Visit

Munising Waterfalls & Pictured Rocks Day Trip

Duration: Allow about 4 to 5 hours, more if you add the Chapel Loop hike.
Good for: Good for all ages. Most of the falls are short, easy walks from the parking area, which works well for young kids and grandparents. The Chapel Loop Trail is longer and rougher underfoot, better suited to older kids and adults looking for a real hike.

Six waterfalls sit within about twenty minutes of downtown Munising, which makes this the easiest big day out in the U.P. Start at Scott Falls near Au Train, then work your way through Wagner Falls, Alger Falls, and Munising Falls. Finish at Miners Falls and the Chapel Loop Trail for sweeping views of Lake Superior and Pictured Rocks.

Tahquamenon Falls & Sault Ste Marie

Duration: Plan for a full day, about 7 to 8 hours including the drive between stops.
Good for: Good for all ages. The Upper Falls boardwalk and viewing platforms are stroller friendly, and the Soo Locks boat tour is a longtime favorite with young kids. The Tower of History involves an elevator or several flights of stairs.

Start at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, home to the Upper Falls, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. From there it’s roughly an hour and fifteen minutes east to Sault Ste Marie, where you can watch freighters pass through the Soo Locks and climb the Tower of History for a view over the St. Marys River.

Mackinac Straits Lighthouses & Mackinac Island

Duration: Plan for 6 to 8 hours if you include a few hours exploring Mackinac Island.
Good for: Good for all ages. The lighthouses and bridge overlook are easy stops for any age. Mackinac Island is a family favorite, with horse drawn carriages, fudge shops, and Fort Mackinac’s cannon and rifle demonstrations, though it means a ferry ride and more walking or biking once you’re there.

Two historic lighthouses sit just minutes apart in Mackinaw City: McGulpin’s Point and Old Mackinac Point, both open for tours with views of the Mackinac Bridge. Cross into St. Ignace for the bridge view at Straits State Park, then catch a ferry to Mackinac Island, where cars have been banned for over a century.

Mackinac Island is ferry only, so the map link covers the mainland lighthouse stops through the St. Ignace ferry dock. Ferries run from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.

Porcupine Mountains & Keweenaw Copper Country

Duration: This one is best spread over 2 days given the driving distances involved.
Good for: Best for families with older kids or adventurous adults. Bond Falls and Fort Wilkins are easy, family friendly stops with short walks. Summit Peak and the Lake of the Clouds overlook involve steeper trails better suited to older kids and adults.

The big western U.P. road trip. Start at Bond Falls near Paulding, then head into the Porcupine Mountains for the Summit Peak fire tower and the view at Lake of the Clouds. From there it’s a long, scenic drive up the Keweenaw Peninsula to Fort Wilkins Historic State Park in Copper Harbor, a restored 1844 army outpost at the tip of the U.P.