Stunning Views of Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan
I would recommend Marquette, Michigan just for the spectacular views of Lake Superior but that city offers so much more.
From one of my favorite adventures, visiting waterfalls, to my other favorite pastimes including viewing sunrises and sunsets and shopping in unique stores, I felt that Marquette made discovering Michigan for the first time wonderfully special.
When I searched for a hotel positioned right on Lake Superior in Michigan, the Hampton Inn Marquette seemed like the perfect fit. It’s boasted as the only hotel located on the shores. Conveniently located just steps from the trendy little downtown area with historic red brick buildings, Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront was a nice place to park the car and enjoy sightseeing with a leisurely stroll.
Discovering Marquette Was a Pleasant Surprise
The shores of Lake Superior are spectacular – a body of water with massive rock formations, some with tall green trees sprouting from the top, and an endless view of the blue sky.
While Marquette offers many fun activities on the lake, it also offers land adventures good for every activity level.
The Michigan outdoors setting makes such a great vacation destination. Marquette offers waterfalls and rock formations to scenic overlooks, hiking and biking trails, kayaking, boating, and more.
Marquette’s historic downtown area is lined with local breweries, restaurants, and shops. It’s a great place to unwind and enjoy some downtime. Walking through this picturesque town is a wonderful experience.
Outdoor Adventures and Attractions in Marquette
The Iron Ore Heritage Trail is a super long, 47-mile trail that crosses the Marquette Iron Range in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With our binoculars in hand, we strolled along the path while birdwatching.
At Presque Isle Park, a picturesque 324-acre peninsula park overlooking Lake Superior, we biked along a few trails stopping at scenic outlook posts and getting an amazing view of the Huron Mountains at Sunset Point. There are also beach areas nearby including the Little Presque Isle Beach, McCarty’s Cove, and more.
Kayaking, boating, sailing, and swimming are fun lake activities. But the most unique to me, that I had never experienced, was jumping off the Black Rock into Lake Superior. It was fun to watch and see so many brave individuals jumping.
Any chance I get to see waterfalls makes me happy and Michigan waterfalls didn’t disappoint. Waterfalls can be seen at Wright Street Falls, Cataract Dam Falls, Morgan Falls, and Little Garlic Falls.
Yooperlite Hunting is an Out of This World Experience
As a collector of seashells and gem crystals, there was no way I could pass up “Yooperlite hunting” amidst the Lake Superior shoreline.
What is Yooperlite? It’s considered a geological wonder. Yooperlite is a gray, coarse-grained rock described with combined feldspar and quartz. It’s sodalite mineral glows with yellowy-orange hues when placed under a UV light.
It was such a fun evening, like a treasure hunt carrying a powerful UV flashlight and a lot of patience. We were with a group of Yooperlite hunters so the “oohs” and “aahs” from the others had us running back and forth to spot the magical rocks.
Downtown Marquette, Michigan
The Marquette Maritime Museum and Harbor Lighthouse built in 1853 is a landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can select from different tours from a traditional guided lighthouse tour, historical walks, special sunrise and sunset tours, and unique paranormal explorations of the museum’s area.
At the Marquette Regional History Center, you’ll discover many interesting interactive and immersive exhibits including an authentic pioneer log cabin, fur trading post, wigwam, full size beaver dam, vintage films, and lots of historical artifacts.
The Lakenenland Sculpture Park was another spectacular find. The owner basically boasts, “Welcome to my junkyard!” Visitors can enjoy more than 25 years’ worth of sculptures built from scrap iron. Each of the impressive 100+ sculptures were built by hand. Best part of this attraction is that it’s FREE, open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
We went to see another iconic landmark, the Lower Harbor Ore Dock, right near the downtown area. The now decommissioned concrete and steel structure dock was built in the late 1800s and still stands today. Marquette is a major shipping center for iron ore from the mines in the area. If you get the chance, you can watch a freighter train being loaded with a shipment.
Other nearby suggested activities:
:: Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum
:: DeVos Art Museum
:: Iron Industry Museum
:: Lake Superior Theater
:: National Ski Hall of Fame
:: U.P. (Upper Peninsula) Children’s Museum
Dining and Shopping in Downtown Marquette
We visited the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market and bought locally roasted coffee, fruits, cookies, and vegetables. We shopped at the Boomerang Retro & Relics store, a chic, vintage boutique with cool retro clothing, gifts, and other treasures. At the Provisions MQT, just steps away from our hotel, we browsed the market for unique housewares, souvenirs, and enjoyed the most delicious hot chocolate and gelato. At Watson and Watson, we viewed amazing rock displays that crystal and rock collectors would immensely enjoy.
Notable Marquette restaurants:
:: 231 West (Delicious cappuccino and pastries)
:: 906 Sports Bar & Grill (Great burgers)
:: Donckers (Best macaroni and cheese)
:: Iron Bay Restaurant (Enjoy a table outside)
:: The Delft Bistro (Chicken Piccata and the chocolate chip cookie skillet)
:: Trenary Toast Café (Blackberry and brie on sourdough bread)
We’re not fans of beer but the brewery locations were so festive and the people super friendly that we stopped in for other cold drinks. Popular Marquette breweries include: Drifa Brewing Company, Barrel + Beam, Ore Dock Brewing Co., Blackrocks Brewery, and Market Harbor Brewery with Vierling Sample Room.
About the Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront
The Hamptons Inn in Marquette, Michigan should not be underestimated. Staying at this waterfront Hampton Inn made for a memorable vacation.
We spent four nights at the hotel and appreciated the staff, the cleanliness, and, of course, the breathtaking lake view. The Marquette location was perfect. It was walking distance to downtown. Some of our adventures were just a short drive away from the hotel.
We much appreciated the FREE breakfast as many hotels do not offer complimentary breakfast these days. The indoor pool and hot tub were a nice treat and although there was a fitness center onsite, we did enough outdoor activities to suffice for exercise. Other hotel amenities include Free WI-FI, free parking, digital keys, Hilton Honors points, and pet friendly (fees). It was also nice that hot drinks were available all day near the reception area.
I must also point out that staff members were impressively friendly, from check-in to check-out, their kindness added a personal touch to our stay.
Hampton Inn Rooms and Suites
The Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront features a variety of room and suite types. We stayed in a spacious Lakeview King Bedroom that was modern, clean, and comfortable. Important: When you make your reservation, be sure to request a lake view. You can also stay in a poolside room and rooms with patios. Note that a regular room may only have a parking lot view. There are also connecting guest rooms and accessible guest rooms.
Room amenities:
:: Seating area with chair
:: Workspace/Free WIFI
:: 55-inch HDTV
:: Mini refrigerator
:: Microwave
:: Coffee/tea maker
:: Hairdryer
:: Iron/ironing board
Visiting Marquette, Michigan on the Lake Was “Superior”
While we did not get to see the “northern lights” as sometimes can be seen from this midwestern state, we did find lots of other noteworthy things to do. Yooperlite hunting along the shore of Lake Superior is something that I’ll always cherish from my first visit to Michigan.
We were also pleased with selecting the Hampton Inn Marquette Waterfront. Spectacular views of the lake added to the beauty of this well-maintained hotel. We always looked forward to returning to the hotel after a busy day of outdoor activities and sightseeing. Conveniently walking into downtown Marquette at night was the perfect ending to the day.
The buffet breakfast was served in a very nice room with outstanding lake views. I appreciated the variety of breakfast offerings (like eggs, waffles, oatmeal, and coffee).
If our positive experience in Marquette is any indication, we look forward to exploring other cities in Michigan soon.