TAKE A DAY TRIP TO PARADISE, MI
Visit Tahquamenon Falls, the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. Along the way, be sure to stop in Paradise, the Wild Blueberry Capital of Michigan, and take in the sights, sounds and tastes of the Blueberry Festival. Sample local craft beers at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery.
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum & Whitefish Point Light Station
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has become one of Michigan’s most popular destinations in the cultural tourism industry, attracting over 75,000 visitors each season. Museum patrons learn about the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes at the Whitefish Point Light Station, an Historic Site on the National Register of Historic Places. See the Whitefish Point Light Tower, in continuous operation for 155 years, the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior.
Wild Blueberry Festival
Each year during the third weekend in August we celebrate a part of our local heritage, wild blueberries. Established in 1984, the Wild Blueberry Festival is a celebration that includes an art fair, entertainment, and wonderful local foods. The celebration showcases informative programs of music, nature, and local history lore.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park - Upper Falls/Lower Falls
Tahquamenon Falls State Park encompasses close to 50,000 acres stretching over 13 miles. Most of this is undeveloped woodland without roads, buildings or power lines. The centerpiece of the park, and the very reason for its existence, is the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls. The Upper Falls is one the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. It has a drop of nearly 50 feet and is more than 200 feet across. A maximum flow of more than 50,000 gallons of water per second has been recorded cascading over these falls. Four miles downstream is the Lower Falls, a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island. Although not as dramatic as the Upper Falls, they are equally magnificent. The falls can be viewed from the river bank or from the island, which can be reached by rowboat rented from a park concession. The island walk affords a view of the falls in the south channel.
White Fish Point Bird Observatory
Located 11 miles north of Paradise, Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is the premier migration hot-spot in Michigan. Jutting out in Lake Superior, Whitefish Point acts as a natural migration corridor, bringing thousands of birds through this flyway every spring and fall.
With its wooded dune and swale complex, distinctive to the Great Lakes region, the Point witnesses a huge diversity of migrants. Home to numerous rare breeding birds, this Globally Important Bird Area has recorded over 340 bird species.
Research conducted at WPBO significantly contributes to an ongoing effort to increase knowledge of bird migration, encourage public awareness of birds and the environment, and further critical bird conservation.