Have you ever been to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, affectionately referred to as the UP by locals? Have you ever even considered this as a destination? If you haven’t, let me just tell you… You should add it to your list! Hop on a Pictured Rocks Michigan Cruise to get the absolute best views and experience this beautiful National Lakeshore.
Each season provides different appeals, depending on your interests. During the warmer months, May through October, the best way to appreciate the natural beauty is by water. Catch a Pictured Rocks Michigan cruise; sit back and relax, but keep your eyes OPEN!
There are perks to visiting each time of year. Spring brings more powerfully flowing waterfalls. Summer brings sunshine and longer days for hiking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Fall brings beautiful foliage. Pick your poison! You can’t go wrong.
Planning your Pictured Rocks Michigan Cruise
The best advice I can give you in planning a Pictured Rocks cruise is to book ahead of time! Cruises are offered throughout the day, but popular ones, such as the sunset cruise, fill up weeks in advance. The boats offer both open upper-level and covered, enclosed lower seating. Any mild inclement weather can be accommodated in this way!
We were planning to take the sunset cruise but waited too long, so we had to choose an earlier time slot. We still had a great time and were able to catch the sunset on the way back to the docks.
Getting to your Pictured Rocks Cruise
Getting to the dock located in the town of Munising is really easy!
Located right at the center of the waterfront, there is plenty of parking, a visitor’s center, and an outdoor boarding area. Although some main street construction added a little challenge, it was very easy to find.
Pictured Rocks Cruise Details
Technically, there are three different options to choose from, taking you on very similar adventures. We chose to take the “Classic Cruise” late in the afternoon, and we were able to see beautiful sunset views on our way back to the dock in Munising.
There is a “Sunset Cruise” option, which departs as the last cruise of the evening and gets you sunset views out over the rocky landscapes. The final option, the “Spray Falls Cruise” travels just a little further up the coast to view the 70 feet tall Spray Falls dropping into Lake Superior.
The Classic and Sunset cruises usually take around two and a half hours. Even though the Spray Falls cruise covers more distance, typically a higher-speed catamaran is utilized to shave fifteen minutes off of the total trip time.
The staff and crew on each boat work smoothly and easily. The captain of our cruise, who both led us to the beautiful landscapes and set the scene with his storytelling, greatly enhanced our ride.
I especially loved the setup of the battleship row formation. Turning the corner and seeing all of the “battleships” jutting out into lake superior was quite magnificent.
Just a few “battleships” popped up as we turned the corner, but the further we traveled, the more appeared! It was like a whole fleet!
At Chapel Rock, we turned around and headed back towards Munising Bay. Being able to see everything in reverse highlighted the best parts and gave many more photo ops!
Although a little on the chilly side, we could not complain about the late September weather and our experience on our Pictured Rocks cruise.
If you are searching for an outdoor destination with plenty of activity options, check out Pictured Rocks. I assure you that you will not be disappointed by this beautiful Michigan destination!
Already planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? There are plenty of adventures to be found in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
