Eastern Upper Peninsula ⚓ I did the 10+ best things to do in Eastern UP starting the drive from St Ignace MI ⚓ Michigan travel blog

Hi there!

If you are driving to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from the Lower Peninsula, then the eastern part of the UP will be your welcome to the Upper Peninsula right after you drive across the Mackinac Bridge!

And so… what can you do in this part of the UP?!

This list below will give you ideas for scenic drives, Lake Superior beaches, waterfalls, campgrounds, lighthouses, and then some!

More below about the places to visit in the Eastern Upper Peninsula!

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The list!

What are the prettiest parts of the Eastern Upper Peninsula?

1. Straits State Park

St Ignace MI

On the shores of Lake Huron on the UP side of the bridge is Straits State Park. From here, you can see the Mackinac Bridge.

You can also see the Mackinac Bridge from higher ground, where there’s also a picnic spot. You can drive here, or if you’re on lower ground you can also take the trail up.

At the shoreline there’s also a spot to sit and rest, and there’s also a small beach here so you can go swimming with Mackinac Bridge views.

Camping in Eastern Upper Peninsula

There’s also the Straits State Park campground, and it’s possible to get a lakefront campsite with views of the Mackinac Bridge! 

2. Father Marquette National Memorial

St. Ignace MI

This is actually a part of Straits State Park, but it’s located in a different area from the main shoreline area of the park.

The Father Marquette National Memorial is a national memorial as designated by the National Park Service.

Marquette was from France, and he is known for traveling large distance of waterways by canoe in the 1600s, including a great length of the Mississippi River from north to south.

You can read more about the history of Michigan and the Great Lakes area by visiting the memorial, and you can read about the history here too.

Nearby the memorial, you’ll also find some more walking paths, including one that leads to an overlook with Mackinac Bridge views where you can also sit and relax!

3. Bridge View Park

St. Ignace MI

This is another spot where you can get views of the Mackinac Bridge! This is on the opposite side of the bridge compared to the Straits State Park shoreline. This means that you get to see Mackinac Bridge from the shores of Lake Michigan.

Here you’ll also find a tribute to those who lost their lives in building the Mackinac Bridge, said to be one of longest suspension bridges in the world.

4. Huron boardwalk

St. Ignace MI

If going for a nice stroll alongside the lake sounds good to you, you can do so by walking the Huron boardwalk! You can find picnic tables along the way too.

You can also make it a self-guided historic St Ignace walking tour.

5. Wawatam Lighthouse

St Ignace MI

The Huron boardwalk can also take you to Chief Wawatam Park. You’ll find the Wawatam Lighthouse at the end of the boardwalk on this end.

At Chief Wawatam Park, you’ll also find some benches to sit with lake views, and there’s also a fountain with water spraying from the ground that kids can have fun running through in the summer.

It’s possible to get a ferry to Mackinac Island from both the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula. In the Upper Peninsula, there is a ferry to Mackinac Island from St Ignace that you can get from right next to Chief Wawatam Park.

Wawatam Lighthouse: See more about this eastern UP lighthouse on Lake Huron

6. Castle Rock

St. Ignace MI

You can climb up a bunch of stairs to hike up to the Castle Rock overlook so you can get a grand view of Lake Huron from above. In 2020, the cost to go up was $1.

Castle Rock: See more about this eastern UP activity

7. Lake Michigan scenic highway (US-2)

If you’re driving up north from St Ignace and the Mackinac Bridge, add a slight detour to your route! You can drive with views of Lake Michigan! You can also stop and get out to walk along the shoreline too. 

For reference on google maps, drive along US-2 from the Mackinac Bridge to around Brevort before you make your way up north. See the map. Alternatively, be sure to drive along this road on your way back down south!

8. Soo Locks

Sault St Marie MI

Sault St Marie is located at the US – Canada border, and this is where the Soo Locks are located.

The Soo Locks are considered a great engineering feat, called the “lynchpin of the Great Lakes,” connecting the Great Lakes of Lake Huron and Lake Superior. This allows for big ships to pass through the narrow waterway.

In 2020, the observation deck which allows you to see the Soo Locks from higher up was not open due to health safety reasons, but it was possible to visit from ground level.

9. Brimley State Park

Brimley MI

Brimley State Park has a beach that allows for swimming in Lake Superior.

Camping in Eastern Upper Peninsula

There is also the Brimley State Park campground, and it’ll be a short walk to the beach. You can also catch the sunset on Lake Superior a short walk from your campsite!

10. Point Iroquois Lighthouse

Brimley MI

If you’re looking for a nice stroll alongside a lake, the Point Iroquois Lighthouse on Lake Superior is another place to consider visiting!

In 2020, it wasn’t possible to go inside the lighthouse, but you can still walk around the lighthouse grounds. There’s a boardwalk that leads to some benches where you can sit with great views of the lake.

Point Iroquois Lighthouse is a part of the Hiawatha National Forest and Whitefish Bay scenic byway.

Point Iroquois Lighthouse: See more about this eastern UP lighthouse on Lake Superior

11. Andrus Lake

This can be a quiet stop on an inland lake. There is a small day use picnic area, and there is also a small beach for swimming here.

Camping in Eastern Upper Peninsula

There’s also the Andrus Lake State Forest campground, and it’s possible to get a lakefront campsite! This is a rustic campground.

12. Whitefish Point

You can make a visit to Whitefish Point on Lake Superior a quick stop to go and check out the Lake Superior beach here, or you can easily spend several hours here.

This area has also been called the “Graveyard of Lake Superior” or the “Graveyard of the Great Lakes.” It’s said that there have been over 500 shipwrecks in this area. 

The day I went to Whitefish Point, it sure seemed to give the mood of this! It was a gloomy day with choppy water, and you could imagine how the waters of Lake Superior may not be so kind.

So, what is there to do at Whitefish Point?

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is here, which you could take your time going through and spend 1-2 hours. On the same grounds is also the Whitefish Point Lighthouse which you can also walk through. And then you can spend as little or as much time going for a leisurely stroll along the shores of Lake Superior. You’ll see a lot of driftwood on the beach. You can walk for 15 minutes, or you could go for a 1 hour beach walk! This is also known as a beach to search for agate stones and you will likely see people looking closely at rocks. This means you can find many colorful rocks here.

In 2020, both the museum and lighthouse were open to visitation for the cost of $13 per person. See current prices. No cost for parking or to visit the beach!

Whitefish Point: See more about this eastern UP activity

13. Vermilion Point

You may consider visiting Vermilion Point for a quieter experience. This is also on the shores of Lake Superior and you can get a somewhat similar experience as the Lake Superior shoreline at Whitefish Point, but there will be far less people here. 

At the Vermilion Point beach you’ll also find driftwood and colorful rocks, and you can seemingly walk for miles.

This was also the location of a US lifesaving station, which was the equivalent of the US coast guard, also looking out onto the waters of Lake Superior.

This Vermilion Point lifesaving station is now in a state of disrepair, but the building is still standing.

This is a part of the Vermilion Point Nature Preserve.

There are smaller sand dunes to be seen here.

It’s a dirt road to get back to the shores of Vermilion Point.

Vermilion Point: See more about this eastern UP activity

14. Tahquamenon Falls State Park

The most popular waterfalls in Michigan are located in Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

There are a few different ways you can experience the waterfalls here. There are 2 separate areas of the park, to view the Lower Falls and Upper Falls of the Tahquamenon River.

You can walk to the viewing areas, and you can also row a boat across the river to an island in the river to see waterfalls from a different viewpoint.

Camping in Eastern Upper Peninsula

There are campgrounds at Tahquamenon Falls State Park. You can choose to camp closer to the waterfalls at the Lower Falls campground, or you can choose to camp closer to Lake Superior at the Rivermouth campground.

15. Crisp Point Lighthouse

And for another lighthouse to visit when you’re in the eastern UP, there is the Crisp Point Lighthouse!

Here you will get more scenic views of Lake Superior, beaches on both sides of the lighthouse, and another chance to search for colorful rocks. You’ll also take a dirt road to get here.

Crisp Point Lighthouse: See more about this eastern UP lighthouse on Lake Superior

And those are some ideas of things to do in the Upper Peninsula!

See more about how to spend your time in the eastern UP:

• Straits State Park campground
• Andrus Lake State Forest campground
• How to spend your time in Tahquamenon Falls State Park

More things to do in the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula

Now, depending on what you consider to be the eastern part of Upper Peninsula, you may also consider adding these things to your Eastern UP road trip too!

• Grand Marais
• Driving from Grand Marais to Pictured Rocks
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
• Driving from Munising to Marquette
• Kitch-iti-kipi (the bubbling big spring)

And then also see things to do in the western UP!

HAPPY VISIT TO EASTERN UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN!