Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan

We've completed 16 weeks on the road, including one week in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This was our first ever visit to the area. It's also known as the UP, and residents are called "Yoopers."

Most people are familiar with the "mitten" part of Michigan, but many forget that the state also includes the UP. Interestingly, when Michigan became a state back in 1836, it was given the UP as a consolation prize, in return for letting Ohio have the city of Toledo. The UP was thought to be worthless land at the time, but later it was found to be rich with copper, iron ore, and timber.

Our first stop in the U.P. was the Keweenaw Peninsula, the horn that juts out from the northwestern quadrant. Our "home away from home" was Keweenaw Castle, right on the shores of Lake Superior. We loved our room with its view of the lake and private balcony.

The "beach" on Lake Superior is covered in smooth, round stones of many different colors and compositions. Walking on those loose pebbles was a good workout. There were stones with interesting colors and shapes everywhere we looked! We didn't find any "Yooperlites" (stones that fluoresce), but we did find some nice agates.

The abundant castle amenities gave us clues about what Yoopers and Michiganders like to do for fun: kayaks, canoes, a sauna, a firepit, board games, and a wall of books and DVDs. The UP seems like the perfect place for a old-fashioned, unplugged, crowd-free summer vacation. Since this is a working trip, we were happy with walks on the beach and gorgeous sunsets.