Marquette is absolutely beautiful. It's surrounded my wilderness and nature while still having a small, hometown feel with shopping and restaurants. It's also home to Northern Michigan University, making Marquette a college town.
Where to stay: Finding lodging in Marquette can be difficult especially if you're like me and try to book a trip only a few months before going. My friends and I camped at Rippling River Resort. This was the PERFECT place for us! Rippling River has a campground for tents, RVs, and also cozy cabins. We were even offered to purchase chocolate and champagne for our camping experience when booking our trip.
We stayed in the tents and each tent site had their own campfire pit. We made s'mores and cooked hot dogs almost every night. My three favorite parts of the whole resort was the river that was behind the tent spots. It was so relaxing to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the river. I loved how CLEAN the whole resort was. Rippling River is a newer campsite so everything looked brand new. They kept everything tidy and clean ESPECIALLY the bathrooms (thank you Rippling River staff)! I also loved how much there was to do just near the campground. They had hiking and biking trails, a pool, hot tub, bar, putt-putt and lounge area. It was the perfect mix of being outdoorsy while still being able to have a little luxury when needed.
Almost every night, we went into the hot tub and watched the pink and orange sunsets.
Where to eat: Please please please eat breakfast at BODEGA one morning. It was one of the best breakfasts I have ever ate. Everything was fresh and tasted homemade. The restaurant was also had a cozy atmosphere and welcoming staff.
For dinner you MUST eat at the Vierling. This was another meal that was unbelievably delicious. This was a fancier restaurant (I was terribly embarrassed with the outfit I was wearing in the picture). They sat us near the back window, overlooking the water. It was a beautiful restaurant that had great food and it was beautiful to look at inside!
We asked one of our waitresses where a good hiking trail is for us to see waterfalls. She told us to visit Dead River Falls.
We didn't even hike the full trail and we saw at LEAST 10 waterfalls. This was a hiking trip I will always always remember and one of my favorite memories. Let me warn you though, this trail does not have many signs so it is easy to get lost without a group. I also made the mistake of wearing flip flops because I thought it was an easy walk to see one waterfall. I WAS WRONG! I was about to fall any second down these huge cliffs because I couldn't grip the ground. I felt like I was in the movie, Tarzan, hoping over logs and swinging through the forest. I also brought a huge bag full of snacks, sunscreen, and towels which was also silly. However, it was an awesome hike. Just be more prepared with hiking gear!
We reached a huge waterfall and there were a few people climbing to the top and jumping off! I was to freaked out to do it but it was neat to watch them!
My friends and I also wanted to visit Black Rocks which is a giant, black rock (hence the name) where many people jump off into Lake Superior. We couldn't find it, but ended up seeing some other beautiful sites along the way.
Another thing I loved about Marquette was the shopping and cute stores. There were lots and lots of unique items to gaze at and buy. It was fun walking through the cute gift shops.
Downtown was also filled with art and was a beautiful town to venture through.
On Sunday, I went to mass at St. Peter's cathedral. One of the most beautiful churches I've ever been in. I loved it.
Overall, Marquette was a town full of adventure and relaxing, fun things to do. Biking, hiking, canoeing, swimming; you name it, and Marquette is the perfect outdoor place to do any of those activities. I will be coming back to visit Marquette!
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