While visiting Sault Ste. Marie, you may be interested in exploring some of the other exciting places the Upper Peninsula has to offer. The UP has so much to do, it’s hard to pick just three things, but here is a list of three places to road trip to while adventuring around the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
The first place on our road trip around the UP is Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Tahquamenon Falls is just over an hour drive from Sault Ste. Marie, but it feels like you have entered a whole new world. Tahquamenon Falls is the biggest waterfall in Michigan and has over 50,000 gallons of water rushing over the brink per second! Explore the Lower Falls and then drive to the Upper Falls to see the powerful waterfall. There is also the choice of hiking to the Upper Falls. It takes about two and a half hours to hike, so be sure you’re prepared!
The next stop on this road trip is Whitefish Point. Whitefish Point is just about 30 minutes north of Tahquamenon Falls. Whitefish Point is also known as the “graveyard of ships,” for the sheer number of vessels which have gone down there, including the infamous Edmund Fitzgerald. While there, be sure to explore the Shipwreck Museum to learn all about the dangers of shipping on the Great Lakes.
The third and final stop on our Upper Peninsula road trip is to the beaches of Lake Superior. One of the hidden gems, figuratively and literally, of the Upper Peninsula is the agate. Although the Petoskey Stone is the state rock and well known in the Lower Peninsula, the agate is more well known in the Upper Peninsula.
An agate is a semi-precious gemstone, which can be found on the shores of Lake Superior. Some of the best places to find this rock ranges from Whitefish Point to Grand Marais. Search the beaches of Whitefish Point, then head west about an hour to Muskallonge Lake State Park to see how many of these rocks you can find!
Road tripping around the Upper Peninsula is so much fun wherever you go! If you have a favorite place to road trip to in the UP share it with us with #ilovethesoo on your social media. We would love to see what your favorite places to visit are! For more Sault Ste. Marie fun, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Guest writer Hope Anderson contributed this blog.