Posted on August 7, 2026
If you travel along the south coast of Michigan's Upper Peninsula from gorgeous St. Ignace to the northern hub of Little Bay de Noc, you'll travel a fair 140 miles. That length of travel may seem short but within it lies a plethora of local experiences waiting to be tapped into.
This segment of the Lighthouse Road Trip series will take you from St. Ignace, MI to the northern fringes of Lake Michigan along the southern coast of the Upper Peninsula near Seul Choix Point and Manistique, MI before dipping west into Little Bay de Noc, the start of our southern descent towards Green Bay. Along the route are boutique motels, classic diners, lakeside lodges, and natures sites fit to take in that wonderful breadth of northern Americana!
This first stretch of the southern U.P. Lighthouse Road Trip begins near the Straits of Mackinac where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet at Mackinac Island. Overseeing these waters is the city of St. Ignace, MI with its scenic beauty, historic impression, and boasting of local events that would make for a great visit no matter the season!
For St. Ignace, out local choice of lighthouse is Wawatam Lighthouse which sits on the east shore facing the distant sight of Mackinac Island with a breakwater design that makes it a perfect site for sunsets and stargazing. Unlike most Great Lakes lighthouses, Wawatam has a fairly recent history with its 1998 construction as an icon for the Monroe, Michigan Welcome Center and its activation in 2006, making it a symbol of the community since. For more historic sightseeing in St. Ignace, check out Castle Rock for panoramic views of the Straits of Mackinac!
The drive to St. Ignace is sure to leave you wanting a good meal afterwards. Luckily for you, the local spots don't disappoint. Have a taste for something good from the grill? Dusty Dogz caters to quick service for signature handhelds whether its smash burgers, tacos, or hotdogs fit for a hungry traveler. Wanting more of a sit-down brunch or a few baked goods? Wild Blueberry Breakfast and Bakery offers a lengthy breakfast service, a stocked bakery, and a fair lunch service for all times of midday bites. If the old diner feel is what you want, Cut River Inn Diner in Naubinway takes that authentic homeness of the classic diner scene with exceptional hospitality, location, and menu options and makes this spot one of the best around!
Considering the distance to be covered in reaching Seul Choix Pointe, staying a night before driving is your best bet. Luckily, there are plenty of local lodgings and campsites out there! For a traditional bed and breakfast experience, Colonial House Inn has lakeside views, continental breakfast, and furnishings both elegant and tasteful. Alongside the B&B package, there are also a list of motel-style rooms available with much the same quality minus the breakfast. If something closer to nature but still cozy is preferred, Hog Island Cottages in Naubinway provides with its nostalgically styled cottages, lakefront access, and quiet evenings wrapped up in a charming package. Alternatively, the regional state forests are fit for any camping excursion! Two choice spots along this section are Black River and Big Knob State Forest Campgrounds. Both sites feature rustic, accessible grounds for a variety of year-round activities. An additional surprise is also revealed for the Big Knob campground as it has its own lighthouse!
After a nice rest, you'll start (or continue) heading west which will see the road grow quiet with fewer towns and longer stretches without as many attractions. Vast swaths of the southern Upper Peninsula are made up of national forests and the Sault Sainte Marie Ranger District, leading to a distinct preservation of the natural landscape. Sections like these can feel like rare commodities during some of these road trips, so be sure to take in the fresh air and sights on your way.
Once you arrive at Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse, your only choice is to stick around in the historic park, check out the nearby bay, and hike the surrounding area! It's a beautiful site set on one of the most stunning landscapes in the U.P., so this makes for a perfect day outing before you continue on towards Manistique.
For our second stop, we find ourselves heading only a little further west towards the serene town Manistique, MI at the mouth of the Manistique River. The road between features the vast green landscapes on the U.P. and one of the more niche fascinations of the region with the boutique style motels that are sure to come soon! Upon reaching the haven in Manistique, you'll find that it is quite the destination! Not only are the surroundings of the open lakeshore and forests idyllic, but so is the town itself with a feeling for its distinct homely presentation and small town atmosphere year-round!
For the Manistique stop, our lighthouse of choice is the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse off of Lakeview Park. The breakwater harbor it sits on overlooks the waters of Lake Michigan, and the light's history has made it to be among the important cultural-historical sites in Manistique! Both eye-catching and enduring, the Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse remains an icon of the harbor town. A great way to experience the lighthouse and the surrounding lakeshore is through the Manistique Boardwalk, a 1.83 mile passage that runs along the length of Manistique's coastline through beautiful stretches of park lands. Visiting this part of town alone makes for a wonderful day trip!
When you get off of the boardwalk, there is sure to be a want for some food. On thing that Manistique holds with pride is an impressive number of locally-owned spots for all kinds of tastes! For a nice sit-down spot, check out Three Seasons Cafe with their varied boast of comfort foods at both exceptional qualities and reasonable prices! Looking for something casual comfort foods at both exceptional qualities and reasonable prices! Looking for something casual but authentic? A short ways off of the north Manistique Boardwalk sits the local staple Big Al's food truck with their iconic whitefish and chips! While this may seem like a standard fare, Big Al's has proven that simplicity never takes away from enjoyment, and many of its customers would certainly agree! And, of course, walking around all day with friends and family may leave you wanting a brew and something nice to snack on. So, as our last suggested pick, Flatiron Brewing is host to both good times and good brews! Both the on-site brewery and pizza kitchen make for a wonderful spot for hungry patrons looking for something after a good day of wandering!
Besides food, lodgings are a definite concern, and, when it comes to Manistique, there is a surprising charm in their boutique motel culture to be discovered. Each one has its own touch of something special to discover, so be curious when booking! In the quiet woods east of town sits Holiday Motel Manistique, a historical establishment with rustic style and comfortable stays at the forefront. Their staff is passionate and keen to welcome you into the community for your stay! For something with a bit more lakeshore, Manistique Sands offers cozy suites and direct access to a private sand beach or their heated indoor pool (regardless of the season!). Additionally, this motel is situated right next to Three Seasons Cafe, so consider checking out the cafe if you end up staying there! If you need to be settled close to downtown Manistique for your plans, The Colonial Motel has been set as an undeniable charm with their strive towards improvement over the years making it one of the best motels in Manistique.
Of course, let's not forget out options for local camping spots! One of the sites, Manistique Lakeshore Campground, is set right near our choice of lighthouse and is perfect for RV camping year-round! With easy access to the adjacent beach, to Manistique proper, and to a notably good selection of amenities for camping, it is the best fishing and camping spot this close to town while not taking away from the authentic experience that such a location provides. If you're feeling something a little quieter and managed, Woodstar Beach Campground offers a great family camping experience just south of Manistique! Easy water access, decent privacy, and even well-loved service from the owners are all set to enjoy! With our departure from Manistique, we lead into the last of our stretch of this Lighthouse Road Trip.
For our final stretch of this Lighthouse Road Trip, we head to the Little Bay de Noc with the cities of Gladstone and Escanaba! As a treat, we have three lighthouses to check out, perhaps the most from one stop in this series so far, which will be spread throughout this last section to present their special qualities. So, with this breadth of nautical offerings ahead of us, let's continue!
For our starting lighthouse in Escanaba, we have Sand Point Lighthouse, a national lighthouse settled on the east shore of the city. With over one and a half centuries of service, the old interior of the station is preserved as a piece to tell of Sand Point and its maritime history alongside the Delta County Historical Society museum. If you decide to visit, call ahead to check for open hours as they can vary.
When you get into town after a long drive, having a good meal is definitely on the cards. Luckily, our picks for local food spots are not far off from Sand Point! If it happens to be breakfast time, Rosy's Diner is the place to be! Their delicious breakfast and early lunch options makes this small establishment a must-eat as many patrons have said! be sure to bring cash if you intend to dine here. Or, if you miss out on brunch and are still hankering for a dining experience fixated on both comfort and taste, check out Freshwater Tavern, a lakefront dining room and lounge with undeniable character! The experience of Freshwater Tavern holds interest in the beauty of the U.P. with both its lookout seating options and inspired dishes and drinks.
Then, there is the usual concern of having somewhere to stay for the night. Considering that our picks for lodgings in this stop are along the way from Manistique, it would be a good time to address the second lighthouse, Peninsula Point Lighthouse on the eastern shore of Little Bay de Noc. Consisting only of the remaining tower from the original structure, Peninsula Point Lighthouse stands as a peaceful site on the southern tip of a nearby beach overlooking both Bays de Noc. Still, its inactive tower and the surrounding area make for an incredible hike!
And once you've closed on the hiking, there are several great options beyond Manistique to settle in for the night. Back on the east peninsula of Big Bay de Noc stands Garden Grave Retreat & Lodging, an impressive secluded lodge made for rest and relaxation. The space has been repurposed from its original health center state to become an accommodation fit for any type of group or purpose. With the addition of included continental breakfast, an onsite cafe, and facilities for any venue, this is the perfect stay for larger groups or longer stays though it is a distance between our two stops for this section. For something a bit closer to our stopping point, we have the Hillcrest Motel just north of Gladstone. Hillcrest Motel sits at the edge of the Hiawatha National Forest which gives access to several local trails throughout your stay if you feel inclined to hike. Additionally, their complimentary breakfast and pet-friendly lodging make for the perfect place to stay for a family trip! Both of these lodging options are situated a ways from the two cities in this last section, so you'll have plenty of space but be sure to account for that when making travel plans.
Lastly, we have arrived at the cities of Gladstone and Escanaba (perhaps for a second time on this Lighthouse Road Trip)! And with it, we come to our final lighthouse, Gladstone Lighthouse on Van Cleve Park. Being one of the newest among the U.P. sites, Gladstone Lighthouse has featured the cherry-on-top of a perfect slice of the shoreline at Gladstone Beach whose space offers fishing, swimming, trailing, and other recreational opportunities for the Gladstone area. It's a perfect spot to spend the day at our last stop.
There are, of course, options for camping when the usual nature recreation leaves you wanting for a night under the stars! For a quaint cabin-going experience, check out Stemac's Bayview Cabins in North Gladstone. While not the typical campsite one would think of, its seat on the shoreline and quiet, private access makes stays feel quite connected to the natural landscape with all of the amenities one could hope for to boot. If a proper campsite is what you're looking for, Gladstone Bay Campground offers reasonable prices and amenities for the substantial campsites throughout its space. Regardless of where you may end up throughout this Lighthouse Road Trip, there is something for everyone whether mentioned or to be discovered!
| < Lighthouse Beach Road Trip 4 | Michigan Lighthouse Road Trips > |