A Family Adventure in Marquette, Michigan

Sometimes an adventure starts with a destination in mind, and everything that happens along the way becomes part of the story.

Our recent trip to Marquette certainly had a pretty important destination. My daughter was getting married!

Since we were already heading north, we decided to turn the trip into a little Upper Peninsula adventure of our own. There would be golf, good food, local beer, a little exploring, plenty of family time, and, of course, a wedding.

We left Traverse City a day early with our two youngest grandkids and made our first stop at Kitch-iti-kipi. We had seen plenty of pictures from other family members over the years, but it was finally time to experience Michigan’s famous Big Spring for ourselves.

And yes, it really is something you need to see in person.

You can read about our first visit to Kitch-iti-kipi.

Arriving in Downtown Marquette

After our Kitch-iti-kipi adventure, we continued north to Marquette and checked into the Landmark Inn, where the wedding and reception would be held a few days later.

The Landmark is a beautiful historic hotel right in downtown Marquette, and its location made it easy for our family to stay together and walk to several places during the weekend.

Our arrival did come with one frustration.

There were multiple events happening at the hotel, and the parking lot was completely full. When we asked about other options, we were told we could look for parking along the surrounding streets.

Considering we were staying four nights and had paid about $2,200 for our stay, having to hunt for parking was disappointing. We eventually found a spot at a nearby church and moved the car back to the hotel later that evening when things quieted down.

Not exactly the welcome to Marquette we expected, but once we were settled into our room, it was time to find something to eat.

Our First Night at the Northland Gastropub

We headed downstairs to the Northland Gastropub, located inside the Landmark Inn.

The menu was pretty much what we expected, familiar pub food with plenty of easy choices after a long day of traveling. The food was good overall, although we discovered something worth mentioning if you are visiting with kids.

The grandkids ordered nachos, and the chips were much spicier and more heavily seasoned than we expected. They ended up eating mostly the toppings while we packed up the leftover chips, convinced we would eat them later.

We did not.

Sometimes vacation leftovers have very optimistic futures.

A Family Golf at Red Fox Run

The next morning, the rest of the family was making their way north to join us.

Instead of simply waiting around Marquette, we had a better idea.

Golf.

We met everyone at Red Fox Run Golf Course in Gwinn for a little pre wedding family golf. It turned into one of those outings that reminds us why we enjoy combining golf with our travels.

You can read the whole story about our Red Fox Run family golf adventure over at Golf Up North.

Then it was back to Marquette because we had a family dinner waiting for us.

Dinner at The Delft Bistro

Our family dinner was at The Delft Bistro, and this was one of my favorite discoveries of the trip.

The Delft is located inside a former movie theater, and they have done a wonderful job keeping pieces of that history alive.

Walk inside and you can still see a movie playing on one of the walls. The dining areas are spread across multiple levels, giving the whole place a personality you simply do not get in an ordinary restaurant.

Our group was headed upstairs to a private dining room.

Once inside, we realized we were sitting at about the same level as the old theater marquee. From the windows we could see the back of it, including the door and some of the workings behind the sign.

As someone who loves Northern Michigan history, I thought that was pretty cool.

Then came the food.

We have several gluten free family members, so we ordered the gluten free cheese curds.

Order the cheese curds.

Seriously.

Whether you eat gluten free or not, they were delicious.

I chose the Chicken Piccata, which came with a little extra pressure. One of my kids wanted a taste to determine whether The Delft made it “right.”

Apparently my homemade Chicken Piccata has created standards.

The verdict?

They did it right. It was fantastic.

I was too busy enjoying mine to keep track of what everyone else ordered, but the reviews around the table were very positive. We also appreciated the number of gluten free choices available.

Golf or Pictured Rocks? We Chose Both

The next morning our family divided into two groups.

Most headed off for a Pictured Rocks boat tour.

Guy, Casey, and I?

We went golfing.

Shocking, I know.

We played Northern Michigan University Golf Course, which gave us a challenging but very enjoyable round. It is a course that makes you think about your shots, and we had a lot of fun playing it.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family was enjoying Pictured Rocks, which deserves an adventure of its own. We will be sharing more about that experience in a future article.

An Evening at Ore Dock Brewing Company

That evening everyone came back together at Ore Dock Brewing Company.

Ore Dock primarily serves its own ales, lagers, and hard seltzers rather than operating like a traditional bar, and it does not have its own food menu. Outside food is welcome, so we arranged to have appetizers and finger foods catered for our group.

We had reserved space in The Trestle, the adjacent cocktail lounge. That gave everyone a few more choices, including house distilled spirits, craft cocktails, and Michigan wines in addition to Ore Dock’s beers and seltzers.

The beer drinkers in the family had plenty of positive things to say.

I went with rum and Coke.

Let’s just say they were generous with the rum.

Even after adding more pop, they were still a little strong for me, but somehow I muddled through. The sacrifices I make for research.

Our catered food unfortunately did not work out quite as well. Planning something like this from several hours away always comes with a little risk, and this particular choice did not turn out as we hoped.

Fortunately, we were in downtown Marquette.

Several people simply wandered out to nearby food trucks, grabbed something they wanted, and brought it back.

Problem solved.

Wedding Day at the Landmark Inn

Saturday was all about the wedding.

We had a brief rehearsal in the Sky Room on the sixth floor of the Landmark Inn, across from the Crow’s Nest.

The room was lovely, with a fireplace and an intimate atmosphere that was just right for a wedding of about 50 guests.

And then suddenly it was time.

My baby girl was getting married.

The ceremony went beautifully, and afterward we headed across the street for photos in front of Marquette’s beautiful historic library.

The reception was back at the Landmark in The Parlour, just off the main lobby. The food was excellent, the staff taking care of the reception was wonderful, and we spent the evening visiting, celebrating, and dancing.

It was exactly the kind of night you wish you could slow down just a little.

An Unfortunate End to an Otherwise Wonderful Night

There was one disappointing experience that evening, and I debated whether to include it.

But Adventures in Northern Michigan is about sharing our actual experiences, including the occasional moments that do not go as expected.

Our reception ended at 11 p.m., and we were told that family members who wanted to continue visiting could head to the Northland Gastropub, which was serving until midnight.

That sounded perfect.

We were not looking for another party. We simply wanted somewhere to sit together, have a drink, and unwind as a family after a long and emotional day.

I arrived with three family members and noticed that the chairs had already been placed on the tables. There was still room at the bar, so I sat down, placed my credit card on the bar, and ordered a drink. I also mentioned that I would be paying for the drinks for the family members joining us.

The bartender responded that he would not be serving “a bunch of drunks from next door.”

That caught me completely off guard.

I explained that we were family coming from the wedding reception, that our group ranged roughly from their late 30s through their 60s, and that no one was drunk. Unfortunately, the conversation did not improve, so I told him I no longer wanted my drink and left.

When my daughter, who happened to be the bride, later asked about it, she was told that service was being refused because I had caused a scene. The family members who had been standing with me were just as surprised by that description as I was.

It was disappointing, particularly after such a wonderful experience with the Landmark’s wedding and reception staff.

But we were not going to let one unpleasant interaction end the night.

We gathered in the bridal suite instead, pulled together snacks and pop from our rooms, and spent the rest of the evening doing exactly what we had wanted to do in the first place.

We sat around together as a family.

And in the end, that worked out just fine.

Heading Home Through the Upper Peninsula

The next morning it was time to check out and begin the drive home.

The grandkids rode back to Traverse City with their parents, which meant it was just Guy and me for the trip south.

We learned another useful lesson along the way.

There are some pretty long stretches between Munising and the Mackinac Bridge where your choices for food and restrooms become limited.

If you are driving this route and start thinking, “Maybe we should stop here,” stop.

Do not assume another option is waiting ten minutes down the road.

Consider that a little friendly advice from two people who now know better.

Planning Your Own Marquette Adventure

One thing this trip reminded us is just how much there is to do around Marquette. You can spend the morning golfing, hiking, or exploring the Lake Superior shoreline, head downtown for dinner and local beer, and still have plenty left for another day.

If you are planning your first visit, give yourself time to explore beyond downtown. Presque Isle Park, Black Rocks, the ore docks, nearby golf courses, and the Lake Superior shoreline can easily fill a couple of days. Munising and Pictured Rocks are also close enough to add another adventure to your trip.

And if you are driving between Marquette and the Mackinac Bridge, keep an eye on that gas gauge, and take advantage of restroom and food stops when you see them. Some stretches of the drive have fewer options than you might expect.

Our Marquette Adventure was One to Remember

When we look back at the trip, we packed quite a bit into a few days.

We searched for Yooperlites. We visited Ore Dock Brewing Company and the actual ore docks along Marquette’s waterfront. We explored Black Rocks. Part of the family experienced Pictured Rocks. We played two rounds of golf. We discovered some wonderful food and interesting pieces of Marquette history.

We also had a few things that did not go exactly as planned.

That is travel.

Not every meal is perfect. Not every interaction is wonderful. Sometimes you cannot find a parking space. Sometimes the catered food sends everyone searching for a food truck.

And sometimes those little detours become part of the story.

But the best part of this adventure had nothing to do with golf courses, restaurants, breweries, waterfalls, rocks, or scenic views.

We watched my baby girl marry the man she loves.

Even grumpy Gus at the Gastropub couldn’t spoil that. 😊

And we are not finished with Marquette yet.

We have more stories coming from the places we explored during this trip, both here at Adventures in Northern Michigan and at our sister site, Northern Michigan History.

Follow along on social media. There is plenty more Northern Michigan exploring ahead.