• MICHIGAN: The Mason Jar Cafe in Benton Harbor
• Charlevoix
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

See Pictured Rocks From The Water This is my number one recommendation! I could not BELIEVE the beauty of the landscape. There were all sorts of colors and unique formations, including some with waterfalls emerging or massive caves. Seeing it all from the water was remarkable. We did a sunset open boat cruise, which was great because they seated half capacity and it was easy to distance. The views from the cruise were breathtaking, and it was really nice to have all the main landmarks of Pictured Rocks pointed out as we cruised along!

I’ve also read that kayaking along the shoreline is a great way to see the rocks! This wasn’t an option for us as we had Beau, Grace and Joey with us the entire time, and they’re all way too young, but I’d do this another time in a heartbeat.

We talked about how we’d love to rent our own boat in the future! It’d be fun to have a full day on the water — jumping into Lake Superior, exploring the coastline, and beach hopping, via your own boat. We tried to do this but were unable to find one available — they all were rented! Next time we’ll plan ahead better, but definitely consider this if you’re going, because I have a feeling it’d be incredible and it’d also be nice to just take your time cruising up and down the coast. (Which is very long and has a TON to see.)

Grab Pizza & Watch The Sunset At Sand Point Beach Sand Point Beach was recommended by a few websites I found while researching things to do. And I have to say, this was one of my favorite parts! We ordered carry out pizza from Munising’s Pictured Rocks Pizza, headed to the beach, and set up a picnic. We were delightfully surprised that we were some of the only people within miles! The beach was absolutely gorgeous and an ideal place to watch the sunset. We dipped our toes (and then the girls threw off their clothes to go swimming!) in Lake Superior, which was calm like glass, and enjoyed the scenery. This beach was absolutely gorgeous, and one that we’d return to again and again.

Go On Scenic Hikes To Cascading Waterfalls One of the best things to do in the area is to go hiking. The options are endless for hikes. But since we were with our family and young kids, we focused on easy hikes that had sights at the end. Our strategy was to identify a few waterfalls that we wanted to see and go from there! The two that we hiked to were Munising Falls and Miners Falls. Both were beautiful!

Other waterfalls we didn’t get to see, but would love to another time, are Chapel Falls (Chapel Beach and Chapel Cove were big recommendations also) and Tahquamenon Falls.

Visit Miner’s Castle Rock THIS VIEW!!!! It’s so, so beautiful. You look out at see Lake Superior for as far as the eye can see, and the rock formation is pretty cool. There’s an overlook from above that you can go to, and it’s well worth the visit!

Pack Food & Spend The Day At Miner’s Beach After we went to Miner’s Castle Rock, we found a beach nearby called Miners Beach. Which was where we ate food and swam for a few hours. The beach was so beautiful and the perfect place to relax for a while. Here, we all went swimming, the girls played in the sand, and we soaked in the sunshine.

Visit Kitch-iti-kipi – Michigan’s Largest Spring Alright, so, I need to caveat this by saying Kitch-iti-kipi isn’t in Pictured Rocks. Rather, it was a stop we made on our way to the park. It’s a great pit stop, and you’ll no doubt be amazed at the natural spring, which is Michigan’s largest! You can see so far down, and it’s pretty cool to watch the fish swim around in crystal-clear water.

On Our List That We’ll Do Next Time48 hours wasn’t nearly enough time to spend at this gorgeous location! Here are some things we didn’t get to do, but are on our “must see” for next time.

Twelve Mile Beach – An area that was recommended as a great place for camping! You’re basically right on the water, in a remote and gorgeous location. Next time I’d love to camp for a night here. Au Sable Lighthouse – Near Twelve Mile Beach, this active lighthouse has been noted to be beautiful! I also have read that it’s a great place to look at the stars. Next time, I’d love to go on a night hike and stargaze at the lighthouse! Oswald’s Bear Ranch – When I posted that we were going to the UP on Instagram, I had multiple people recommend this ranch. This seems like it’d be a really cool thing to do with kids! Grand Sable Dunes – These dunes were at the opposite end of where we stayed. So we weren’t able to see them, but I’d love to visit this 5 mile stretch of rolling sand!

• Tulip Festival - Holland, MI

First Week of May

• New Buffalo, MI

Close enough to Chicago to be convenient for city-dwellers but far enough to feel like another world, this town is minutes away from Warren Dunes State Park and has a neat European Farmer’s Market that locals love.

• Sleeping Bear Dunes

Located right outside beautiful Traverse City, spend a day (or two!) hiking any one of the trails at Sleeping Bear.

• Ocqueoc Falls

Before you head to the Upper Peninsula, consider resting for the night at Ocqueoc Falls State Forest Campground where picturesque waterfalls await you.

• Canyon Falls

Known as Michigan’s own version of the Grand Canyon, this breathtaking waterfall is situated south of L’Anse, off US 41 in the Upper Peninsula.

• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The Upper Peninsula has plenty of natural wonders to explore, including the various scenic sites at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

• O Kun de Kun Falls via North Country Trail - UP
• Michigan — North Country National Scenic Trail

Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore provides sweeping views and miles of hiking along Lake Superior. One of the best trails within Pictured Rocks is the 42-mile North Country National Scenic Trail. While travelers can take day hikes along the scenic trail, multi-day adventures are popular here too, with several campgrounds along the trail.

• Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park