A night in Escanaba
Naba!!!! This town has a special little place in my heart for some reason. It could very well be the crepes and Swedish meatballs, the history of Mary Terry and the Sand Point Lighthouse, or being close to the lake I grew up on (Lake Michigan) in the Upper Peninsula, the fact that they have not one but two wineries, or the sentimentality of this town and the memories I have here. Or maybe it’s a combination of all of the above, but I love spending time in Escanaba! Read on for one night I spent there… while I was transitioning from the west side of the UP to the east side of the UP of my 3-week road trip.
SAND POINT LIGHTHOUSE
I’ve visited this lighthouse many times… climbed the tower, walked around the grounds lots, driven past a million times, lots of selfies in front of this beauty. This one was built in 1867, and warned the ships off Sand Point and the sand reef that reached out into Little Bay De Noc. Escanaba used to be home to several ore docks, so there was constant traffic of ships that would carry out iron ore and lumber from local sawmills. Another big thing about this lighthouse is that it employed one of the first women lighthouse keepers on the Great Lakes! You can read my full blog post on the Sand Point Lighthouse if you’re dying to know the history/mystery of Mary Terry, the lighthouse keeper.
WHERE I STAYED
So I’ve driven past House of Ludington many times during my visits to Escanaba, and have always wanted to stay at this historic hotel! It’s located right on Ludington Street, with a view of Lake Michigan. House of Ludington was built in 1865, and is known to many as the Great White Castle of the North. They have a glass walled elevator and medieval looking cupolas. To be honest, the place is a bit dated, but they have new ownership and I’m curious to see what they will do with it! But my room was very cozy, I had a view of the bay, and it was one of the least expensive places I stayed during my trip… but with all the charm and coziness of any other place I stayed. I’d definitely come back again. Coffee was available in the lobby in the morning, the staff was incredibly friendly, and the location is ideal for walking out to the water or downtown to grab a bite to eat. Plus, plenty of parking as well, if you’d rather drive out somewhere. And now I can say I’ve stayed here!
UPPER HAND BREWERY
I only had a quick overnight in Escanaba, so my first day… I settled into my hotel, and then immediately headed out to Upper Hand Brewery. This brewery is a dope setting, located out a little ways by the airport, but I love the ample amount of outdoor seating! I ended up sitting outside for as long as I could before the rain hit. And I was very grateful they had a beer on tap that I loved… it was called the Pricker Bush, which is an oak-aged wildberry sour… with blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, chokeberries & currants. Nommmm. Definitely recommend. I wish they had this year-round!
Read outside on a bench for a bit in Ludington Park
WHERE I ATE
For dinner, I decided to walk down to Hereford & Hops. I had never been before, and it was easily within walking distance of my hotel, so I landed there! I sat at a table by myself, ordered a glass of wine, and had… the grilled shrimp (which was pretty good) and a baked potato. I was trying to eat healthy this portion of the trip, knowing I’d want to save tons of room for my breakfast the next morning at Swedish Pantry. Literally one of my two favorite breakplace places in the Upper Peninsula (the other being Suomi in Houghton). I absolutely love the crepes and Swedish meatballs, it’s so good, every time. After that… I was working remote, so I ended up heading to Starbucks for the day. The one thing I feel Escanaba is missing is a good coffee shop! Well I hope you enjoyed an evening in Escanaba. Here’s a full guide from a couple of years ago, if you want to dive further, along with a separate weekend there as well!
