Michigan's Best Kept Secert

Beautiful stops in the Keweenaw Peninsula (VIDEO)

This is as close to the center of Lake Superior you can get without a boat, as far north in Michigan you can get without leaving mainland. Due north is Canada, almost a hundred miles between you and the Slate Islands. Somewhere to the west is the North Shore of Minnesota.

The sun sets over that way, but even as it goes down there’s no trace of land — just endless blue horizon all around. It feels like the edge of the Earth, like you’ve run out of land.

Five and a half hours to Houghton from Madison, six hours from the Twin Cities, six and a half from Chicago, and eight and a half hours from Detroit, the only of those cities within the same state — the Keweenaw Peninsula feels remote. For most travelers, there’s somewhere closer. But therein lies the draw of the Keweenaw; all that distance leads to a place apart.

This trip was hosted by Visit Keweenaw! Also! This article contains affiliate links. That means if you choose to make a purchase based on my recommendation I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.

Exploring Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula: Pasties, Saunas and Sea Kayaking

Overall, I spent a little over four days exploring the Keweenaw Peninsula. I started at O Kun-De-Kun Falls and ended it at Agate Falls, which I decided it wasn’t worth the climb down to (I was very tired by the end).

YouTube is a new medium for me! I’m keeping it simple — shot on my iphone, one round of edits, maximum of three takes for the voiceover but I am having fun with. It sort of the natural place where my longer storytelling Instagram videos intersect with the type of writing I like to do here on Substack.

Bakeries & Pasties

When I first started visiting the Keweenaw, one of the first things I was warned me about is the limited restaurant options. While you might have a hard time finding fun spicy foods, the palate of the Keweenaw — meat pies and breakfast pasties, cinnamon rolls and baked goods, definietly appeals to me (a very picky eater).

I don’t mind eating at a restaurant alone, really. Grab a book and sit and read while you eat. Bit when the roadside pull offs look like this, might as well throw a little sleeping pad in your tailgate and grab your meal to go.

My favorite roadside pull offs & picnic spots in the Keweenaw:

• Bete Gris Beach (above, left. Also the launch point for the paddle below).

• Haven Falls Park (near Bete Gris beach. Little park with picnic tables and a waterfall view).

• Hebard Wayside Park

• Esrey Park (all-time fav)

• Great Sand Bay (so many good stops along the bay, one of my favorite beaches. Above right photo).

Sea Kayaking Bete Gris to Montreal Falls

The thing about sea kayaking options on the South Shore of Lake Superior is there are SO many great paddling options, but a lot of them are really exposed and not beginner-friendly. When you book a guided tour — which you 100% should do, I’ve been guiding since 2018 and I’ve seen so many things happen, mostly to people in boats they brought from home, I won’t regale you with horror stories but I’m not just saying this to be a square I promise it can be scary out there — the two most popular (and for good reason to be clear) guided tour routes are popular.

Sharing the water with eight or so other tour groups doesn’t lend to a wilderness-like experience. They are still beautiful trips, and everyone has a right to enjoy the water, BUT you can find just as beautiful routes in less touristed areas as well.

Like, for example, the Keweenaw. Keweenaw Adventure Company is (to my knowledge) the only outfitter in the UP running trips in the Keweenaw, and as a result any of their three day trips on the Lake has that wilderness feel.

I went out on my own (I wanted to do the paddle a lot faster than a tour group can, and I’ve got years of experience on the Lake and coastal kayaking. 12-miles + lunch and photos in 3:32 not that anyone is counting but I was really thrilled with myself!) and I didn’t see anyone other than a small fishing boat.

I also got LUCKY with the weather. It was raining, which kept people away, and cold but I wore a drysuit, but I didn’t see anyone save a small fishing boat and a cloud of mosquitos waiting for me at the falls.

If you want to see the whole route in more detail, check out the YouTube video embedded at the beginning of this post.

Best guided kayak tour options on Lake Superior (US-side)

• Sea Caves at Meyers Beach: I’ve linked Lost Creek, where I sometimes work and my fiance, Andy, helps manage! All of the guides here are delightful people, and this tour is one of the most popular, for a reason of course. It takes you by and through massive sea caves and the colors are just out of this world. I’ve paddled this route at least a hundred times and it never disappoints.

• Montreal Falls (above): This is a LONG day trip, but it’s probably one of the few day trips where you’ll get the feeling of venturing into true Lake Superior wilderness like you would on an overnight kayaking trip. You might see hikers at the falls, but you’re unlikely to see other paddling groups.

• Pictured Rocks: Highly popular cliffs (rockfall common so don’t get too close), I recommend the boat assisted route for best experience.

• Tettegouche State Park: A cool sea cave system (total like three caves), cliffs, and sometimes you can get up the Baptism River a little ways.

Come on a trip with me this summer! Women’s Rock Climbing is next weekend, and I have several evening/sunset/dinner trips running in July and August with sea caves!

Takka Saunas

Overall, gorgeous, and great. Literally overall an absolutely perfect vibe.

Takka Saunas has two locations — one in Hancock and the other on Lake Superior near Copper Harbor (pictured).

I used to work at Sisu & Loyly in Grand Marais and while I loved the facility and working there, I didn’t actually sauna all that much. I spent a lot of time at the sauna and cleaning the sauna and appreciating the view but any time I used the sauna felt utilitarian.

It wasn’t until the past year or so when I started being able to afford booking things like this for myself to enjoy as they’re intended did it start to be fun. Late 20s is actually great, and I can’t wait for my thirties to be honest! Sounds stable and fun.

Preset drop!

It’s been well over a year since I shared new photo editing presets and I’ve been working on this new batch for a while! These presets (filters) are compatible with Lightroom mobile and are what I’ve been using to edit my photos for the past year or so.

They streamline the photo editing process, simplifying it to just a few clicks. Also included is a user guide on how to install the presets + editing advice, and an additional preset that I specifically use to edit videos for Instagram reels.

50% first week only!