Best time to visit Upper Peninsula
Guides don't agree on one best time. Month by month below, with the weather, what's on and what it costs to fly there from your city.
Guides don't agree on one best time
- “May to September is the best time for outdoor adventures” lonelyplanet.com
- “December to February is the best time for winter sports” lonelyplanet.com
Upper Peninsula month by month
Average high and low in Marquette, and days with rain
JanuaryChecking fares…Winter in the U.P. brings up to 300 inches of lake-effect snow.In Michigan's coldest months temperatures can drop below 0°F, and the further north you go, the fewer restaurants are open.
FebruaryChecking fares…Winter activities include snowmobiling, skiing, ice caves, walleye fishing and Finnish saunas.Frozen waterfalls at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are a winter draw.
MarchChecking fares…Spring (mid-March to mid-June) is a gamble, and the state is blissfully quiet with very few crowds.
AprilChecking fares…Snow has been known to fall in April and, further north, in May.
MayChecking fares…Michigan's high season starts on Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.Summer-only places such as Copper Harbor open their doors, and ferries run more regularly.
JuneChecking fares…Isle Royale National Park is open mid-April through October, with the best weather from late June to late September.
JulyChecking fares…Summer weather is mostly sunny and warm, with temperatures from 76°F to 85°F.
AugustChecking fares…Summer brings kayaking, hiking, boat tours along Pictured Rocks and day trips to Mackinac Island.
SeptemberChecking fares…Late September is when photographers seek out the Porcupine Mountains, often blanketed in red and copper leaves.
OctoberChecking fares…October and November are shoulder-season months that Lonely Planet recommends for photographers.More restaurants, attractions and tour operators close as the leaves turn, particularly in the north.
NovemberChecking fares…Shoulder season is quiet, with year-round (weather-permitting) ferries to Mackinac Island.
DecemberChecking fares…By December most warm-weather draws such as lighthouse tours and kayaking have closed, and days are shorter and colder.Ski resorts start to welcome visitors.
Weather: Marquette averages (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.
Every date to Marquette from your city
Live fares from your airport. Watch them and we alert you when they drop.
Busy, quiet and what to watch for
Busiest
- Memorial Day through summerMichigan's high season starts at Memorial Day, when ferries run regularly and summer-only places open.
Quietest
- Spring (mid-March to mid-June) and fall shoulder seasonVery few crowds, but more restaurants and tour operators close, especially in the north.
Watch for
- WinterFurther north, fewer restaurants are open, so bring groceries and supplies.
- Any seasonWeather and road and trail conditions can differ from one end of the U.P. to the other, and fuel and stores can be dozens of miles apart.
- SpringSnow can still fall in April, and further north in May.
Questions people ask
- Where is the best place in Michigan to see the northern lights?
- Lonely Planet names Eagle Harbor on the Keweenaw Peninsula and Headlands International Dark Sky Park near the Mackinac Bridge, mostly in fall.
More about Upper Peninsula
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