Marquette

You can get a bike for at least part of a day in Marquette, or at least walk the stretch of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail to take in the view of Lake Superior and the harbor and read the interpretive panels about the way the iron ore industry brought the city to life—and created its striking red sandstone downtown. There's fun in town, too. One must-stop is The Flying Moose, a new-style general store where you'll find local organic food, kombucha on tap, and homemade cupcakes and mugs for your coffee hand thrown by a local potter.

Famous former guests include Amelia Earhart, Abbot and Costello, Duke Ellington, and Mays Angelou. Newer draws include Blackrocks Brewery, one of a growing number of Upper Peninsula microbreweries, and the Delft Bistro. The historic Delft theater is now a restaurant, where films run on the walls as you eat creative cuisine that often includes a nod to the area's iron history. If you've brought the young ones, check out The Children's Museum, which shares history through play with a mining truck and full model town. All ages love Wattson and Wattson Jewelers, where the in-store mine was inspired by a Walt Disney saying “Make it fun and they will come,” and the collection includes a “Superior” line of pendants like the Upper Peninsula, loons, and sailboats.

Location: Marquette County, Michigan, United States
Website: https://www.travelmarquette.com/

Distance from Michigan: 308 miles

Travel time: 5 hours

TripAdvisor Review: 24,754 reviews