you’ll enjoy reading the full account of these adventures.
Historic Landmark Inn
Our accommodations in Marquette needed to be close to the New Years Eve party and Blackrocks Brewery. The Landmark Inn was a perfect location. The Northland Pub located inside the hotel has a great food and beer selection. We also found a bar stool in the North Star lounge on the 6th floor. Someone forgot to mention to me before we checked-in that the hotel is haunted. I’m pretty sure I would have remembered if Chuck had said, “Oh, by the way, the Landmark is haunted.” The bartender gave us the scoop after some prodding. This hallway screams “Redrum”.
Get the full story and see all the beautiful pictures of the hotel.
Pictured Rock National Lake Shore
We snowshoed to Miners Castle on the Picture Rock National Lake Shore. The round trip was supposed to be 5 miles, but it was over 7 miles. I can’t tell you how many hiking trips have ended up being 5-10 miles longer than Chuck originally quoted. I truly didn’t mind that this trip was a tad bit longer as it was so beautiful!
Get the full story and see all the beautiful pictures of our snowshoeing adventure.
Dog Sledding
I said to Chuck while we were planning our winter vacation to the U.P., “We should try dog sledding, wouldn’t that be a hoot?” He needed little encouragement and before I could bat an eye, I was bundled up and on a dog sled in Munising, Michigan. Everyone should try dog sledding!
It was a lot of fun and we have a bunch of pictures and videos in the full post.
Hog Back Mountain
A few years ago we hiked to the top of Hog Back Mountain in the early Fall. We’ve always wanted to explore Hog Back Mountain in the Winter. It is a beautiful hike and you almost feel like you’ve travelled to the North Pole.
Yellow Dog River Falls
Bill Thompson from Down Wind Sports recommended we snowshoe along the Yellow Dog River to the falls. He said it was any easy hike and shouldn’t be missed. We took his advice and the adventure map he drew for us. It was exactly as he said and if you love snowshoeing, you shouldn’t miss it.
Big Bay – Anatomy of a Murder Tour
Bill Thompson from Down Wind Sports was full of helpful suggestions and recommendations. One fantastic suggestion was to have lunch in Big Bay after our hike along the Yellow Dog River and tour the sites associated with the filming of the movie “Anatomy of a Murder.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the owner of the Lumberjack Tavern greeted us when we walked in the door and within minutes we were friends. He was pouring beer and sharing stories. He even let us look at his scrapbook and other relics from the murder. We ate lunch at the Thunder Bay Inn before heading back to Marquette.
Please read the full post. We’ve many more pictures and a video.
The Ball Drop on New Years Eve
We ended our Winter Vacation by watching the ball drop on New Years Eve in Marquette. We ate dinner at the Vierling, enjoyed a few beverages at the Northland Pub and listened to music hosted by the Landmark Inn. It was a perfect ending to a great vacation.
Stay In Touch
We had a great time. We have many pictures in our gallery and details in the full posts. There are even some pretty entertaining videos. As always, you can keep in touch with us by signing up for our email or you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. Cheers!
