The best and coolest northern Wisconsin cryptid there is!…read more We were in the area for a family reunion weekend thing and my sister, in her infinite wisdom searched on Roadside America or discovered some other way...that there was a giant Hodag statue in Rhinelander. She asked if I wanted to visit it, and YES MA'AM I DO IMMEDIATELY PLEASE. The kindly cryptid is located in front of the area's visitor's center. No climbing, but photos are encouraged and facilitated by a stand for your phone for picture taking. If you are in the area, have a brief little stop and say hi to the Hodag!

Big green monster…read more I'm up in Rhinelander every summer for the lake, but always make my way into town to enjoy what it has to offer. The hodag is some sort of mystical / mythical creature that is heard of around the nation. They have really old pictures that look like hunters actually caught and killed the hodag....the picture is pretty good. Outside the building there's a huge hodag that you can take pictures with. If you're ever in the area definitely check it out.

I wanted to highlight this Canyon Falls and Gorge area located 15 miles south of L'Anse, Michigan…read more It's a quick roadside attraction situated right off US 41. I happened to be driving US 41 north towards Houghton, MI and ultimately to Copper Harbor, MI taking the ferry out to Isle Royale National Park. But along my journey I happened to notice signs for Canyon Waterfall and immediately thought to myself...I have to see what this waterfall is all about! After visiting and loving all the incredible falls in the town of Munising, MI right along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore I confess I've turned into an addicted waterfalls enthusiast! Funny, just a side note...while on my Michigan to Minnesota summer travels this past year, I found a whole new perspective for appreciating waterfalls. When given the opportunity to witness a potentially majestic falls area...I'm a sucker, sign me up, lol. There's something about them I find quite fulfilling. Sorry for going off on this tangent, but for those out there who want to witness some of the best waterfalls in the United States...I can't recommend the Columbia River Gorge area enough just east of Portland, Oregon. It's epic! Back to this Canyon Falls and Gorge area. You must be thinking...why did I only give it 3 stars? Yes...unfortunately the falls here were just okay. They weren't impressive. And as much as I was hoping they would be...the ambiance and setting didn't give me that humbling moment I was hoping for when discovering this place on a whim. To give some background details about being here... When I arrived, the parking lot was relatively quiet during morning time back on May 31, 2021. I was practically the only person here around 9am. You have to hike or shall I say walk a little to get to the falls and gorge. The parking lot is where the trailhead begins. I want to use a quick excerpt of what you can expect to find here. This is according to https://www.michigan.org/property/canyon-falls... "Canyon Falls is an impressive and easy to visit falls, and the gorge is quite impressive by Michigan standards. A scenic trail along the Sturgeon River to a series of rapids and small waterfalls before you reach Canyon Falls. "Grand Canyon of the UP". The river slides nearly 30' over a large chute of smooth black rock into a box canyon". Now of course, this michigan.org website will put the description of Canyon Falls and Gorge into the best light. But I'll explain some of the real moments from my visit... The hike is easy to traverse, about 1 mile each way. There's no elevation while hiking. When I finally arrived at the falls there's just a tiny platform area for you to stand upon to admire the surroundings. And overall, I kind of questioned...this is it? I guess I was a little disappointed but at the same time I didn't have the highest expectations considering I had never heard of this place to begin with. It was a struggle taking a few photos because for this morning time when I was visiting, I was looking straight into the sun with shadows and glares in the background. I never captured the most efficient looking pictures. I'd suggest if you do stop on by here, to come in the afternoon time when the sun will be at your back. But as you can tell with my photos, looking at the waterfalls were overly sunny on one end whereas the pics taken going away from the falls came out naturally more photogenic. From this little vista point section, it appeared that this observation point was the endpoint of the hike. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be. Still, I'd say I hung out at the falls and gorge for maybe 20 minutes before turning around and hiking back the 1 mile to the trailhead parking lot. And while hiking you venture through the woods of the forest. Overall, the conditions were pleasant for being the last day in May. Overall, I'd just suggest tempering your expectations when coming here. It's sort of a good midway point to take a quick break while driving from Munising towards Houghton, about a 140-mile road trip. Lastly, by looking at Google Maps it shows that these Canyon Falls and Gorge are part of a bigger Canyon Falls Roadside Park possibly good for more sightseeing and exploring even with a campground. Though...I am not sure about this, I am just assuming. For myself, I wanted to view what these falls offered and at least it gave me a chance to stretch my legs for an hour or so. Alright this is Canyon Falls and Gorge just outside Baraga, MI in L'Anse Township, Michigan.

more gorgeous scenery in Upper P. This was our first visit to the Upper P and everything is as…read morescenic as we'd heard. There are lots of lovely waterfalls but this was the first we saw that had the stunning gorge and rock formations. Not the typical billion stairs to see but the trail is a bit more rugid than several of the previous. some of the boards in the boardwalk were loss for uneven, roots and rocks on the trail. so you had to be careful as you walk. the walk was peaceful scenic and the sound of rushing water was just lovely. there were bathrooms but not the flushing kind so i decided to wait till our hotel. But walking the trail with the sound of rushing water didn't help the urge to pee lol. Hope to return sometime in the fall.

If your traveling Highway 2 across the Upper Penisula of Michigan figure out the logistics so your…read moreat Alice's Supper Club in Iron River! Seriously I have already made my plans for next year. They make all their own pasta and Alice's special meat sauce is fantastic! . The service was as excellent as it was friendly.

The best Italian food, great super club atmosphere and tasty beverages. Can't miss at Alice's.read more

Alright, this isn't a real establishment, yet. However due to the host's personality and knowledge…read moreof the area Jeff's Adventure Mountain is something you just can't miss. Breakfasts without comparison (though not really for veggies), games full of fun and music you would not believe. JAM has many cats and a few dogs, so feel free to bring your pet. It should also be noted that reservations are ideal due to the fact that Jeff may be actually working or, more likely, out playing in the woods. To contact JAM, seek out anyone in Marquette and ask it, or find the guy in an international scout with a dog in the backseat. (dog may or may not be wearing goggles) morsejeffery@hotmail.com

The Eagle River ice castle is a crowd pleaser! People taking pictures at all hours of the day &…read morenight, snowmobile's & vehicles everywhere. Come on down & check it out before the warm weather melts the castle! A big thanks to Eagle River fire department for constructing & allowing me to volunteer in the building of the ice castle. Constructed of 2250 ice blocks harvested from Silver Lake to create this masterpiece.

Sitting at the top of the world (or at least the U.S), this city is a gem for all types of…read morerecreation, shopping, food and craft beers. Winters can be tough (way too much snow for me) but the winter sports people love it. Skiing, snowmobiling and four wheeling trails everywhere. I even saw a guy kite surfing on Lake Superior in March (Crazy)! For me, summer and fall is when this city shines. Tons of beaches... if you dare the chilly lake water. Hiking trails for miles. And it's all beautiful! Don't miss the trees in fall! The city is full of cool restaurants, many that specialize in fresh fish and local craft beers. Places in and around Marquette you have to see... Presque Isle Park. Sunsets are spectacular. Jump off the cliffs at Black Rocks, and catch a free concert among so many other things. St Peters Cathedral. Just amazing! Downtown. Many unique shops and restaurants. Great local shopping. Northern Michigan University. Check out the Superior Dome. Lakeshore Trails and beaches. City is literally surrounded by trails and the beaches go on for ever. Nearby Pictured Rocks and waterfalls. Quick drive to Munising, and you can hike to waterfalls or take a cruse or paddle boat to see the magical Pictures Rocks from the lake. No matter what time of the year, there is something for you to see and do. Marquette is great... and this is tough to say... Lake Superior is even prettier than Lake Michigan (but it's close)! Oh yeah... I think there is at least one dispensary per 500 people in this town... if that floats your boat!

I. Love. This. Town…read more I don't even know where to begin, first off I gotta give a shoutout to Marquette's own Elizabeth G. for giving me the inside scoop on some of the spots to hit. Top notch recommendations for sure! Between the food, historic architecture, trails and the old ore dock... this town kinda stole my heart while I was here. There's so much history here, it's crazy. Remies Tavern has pics of it back in the 50's and prior, the Vierling building has been standing over a hundred years, The Delft... c'mon now! so classic! and wow the city hall is just gorgeous! I loved everything on Washington St. pretty much. If we're lucky enough to come back for a bit longer I'm definitely bringing some of my hiking and maybe camping gear. Now I wonder if the hotel allows pups

This place is a joke! Went there to enjoy a birthday celebration and it left us disappointed in…read morewishing we had spent our $250 elsewhere!!! Don't bother complaining about your meal because the owner will just take it into the kitchen eat it and come back and tell you she thought it tasted fine , really? Who does that? I like to spend my money locally, but this is not a place I will ever return to !!!

I'm told that the best Thank You notes are not written the next day. That's what this feels like,…read morefor we had an amazing experience for our 29th (!!) wedding anniversary. We knew a bit about the restaurant beforehand (I stopped in over the summer to buy a gift certificate), but this was our first time dining. We've had family style dinner before and, honestly, we're very open-minded eaters. We didn't even read a menu and let the staff take care of us. It turns out that we were in very good hands. The service is very attentive and friendly. We joked with our server as we learned about the menu and asked questions. It was a perfect mix of information and 'let us show you more.' The restaurant itself is sizeable with a few areas perfect for larger groups. We were seated at a high top, which felt a bit like the cat-bird seat. We were able to see everything and people watch without being rude or obtrusive. Seeing how others reacted to the food - and getting a preview before ours arrived - was fun and informative at the same time. The tricky part of this recap is the fact that the menu is very fluid. I can tell you how amazing the antipasto was - the memory of the caper berries still makes my mouth water - but your plate may arrive with completely different items. The adventure is trying things that either you've never had before or not in this preparation. Simply put, I recommend the prix fixe family dinner. Let yourself be guided by the food and try everything in front of you. That said, we learned that the kitchen makes their favorites on Saturday nights, so you might have a chance to enjoy the silky gnocchi or the sublime orecchiette. Since Strega Nonna offers kitchen courses, I am keeping an eye on the schedule in hopes of recreating something that we enjoyed or learning something completely new to me. The music was very enjoyable and did not impede conversation. It was the perfect backdrop for our food adventure, allowing us to chat about the restaurant and food or simply enjoy the tastes while listening. Thank you to everyone at Strega Nonna that made our anniversary so special. We're thrilled to have you in Negaunee and look forward to taking more 'tours' with your food and fun!

First lighthouse erected in 1877, the current one was built in 1927.... almost 100 years ago!…read more Nice views over the lake (not much to look at on the land side.. all industrial) so just face east if you decide to stop! There is a nice park with a small beach not too far from the pier. Also a place to launch boats with lots of parking.