A Keweenaw visit

If you’re looking for a fun, jam-packed few days in the Keweenaw… I’ve got you! If you’re unfamiliar with the Keweenaw Peninsula, it’s the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its nickname of "Copper Country.” It’s full of rich history, beautiful scenic sights, delicious food and incredibly kind people. I always love visiting this area! Read on for places to eat and drink, some activities to do, hikes to take, and a fun mine tour that dives into the history of the copper boom. Thank you to Visit Keweenaw for collaborating with me on this trip… and let me know if you have any questions or want recommendations in the comments!

sit on the patio at keweenaw brewing company

My first stop into town after setting into my hotel was to Keweenaw Brewing Company! One of Houghton’s favorite hangouts, this brewery has a great new deck facing the Keweenaw Waterway and plenty of tasty fall beer options. (And a hard seltzer option too! I got the grapefruit, which was delicious.) They’re located in the center of downtown Houghton on the north side of Shelden Ave., and in very close proximity to restaurants and other sights to check out. It has a wonderful cozy inside taproom, but I couldn’t help but take in the patio with the weather we were having during my trip!

take a walk on the Nara River Boardwalk

Feel like a lovely walk? Check out the Nara Boardwalk and Nature Area just outside of Houghton on US 41. This expansive boardwalk was newly constructed in 2021… and is so beautifully done! This area is popular with birders, families, and great for wetlands education. I loved strolling the boardwalk, snapping photos, and taking in the autumn foliage. There are several places to sit along the boardwalk, plenty of parking spaces available, and close enough to downtown to squeeze in before or after a meal!

have Dinner at the ambassador & Breakfast at NISU Bakery

For dinner, I headed over to The Ambassador (locals call it ‘The Ambo’)! This is a classic Keweenaw restaurant and definitely not my first visit. They have an expansive cocktail list… including fishbowl cocktails, which I always like to enjoy during my trip here! They’re located in downtown Houghton, have a beautiful view of the lift bridge, and offer sandwiches, pizza, tacos, salads, several pasta options and more. I always love to go with their famous tostada pizza. Plus, be sure to check out the unique architecture, murals on the walls, and colorful light fixtures of their building. For breakfast the next morning, I went to the Hancock side of the bridge to check out Nisu Café. They offer up cinnamon rolls, Nisu bread, chocolate pastries and healthy breakfast sandwiches. I went for an egg cup, and a Finnish classic, Pannukakku, which is a custard-like pancake. Yum!

THE AMBASSADOR

NISU CAFÉ

take a Quincy Mine Tour

A visit to the Quincy Mine is an absolute must! Stepping foot into this historic copper mine feels like being transported back in time. First, you’ll watch a small video, gear up in hard hats, and get a history briefing from a tour guide before you descend down the hill on a cog tram ride, and into the mine! Each tour takes about two and a half hours, and the underground portion takes more than an hour. It’s always a cool 43º down there, so be sure to bring a jacket and some closed-toe shoes! The walk-in is about 2,000 feet, takes 12-15 minutes, and you walk at a leisurely pace with stops to learn about the history. It’s a bit eerie in there, and if you’re claustrophobic, proceed with caution! But it’s an incredible glimpse into the copper boom that swept through the area starting in the early 1840s! This was my first time doing the tour… and I’d definitely do it again someday.

STOP TO LAURIUM & calumet FOR PASTIES & COFFEE

After the copper mine tour, it only felt fitting to go in search of a pasty (which was a popular dish among the copper miners)! So I headed into Laurium, which is just about a 15 minute drive from the mine. I decided to try Toni’s Country Kitchen, because I remembered coming here years and years ago and it being delicious, and wanted to try it again… and this is honestly one of my favorite pasties I’ve ever had! That little slab of butter they put on the top… is a top notch choice. I’ve never seen that done before! But this is definitely a small-town diner, cash or check only, with limited seating, but very quaint, kind customer service, and delicious pasties. Plus, lots of baked goods & other treats to enjoy. After a pasty, I headed into downtown Calumet for a coffee at Keweenaw Coffee Works… which was a treasure! The inside is massive, lots of places to sit and work, order coffee (maybe one of my favorite pumpkin lattes I’ve ever had!) and lots of lunch/food options as well.

PUMPKIN SPICE 4LYFE!

drive up to Copper Harbor for a hike, dinner & a sunset

After visiting the coffee shop, I drove up into Copper Harbor… which is about 45 minutes from Laurium! I had some time to kill before dinner and a sunset, so I decided to check out Estivant Pines! This forest showcases some of the oldest and tallest white pines in the entire Great Lakes region. They can reach heights of 120 feet, and create a breathtaking canopy that filters rays of sunlight beneath. Also keep your eyes out for an abundance of wildlife… from white-tailed deer to eagles to lots of chipmunks! You can picnic at one of the clearing areas, there’s plenty of parking, and a well-marked trail and signage. It’s an easy hike and takes about 2 hours round-trip. I didn’t do the entire round-trip hike, but I’d love to go back and complete it someday! After, I ventured into Copper Harbor to have whitefish at The Mariner North, and stopped to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse overlook!

DRIVE UP BROCKWAY MOUNTAIN DURING GOLDEN HOUR

You should definitely take a drive up to Brockway Mountain during sunrise or sunset if you’re visiting the Copper Harbor area! It’s about a 9.5 mile drive that has breathtaking views of Lake Superior and thousands of acres of the Keweenaw. It’s the highest above sea-level drive between the Rockies and the Alleghenies (which I didn’t know!) There are plenty of places to stop along the way, but I’d recommend spending the most time at the very top, where you can park, get out of your car, and walk around taking in all different directions of the mountain. The colors were just starting to pop during my visit, but I can only imagine this spot in peak autumn! The road is a bit rough and steep, but it’s well worth it for the views!

Rent an ATV, ride the trails and FIND douglass houghton falls

On my second day in town, I headed up to Calumet to meet up with a few of the Visit Keweenaw crew to rent an ATV from Copper Country Rentals. They’re located right on a snowmobile and ATV trail, which is super convenient for hopping on and taking off on the trails! They also run a lodge called Trailside Lodge Motel if you’re looking for a place to stay, and is open all year round. We cruised through Calumet for a bit, checking out some historic buildings, and fall colors, before making our way toward Lake Linden area to find the Douglass Houghton Falls! Named after the renowned geologist Douglass Houghton, who explored the region in the 1830s, the falls cascade over a series of rocky ledges, surrounded by forest and rugged terrain. They’re improving the area for better parking and trail accessibility, and we had to scale a small stream to get there, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s apparently the tallest waterfall in all of Michigan! If you loop around a bit, you can get a great view. But if you visit this area, proceed with extra caution around the cliff edges.

Stop for lunch at Four Suns Fish & Chips

If you’re looking for a great place to get locally caught fish & chips in the area, I’d definitely say check out Petersons Fish Market and have lunch at Four Suns Fish & Chips. They’re only seasonally open, so be sure to check hours before going, but it’s located right across the street from Quincy Mine. It’s located in a super cute building, with an enclosed patio, and lots of fun signage. Plus plenty of picnic tables and outdoor seating. But they offer up all sorts of different fish baskets, chicken tendies, tacos/tostadas, fish chowder, and sandwiches. I went for the classic deep-fried whitefish basket which comes with your choice of potato & coleslaw & tartar sauce. Nommmmm. Definitely recommend.

visit Canyon Falls

On your way out of town (or into town, depending on which way you’re headed in the U.P.), you gotta check out Canyon Falls! I had only ever been in winter before, but autumn was a sight to see. It’s an impressive and easy hike to visit the falls, and the gorge is very picturesque. There is plenty of parking, right off the roadside, with bathrooms, picnic tables, signage, etc. And you’ll walk along a scenic trail, with boardwalks, along the Sturgeon River to a series of rapids of waterfalls before you reach Canyon Falls, which is nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the UP”. The river slides nearly 30’ over a large chute of smooth black rock into a box canyon. The fall color was amazing, it definitely shifts inland first before hitting the lakeshore, so if you’re wanting to see color here, plan to go a little earlier than peak times call for!

Hope you enjoyed my trip to the Keweenaw! Thanks to Visit Keweenaw for providing a great itinerary!