[soulful]

We are going to be staying in Houghton and traveling the Keeweenaw Peninsula and over to the Porcupines.
Also, staying in Marquette and surrounding areas.

If anyone has any personal recommendations for shorter hiking trails (2 to 3 hours) with good vistas in these areas it would be helpful.

Also, any personal favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in Marquette or Houghton? We usually like interesting places with good people watching...vegetarian, fish, flexible.

[joemits]

Mqt- here are a few. Breakfast-Sweet Water Café, Donkers, Cocos. Diner/Lunch- Lattitudes, Verling, Elizabeth's Chophouse, Landmark pub. Those breakfast ones also have good lunch and diner too. Hike up to Hogsback and climb Sugar Loaf mt. Drive up or walk up to mt. Marquette. Presque Isle. Have a pint at Black Rocks brewery and one at Ore Dock brewery. Border Grill or Togos for something good and quick. I would have posted links but I'm on a tablet. A google search should get you to their websites. Enjoy.

[soulful]

joemits. Thanks very much for those suggestions around Marquette!

Can anyone suggest good short (1 to 3 hr) hikes around Houghton? Or fav restaurants in or around Houghton? The pickings look slim if you don't want pizza or Chinese for dinner

[michigan83]

If you are in Marquette, Sugar Loaf Mountain is really close to town, the hike takes 15-20 minutes and it's really easy. The view is awesome, so you can't get a much better "bang for your buck" for a hike, so to speak.

Also, we really liked The Vierling brewery in downtown Marquette.

Sorry, can't help with Houghton.

Here are a couple pics I took at the top of Sugar Loaf last October. The bald "peak" that you see in the distance and off the the right in the first pic is Hogback Mtn, which would be a more difficult and longer hike:

[Fripper]

On your way from Marquette to Houghton stop at the roadside park on Hwy 41 just before you reach Alberta. There is a nice hike along the river to the Canyon Falls. The trail hooks up to the North Country trail so you can hike as far as you would like, but you will have to double back to the parking area. Just follow the blue paint slashes on the trees.

[soulful]

Thanks! We will make sure to check out Sugar Loaf Mountain and the trail to Canyon Falls.

Those hikes sounds good. We are looking for any other interesting hikes in the Porkies, Keeweenaw Peninsula, Houghton, or Marquette areas. Any other short hike ideas?

[Fripper]

Restaurant suggestions would include The Library in Houghton and Fitzgeralds in Eagle River which is located right on Lake Superior, try to time dinner along with sunset. There are some nice trails up in Copper Harbor for hiking and biking, Copper Harbor is gaining notice as a bicyclist paradise.

[soulful]

Fripper. Thank you so much for telling me about Fitzgeralds in Eagle River. I would never have found it as I was focusing on Houghton restaurants!

I will research the trails up around Copper Harbor.

[cjcolorado]

Yes, Fitzgerald's is probably the best there is up here, along with Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor. Both will close for the winter shortly, though. Keweenaw Mountain Lodge has nice lunches, too, and the feeling of being on the set of the lodge in Dirty Dancing. The Library is fine (I eat there often with my family) and I rather enjoy Gemignani's in Hancock. It's a little "Lady and the Tramp" sort of family-owned Italian-American restaurant. Lots of people enjoy Suomi for breakfast (I like their Pannakakku and Finnish pancakes. Lunches there tend to be greasy, unfortunately). One of the best breakfasts in the area is at Slim's, up in Mohawk. Great baked goods, too, so you can get a pack of cookies to give you energy for a hike!
Again, if you're here soon, hike up Mt. Bohemia for a nice view out over the lake and to see the fall color.

[cjcolorado]

Oh, for quick (and tasty) lunches in Houghton, both Rodeo and J.J.'s Wok and Grill are delicious. They're located next to each other in the Pearl St. "Mall"--both have no ambiance to speak of, though.