Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I can give more details if needed, but we may have an opportunity to move to the Soo. We are originally from lower Michigan, Downriver specifically; but we've been living in the southwest. We want to get back to Michigan, and the UP may be our only chance.
That being said...how bad/good is the weather? The town? The people?
We would look into buying a country home on acreage, and to get various animals (goats, chickens, horses). We are in our forties. Our children are grown. We don't like 'party scenes'. A diner, good food, nice people, and trying to 'mostly' self sustain would be great (a garden, fruit trees, etc.). Organic food, natural things, are important to us (nothing from China, lol).
I'd like to learn as much as I can from people there (or who used to live there, and why you left). This will be a big move for us, and I am terrified.
Since retirement is only 10-15 years away, I'm considering whether or not this could be our final move, our final home.
Can't really help you out much, as we are looking to go back also. There was the thread that I started and saw that you had read it. Been meaning to get back to answer, but getting ready to cut back at work and start down the retirement road on January 1.
We were absolutely relieved by what we had seen and felt during our visit and that seemed that even though the area has a lot of changes-good, bad and other- the area still holds what we liked.
We live in Monroe County so same general type of area as you were familiar with in Downriver. Weather isn;t any worse than here, with all of our gray, cloudy, damp. At least the UP there is a brightness that comes with the snow, although this year is a bit odd.
Really don't have much else to add, just that we want to return ASAP but at present cannot because of parental concerns that we would not under any circumstances move away from.
Yes, I did read your thread! I posted there; however, with no responses I thought I should try my own thread. It doesn't look like that is helping much though, lol!
Thanks for replying. Any information helps.
I've never been there (maybe once as a child)...so I really don't know what to expect.
I'm glad to hear that you are choosing to return there and that you were "relieved" by what you saw and felt. It makes me really hopeful.
A have A LOT of family in The Soo (and even some in Soo Ontario) and I can tell you that the winters are long and can get pretty harsh. The summers are on the cooler side of mild, but they did get up into the 90's a few times this last winter. The family wasn't very happy or impressed with that haha. Fall is very short, but offers some of the most beautiful views in the country when the trees change. The town has a whole hasn't fully recovered from the recession. Downtown has seen some investment, but there are a lot of vacant buildings throughout the district and even some near the locks. The parks and road maintenance have gotten a lot worse since the recession as well.
The schools in The Soo are meh, but the college has some great programs. When it comes to jobs most people seem to work for the schools, the hospital, the prison, or in the service industry. Some even drive to Canada because there are more job opportunities over there. The Canadian side has most of the shopping options with two decent sized malls as well as stores like Home Depot, Best Buy, and Sears scattered about. The Michigan side has a Walmart, Kmart, and is getting a Meijer and that's about it. The growing season is fairly shot for flowers, but I don't know much about gardening. The area has been in a population decline for decades and it doesn't seem like there are many "new" families there. The people who live there are seem to be holdouts who came back after college, or who never left in the first place. I would recommend buying a home in the "Shallows" area in the west part of town if you can find one. The area is safer, cleaner, and better kept than in the town proper.
Definitely visit the area and spend some time there and talk to the locals before you make any decisions.
I grew up in the area, and my parents still live in that neck of the woods. Soo, Mich, is sort of enjoying a renaissance. There are some good things happening. They are getting 2 huge new retail stores (Kohl's & Meijer), which will be really good for them. They did lose their only movie theater, though. Hopefully that will change and a new theater will eventually come in (if I still lived there, I would be in touch with the Thomas Theater Group that operates in Iron Mtn, Escanaba, & Marquette--GREAT theaters!). I was happy to hear that my favorite coffee roaster, Superior Coffee Roasters, has a distributor & is spreading to the entire UP (I live in Marquette now--seriously, their coffee is some of the best I've ever had), AND is opening a cafe on Portage Street. There are some really nice restaurants (nice as in good food, not "fancy" nice!)--Zorba's is one of my favorites, and I recently got to eat at the Wicked Sister, which I found very good (gourmet tater tots? YES, please!). And even though I don't usually like Chinese buffet restaurants, the Great Wall is actually quite good. With the added access to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont, the things that are missing on the US side can usually be found across the border--there IS a nice multi-screen movie theater and some good places for food & drink.
As I'm not buying property in the area, I can only go by what I hear. And I hear that farm acreage is cheap & plentiful in the region. That may vary by proximity, but that's the talk I hear from people considering selling property.
Isolation is a relative problem. If you don't need to have EVERYTHING at your beck & call 24 hours a day, it won't be a real problem. It is a beautiful area in the fall, and summers can yield a gentle beauty in the farmlands--waving fields, lush forest, blooming wildflowers. It is really quite lovely. Winters can be harsh. This one is not bad thus far--but the last two were doozies. I remember wearing snowsuits under Halloween costumes & navigating snowbanks to Trick-or-Treat. This year, we had a green Christmas across most of the UP. Spring is best not talked about--it's a combo of slush & mud and is generally unpleasant until summer weather kicks in. And "summer" is open to interpretation as well. There was a hard frost on the day I was born--July 8. And the year I graduation from high school (on June 5), we saw another hard frost. I remember camping out one late August with some people that couldn't believe how "cold" it was at night--I swear it didn't get below 50! So it all depends on what you like.
I was visiting my parents last week. I arrived late, well after dark. And I looked up at the sky when I got out of the car. I forgot how many stars were up there. Even living in the UP where I do, it was easy to forget what a truly dark sky can show me. It was beautiful.
So, take into account that Sault Ste. Marie is really a big town, not even a small city, and that the nearest "big city" is several hours away, and ask if that kind of isolation can work for you. Best of luck!
A have A LOT of family in The Soo (and even some in Soo Ontario) and I can tell you that the winters are long and can get pretty harsh. The summers are on the cooler side of mild, but they did get up into the 90's a few times this last winter. The family wasn't very happy or impressed with that haha. Fall is very short, but offers some of the most beautiful views in the country when the trees change. The town has a whole hasn't fully recovered from the recession. Downtown has seen some investment, but there are a lot of vacant buildings throughout the district and even some near the locks. The parks and road maintenance have gotten a lot worse since the recession as well.
The schools in The Soo are meh, but the college has some great programs. When it comes to jobs most people seem to work for the schools, the hospital, the prison, or in the service industry. Some even drive to Canada because there are more job opportunities over there. The Canadian side has most of the shopping options with two decent sized malls as well as stores like Home Depot, Best Buy, and Sears scattered about. The Michigan side has a Walmart, Kmart, and is getting a Meijer and that's about it. The growing season is fairly shot for flowers, but I don't know much about gardening. The area has been in a population decline for decades and it doesn't seem like there are many "new" families there. The people who live there are seem to be holdouts who came back after college, or who never left in the first place. I would recommend buying a home in the "Shallows" area in the west part of town if you can find one. The area is safer, cleaner, and better kept than in the town proper.
Definitely visit the area and spend some time there and talk to the locals before you make any decisions.
Thanks for the information! I know how hard Michigan was hit with the recession...we were one of many families that had to leave to find work. Finally we are in a position where we can move back, and we don't have to worry about employment (my husband will get a transfer). It is sad what has happened to Michigan, and I would assume the U.P. was hurt even more. It would be nice if citizens could help rebuild the U.P. and if the city could get in a position to make improvements. Maybe it will just take some time.
Can you give me an idea of where the "shallows" area is? We don't plan to buy in town...we're hoping to find a house with 10 or more acres.
Due to the transfer process, it is unlikely we would be able to visit or spend much time there. We either have to take the transfer or let it go. So I'm relying on a lot of research and getting information from people like you
I grew up in the area, and my parents still live in that neck of the woods. Soo, Mich, is sort of enjoying a renaissance. There are some good things happening. They are getting 2 huge new retail stores (Kohl's & Meijer), which will be really good for them. They did lose their only movie theater, though. Hopefully that will change and a new theater will eventually come in (if I still lived there, I would be in touch with the Thomas Theater Group that operates in Iron Mtn, Escanaba, & Marquette--GREAT theaters!). I was happy to hear that my favorite coffee roaster, Superior Coffee Roasters, has a distributor & is spreading to the entire UP (I live in Marquette now--seriously, their coffee is some of the best I've ever had), AND is opening a cafe on Portage Street. There are some really nice restaurants (nice as in good food, not "fancy" nice!)--Zorba's is one of my favorites, and I recently got to eat at the Wicked Sister, which I found very good (gourmet tater tots? YES, please!). And even though I don't usually like Chinese buffet restaurants, the Great Wall is actually quite good. With the added access to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont, the things that are missing on the US side can usually be found across the border--there IS a nice multi-screen movie theater and some good places for food & drink.
As I'm not buying property in the area, I can only go by what I hear. And I hear that farm acreage is cheap & plentiful in the region. That may vary by proximity, but that's the talk I hear from people considering selling property.
Isolation is a relative problem. If you don't need to have EVERYTHING at your beck & call 24 hours a day, it won't be a real problem. It is a beautiful area in the fall, and summers can yield a gentle beauty in the farmlands--waving fields, lush forest, blooming wildflowers. It is really quite lovely. Winters can be harsh. This one is not bad thus far--but the last two were doozies. I remember wearing snowsuits under Halloween costumes & navigating snowbanks to Trick-or-Treat. This year, we had a green Christmas across most of the UP. Spring is best not talked about--it's a combo of slush & mud and is generally unpleasant until summer weather kicks in. And "summer" is open to interpretation as well. There was a hard frost on the day I was born--July 8. And the year I graduation from high school (on June 5), we saw another hard frost. I remember camping out one late August with some people that couldn't believe how "cold" it was at night--I swear it didn't get below 50! So it all depends on what you like.
I was visiting my parents last week. I arrived late, well after dark. And I looked up at the sky when I got out of the car. I forgot how many stars were up there. Even living in the UP where I do, it was easy to forget what a truly dark sky can show me. It was beautiful.
So, take into account that Sault Ste. Marie is really a big town, not even a small city, and that the nearest "big city" is several hours away, and ask if that kind of isolation can work for you. Best of luck!
I'm not a fan of 'fancy' Jeans (or sweats) is more my style, lol.
Yeah, I have seen some decent prices on houses/land. We don't want to commercial farm, so we don't need much; but we are looking to grow our own food and hunt. I'm sure the harsh winters will affect growing things though.
Isolation is what scares me. I don't mind being alone in a warm house, reading a book; but I do need to have things to do. My kids are grown. That's why I was hoping to garden and raise some small livestock...I think that would keep me pretty busy!
I think I am more concerned with 'fitting in' and of course the weather. We do not fit in where we are now. Michigan is home...just need to figure out if the U.P. is too, lol.
We're used to the crazy weather in lower Michigan...I have been so cold that only a hot bath could warm me up! But that only lasted for 2-3 months. I'm a little afraid of 6-8 month winters. However...you may have just 'sold' me with description of the night sky!!!
I can give more details if needed, but we may have an opportunity to move to the Soo. We are originally from lower Michigan, Downriver specifically; but we've been living in the southwest. We want to get back to Michigan, and the UP may be our only chance.
That being said...how bad/good is the weather? The town? The people?
We would look into buying a country home on acreage, and to get various animals (goats, chickens, horses). We are in our forties. Our children are grown. We don't like 'party scenes'. A diner, good food, nice people, and trying to 'mostly' self sustain would be great (a garden, fruit trees, etc.). Organic food, natural things, are important to us (nothing from China, lol).
I'd like to learn as much as I can from people there (or who used to live there, and why you left). This will be a big move for us, and I am terrified.
Since retirement is only 10-15 years away, I'm considering whether or not this could be our final move, our final home.
Employment is not a factor.
Thank you for your help!
The area is of course beautiful; the people are nice and friendly; the crime rate is low; there is NO reason to be terrified unless you are afraid of cold water, which there is a WHOLE lot of in the UP. The weather is nothing to fool with; you will need to be prepared for several feet of snow at a time.
I'm not a fan of 'fancy' Jeans (or sweats) is more my style, lol.
Yeah, I have seen some decent prices on houses/land. We don't want to commercial farm, so we don't need much; but we are looking to grow our own food and hunt. I'm sure the harsh winters will affect growing things though.
Isolation is what scares me. I don't mind being alone in a warm house, reading a book; but I do need to have things to do. My kids are grown. That's why I was hoping to garden and raise some small livestock...I think that would keep me pretty busy!
I think I am more concerned with 'fitting in' and of course the weather. We do not fit in where we are now. Michigan is home...just need to figure out if the U.P. is too, lol.
We're used to the crazy weather in lower Michigan...I have been so cold that only a hot bath could warm me up! But that only lasted for 2-3 months. I'm a little afraid of 6-8 month winters. However...you may have just 'sold' me with description of the night sky!!!
Thank you for your help!!
My father is a gardener, and there are some things that he finds grow especially well. Root vegetables, of course, but he grows peas, beans, berries, onions, squash (winter & summer)...he grows cherry tomatoes very well, even coaxes a nice crop of regular tomatoes every year. We do have a short growing season, but it never seemed to slow him down. The hunting & fishing is good, too. Growing up, we mostly ate what we grew, caught, or shot.
My advice on winter us this: embrace it. Learn to X-country ski or snowshoe, feed the birds, or just walk a dog when it isn't too cold. If you spend your days wishing it wasn't winter, you'll find it's even longer. Plus, the stars on a clear, cold night will make your heart stop. If you really want to become a Yoopers, build a sauna. That'll keep you warm, too!
And the library can really save you. There are some really terrific ones. Baylis in the Soo is fantastic.
My father is a gardener, and there are some things that he finds grow especially well. Root vegetables, of course, but he grows peas, beans, berries, onions, squash (winter & summer)...he grows cherry tomatoes very well, even coaxes a nice crop of regular tomatoes every year. We do have a short growing season, but it never seemed to slow him down. The hunting & fishing is good, too. Growing up, we mostly ate what we grew, caught, or shot.
My advice on winter us this: embrace it. Learn to X-country ski or snowshoe, feed the birds, or just walk a dog when it isn't too cold. If you spend your days wishing it wasn't winter, you'll find it's even longer. Plus, the stars on a clear, cold night will make your heart stop. If you really want to become a Yoopers, build a sauna. That'll keep you warm, too!
And the library can really save you. There are some really terrific ones. Baylis in the Soo is fantastic.
Great advice! And I think I need to meet your dad!! I'm not a skilled gardener...in fact, I haven't grown anything where I live (it's the desert). I'm hoping to successfully garden!
How you grew up is exactly what we are looking for.
And I love libraries! A sauna sounds like a great idea as well!!
Thanks so much!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
