The Hernando DeSoto Bridge is a bridge on US 41 that goes over the Manatee River between Palmetto…read moreand Bradenton, Florida. As you go over the bridge, you get a beautiful view of the Manatee River. The Desoto Bridge is 40 feet (12 m) tall and carries four lanes. It is one of two bridges connecting Bradenton and Palmetto. The DeSoto Bridge opened in 1957It has a length of 2,334.4 ft and a width of 62 ft. with 33 spans The bridge crosses the Manatee River at a 40 mile stretch. The river is a 36-mile-long river and runs through Manatee County, Florida. There are alligators in the Manatee River (which surprised me for some reason). Wildlife in and around the river includes alligators, herons, manatees, dolphins, and fish such as bass, bluegill, catfish, and gar. Bull sharks are even found occasionally in the brackish water near its low-lying outlet! The river starts in the northeastern corner of Manatee County and flows into the Gulf of Mexico at the southern edge of Tampa Bay. The DeSoto Bridge gets highly congested at rush hour. The county has looked at a new bridge with elevated lanes but it would be 10+ years in the future and there is opposition from people nearby. They will have to fix the problem somehow. Widening the current bridge would be great but difficult because a temporary replacement would have to be readied before work on the original bridge could begin. The Hernando DeSoto Bridge is an essential river crossing from Palmetto and the north to Bradenton but also an important landmark here in Manatee County.

The lighthouse has been completely remodeled and worth a visit…read more It is interesting to see the quarters where so many lighthouse keepers lived. Moreover, the pictures show how cold and icy it can get here.

This lighthouse, first lit in 1878, is easily accessible in the Ojibwa Recreation Area however its…read morelong term care seems questionable. Vandals have broken out what appear to be original windows on upper floors, and the lower portion of the brick house is painted red, I'm assuming to cover up graffiti. Portions of the wood of the lantern room appear to be dry rotted as well. This is a nice peaceful site, however I think some people are not respectful of it.

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!

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.

Being as the hubby isn't 5ft tall, I'd venture to say, rather confidentially, that the scale is…read moreskewed. Still a pretty cool stop that really hits home on just how deep the snow gets, especially if it's reading short!

As usual...I am a sucker for little roadside attractions. Lol, I'm always good for a photo of…read moreunique stops, landmarks and attractions. So...here I was passing through the small town of Mohawk in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I had just completed my journey to Isle Royale National Park from the the Copper Harbor area 23 miles north of this Snow Gauge Meter. At first you may wonder what exactly is this Snow Gauge Meter? Why is it even relevant??? Well...as you drive Highway 41 to and from Copper Harbor...it sits right on the road and stands out. In fact, this Snow Gauge Meter/Stick/Thermometer is part of Snow Gauge Park. I didn't even know that until I arrived. Unfortunately I didn't have time to explore within the park...but a giant thermometer situated along the side of a one lane highway definitely stood out! What makes this Snow Gauge Stick famous (at least for the remote part of the upper peninsula) is that back in the winter of 1978 - 79, this area of northern Michigan received the most snowfall ever for a place east of the Rocky Mountains recorded at 390 inches. So I guess this Mohawk, Michigan town was quite proud of the record fact and they constructed this Snow Gauge to be a monumental landmark! The meter is over 32 feet tall which is equivalent to the record set of 390 inches. And...according to what I read, it is an active snow gauge tabulating snowfalls every winter. Another interesting fact...I visited this past summer in 2021...and they have a mark indicating that last year in 2020, Mohawk only received 15 feet of snow which bordered on the record low ever for the area. I guess goes to show maybe with the warming of the planet/climate change or call it whatever you will...it certainly does not snow in this present day like it used to back in olden times. Anyhow...I found this Snow Gauge Meter to be a fun, interesting and unique attraction for this remote area within what's known as the UP (upper peninsula) of Michigan. I spent 10 minutes here hanging out, though the park does look accessible for maybe having a picnic, barbecuing or possibly camping out. And...right next to this Snow Gauge is a small bench you can sit down on for a photo and provides some history/information about the record snowfall of 390 inches. If you happen to be visiting Copper Harbor and heading out to Isle Royal National Park...you will pass by this Snow Gauge Meter and I feel it's a worthwhile pullover for a picture or two.

if you play tennis, excellent public tennis courts right next to the school! Recently resurfaced,…read morethey are in perfect condition.

We stopped here on our way North for a break and to use the restroom. It's a great little stop…read more The restrooms are spotless and they have free coffee, a nice collection of gifts and souvenirs. There is a Vet Memorial and a boardwalk out to the statue of an Indian. Nee-gaw-nee-gaw-bow (Leading Man). Indian statue by famous artist, Peter "Wolf" Toth to honor the Chippewa Indians. It is the 59th statue on the "Trail of Whispering Giants." Peter Toth has donated a different Indian carving to each of the 50 states and Canada as a successful completion of his dream from 1971 to 1988. Toth's persistent work put his Indian carvings in Ripley's-Believe It or Not. It is located on the lakeside pier next to the Wakefield Visitor's Center. The Indian statue was carved from one piece of pine donated by the Ottawa National Forest and was completed in 1988. It's quite the thing to see. This is a must stop.

Loved the museum and the seemingly unlimited amount of interactive exhibits! In fact, we were so…read moreengrossed that we lost track of time and had a very friendly ranger let us know they had actually closed. The staff of rangers are awesome and the whole experience was top tier!

This is a sneaky cool NPS site. Good interpretative content. Cool artifacts to see. Very well…read moredone junior ranger program. Located off the beaten path, so you have to work to get there, but worth a visit.

Go on this tour and you'll be nothing but AMAZED. The history of what the mine workers experienced…read moreto help this country grow and prosper will leave you speechless. Being in the mine adds a lot to the experience... you're seeing and feeling what the miners felt... except they didn't have the lights like you'll have. I'll also say that our mine tour guide, a student in the Geology program at Michigan Tech. was one of the best tour guides I've ever had for any tour. He is not only passionate and knowledgable about Geology, he knew so much detail about the Quincy mine on really every level, as well as the experiences and way of life of the miners themselves. I was floored by not only all he learned in order to be as knowledgable as he is, but also how much it's clear that he loves everything about the mine and miners... all while being a student with this as only a summer job. I was excited to take this tour. It was much, much more than I anticipated. If you go, bring warm clothing... I was in shorts and a thin long-sleeved shirt with a t-shirt underneath. That was NOT enough. Dress like it's a brisk winter day.

Our tour guide talked at length of how upset the workers were when the mining company added 2…read moreperson power drills. But the miners adjusted because they were still working in teams of 2. Then when they were forced to use single person drills, they felt isolated and feared for their safety. Yesterday when our LARGE Family group went, a couple of our littles make noise when our guide was talking. He asked that the children be taken outside. The children and their mothers were isolated from the group, outside alone at the bottom of a very steep hill, for over an hour. No one to keep them safe if an animal came out of the bushes, no bathroom or water. There was another child and its parents that were asked to leave the tour also. When the mothers called the front desk to ask about sending someone down to bring them back up, they said they don't do that. Talk about feeling unsafe and isolated