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 Ironwood was sponsored by Travel Ironwood, however all thoughts & opinions are my own. Disclaimer here.
Around November of this past year, I told my family, “This is the year! The year we embrace winter!” I’ve always noticed there are two types of Michiganders – those that groan at the mention of winter and retreat inside to hibernate for months, and those that embrace winter. The later don’t mind bundling up and often find some winter activity to make the season enjoyable. I’ve always wanted to do that! So this winter, we planned an unforgettable winter family getaway to one of Michigan’s snowiest towns – Ironwood!
Ironwood is the perfect town to visit for those who enjoy snow and winter. The average annual snowfall is over 200 inches! And there are a number of ski resorts and ski mountains nearby making it an excellent destination for winter sports enthusiasts. Finally, my family and I have never seen a waterfall during the winter. All of the photos I’ve seen online of winter waterfalls are incredible! We knew we needed to see some for ourselves. During our visit, we went to three waterfalls, which were all easy and accessible to reach – perfect since we traveled with our toddler.
Below I’ve detailed our travel itinerary as well as helpful tips to know to plan your own unforgettable winter family getaway to Ironwood, Michigan!
Unforgettable Winter Family Getaway: Explore Ironwood, Michigan Summary
When: A weekend in the winter
Why: For awhile now, I’ve wanted to learn to ski. But, I don’t have any friends or relatives that ski so never knew how to get into it. So while poking around on the internet and doing my usual internet sleuthing about places to visit within Michigan, I came across some fun facts about Ironwood. First, I read that Ironwood receives an average annual snowfall of 200 inches! And that it’s home to three ski resorts, which, coming from lower Michigan, seems like a lot for one (small) town. This is the place in Michigan to learn to ski! And secondly, I’ve always wanted to experience the UP’s winter culture. Many Yoopers are of Scandeniavn descent and embrace the winter while at the same time, have a unique way of keeping warm. This is the year I learn to do the same!
Time Traveled (1 way): 6 hours from Chicago, 7.5 hours from Traverse City, approximately 9 hours from Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing, and 9.5 hours from Detroit and Indianapolis
Time Spent at Destination: 3 days
Budget: For lodging, dining out and attractions, we spent about $700 for our family of 3. That included the cost of me learning to ski and rentals!
Day One: History and Culture in Ironwood
Now, nine and a half hours is a long way to drive, especially with a toddler. So we decided to spend the night in Marquette on the way to Ironwood. After a quick breakfast in Marquette, we headed directly to Ironwood, which took 2.5 hours to drive to. Breaking up the trek was a great idea and after seven hours one day, the remaining 2.5 hours felt like a breeze.
Suffolk Street Eatery
We reached Ironwood around lunch so headed into Suffolk Street Eatery. While there isn’t any parking lots in town, there is plenty of street parking available, and it’s free!
Suffolk Street Eatery is an elevated fast casual restaurant that serves lunch. Open Monday through Saturday from 11am – 6pm, it serves a variety of sandwiches, wraps, soup, and salads. Food is ordered for dine in or take out. We really enjoyed the pop out booths in the front of the restaurant that had the sensation of sitting outside while inside!
Also within Suffolk Street Eatery is a boutique featuring art and other locally made souvenirs available for sale.
Hurley, Wisconsin
Now I know what you may be thinking… during a trip to Ironwood, Michigan, what are you doing visiting Wisconsin? Well, Ironwood and Hurley straddle the border with each other. Up here, the border is a mere suggestion and Yoopers and Wisconsinites mingle and cross state lines without blinking. There’s even a fascinating traffic circle which, depending on which side you exit from, will welcome you into Wisconsin or Michigan. The natural demarcation between Michigan and Wisconsin in this area is the Montreal River. And with that comes a number of natural waterfalls both Wisconsin and Michigan share – like Interstate, Peterson, Saxon, and Superior Falls!
Iron County Historical Museum
Hurley is a great town to pop into to learn more about the area’s history and culture. One specific stop to make to experience that is the Iron County Historical Museum. This museum was built in 1893 as the Town of Vaughn’s town hall.
Vaughn? But didn’t you say you were in Hurley? Yes!
Before the town of Hurley, it was Vaughn, a town built and settled by people working in the iron industry, just like Ironwood. Hurley only became its name after a prominent lawyer won a case against Northern Chief Iron Company and as part of his compensation, the town was renamed after him. So Vaughn was dissolved and Hurley was born in 1884.
After serving as Vaughn’s town hall, the building became the courthouse of Iron county, until a new courthouse was built. Once the County moved out, in 1976 the Iron County Historical Society took over the building and restored it.
There are several cool things to check out within this museum. One is the preserved courtroom on the second floor. Another is the four clocks original to the building that continue to run today! And finally are the hand-woven rugs and place mats that volunteers make to help fund the museum.
Throughout the winter, this museum remains open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 10am and 2pm. It is free to visit, however donations are welcome.
Interstate Falls
Next, we drove about 5 minutes away to Interstate Falls. It was extremely easy to find as there is a sign marking where you turn into right off the main road. There’s also a fairly large parking lot with information on the trails and park the falls are a part of. While Interstate Falls is visible from both states, the Michigan side is on private property, so you need to see it from Wisconsin.
Since we visited in the winter, we made sure to bundle up and layered on our snow pants, heavy winter coats, heavy boots, gloves and hats. We also used hot hands and feet. Most everything we purchased was from Mountain Warehouse, which we found has affordable, high quality attire that is both waterproof and can withstand subzero temperatures. And freezing it was! When we did this hike, without wind chill, the temperature was 1 degree! We also pulled our toddler in a sled to make it easy (and fun) for him.
The terrain is a bit hilly to reach, but easy to navigate to Interstate Falls. There are a few lookouts to see the waterfall from. We went to two of the lookouts to see both the top of it and bottom. Despite how cold it was outside, the waterfall hadn’t completely frozen, (although much of it was). This was the first winter waterfall we saw, and it was an incredible experience! Highly recommend visiting a waterfall in the winter sometime for an unforgettable winter family getaway!
Ironwood Carnegie Library
After that frigid but awe inspiring experience, we crossed back into Ironwood to warm up at the library. Another fun fact: Ironwood Carnegie Library is the oldest operating Carnegie library in the state of Michigan!
In 1886, industrialist Andrew Carnegie’s donations helped erect over 1.6 thousand libraries across the United States. Ironwood was one such town that received a library after a donation of $17,000. Theirs was built in 1901 and ever since then, only slight modifications were made to its appearance. It still has its original furniture, wood, and radiators! In 2011, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In the basement of the library is an area just for kids and young adults. There is a reading room, toy nook for kids and spacious kids book area. My son appreciated being able to play with some of the library toys for awhile as we toured around and warmed up.
To visit, the library is open daily except for Wednesdays and Sundays. There are reading groups, a poetry group, and special events that take place throughout the year at the library.
Cold Iron Brewing
For dinner, we headed back to downtown Ironwood to check out Cold Iron Brewing. And we found this brewery is just a brewery – no food here. But that’s ok, because they allow anyone to bring food from home or to order in. To make it easier for you, there’s even a station near the bathrooms that has a jug of water, cups, plates, napkins, and utensils. And for out of towners like us, the bartenders were kind enough to recommend nearby restaurants that deliver right to Cold Iron Brewing. So we kept it simple and ordered up some Dominos.
Of course my husband and I each ordered a beer as well! My mild, pilsner loving husband ordered the Michiconsin Honey Cream while I tried the Jack Frost Doppelbock. I highly recommend the Doppelbock if you enjoy smooth, sweet beer. It paired amazingly with Hawaiian pizza.
All around, Cold Iron Brewing has a relaxed, friendly vibe. Children are definitely welcome here and we saw many families enjoying time out together. We happened to visit Ironwood during the town’s First Friday of the month, which is when the shops downtown stay open a little later. Restaurants and other gathering spaces also host special events to get more people to visit downtown. During this specific first Friday, we enjoyed watching a harpist perform at the brewery! How cool is that?
Ironwood Theatre
To round out our evening, my family and I took a tour of the Historic Ironwood Theatre before watching a movie there. This historic theatre continues to host a variety of performances and movies.
Let’s jump back into time… In 1928, the Ironwood Theatre was built in an elaborate Italian Renaissance style with a beautiful mural depicting the story of the Greek Demi-God Bellerophon overlooking the stage. After the golden age of theater, the theatre converted into a standard movie theater with its detail and beauty painted over or hidden – including the mural.
Finally in 1994, restoration started. The City of Ironwood agreed to own the building, but in exchange, they wouldn’t pick up the cost of restoration. So the community banded together, fundraised, and rolled up their sleeves to preserve this gorgeous building!
The most amazing piece (in my opinion) within the theater is its original, restored, and WORKING Barton organ. It was installed back in 1928 and hasn’t moved since! Of course, back in 2000, repairs and restoration helped get it back into working condition. But it happened! Ironwood Theatre’s Barton Organ is one of only six Bartons still working. And can you imagine, when we toured, they let my son play it! It sounded amazing! Sometimes the theatre plays silent films and an organist comes in to play during the show. I plan to return again when they play a silent film to hear her in her glory!
Following our tour, we grabbed popcorn and headed to take our seats to watch the movie Thor: Love and Thunder. What a perfect ending to a day that helped acquaint us to the culture and history of Ironwood!
Day Two: Embracing Winter
Now on to day two of our unforgettable winter family getaway to Ironwood! The little hike to Interstate Falls day one prepared us for day two. Not only did I learn to ski, but we also visited two more winter waterfalls.
Rigoni’s Bakery
What better way to start a day than a little coffee, sugar and when in the UP… pasties?! To enjoy all three, we headed to Rigoni’s Bakery, which is known for its pasties and delicious pastries. This bakery is family run and opened up back in 1972. Since then, its garnered a reputation as a top location throughout the UP to order pasties from. They even ship a pack of a dozen pasties throughout most of the continental United States.
When we stopped in for breakfast, we picked up a couple breakfast pasties that were filled with potatoes, eggs, and sausage – delicious! We also grabbed a couple donuts to split and enjoy too. The inside of the bakery is simple with a few booths available to dine in at. Besides coffee, there is a refrigerator to grab other beverages from.
Potawatomi Falls
Between breakfast and my skiing lesson we had a couple hours to kill so drove along the Black River Scenic Byway to Potawatomi Falls to see another frozen waterfall.
The Black River Scenic byway runs parallel to the Black River which empties out at Lake Superior. Along the final couple miles before Lake Superior, there are five waterfalls to see. All five are clearly marked from the road and each has its own parking lot.
This past summer my family and I checked out all five of the byway falls. The one fall that’s accessible for everyone during all seasons is Potawatomi Falls. During the winter, only the Gorge Falls lot is open. To reach Potawatomi, park in the Gorge Falls lot then follow the sign to get to the falls overlook. It’s about 550 feet to reach. The trail is flat and easy. It also goes right past a vault toilet that remains open all year round – making this waterfall an excellent one to visit with kids. The view of the falls from the overlook is incredible too!
Snow River Mountain Resort
After going back and forth deciding which of Ironwood’s mountains to learn to ski at, I settled on Snow River Mountain Resort. Snow River was previously known as Indianhead Mountain Resort until 2022. Its new owner plans to upgrade the rooms and facilities, including adding the first six person high speed chairlift!
Another factor that caused me to chose Snow River was how easy it was to set up lessons. Everything is booked online! I chose which day, time, and how for long. I also set up rentals and purchased lift passes. Online, it states to check in and pick up rentals 90 to 60 minutes before the lesson. I ended up arriving 30 minutes early and it was plenty of time. To check in, there is a window counter outside the Jackson Creek Summit building to provide your name.
Then, enter the building, go down the stairs, and that’s where the rentals are. Provide your shoe size and height for boots, skis, and poles. If you rented a helmet, they’ll give you that here too.
Once you’re fitted and ready to go, meet the instructor outside the door. There is a small, sloping hill the trainer uses to help you learn to ski. He started out simple covering everything from how to attach your boots to your skis to proper stance when skiing. Then we started to go down the training hill a couple times with him watching and providing tips and pointers. Getting back up the hill was a breeze with the ‘magic carpet.’ This is a conveyor belt similar to an escalator that pulls you up the hill.
I highly recommend the 90 minute lesson. After an hour on the bunny hill, my instructor took me down the easy run. Then we road the chairlift back up again and voila, ski lesson done!
Gabbro Falls
I found out about Gabbro Falls (also known as Baker Falls) while getting ready for my ski lesson so I knew we needed to visit it next! This waterfall is located near the Black River Basin on Snow River’s Property. To get to it, there are two routes. One is to park in the ski parking lot and follow the trail to view the waterfall from the bottom. The other option is to pull to the side of the road nearby where Google maps says its located and walk the minute it takes to see it from above. We decided to go the easier, shorter route.
With this one, we were careful at as there isn’t a formal viewing platform or fence. But luckily my son kept calm, appreciating the waterfall from afar.
This fall starts off with a short ten foot drop before collecting and dropping another 25 feet to the river below. When we visited, it was partially frozen over and amazing to see!
Don & GG’s
Before ending our second day at the Classic Motor Inn’s hot tub and sauna, we stopped for dinner at Don & GG’s. This family friendly bar and grille is conveniently located right next door to the Classic Motor Inn. On the menu are an assortment of appetizers, burgers, salads, sandwiches, entrees and more. There are also daily specials and desserts.
Don & GG’s is open daily except for Sundays and is a dinner only restaurant, opening at 4pm. For dinner, my husband and I each ordered a different style of burger. There is also a kids menu available.
Day Three: Heading Out Happy
During the final day of our unforgettable winter family getaway to Ironwood, we kept it simple while still embracing the outdoors. Once we checked out from the Classic Motor Inn, we enjoyed breakfast from Contrast Coffee in downtown Ironwood. Then we headed to the Lake Superior shoreline to attempt to see Superior Falls (I say attempt and you’ll read why later).
Contrast Coffee
On our final morning in Ironwood, we enjoyed breakfast and lattes from Contrast Coffee. This café is a micro chain with only four locations, and they are all in the Upper Peninsula. The café was founded on the principle of fostering community through coming together over a cup of coffee. Each location is a welcoming space for visitors and residents alike to relax at. There’s also a community board in each location where people can publicize events and their local business endeavors.
Contrast Coffee is open daily from 7am to 5pm. Their menu offers a variety of lattes – everything from common lattes, to specialty and seasonal offerings. For breakfast, Contrast Coffee serves crepes, toasts, breakfast sandwiches and more. And for lunch, there are paninis and salads available. I highly recommend the Magic Mocha, which is a spicy chocolate mocha and is one of their everyday lattes. Or if visiting when it’s available, the Pistachio Rose Latte. The crepes are also delicious and my son enjoyed watching them be made!
Lake Superior
Prior to hitting the road to start the journey downstate, we visited Lake Superior at both Superior Falls and Little Girls Point.
Superior Falls is reached by following the trail from the Superior Falls Hydro Plant parking lot. Unfortunately with our son, we weren’t able to make it down to see the falls, because it involved going down a very steep hill that he wasn’t comfortable going down or back up again. So if you’re visiting with little ones, hold off on this one. If you’re doing this yourself or with older friends and family, there are posts in the ground going down the hill with ropes that can help you down and back up again. Even though we didn’t experience the falls, there is an impressive overlook of Lake Superior from the same trail.
Once we finished here, our final stop was Little Girls Point. In the warmer months, this beach is a popular location to hunt for rocks, swim and relax. In the winter, the area is just as magical and you can even relax to a bonfire here. Beyond the beach, you can also camp.
This beach received the name Little Girls Point after a legend that a group of hunters saw the image of a girl form when they reached the shore. Thinking she was lost, they followed her only for her to vanish into the woods. The name stuck around.
Where to Stay in Ironwood
While we visited Ironwood during our unforgettable winter family getaway, we stayed at the Classic Motor Inn. This motel is located right off US-2 and is a convenient five minute drive to downtown Ironwood. It’s family run and family friendly! I called to book and even got into a great conversation with the motel’s owner Annette.
Checking in was a breeze. And upon check in, I got into another great conversation with Annette about the area’s attractions and our journey to Ironwood.
When we got to our room, the room was modest but had essentials we needed – microwave, mini fridge, and coffee maker. Everything was clean, and the beds were comfortable. An awesome amenity the Classic Motor Inn has is the hot tub and sauna. To allow everyone time and privacy to enjoy the facilities, on the weekends, the lobby schedules 30 minute time slots to use these. My family and I took advantage of the hot tub and sauna to warm up after our second day exploring after dinner. Highly recommend the sauna – which is a true Finnish sauna (pronounced sow-na) for the complete UP experience in the winter!
For more recommendations on where to stay in Ironwood, check out Travel Ironwood’s website for a complete list!
Unforgettable Winter Family Getaway to Ironwood Map
Have you ever visited Ironwood before? Where do you like to travel to with your family to embrace winter?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
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