I'd like to mention the West Bluff Scenic View as the featured/primary highlight atop Brockway…read moreMountain and situated at the end of Brockway Mountain Drive. It is 1300 feet above sea level overlooking Lake Superior. Most tourists/visitors will hang out at West Bluff as sort of their reward to appreciate the surroundings hovering above Copper Harbor, MI. I was visiting back in the springtime of 2021 getting ready to take the Queen IV Ferry over to Isle Royale National Park. So...the day prior to my departure I was exploring around the sleepy town of Copper Harbor, Michigan and included this Brockway Mountain Drive as part of my activities. To arrive at the West Bluff Scenic View...you simply drive this 4-mile paved Brockway Mountain Drive until it can't go any further. And, the road begins just outside downtown Copper Harbor. While on the drive, I suggest first stopping at the Copper Harbor Overlook about 1/4 of a mile into the trek up the mountain. It can't be missed on the left hand side of the road and there'll be a scenic observation deck for you to admire the setting of the area. This overlook I believe is even better than the sceneries at West Bluff Scenic View. And between these two vista point spots, there's really no other landmark/attractions worthy of exiting your car for along the 4-mile road. Overall, the ambiance at West Bluff Scenic View was pleasant. I could envision how really picturesque the sights would be during autumn when the leaves start changing colors. In the end the landscape is good enough for hanging out 15 - 20 minutes and breathing in the fresh Upper Peninsula Michigan air. And Brockway Mountain Drive will take you about an hour or so to complete. It's short and simple.

This drive is S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G in the fall…read more The colors, during peak time, are breathtaking. More than a few times my husband and I just repeated "WOW WOW WOW" to each other as we drove through. At the peak you can get a really incredible, nearly 360 view of the area below and Lake Superior and in the fall the colors are spectacular. Especially on a sunny day. FYI it can get pretty windy up there! And since it's near the lake you'll get that lake effect wind and temperature so plan for a few degrees cooler than you would experience in town. And also make sure your hat, if you're wearing one, is tightly upon your noggin or you'll have to do like I did and chase it down when it blows off!

Lots of great restraunts near hear, and a great view of portage lake. I would recommend This place…read morebecuase it is a nice calm getaway.

We stayed in cabin 5 for a week during the summer when we were looking to escape city life and…read morerelax. Portage Lake Cabins went above and beyond in every aspect of our stay from booking to check out. Rachel was super helpful with helping me book our stay, she was incredibly responsive and answered all my questions. The cabin itself was SUPER clean, smelled nice, and had all the comforts of home including a nice (and clean!) gas grill. We spent the week admiring the gorgeous views, taking in local hikes, a beautiful drive up to copper harbor, and just enjoying the beauty of the water.

Absolutely beautiful views of Houghton and Hancock. There are several tour choices. We picked the…read moresunset dinner cruise. Food was great. The boat goes down and back so you get the views both ways. Very reasonably priced. We will go again next year.

If you're reading this, you're either in the UP and looking for something to do or thinking of…read moreheading to the UP and.. looking for something to do. Either way, you should be in the UP. Just go. Seriously. And while you're there, Keweenaw Boat Tours is an excellent way to spend a couple hours. The scenery along the Shipping Channel is really interesting, and the captain (Jason) is very engaging and fascinating. He told us a lot of lore of the area as well as bits of his (very fascinating) personal history. The only caveat is: dress warmly. As you approach Lake Superior, wind off the lake can get downright cold. We were warned to dress warmly, which I *really* appreciated. And I also had the presence of mind to bring along a blanket, which really helped.

This Waterfront Park really embodies what the town of Houghton, Michigan is all about…read more Houghton, Michigan (in my opinion) is a pretty cozy/old fashioned/industrial city with this terrific Waterfront Park situated along the edge of Portage Lake within the Keweenaw Waterway. The main highlight is a pedestrian walking pathway, where all you have to do is stroll about and breathe in the fresh air of the UP - Upper Peninsula. Plus, another scenic aspect of the park is having the Portage Lake Lift Bridge as the centerpiece focal point, making for quality photo opportunities (especially when the sun is out, lol) for those visitors exploring around town. And...the Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Houghton and Hancock, which the road eventually leads towards Copper Harbor, MI - "The Gateway to Isle Royale National Park". For me coming to Houghton on my eventual journey out to Isle Royale...I very much enjoyed becoming acquainted with the city. Btw, there is an Isle Royale Visitor Center right nearby here for those interested in purchasing souvenirs, watching a park film and having your NP Passport stamped. Overall, this Waterfront Park gave me a fresh perspective for appreciating what makes Houghton quite the charming town. I used about 1 hour just casually hanging out here, taking some time to sit down on one of the many benches to relax and people watch.

Parked by the water and went to dinner. After walked i bit around town and by the water. Peaceful…read moreand seems very safe. nice to be on vacation and not have to feel you need to be on alter and didn't see any homeless on the Upper P trip. Houghton is a college town ... several bar and restaurants. Water sports, fishing, hiking. This was our last stop on our Upper P trip. We actually went home a day early .. missed the dog. hope to return in the fall or spring ... especially the fall.

Me and my fiancé were in a pinch for housing and called on a Friday asking for vacancies. Had a…read moresingle room cottage available and the price was impeccable for being a day of reservation. Other hotels were charging 300+ and this was not even close. The location is beautiful, on a side street just off 41 heading north into the Keweenaw. The cottage was quaint but are the perfect size for a party of 2. Has all the necessities you could want for a weekend trip or a little longer. The queen beds have a lofted single above them which could double as an extra sleeping space or storage if you needed. And the owner was very nice and accommodating to us! I would overall recommend the stay if you are in the Keweenaw peninsula looking to explore some of the beautiful nature in the area.

Drove by this cute place on our way up north. On the way back through we stopped for the night…read moreVery kind people with the cutest cottages. Very clean and has everything you could need. Highly recommend

Booked a last minute stay here. Didn't realize "Pet friendly" meant that it'd smell like your…read moregrandma smoked in there for the 40 years and you won't be able to breathe, or that someone else's dog hair would be ALL over the bathroom. Overpriced, no coffee in the room and only in the lobby. Girl who checked us in had zero people skills and seemed like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Used almost an entire bottle of Lysol to try to get the room bearable to sleep in and still had the worst headache of my life.

Overpriced, dirty, moldy shower curtains, stained bathrooms, no hand soap, dirty carpet with food…read moreand trash on the ground beneath beds, stained bed sheets, no breakfast, poor parking. It was more expensive than the luxurious hotels on Lake Michigan in Traverse city this time of year. Not expecting much from a motel, but this was not enough.

They are a really good ski hill in my area. They have a lot of runs and there are beginner up to…read moreexpert hills. They have 3 hills that go through the woods.

This little ski & snowboard destination is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the beautiful upper…read morepeninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, by the Portage Canal, overlooking the city of Houghton and the campus of Michigan Technological University, this ski hill remains my favorite in the country. I've been to places like Snowbird and Brighton, but Ripley just has that charm you can't find elsewhere. It's small. The vertical is just over 400 ft, has about 25 trails and only one chair lift and a T-bar. Now the exciting stuff. The hills are shaped like a ski-jumping ramp. It's steep near the top, and flattens out near the bottom (where the bunny hill is). This means you can acquire speed very quickly - enough speed to hit the quarter-pipe, tabletops, and other fun stuff in the terrain park on your way down. There're quite a few black-diamond runs, and a double-diamond. For adventurous skiers/snowboarders, there're plenty of woods in between trails. There's even a small cliff, just to the right of the T-bar on the way up, for powder-day audacity. I'm a snowboarder and by nature I tend to explore the roads less traveled. This place is perfect for exploration. In addition, given its small size, your knees can get the rest they need between runs, and get ready for the next adventure. This is especially true for snowboarders. When your muscles are fatigued, you can't initiate turns and can easily end up in the patrol room. Ski patrol. I used to patrol there for five years, and Ripley has the highest patrol-to-customer and lowest accident-per-day ratios I've seen. The patrol body consists of local old-timers as well as Michigan Tech students. It's extremely well-organized, well-trained, well-disciplined, and of course, friendly :) Kids. I think I've seen more kids there than adults - and most kids are really, pretty good! Lessons, either in groups or one-on-one, are available to people of all ages and skill levels. The trail conditions. They make snow prior to the start of the season, so there's always plenty of base. The U.P. gets more than 200" of snow on average, so you can count on many powder days with pristine snow. Most trails are groomed and they groom it well. Night skiing is available daily, and trails are well-lit. The view. One of the reasons I love this place so much is the ability to scan the entire horizon as you look down from the hilltop. Ripley faces south, meaning it gets plenty of sunlight. Few things beat the view of a quiet sunset from a mountain top. There're special events throughout the season, e.g., Winter Carnival in February, Slush Pit (there's a funny youtube video) in March, and various ski & snowboard races and competitions like Big Air. All these make for a perfect place for both beginners and experts. And when you're done for the day, head to any of the local microbreweries!

We enjoyed our week at Vic's Cabins. We had everything. The staff was friendly and helpful. Would…read morestay again if we were in the area.

Rustic UP in woods feel, but great location for our adventures. Gracious hosts helped us out…read moregetting our room! A beautiful fall getaway. Older cabin , not for everyone but very clean.