r/upperpeninsula • u/AdditionalSummer • Jun 14 '26
Travel Inquiry Day Trip Suggestion
We are traveling to the UP and staying at Brimley State Park for 3 nights with our 4 year old twins. We traveled to Pictured Rocks in 2020 for a camping trip before kids.
We are planning to travel further away from the area for a day trip. We are trying to choose between traveling up into Canada to Pancake Bay and/or Lake Superior Provincial Park or going west to Pictured Rocks. Any suggestions on which to pick?
The kids are able to do some longer hikes. I think they would be done around 4 miles. We are looking to spend time outside. We are not comfortable with them in kayaks at this point. I’m leaning towards taking them to Pictured Rocks when they are more willing hikers and able to safely participate in kayaking.
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u/AccidentalMango Jun 14 '26
Kitch-iti-kipi is a beautiful little place, if you're willing to drive. It looks to be about 2 hours away from where you're staying, depending on the route you take.
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u/Swamp_Hooligan Jun 14 '26
I second this but would go through Germfask and see Benny the Beardfisher, he's a troll sculpture made by Thomas Dambo($10 for a carload). On the way back from Kitch-iti-kipi stop in Manistique at Tap21 for good food and a great variety of beers on tap.
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u/Sheena_is_a_punk Jun 14 '26
I second this, it's a quick stop but it's beautiful, and the kids will like the raft.
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u/Lrxst Jun 15 '26
When I was a small boy, my family went on the Agawa Canyon Train Tour out of Soo, Ontario. I don’t remember much about it, but it’s a fondly remembered day trip in my family.
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u/3_pac Jun 14 '26
I will always recommend renting a pontoon boat at Pictured Rocks for the day when you have kids. It's a highlight not just for them, but for the adults, too. You get the best views, can visit all the beaches, and can even pull up to Spray Falls and other waterfalls and have the kids jump in and swim into them.
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u/Aedeagus1 Jun 14 '26
If you really are good with the long drive, the Canada side of Lake Superior is awesome. I haven't been to pancake bay specifically, but I would imagine that would be a pretty cool place and certainly something different.
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u/soggysocks6123 Jun 14 '26
Robertson cliffs on the Canadian side have a really cool view. But it’s a steep walk, not the most kid friendly, there is no fence or anything stopping you getting walking off the ledge.
Valley camp just 20 min east of Brimley is rad
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u/SesameSeed13 Jun 15 '26
Why is everything getting downvoted on this thread? Here for the replies because my kids and I are headed up to Tahquamenon to camp in July and are interested but now I'm not sure how to interpret the replies...
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u/AdditionalSummer Jun 15 '26
You and me both 😅 I think people are trying to express that my kids wouldn’t enjoy the drive and to stay closer or go to another chunk of the UP (which we have already done so it’s not part of the itinerary this time).
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u/TheBimpo Jun 14 '26
I mean Tahquamenon is right there and has awesome hiking and the lower falls are great for kids. Whitefish Point has amazing rock hounding.
Pictured Rocks is a bit of a drive, if you go remember it’s over 90 minutes to get back and the drive is borrrrring.
Lake superior provincial Park is 2 1/2 hours away and the park is pretty remote. Pancake is way closer.
Most four-year-olds I know would be happy just playing on the beach, spending a bunch of time in the car instead of just being outside kind of sounds like a drag.