MLive says: “Marquette County is filled with beauty, but if we're forced to pick one beautiful place, we have to go with Presque Isle Park. The park offers up beautiful views of Lake Superior, pebble-covered beaches, hiking trails, playground equipment for the kids and (of course) the beloved Black Rocks. These rock formations are truly special and it is almost impossible to take a photo that explains the magic you'll find here. It's not just the sight of the rocks and the crystal waters of Lake Superior but the sounds of a summer day here. The cliff, which Northern Michigan students frequently use to jump into the lake, is so adored by the locals, there is even a brewery named Blackrocks.”
September 1-2, 2019
The last time I was in Marquette, I was 16 years old and competing for a presidential scholarship at Northern Michigan University, which was my first-choice college at the time. Obviously, things didn’t pan out as I’d hoped, and life played out differently. However, I was still happy to be back in the U.P.’s prettiest city.
We arrived in the evening on August 31, after a long afternoon hiking Tahquamenon State Park. We checked in to our hotel and came up with a plan for our couple of days in Marquette over dinner and drinks. We went to Ore Dock Brewing and sampled a few of their beers while playing Trivial Pursuit at the bar, and then got dinner at a sports bar in town (because nothing else was open at 10 pm on a Saturday in Marquette…).
On the morning of September 1, we woke up and walked from our hotel to Bodega Cafe for breakfast (lots of vegan options, homemade biscuits - highly recommend). From there, we walked through historic Marquette and admired big old houses along the waterfront. Our walk ended at the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. We explored the museum and took a guided tour of the lighthouse and grounds.
After the museum, we walked around by the waterfront, the old ore dock, marinas, and downtown.
After a gorgeous morning or walking, we made our way to our destination: Presque Isle Park and Black Rocks. We drove around the park, found a place to leave the car, and explored.
After yoga, naps, and taking in the gorgeous views, we were hungry. We headed back into town and went to Blackrocks Brewing. Blackrocks doesn’t have food though, so we tried some beers and enjoyed the atmosphere. It’s quite an eclectic little spot, with a huge and gorgeous patio and delicious beer. It was super busy for a Sunday afternoon, likely because they were closing the following day for Labor Day. We sampled three beers and then made our way back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
There’s a really cool restaurant in Marquette called Delft, which is an old movie theater turned restaurant. We got as dressed up as two people on a road trip could be, and enjoyed a creative dinner whilst watching a movie shown on the big screen, which is still in the restaurant. After dinner, we walked over to the Landmark Inn for drinks. It’s a historic hotel in downtown Marquette with totally gorgeous wood interior. I tried to book us a room there originally, but there wasn’t anything available. There was a piano player in the lobby, which we enjoyed while sipping our drinks.
Marquette was good to us, and the next morning we prepared to leave for our next stop.