Understand
Secluded from the rest of the nation let alone the rest of the state, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is sadly often even left off published maps in newspapers or magazines or mistakeningly "made" part of Wisconsin. It is, however, a real treasure to visit and should be instead highlighted on any nature lover's map! Plentiful sandy public beaches, breathtaking recreational and fishing lakes, and vast state and national parks and forests makes the region an ideal location for a vacation during any season. If you enjoy the outdoors, this natural jewel is a place for you. About the only major drawback is the huge numbers of biting black flies that beset the angler.
Applying the term "cities" to anything in the U.P. could cause some laughter. If the UP were its own state, it would be home to fewer people than well any other state! It is mostly rural, with a few large towns, and Marquette tipping the scales at just under 20,000. Due to its rural nature, those downstate sometimes find no reason to visit the region. The population is generally of Northern-European heritage, though there are certainly exceptions, including a substantial Native American population. The U.P. is very similar in topography to Finland and therefore a large Finnish-American population in the region is not surprising. Most towns were formed as mining or logging operations in the nineteenth century and have not seen much economic success since those days. There are several ski resorts which offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the Midwest including a substantial snowcover thanks to Lake Superior. A good example of the heritage of the area is preserved at Fayette Historic State Park south on 183 from US-2. For a taste of one of the most remote, wild and rural places east of the Mississippi, head to the U.P., a world of its own!
