Almost unseen if you drive past it along Superior Ave over the bridge, this new destination is…read moreworth a visit. Built maybe 2-3 years ago, it's a wooden boardwalk that starts at Lincoln Park and goes down to the Paint River. On summer nights, you can see an acoustic concert with local musicians like Whitewater, using the beauty of the river and the bridge as a scenic backdrop. There's no railing along the platform overlooking the river, so you get an unbroken view of everything. Just don't lean over too far, or you will join the lily pads and fish down below. The boardwalk veers to the right and goes for maybe what amounts to a city block. Walk slowly, take your time and you'll see native wildflowers, beautiful thistles, wild apple trees and a few wild raspberry bushes maybe. And if you're lucky, maybe you'll even get to see a deer up-close like we did one time. The boardwalk's design is elegant and well-thought out, merging nicely with the nature surrounding it rather than intruding upon it. If you stop to visit Crystal Falls for a few hours, I'd definitely recommend seeing this stop along the journey.

Cute little stop! There is a small park for kids to play at and the board walk offers beautiful…read moreviews and little educational facts about the nature and history of the area. Unfortunately part of the Boardwalk was closed when I stopped with my family. I will definitely stop again when my family comes up next year!

The pool is a great way to have some fun in the winter and rainy days in the UP. The staff is…read moresuper nice and helpful. After you swim you can take the kids up for a pizza. This is a must have membership if you live anywhere close.

First timer on this course, all I can say is WOW! So beautiful. Greens were fast, the pace was…read moreexcellent, and the staff was beyond helpful. Highly recommend playing here.

Until I attended it for myself, I never thought much of this great-grand-daddy of all redneck…read moresports. I'd sum it up by saying there is nothing more cathartic to watch than 4-1/2 hours of sheer automotive destruction on a muddy field with 2400 onlookers. The Demolition Derby is the pinnacle of the Iron County Fair, always on a Saturday evening starting at 6 PM and ending when the last car is left standing. While I could write this as an update to my fair review from previous years, I feel this deserves its own mention. In the days leading up to the derby, junker cars start to be seen about town, sitting in driveways, backyards, or sneaking in a quick run down a side street. On the day of the event, a procession of beaters without windows, spray-painted with names of local businesses sponsoring them, or decorated for a laugh, these cars ride to the field beside the fairgrounds, like gladiators to an arena. The small town of 3,100 people literally shuts down, as stores and restaurants close up early so everyone can be there. Roughly 2/3 of the town's population gathers for this spectacle. The customary greeting "See you at the fair" is heard with the frequency of "Merry Christmas" on Christmas Day. It's a tremendous experience for anyone attending. At the ticket price of $6 per adult or $5 per kid, it's an awesome bargain too. And don't worry about the food. For a mere $14, I got 3 brats, potato chips, cheesy nachos, 2 bags of popcorn, 1 soda, 1 water bottle and a hot dog! Talk about a deal! And the proceeds go towards the local kids' ice hockey program. Decadent fair food? Check! A vendor called Nacho Mama's has "Walking tacos", which are a bag of Fritos torn open, toss in a scoop of hot beef, some sour cream, lettuce and cheese with a fork on top and you're good to go! The demo derby starts with the national anthem. Then cars come out, 10-11 per round, bashing and colliding into each other. We pick our favorite car in each round and watch whose car wins. Don't underestimate those beat-up ol' station wagons. Those things can dole out the punishment as much as they can withstand it. After a night of collisions, the wagon's rear resembles a hatchback compact's rear, but the sucker keeps on going. After each battle, front loaders and claw-equipped bulldozers come carry out the wrecks. A grader smooths the field for the next group, and the battle rages on. This continues through 4 preliminary rounds, 2 consolations, and a finale. Mixed in are battles for the compact cars and mid-sized sedans. It's a guilty pleasure to watch, but a sheer thrill for my 2 boys. Even after 4 hours, they were not bored of it. Tired yes, but bored no. Well worth staying past their bedtime. For a few hours, you forget your worries, your job, your ills and just live in the moment of relishing the destruction before your eyes. In these times, we all can use some of that.

THE BEST PART OF SUMMER!…read more The derby is a must see for everyone. All locals know to attend the derby. Good beer and smashing cars. Awesome.

Vacation all over the UP whenever we can! Lake Superior is indeed the superior lake!…read moreSo many wonderful memories made. If you've not explored the UP, you're missing out on some of the most beautiful land in America

For my 300th review, I'm writing about my favorite vacation destination. Seems whenever I mention…read moreMichigan, everyone thinks of wineries, golf courses, and lakefront resorts. When I mention that the Michigan I visit is north of Wisconsin, I often get a blank stare: "But Michigan is across the lake..." Welcome to the UP, with its population aptly named "Yoopers." Life in the UP is a throwback to a simpler time. Devoid of their luxuries, the Bluetooth-equipped Urbanite or the pampered North Shore housewife will feel disappointed and disoriented in this northern part of Michigan. It is not for everyone, so if any of these points bother you, the UP is not for you: 1. No, there are no wineries I'm aware of - it's probably too cold to grow grapes anyway. 2. Spas? What are those, most Yoopers will wonder. A hot tub enclosed in a backyard gazebo is the closest thing you'll find. 3. Antiques are often a polite term for the rusty junk that turns up at estate sales. 4. Good luck with your cell phone and all wireless devices north of Green Bay, WI. Coverage is spotty in some towns and non-existent in most others. Broadband is still a rarity and most businesses do not have an online presence or a primitive one at that. 5. The "hotels" are often little independent motels with a few bigger ones like AmericInn. "Rental cabins" in some cases resemble little Unabomber huts clustered near a lake or river. Don't book 'em blindly or you may be shocked when you arrive. 6. Nightlife means absolute silence except for coyotes howling, crickets chirping, or the snort of a startled deer hearing your approach. 7. Dining out means eating cheese, bacon or something fried. If you're vegetarian or vegan, people might feel concerned about your physical well-being. 8. An absence of big malls or large concentrations of chain restaurants and stores. 9. And if dining out, don't order pizza or you'll be disappointed, especially if you're coming from Chicago. From Chicago, it's about a 7-8 hour drive of roughly 350 miles. So what's magical about the place I've been visiting every summer for over 10 years straight? As you journey farther north through Wisconsin, the malls and populated industrial regions become fewer. Car traffic becomes sparse. Just beyond Green Bay, Lake Michigan cedes its climate reign to the colder influence of Lake Superior. Even on a warm day, you feel a cool breeze in the air. Soon, the endless rows of corn and expansive prairies of the dairy farms give way to slender pine trees, packed close together in tall groves along the roadside. The chain stores and fast food joints disappear too. Suddenly, life returns to an earlier, more carefree state in a place where time runs slow. As you come out of your car on a dirt backroad and look around, you smell the moisture of the woods, the moss on the evergreens and the warm scent of the woodland flowers trailing the breeze. You hear the distant lapping of the lazy waves of a nearby inland lake. The air is clean and the water is pure. The deer outnumber the people. You can pass an afternoon picking berries or relaxing by the lakeside. In mid-summer, the sun sets around 11 PM. At night, you can see all the stars above you, passing satellites and even the Milky Way without the glare of city lights. A moonlit walk can be just that, in the absence of all artificial lights. Summer comes and goes quickly in this region, roughly from Memorial Day until Labor Day. By late August, overnight temps drop into the 50s or even 40s sometimes. Soon, the snowblowers appear alongside the school supplies at the local Shopko. The festivals and county fairs of August and early September punctuate the 3-month period with projects by the 4H kids and local crafters. And the UP has its landmarks too: the Houghton-Hancock Bridge, the clock tower of Crystal Falls, the Mackinac Bridge that connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, the historic copper and iron mines, the lighthouses and numerous waterfalls. An indoor water park or cucumber slices over your eyes are no substitute for the pristine air and water of the North Woods. If you truly want to "get away" come to Upper Michigan for its beauty and see the land that time forgot.

The course has a new club house and the greens are amazing! I'll be back!…read more This course has never looked better.

Pretty course & affordable...was surprised they were opened up again. Local affordable. Good…read morestaff...cant beat it