Michigan's Upper Peninsula – Year Round Playground

Where In The World?
The most common question we hear from guests who are visiting the resort (besides “which machine is paying out the most”) is “what is there to do here besides the casino”. If you are reading this and have never been to the resort before, we invite to check out our location on Google Maps. Now that you’ve seen the “lay of the land” it is fairly easy understand why we hear that question as often as we do. Rest assured that appearances are deceiving in the fact that the areas surrounding the Island Resort & Casino can serve as a “year round playground” for those guests looking to venture outside of the resort walls.
Still don’t believe us? We’ve gone ahead and compiled a small sampling of year round activities (in order by season) available to those guests looking for a getaway from their getaway!
Fall Season – September, October, November

• Fall Color Tours: Peak fall color season typically occurs the last two weeks of September into the first two weeks of October. For an up-to-date “fall color report” and/or a listing of “fall color routes” please visit the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association Website (the website link is provided below).
• Hunting: For the avid hunter, the areas surrounding the Island Resort & Casino provide a wonderful and diverse habitat for some of Michigan’s most exciting game species. The list below denotes key dates for the 2013 Michigan Hunting Season. For licensing requirements, please visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Website (the website link is provided below).
  • September 10^th – Opening day of bear season
  • September 15^th – Opening day of small game season
  • October  1^st – Opening day of (archery) deer season
  • November 15^th  – Opening day of (firearm) deer season

Winter Season – December, January, February

• Snowshoeing & Cross Country Skiing: The Days River Trail offers several loops with trail lengths ranging from one to eight miles and also provides a groomed ski skating track. Snowshoeing is possible along some routes although many are narrow and skiers would prefer that the cross-country tracks not be damaged by snowshoes.
• Snowmobiling: Named as the “Best Overall Area in America” by SnowGoer Magazine,  Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers over 3,000 miles of groomed trails. Snowmobile trails officially open for the season on December 1^st and close on March 31^st. For a complete trail report, please visit: http://www.uptravel.com/snowmobilereports

 
Spring Season – March, April, May

• Waterfall Tours: There are more than 300 waterfalls scattered across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The best time for viewing the falls is during the late spring months when the ice begins to melt bringing even the smallest fall roar to life. Please note that hiking will be required to reach a majority of the falls. For waterfall locations, please visit: http://www.uptravel.com/waterfalls-of-the-u.p.-59/

Summer Season – June, July, August

• Fishing: Fish the surrounding Great Lakes or find ample fishing opportunities in the many inland lakes and streams. If fishing in the local “Bays De Noc”, be sure to check out the Bays De Noc Fishing Guide for tips on local fishing spots. For licensing requirements, please visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Website (the website link is provided below).
• Golfing: Opened in 2008, Sweetgrass Golf Club is consistently and nationally ranked as a top-20 public course in Michigan by publications such as Golfweek and GOLF Magazine. Experience “Superior” Upper Peninsula Golf with the “Perfect 4-Some” stay & play package. For more information on fees and packages, please visit: www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com

Additional Links
For more information about the activities listed in this blog, please visit the sites below.

• Michigan Department of Natural Resources: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/
• Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association: http://www.uptravel.com/