I last visited the UP, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, in 2012.  At the time I was surprised to discover how wonderful it was and looked forward to returning and spending more time there.  In that trip, we visited Mackinac Island, saw Sault Ste. Marie and Tahquamenon Falls, and kayaked at Pictured Rocks.  

This visit we were on the western end of the peninsula, on the peninsula on the peninsula, Keweenaw, staying in the Houghton-Hancock area.  Our friends have a rental house on the canal, with a beautiful view.  That was our headquarters for the four days as we had fun and explored the area.  Once again I was struck by its beauty.

The area was once a center of copper mining, and there is a national historical site honoring the industrial and labor history of the area.  There are two universities and so the towns are vibrant with shops and restaurants.  We barely scratched the surface exploring them.  They also have fabulous parks, trails, and beaches.  We rode ATVs through the woods, canoed the water, went rock hunting along the shores of Lake Superior. 

One day we drove to the northern point of the peninsula where a scenic mountaintop route opened to grand vistas.  We explored to local rock and jam shops and visited a couple of waterfalls and the old copper mine.  

Our last full day we boated down the canal to Lake Superior.  The big lake's waters were too rough for us to anchor and enjoy the beach there, but we enjoyed the day on the water and the stunning views.