E-News Signup
Blog

Michigan's Wild & Wonderful Upper Peninsula

Awaken your adventurous spirit in the Upper Peninsula, a place where every corner invites exploration and wonder. Since 1911, the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association has been your guide to this awe-inspiring destination. Our mission is to spark your wanderlust and provide all the tools you need to plan an extraordinary getaway. Uncover the U.P.’s hidden treasures and embark on an unforgettable journey to one of our nation’s most stunning natural havens.

Find your Adventure

Discover the magic of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where an ever-changing landscape and boundless beauty await those who dare to wander!

Start Your Journey

Stories across the U.P.

View All Stories

Events in the Upper Peninsula

From winter's frost to summer's glow, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula welcomes adventure in every season! Contact event coordinators for the most current information before setting out.

Upcoming Events

Explore the U.P.

The interactive map below highlights some of the most loved places in our three regions. Click a region, and it will jump you to favorite stops along our Great Lakes shorelines and into our untamed wilderness, history-making sites and fun-loving communities. Go exploring!

Regions of the U.P.

small zoomed out map of the michigan area at a state level
Lake Superior Lake Michigan Lake Huron Sault Ste. Marie < Duluth Chicago < Detroit < CentralRegion EasternRegion WesternRegion

Western UP IMMERSION INTO NATURAL BEAUTY

Traveling throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is an immersion into natural beauty and the history of people determined to build a good life from the untamed land and the Great Lakes that surrounded them. But the Western U.P. has a distinctive brand of grit built from its tree-covered mountains, expansive wilderness and veins of copper and iron.
western
Copper Peak at Sunset Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Copper Peak World’s Largest Ski Structure

Lake of the Clouds, located in the Porcupine Mountains, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Lake of the Clouds
Porcupine Mountains

Lake Gogebic State Park

Lake Gogebic
Spans Two Time Zones

Conglomerate Falls - Keweenaw Peninsula

National Black River Scenic Byway

Image of Quincy Mine located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Timber, Iron Ore & Copper Mines

Bond Falls on a fall day in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Bond Falls Scenic Site

Jul 17
Copper Harbor Performances in the Park
240 Gratiot St Copper Harbor, MI 49918
Jul 17
Daniell Park Summer Concert Series
87 3rd St Laurium, MI 49913
Jul 17
Festival Ironwood
150 N Lowell St Ironwood, MI 49938
Jul 17
Hancock Farmers Market
403 Quincy St Hancock, MI 49930
Jul 17
L'Anse Waterfront Concerts
Baraga Ave L'Anse, MI 49946

Central UP Gorgeous Shorelines, Intriguing History

Whether you come from the east or west, the heart of the Upper Peninsula is not a pass-through. You can easily fill months, exploring the Central U.P.'s beautiful Lake Michigan and Lake Superior beaches and bays, stunning wilderness, crystal-clear inland waters and the historic communities that have welcomed travelers for centuries.
central
Kitch-iti-Kipi: Michigan’s Largest Natural Freshwater Spring

Kitch-iti-Kipi
The “Big Spring”

Image of a smelter in the distance at Fayette Historic State Park, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Fayette Historic State Park & Townsite

Dickinson County Whitewater Rafting on the Piers Gorge

PiersGorge
Whitewater Rafting

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Miners Castle

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours

Jul 17
Downtown Norway Open Air Market
915 Main St Norway, MI 49870
Jul 17
Gladstone Summer Concert Series
1224 Lake Shore Dr Gladstone, MI 49837
Jul 17
Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium
Grand Marais Grand Marais, MI 49839
Jul 17
Lake Superior Theatre presents: Mamma Mia
270 N Lakeshore Blvd Marquette, MI 49855
Jul 17
Manistique 4th of July Celebration
Downtown Manistique, MI 49854

Eastern UP Let the adventures begin

Up here, vacation begins when you cross the Mighty Mackinac Bridge. Hovering halfway over Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, your adventure starts to the soundtrack of the bridge's rattling grates below you. When you arrive, you’ll land in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
eastern
Gateway to the U.P. - Mackinac Bridge

The Mighty Mac
St.Ignace Gateway

Ship in Soo Locks Sault Ste Marie Michigan's Upper Peninsula USA

The Soo Locks
An Engineering Marvel

Aerial view of Upper Tahquamenon Falls on a fall day in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Tahquamenon Falls State Park - Paradise

Soldier at Fort Mackinac Mackinac Island Michigan's Upper Peninsula USA

Mackinac Island State Park - No Cars Allowed

Drummond Island

Drummond Island
Gem of the Huron

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

Jul 17
Mackinac Island Music in the Park
7200 Huron Street Mackinac Island, MI 49757
Jul 17
Mackinac State Historic Parks - Civil War
7165 Main St Mackinac Island, MI 49757
Jul 17
Munoscong Golf Course Jim's 4-Man Senior Scramble
141 E 22 Mile Rd Pickford, MI 49774
Jul 17
Music By The Bay - St Ignace
200 North State Street Saint ignace, MI 49781
Jul 17
Newberry Farmers Market
920 Newberry Ave Newberry, MI 49868