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

Apr 18
State of Imagination - Superior Wind Symphony and Campus Concert Band
1400 Townsend Dr Houghton, MI 49931
Apr 19
Considering Matthew Shepard - Choirs of Michigan Tech
1400 Townsend Dr Houghton, MI 49931
Apr 19
Free Entrance Day in the National Parks: First day of National Park Week
Apr 24
Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival
14252 US Highway 41 Copper Harbor, MI 49918
Apr 25
Michigan Tech University Graduate Commencement
1400 Townsend Dr Houghton, MI 49931

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

Apr 17
NMU Theatre & Dance presents: Jesus Christ Superstar
1401 Presque Isle Ave Marquette, MI 49855
Apr 18
Keweenaw Bay Spring Contest Pow Wow
401 East Fair Avenue Marquette, MI 49855
Apr 19
Free Entrance Day in the National Parks: First day of National Park Week
Apr 22
NMU Choral Concert
311 W Baraga Ave Marquette, MI 49855
Apr 23
Marquette Regional History Center presents: A Community Under the Stars: 60 Years of Shiras Planetarium
145 W Spring St Marquette, MI 49855

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

Apr 19
Bob and Moe BBQ Show
23583 County Road 407 Newberry, MI 49868
Apr 19
Free Entrance Day in the National Parks: First day of National Park Week
Apr 19
Sault Ste Marie Farmers Market - Fall/Winter/Spring
541 Library Dr Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783
May 1
Mackinac State Historic Parks - May Day Wildflower Walk
7165 Main St Mackinac Island, MI 49757
May 3
Lake Superior State University Commencement
650 W Easterday Ave Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783