Vacationing in the UP

I drive up and visit the UP a few times a year for hiking and cross-country skiing. I go with a group of very random people and invite new people each year. It is one of those trips that you never know how many people will be there 3 or 23. This year we had 12 adults, 2 children and 1 dog. We made quite a ruckus in the backwoods, hiking around, though without another soul in sight... just the beauty of God's nature surrounding us. A friend who went along this year hit the nail on the head when she said that for a 5 day over the weekend road trip, about 9 hours from home, we really "got away" to a place that is just so different from the one we live in on a daily basis. Below are a few links and a rough itinerary of this annual trip we make to Copper Harbor, Michigan.

Leave Chicagoland area mid-morning on a Friday.

Stop in Two Rivers, WI for lunch (about 2 1/2 - 3 hour drive) at Kurtz's Pub and Deli. Good beer, good potato salad.

Drive another 2-3 hours up to Iron Mountain, MI and eat steaks for dinner at Fontana's Supper Club. Make sure to make reservations ahead of time.

Stay in Iron Mountain for the night so that one can enjoy the fall colors during the next day while driving up north through the UP.

Drive up to Copper Harbor, MI (about another 4 hours from Iron Mountain), enjoying the fall foliage, with a grocery stop in Hancock for some lunch fixings for lunch while hiking. Try a pasty along the way.

In the quaint little town of Copper Harbor, enjoy the view from the hotel right on Lake Superior.

Go to the top of Brockway Mountain and enjoy some fine dining at the Harbor Haus restaurant. All their food is great, but make sure to save room for their wonderful desserts- cobbler or souffle. Try some fresh Lake Superior lake trout or whitefish. Another place to try for a nice dinner is the Keewenaw Mountain Lodge.

Spend a few days there and find some nearby hiking trails, take pictures, breathe the fresh air. Ask the locals for suggestions. Mt. Houghton is a breathtaking view- take a bottle of wine along and take a breather at the top and enjoy the view. The picture above is from the top of Mt. Houghton (more pics at www.zanything.net).

When you must come back to reality and drive home, visit these places on the way home to bring back some treats from your journey:

Suomi for breakfast- about an hour south of Copper Harbor. Famous thin Swedish pancakes as big as the plate! Also try some panakuku.

Get some giant cinnamon rolls in L'Anse, MI at the Hilltop restaurant.

Stop for delicious cheese to bring home to last you months from Kugel's Cheese Mart in Lena, WI.

Arrive home, review all the pretty pictures and blog about your trip. :) If you like vacation blogs, let me know. Maybe I'll do some more in the future. ;)