Upper Peninsula

While I can't recommend the museum at Whitefish Point (I lost some friends on Fitz and I don't need to be reminded), I can suggest that you stop a the Soo. The locks have an observation deck. I have never stood on the ground there, but I am told it is a good view. There are also three museums in town. I need to get there and not just go through.

Matt

Sorry, Matt, about your loss on the Fitz. I knew no one on it and that song still grabs me by the heart. Nevertheless, for those not quite so close to the situation, that museum is excellent. Kentucky Joe, I do recommend you visit it.

The UP is big enough that you'll want to have at least 2 base camps, one for the eastern end and one for the western. One in the middle, if you have the time, would be worth it as well. Though it's been a few years, we have enjoyed stays at Tahquamenon Falls SP, Indian Lakes SP (the western section is a gem - very wooded, not as popular as the eastern as it lacks 30 amp & showers, but does have 20 amp hookups) and McLain SP on the Keweenau Peninsula. For the Soo, if you can get in, the Aune Osborn county RV park is great - not much to look at but has decent facilities, hookups and an unbeatable view of the boats traversing the Great Lakes. It's fun to watch them go thru the locks as well; there's a grandstand built for that purpose in town. For Pictured Rocks, we camped at a private CG - something like Wagon Wheel (I have forgotten the name) It was adequate and had some nice wooded sites.

The state parks do have some first come/ first served sites. Finding sites Sun. night through Thursday night not a problem. Calling ahead for weekend sites works.

We just got back from UP and Wisconsin on Monday. We got reservations in nice harbor parks for weekend with 3 day lead time and no charge for the reservation, or money asked for. Paid for site after arrival.

It helps to get to parks by early afternoon. People who wait unit night before stopping get what they deserve; poor sites or nothing.

If you cannot get somewhere before late in the day a reservation would be advised. However; in the last 10 day trip I did see a few sites still available at all parks we stayed in.

If the U.P. isn't big, why do you have to drive 375 miles to go from one end to the other east to west and 230 miles from south to north? And then take a boat another 48 miles to get to big Isle Royale further north? A few hours??? Quite a few, like 7 hours of steady highway if you could somehow average 55 mph the entire distance east to west!

We did a similar trrip a couple of years ago. We used Brimley sp as a base camp. It worked fine but you will for sure need something farther west if you are staying in the porkies (haven't been there yet but its on my 'list'). Brimley was perfect for the kids. Its a bay that is shallow forever and its the warmest part of lake superior so the kids could swim too.
If you get to pictured rocks, take a kayak or a boat tour. We had a 2 year old, sos did the boat tour. Its 3 hours and is amazing! You might need a reservation if its a weekend. We went on a weekday in july and it was pretty full.
And I second the restaurant antlers in the soo! So good and we still talk about it!

X2 on the Shipwreck Museum. Out of the way, but neat.

Also Picture Rocks (Munising has a city-run CG just West of town).

Copper Country North of Houghton (again, a city CG, right downtown on the Canal). You can also catch the NPS ferry to Isle Royale from Houghton.

on EDIT: Note that we RV, not camp. We look for full hook-up sites to use as bases for local sightseeing and that generally (not always) rules out State Parks.

You can check this site:

uscampgrounds.info

for map/listing/links & detailed info to all publicly-owned campgrounds. No private campgrounds listed.

Thanks for all the info so far. Keep it coming if you have anything else to add. We don't need info on Soo Locks or Mackinaw areas. We have already been there several times. If we had a base in the east and one in the west, do you think four nights at each would be enough to see the major attractions?

Kentucky_Joe wrote:
If we had a base in the east and one in the west, do you think four nights at each would be enough to see the major attractions?

I'm thinking that's up to the stamina of the camper. How much can you cram into one day?

For a place like Isle Royale it will take a whole day because you have to ferry over there but it makes for one of those nice places that not everyone goes to see.

The lighthouse itself is fascinating. Take a picnic lunch and water with you. Here's more info on how to get over there. http://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/directions.htm

We make 2 trips a year to the UP to pick up our son at college in Houghton. For variety we stay at different campgrounds each time we go.
We stayed at a private CG by Seney wildlife refuge. Had a great time, took a canoe trip, biked in Seney to see bald eagles, snow geese, trumpeter swans, etc. Not much else around it.
We 2nd the city park just west of Munising. Close enough to town to see Pictured Rocks & other sites. Some sites on right on the water. There is a NF cg justt west of there also.
Near Houghton we have stayed at the city park on the river/canal (no restrooms), Baraga before you get to town, McClain SP on the lake, further north at Ft Wilkins in Copper Harbor, along with Lake Michigan SF CG along US2, Straits SP in St Ignace (our preference for going to the island - less crowds), Indian Lake SP, Muskalonge SP, Soo Locks CG, and the casino in Christmas. McClain is nice due to the great views. Ft Wilkins is a long way from anything. In the Houghton area take a mine tour at Quincy. The Porkies are maybe 2 hours from Houghton. We are planning on going there this fall when we drop him off back at school. Another park not mentioned is Fayette on the south side on the shore of Lake Michigan. Neat old iron ghost town. Beautiful harbor.
My recommendations on what to see - Pictured Rocks (take boat tour), Seney (drive, bike ride, or canoe), Kewanaw Pennisula & Copper Harbor, the big spring, Fayette, and the Porkies.