St. Ignace/Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island view from incoming ferry

The gateway to the Upper Peninsula, St. Ignace is the first stop for travelers crossing the Mackinac Bridge. From there, it's just a ferry ride to Mackinac Island, a place that has been stopped in time featuring a former British fort and the beautiful Grand Hotel. Mackinac Island is also the home of the Governor's Mansion, a summer residence for the state's top official. St. Ignace offers tourists a large variety of Upper Peninsula "specialties," such as pasties, smoked fish and fudge, as well as beautiful views of the Straits of Mackinac, which connect the mighty Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

UPside of Life: St. Ignace does stellar job in representing entire peninsula

Sam Eggleston Wednesday, February 22, 2012

St. Ignace is the first place you come to when crossing the Mackinac Bridge. Thankfully the town and its residents and entrepreneurs have no problem with being the gateway to all that is great about the U.P., says Sam Eggleston in his weekly column.

Fat tire bikes offer year round transportation alternative

Kurt Mensching Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Fat tire bikes--or snow bikes--allow bicyclists the opportunity to use their bikes for transportation no matter how bad the weather gets. UP Second Wave feature writer Kurt Mensching tells us how Michigan cyclists are adapting the bike to local needs.

Groomed trails lead snowmobilers, dollars to northern destinations

Kurt Mensching Wednesday, February 08, 2012

More than 6,000 miles of groomed trails help make Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula a destination for Midwest snowmobile enthusiasts. Writer Kurt Mensching explores the essential Michigan winter pastime on both peninsulas.

UPside of Life: Giving a boost to the hometown team

Sam Eggleston Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Sports boosters aren't just for the cool kids--especially at small schools, they're the key to keeping athletic programs going and keeping kids active and healthy. In the era of education funding cuts, they could use your helping hand more than ever, as Sam Eggleston writes in this week's column.

UPside of Life: Upper Peninsula is the gift that keeps on giving

Sam Eggleston Wednesday, February 01, 2012

When it comes to the fact that Michigan turned 175 years old in late January (happy birthday!), all the Michiganders should take a moment to realize that this fine state was the recipient of the best present ever and one that keeps on giving--the Upper Peninsula. Thought to be an untamable wilderness back when this chunk of land was given to Michigan following the Toledo War, it has turned out to not be such a shabby trade after all.

Group seeks a collective vision for the Great Lakes basin

Neil Moran Wednesday, February 01, 2012

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the Great Lakes deserve to be protected, and one international group with members in the Upper Peninsula, is seeking a unified vision as to the best way to achieve that goal. Second Wave writer Neil Moran sat down and talked with some of the 1st Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Symphony leaders to discuss the cause.

The sun is shining on a new Upper Peninsula business

Sam Eggleston Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Harnessing solar energy isn't just for the big companies that are busy developing solar shingles and massive solar panels--it's for companies that want to bring solar energy into each and every home, too. That's where Cooks-based Suburb Solar comes in, offering up an innovative solar generator that is as easy to use as pushing a button.

Turning hobbies into income: At-home ventures turn into careers for some Yoopers

Becky Greiner Wednesday, January 18, 2012

From gardening and scrapbooking to photography and ceramics, most people have a hobby they do separately from their careers. But for some people, their passion and talent have turned their hobbies into careers. Second Wave's Becky Greiner explores some of those careers in this week's feature.

UPside of Life: Re-inventing the snow shovel, and other Yooper ingenuity

Sam Eggleston Wednesday, January 18, 2012

It takes special people to live in the U.P. and be happy about the long winter and the short rest of the year--but those who do live here are more than just hardy and determined, they're inventive, too, as UP Second Wave managing editor Sam Eggleston writes.

Winning is important

David Saint-Onge Wednesday, January 11, 2012

It's never easy to know how well your idea for a great business holds up until you take the time to present it to people who know the ins and outs of the entrepreneurial world. Your chance to do that is now, as David Saint-Onge explains, with The Edge--an Upper Peninsula business plan competition.

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