Day in Manistique

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My first afternoon during my trip to the Upper Peninsula was spent in Manistique! I first checked out the lighthouse in Gulliver, and then drove over to Manistique to explore the town a little bit. On the agenda? I checked out Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery, walked down the pier to the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse, had lunch/drinks at Tap21, and then drove out to Kitch-iti-Kipi to take the raft across the crystal blue waters! This was one of my favorite afternoons of the trip… I think just because it was fun to explore this area, and the trip was just beginning, so there’s so much hope and excitement in the air. 😂 I’d definitely recommend a day spent here! I’m bummed I missed the Fayette Historic State Park (aka; ghost town!) but I’d love to hit that up when I’m back up here someday!

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My first stop after visiting the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver was to Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery! This was a fun experience. So their little wine tasting room in Manistique is tiny, but it’s so quaint and charming. It’s right on the water, so I was able to order my flight of wine inside and take it outside to enjoy the views. I absolutely loved all of their fruit wines! Wineries that cater to the sweet-drinkers (like me) have a special place in my heart. I ended up leaving with a bottle of blackberry wine. Yum! But yeah, I enjoyed a little meat and cheese plate outside and enjoyed the scenery before heading to my next adventure!

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After wine tasting, I grabbed a quick lunch (and another glass of wine) at Tap21, which is right “downtown” Manistique. They have 21 alternating Michigan craft beers on tap, as well as wine and liquor! Thankful they had my favorite fizzy moscato there! But yeah, I ordered a sampler appetizer basket and ate that. They have an awesome 1893 Brunswick Back Bar though, so it feels historic + unique inside. Definitely a Manistique favorite! After lunch, I headed quickly over to the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse. I ended up parking in the wrong lot, and walked down a pier that didn’t lead directly to the lighthouse, but I was content with this view anyway. This light was first lit in 1916, and is still an active aid to navigation.

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After lunch and lighthouse exploring, I drove out to Kitch-iti-Kipi. I had been here once before during a quick trip to the area, but I was excited to go back, because it’s so beautiful! When you arrive, you can take the pathway down to the spring, and board this chain raft that takes you out to view the water. The spring is over 200 feet across, and over 40 feet deep. I saw so many fish on this visit! The water is always at a constant 45º, and it never freezes, so you can see it like this any time of the year. After viewing the spring, I grabbed ice-cream from the little gift shop on the property, enjoyed that outside at a picnic table, and then ended up swinging on the swings for a little while. It was just… simple fun, that I loved. After that, I made the drive over to Escanaba to check into my hotel for the weekend ahead! I’ll be back with posts from Escanaba!

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michigan, outfitsTieka Knightsummer, upper peninsulaComment