This Quiet US City Is Hiding In Plain Sight
On the southern shore of Lake Superior lies a compact college town with laidback charm and outstanding natural scenery. Marquette, Michigan is one of the state’s underappreciated treasures. This dynamic destination isn’t just a gateway to big-lake recreation, it’s a historic town built on the back of 1800s miners and now a bustling port. There are many sides to Marquette — arty lakeside village, lively college town, beachy summer resort — each promising something for every traveler. Next time you’re looking for a Michigan getaway, skip the tourist towns of Detroit and Ann Arbor to enjoy a lazy, leisurely break in Marquette.
A Brief History of Marquette
Marquette wasn’t always Marquette. The town was established in 1849 as New Worcester but the name was changed a year later to commemorate the French Jesuit explorer Jacques Marquette. In its early days, the community’s growth was propelled by the Marquette Iron Company and Cleveland Iron Mining which mined the rich iron ore deposits in the area.
As the town flourished and became a key iron and lumber port, it developed other industries and the founding of Northern Michigan University in 1899 further helped grow the population. Today the city is home to around 20,691 residents and its largest industries are retail, healthcare, and education.
Things To Do In Marquette
The Marquette Harbor Lighthouse is one of the town’s most iconic landmarks and a must-see for history lovers. Built in 1853, the light is the oldest structure in Marquette and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It shares a property with the Marquette Maritime Museum which offers tours of the lighthouse and grounds and is open mid-May to early October.
Explore Marquette’s mining legacy at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum where you can go deep underground into an access shaft to see the equipment used to extract the iron ore that helped build the town. Another popular exhibit is the working blacksmith’s forge where you can pick up a unique souvenir, made on the premises by a local craftsman. The museum is open mid-May to mid-September and offers guided tours.
Aside from its maritime and mining history, Marquette is also known as a creative hub buzzing with art workshops, galleries, and events. Take a stroll around downtown to see the town’s eye-catching murals that brighten up the city streets or call into HOTplate Pottery and Art Studio to make your own creation. This quirky ‘DIY art’ studio offers paint-your-own-pottery, fused glass, acrylic canvas, and board art.
See more stunning works of art at the DeVos Art Museum, located on the Northern Michigan University campus, which is home to over 1,500 objects carefully curated over several decades. Entry to the museum is free and it is open to the public year-round.
Outdoor Recreation
A four-season playground for nature lovers, Marquette is ringed by forests, beaches, and bluffs with breathtaking views of Lake Superior. If you’re interested in hiking or biking, a great place to start is the Iron Ore Heritage Trail which runs 47 miles across the Marquette Iron Range, covering wetlands, lakeshore, forests, and urban areas. For a bird's-eye view of the lake, hike to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain. The trailhead is just a few miles from downtown on County Road 550. It’s a short hike to the top where you’ll find a viewing platform that looks out over the vast waters of Lake Superior.
Marquette offers easy access to 83 miles of Lake Superior shoreline, making it the perfect place to take a dip and cool off on warm summer days. There are two beaches in town, McCarty’s Cove and South Beach, or you can find a quieter spot at Presque Isle Park, where there are access points for kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes. Marquette Mountain Resort offers guided kayak tours for those who want to paddle with local experts. View beaches, sea cliffs, caves, and other tucked-away points of interest that only locals know with half-day tours suitable for all abilities.
Events and Festivals in Marquette
From culinary fairs to art concerts, Marquette has a number of annual festivals that showcase the town’s hospitality and culture. Downtown turns blue in July as the Marquette Blueberry Festival takes over the streets. The summery snack is celebrated with weird and wonderful blueberry-themed foods and drinks, sidewalk sales, and live music. At the end of July is the annual Art On The Rocks, a two-day juried art show held at Mattson Lower Harbor Park that’s been a staple of the local creative scene for over 60 years. Admission to the show is free and visitors get the chance to browse the works of over 100 artists.
If you’re a fan of traditional music you’ll love the Hiawatha Music Festival, first established over 40 years ago to promote and celebrate traditional music and dance. The festival is held on the second last weekend in July at Tourist Park. In the fall, the big draw on the events calendar is the U.P Fall Beer Festival, organized by the Michigan Brewers Guild. Live music, food vendors, and a whole lot of craft beer make this an unmissable event to see out the end of summer.
Magical Marquette
It may be the largest city in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but Marquette feels very far from the urban grind. A small town at heart, the community provides a way for visitors to unwind, relax, and connect with nature in the beautiful Great Lakes region. Hike the shores of Lake Superior, climb a mountain, tour a historic lighthouse, kayak along the harborfront, party the weekend away at an open-air music festival. Whatever your dream vacation looks like, Marquette can help make it a reality.
