This blog post may contain affiliate links, which may reward me in the event of a sale. I use these funds to reinvest in my blog and to create more great content like this article to share with you! My visit to the Keweenaw Peninsula was sponsored by the UP Travel & Recreation Association, however all thoughts & opinions are my own. Disclaimer here.
Visiting the Keweenaw Peninsula with a toddler or young kids is not as scary as it may seem. Sure, you may be far from many simple luxuries one rarely thinks about like cell phone service (in some places) and rest stops with actual toilets, but the Keweenaw is not as rustic as I initially imagined it. And while there are lots of great attractions for older kids in the Keweenaw, there are still plenty of toddler friendly activities. After our time there, I’ve put together the top 8 toddler friendly things to do in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
My family’s trip to the Keweenaw was part of a massive 10 day road trip throughout the central and western Upper Peninsula. The Keweenaw was our target destination to explore! To help make our trip as easy as possible, I scoured every resource I could find to determine the most toddler friendly places to visit there. However, I didn’t find much success. All the blog articles cater to families traveling with kids older than mine. And if you’re a toddler parent, you know that toddler’s don’t always listen… or pay attention… or have proper judgement on what is safe.
Well fear not! I’m here to break down the easiest sights and experiences on the Keweenaw to enjoy with a toddler.
~ Top 8 Toddler Friendly Things to Do in the Keweenaw Peninsula Map ~
1. Delaware Copper Mine
One of our first stops in the Keweenaw Peninsula was to the Delaware Mine. If you’re visiting the Keweenaw with a toddler and want to experience the area’s mining heritage, this needs to be on your itinerary.
The Delaware Mine is located right off US 41 in the northern part of the Keweenaw. It is open daily from 10am to 5pm for self guided tours only. This is the UP’s only self guided tour of a mine. Taking a self guided tour with a toddler is amazing because it allows you to set your own pace. The visit costs $12 for adults, while kids under 5 are free. Make sure to visit an ATM before coming, the mine takes cash only.
Once you pay, the tour starts off with a short video on the history of the mine and what to expect. After the video, watch the model train run and meet the pet skunk! If you haven’t already, make sure to put on sweatshirts or coats because it is chilly in the mine. You should also feel comfortable walking 100 steps down and back (and probably carrying a toddler while doing so).
After you climb down to the bottom, there are lots of signs explaining what you see and how the mine operated. It’s dimly lit so carrying a flashlight is helpful (if you remember to pack one.)
Once you climb back up, there are also ruins from the stamping mill and a prehistoric mine site to explore.
Please note that Delaware Mine only has porta-potties to use on site.
2. Roadside Waterfalls
You don’t need to hike far to view waterfalls in the Keweenaw! Two easy access roadside waterfalls to visit with a toddler are Eagle River Falls and Jacobs Falls. Both of them are easy to reach from their parking lot or by pulling to the side of the road. And, while you’re visiting Jacobs Falls – stop by the Jam Pot for some gourmet jams & baked goodies.
While in Copper Harbor, we pulled over to see Manganese Falls, but it was difficult to see through the lush foliage (which is ok – trees are great!!)
3. Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse was also a great stop with a little one. It is one of the Keweenaw Heritage Sites. To access it, follow the signs and park in its lot. From there, you will see a manned stand to pay admission and receive a ticket. It’s $8 admission for adults, and gets you in to see the lighthouse and three other museums. There’s the Commercial Fishing Museum, Keweenaw History Museum, and Maritime Museum. It is open from 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and from 12-5pm on Sunday.
Each of the buildings that make up the museums were part of the Lighthouse complex. For example, the old fog signal building is where the maritime museum sits, and the former Coast Guard garage now houses the history museum. The lighthouse was built in 1851, and was built just as commercial mining took off in the area. After 22 different lighthouse keepers, the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse was automated in 1980. Then, in 1982, the Coast Guard started to decommission it until it officially fully transferred to the Keweenaw County Historical Society in 1999.
Your first stop here needs to be the lighthouse to pick up a scavenger hunt sheet and coloring page. While you’re able to tour the former house, you’re unable to climb to the top of the lighthouse because it is still a functioning light used for navigation. The lighthouse is open to tour through October.
One of the most fascinating things we saw here was the old Chrysler in the History Museum. Apparently in 1926, a ship off the coast sank along with its load of new Chrysler’s on board!
4. Beaches to Throw Stones into Lake Superior
Another toddler pleasing place to visit in the Keweenaw is one of its many rock covered beaches. Two of our favorites were the Astor Shipwreck Park & Agate Beach within Hunters Point Park in Copper Harbor. Both are also free to visit and with plenty of parking.
Astor Shipwreck Park is such a great hidden gem! Its on a little bay with signs there explaining how the ship Astor sank in its harbor and why it was such a big deal at the time. One think I absolutely loved was looking at the illustration of the shipwreck, which was only about 100 feet away from where the sign stands. It’s hard to imagine seeing an actual shipwreck take place so close to shore today. Within this park, there’s also a small waterfall, shallow stream, & lighthouse to enjoy too!
Agate Beach is another beautiful location to enjoy the Keweenaw’s beautiful scenery from… all while your toddler is contently throwing some stones into the water.
5. Fort Wilkins Historic State Park
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is a fun place to run around & learn something new! It’s free with your Michigan State Park Pass and takes you back to life as it was in the Keweenaw in the mid 1800s. Prior to planning this trip, I never even knew a former fort existed up here! What could it possibly have been for?
Well, in 1844, when it was built, the Copper Rush was just getting started. There were initial concerns of lawlessness and conflict between natives and settlers, which led to its foundation. However, after two years, conflict didn’t seem to be a concern. And when war broke out with Mexico, all the men stationed here moved south in 1846. Only one person remained at Fort Wilkins until 1855.
After that, it was used briefly following the Civil War to house men serving out the remainder of their enlistment before it was abandoned. In 1923, it was picked up by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and turned into a state park.
The fort’s been restored with costumed actors portraying life as it was when the Fort was in use. Pop into the buildings to learn how life was while stationed here. There are even some interactive elements! Our son’s favorite was the instrument section where he was able to bang around on the drums and push buttons to hear different trumpet cues.
Here there are actual bathrooms to use. For parking, we parked at the Astor Shipwreck Park lot and walked across the street. From there, you will end up right in the middle of the fort complex.
6. Brockway Mountain Overlook
Brockway Mountain Overlook in Copper Harbor provides a gorgeous view of the town, Lake Fanny Home and Lake Superior below. An extra perk of this overlook is that it is fenced in making it a safe spot to enjoy a beautiful view with little ones. Another perk… there is no hike to reach it!
From Copper Harbor, turn onto Brockway Mountain Drive and take the winding path up to the top. There are spots to pull to the side of the road to access the overlook.
Is it just me or does the harbor look exactly like the outline of Michigan’s lower peninsula?
7. Chutes & Ladders Playground
One attraction you absolutely cannot miss taking your toddler to is the Chutes and Ladders playground in Houghton. It is within the Kestner Waterfront Park. This park and playground is free to visit all year. Plus it’s loaded with all kinds of other amenities, making it a fantastic place to enjoy a playful day. There is a swimming beach that goes down to waterfront, picnic tables, bandshell, volleyball court, and bathroom facilities.
Within the bathrooms is an ice cream shop and place to buy snacks as well as rent stand up paddle boards and kayaks. Next to the parking lot, there is also a wooden boardwalk that runs alongside the canal.
8. Roadside Parks & Attractions
Rounding out the list of the top 8 toddler friendly things to do in the Keweenaw Peninsula are visiting the fantastic roadside attractions that exist there. There are many road side parks all over the UP, and the Keweenaw is no exception. They are all a great place to allow your little one to get out and stretch their legs. And many of these parks also have something exciting to discover while stopping there.
Here are three of our favorite roadside parks in the Keweenaw. All three of them are located on US-41. First is the massive thermometer that measures the average and all time high snow totals the peninsula gets. This is a fun spot and an easy place to pull off (there is even picnic tables here!). Second is the start of US 41 by Copper Harbor. The sign is in the middle of a large round about and it’s a popular spot for people to get out and get a photo with the sign. The final stop is the UP Mine Bat Species site, which details interesting information about the area’s once numerous bat population.
~ Places to Stay in the Keweenaw with Toddlers ~
Luxury
During our time in the Keweenaw, we stayed at The Vault Hotel in Houghton. Since its recent opening, it’s been a dream of mine to stay there. And after combining our visit to the Keweenaw with a massive road trip around the Upper Peninsula, I figured we deserved a luxury stay somewhere. The Vault Hotel is definitely worth it.
One thing I tend to see with high end boutique hotels is all the extras you do end up needing to pay for – breakfast, coffee, parking, etc. At The Vault, all of that is included – and more! We appreciated the teddy bear gift the receptionist gave our son when we checked in. And when we returned from our days of adventuring, we grabbed a bottle of water and juice from the lobby refrigerator.
For those traveling without little ones, there’s also a speakeasy style bar in the basement of the building to enjoy a nightcap at.
Booking our stay at The Vault couldn’t have been easier! On their website, we entered in our party size and ages and voila, we were recommended the Third Floor – “Found Money” queen suite. All of the rooms on the third floor come with a balcony, which was awesome – we even saw sea planes traveling to and from Isle Royale take off and land! And in addition to that, we had a bath tub right in the room! Bath tubs are rare these days when staying in a hotel so hooray to have one to wash our toddler in.
Midrange
Within the Keweenaw, you can also find several hotels under national chain banners such as Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, and AmericInn. These are mostly found within Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet.
There are also a number of family owned hotels and motels in the Keweenaw. Because internet access isn’t the greatest still up there, your best opportunity to book is to call them directly to set up a reservation. Some hotels I spotted while traveling in the area are Minnetonka Resort in Copper Harbor and the Lake Breeze Resort in Eagle Harbor.
Camping
And because the Keweenaw is still largely a wilderness, of course there is camping available! If you don’t book a site at any of the state parks early enough, there is the Lake Fanny Hooe Campground and Trails End Campground, both in Copper Harbor.
The Keweenaw is a great place for everyone to explore and get back in touch with nature. If you’re traveling up there with a little one, bookmark or save this list of 8 toddler friendly things to do in the Keweenaw Peninsula!
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
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