The U.P. can be roughly divided into thirds: The Eastern Third, Central Third, and Western Third. The north side borders along Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world.
The south side runs along Lake Michigan and, for a small portion east of St. Ignace, Lake Huron. Lake Michigan shores are mostly sandy, while Lake Superior’s are mostly rocky with some areas of sand.
Crossing Over to the U.P. on the Mackinac Bridge
The first thing to do when embarking on a driving tour of the U.P. is to drive to the Mackinac Bridge and actually CROSS IT! The fare is currently $4 per car, higher for RV’s and trailers. The beautiful view makes it hard to keep your eyes on the road, but please make sure the driver does. Everyone else can stick their heads out the windows and look down when you drive over the green grids to see the Straits of Mackinac hundreds of feet below. On a clear day you can see the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to the right. Lake Michigan and its endless expanse of blue, blue water is to the left.
St. Ignace
After the ten minutes it takes to cross the bridge, you will arrive in St. Ignace. It’s a small town with ferries to Mackinac Island, a few shops and restaurants, but not much else.
It’s just the jumping off point for your trip. Gas up and stock up on groceries here, because both items become harder to find and more expensive.