More than 150 years ago, a copper boom drew thousands to the Keweenaw Peninsula, a mountainous thumb sticking out of the Upper Peninsula into Lake Superior. Visiting the small-town museums, ghostly mines, fort and lighthouses along this 47-mile byway, you can’t help but admire the miners’ grit and ambition for settling in such a remote land. A 9-mile offshoot, the Brockway Mountain Drive, offers spectacular views.

Small-town surprise We love the UP’s iconic meat-and-veggie pasties, but we found fancier fare, too. Try cedar-planked trout at the Michigan House Cafe and Brewpub in Calumet.

More from Midwest Living

Upper Peninsula trip guide [1]

Upper Peninsula attractions [2]

For maps and trip planning

Copper Country Trail National Byway [3]

Copper Country [4]