By Danielle Devota

I think everyone needs to visit Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) at least once in their life (or, in my opinion, they should go once a year!). When I’m looking for a place to start my UP visit, I look no further than Marquette on Lake Superior.

I visited Marquette previously in the fall when the colors are at their peak, which was simply breathtaking. This time around, I decided to visit during winter and experience firsthand all the snowfall Marquette gets, totaling to 12 feet per year!

No winter trip to Marquette is complete without a visit to Marquette Mountain. With excellent views of the lake, the resort is open all year and has trails for walking and, of course, ample opportunities for skiing and snowboarding. I personally like hitting the ski slopes, so that’s what I opted for this year. I consider myself a decent skier, but it had been a while, so I started on one of the easier runs and worked my way up. I could’ve spent a whole weekend trying all the different runs but, wanting to explore more, I opted for a cocoa warm-up in Iron Moose Grill before heading out again. The resort features two different dining options, which rotate between the seasons. The Iron Moose Grill is their winter option. 

While the on-site restaurant offers a variety of food, I wanted to see what the historic downtown had to offer. I first swung by Babycakes Muffin Co. for a caffeine boost. I grabbed one of their massive, housemade muffins, then munched and sipped while exploring several of the local shops.

Then, it was back to my hotel to freshen up before heading out to use my Marquette Brew Pass. I downloaded this app of deals and discounts as I explored Marquette’s booming brewery scene. I visited several breweries, but one of my favorites was Blackrocks Brewery. I highly recommend trying some of their seasonal specialty beers in addition to their year-round choices.

Photo credits: Travel Marquette