Alpena

Around Alpena

Photo: by Dylan L. Tanner · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

Town and around · Michigan · 28k people

Alpena

Locals say Sunrise Side · “Sunrise Side”

Great Lakes charm on the Sunrise Side.

Lake Huron BlueForest Green

Join the room Ask the neighbours

Welcome to the Sunrise Side! Whether you're here for the shipwrecks, the lighthouses, or the pasties, you'll find a friendly community along the Lake Huron shore. Come for the sunrises, stay for the small-town charm.

Clubs for Alpena

No clubs for Alpena yet.

The room

One room for everyone around Alpena. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

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Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Alpena. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

  • Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Underwater preserve with over 200 shipwrecks, visitor center in Alpena
  • Alpena Light Historic lighthouse at the entrance to Thunder Bay
  • New Presque Isle Lighthouse Working lighthouse open for tours, climb to the top
  • Old Presque Isle Lighthouse Museum and keeper's quarters, oldest on the Great Lakes
  • Rockport State Recreation Area Abandoned limestone quarry with fossil hunting and clear water
  • Negwegon State Park Remote, undeveloped shoreline with hiking and birding
  • Outdoors diving the Thunder Bay shipwrecks
  • Outdoors hiking the Highbanks Trail
  • With kids Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary visitor center
  • With kids Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan
  • Evenings sunset cruises from Alpena Harbor
  • Evenings live music at the Alpena County Fairgrounds
  • Locals love lighthouse parks
  • Locals love fossil hunting beaches

Through the year

  • Michigan Brown Trout Festival July Summer fishing festival in Alpena
  • Rogers City Nautical Festival July Harbor celebration with boat parades and fish boils
  • AuSable River Canoe Marathon July 120-mile canoe race from Grayling to Oscoda
  • Alpena County Fair August Traditional county fair with livestock and rides
  • Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival October Celebrates regional lighthouse heritage with tours and talks

Cold, snowy winters and mild, pleasant summers. Best time to be out is summer for water activities. Best: Summer (June–August) for swimming, boating, and warm evenings.

Talk like a local

“Sunrise Side”
The local nickname for the region, referring to the sun rising over Lake Huron
“up north”
General term for northern Michigan, used by locals

Getaways

  • Petoskey Victorian charm, boutique shopping, and Lake Michigan views
  • Traverse City Cherry orchards, wineries, and a vibrant downtown
  • Bay City Historic riverfront and annual Tall Ship Celebration
  • Sault Ste. Marie Soo Locks and the St. Marys River

Local flavour

Rooting for Detroit Lions (NFL), Detroit Tigers (MLB), Detroit Red Wings (NHL), Detroit Pistons (NBA)

Eat and drink

  • Pasties Cornish meat pies, a regional staple across northern Michigan.
  • Whitefish Fresh Lake Huron whitefish, often smoked or pan-fried.
  • Cherry Pie Michigan cherries are celebrated in desserts, though Traverse City is more famous, the region has orchards too.

Where people go

  • Lighthouses The Alpena Light and others dot the shoreline, guiding ships on Lake Huron.
  • Shipwreck preserves The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects over 200 shipwrecks, accessible to divers and kayakers.
  • Limestone quarries The area's cement industry has left quarry lakes that are now scenic spots.
  • Lake Huron shoreline Rocky beaches, clear water, and sunrises that define the region.

Heritage and traditions

Alpena and the Sunrise Side are proud of their Great Lakes maritime heritage, from the shipwrecks of Thunder Bay to the working limestone quarries, and the small-town friendliness of the northern Michigan coast.

This time of year in Alpena

  • Hunting and color tours Fall Fall deer hunting and scenic drives for foliage.

Say it like a local: “The lake” — Lake Huron, simply called 'the lake'.

Festivals

  • Rogers City Polish Festival Summer Celebrates the area's Polish heritage with food, music, and dancing.
  • Alpena Art in the Park Summer Local artists and crafters display works in a park setting.

Landmarks with a story

  • St. Anne Catholic Church A historic parish in Alpena with a distinctive steeple.
  • Alpena County Courthouse A classic 1930s government building in the heart of downtown.
  • Rogers City Downtown Historic District Features limestone architecture from the early 20th century.
  • Presque Isle County Courthouse A stately courthouse in Rogers City.
  • Old lumber mill sites Remnants of the lumber era along the river.

Food traditions

  • Smoked whitefish A Great Lakes tradition from local smokehouses, often eaten as a sandwich or spread.
  • Polish kielbasa and pierogi Served at church dinners and festivals, reflecting the area's Polish roots.
  • Smelt dipping In spring, families dip for smelt in creeks and fry them up.
  • Maple syrup making Early spring sugar shacks boil sap into syrup, a local favorite.

Music and arts

  • Maritime folk music and sea shanties Performed at local festivals and events.
  • Great Lakes landscape painting Local artists capture the lighthouses and shoreline.
  • Wood carving and boat building Traditional crafts passed down through generations.
  • Community theater The Alpena Civic Theatre stages local productions.

A little history

  • Late 1800s Lumber boom built the town
  • 1912 Limestone quarrying began at Calcite
  • 1865 Sinking of the steamship Pewabic
  • 2000 Establishment of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
  • 1881 The Great Fire of 1881 swept through the region
  • Game day Friday night lights
  • Game day Ice fishing tournaments
  • Outdoors Sailing on Lake Huron
  • Outdoors Beachcombing for Petoskey stones
  • With kids Boat tours of Thunder Bay
  • With kids Swimming at the beach

Locals speak with a mild Upper Midwest accent, saying 'pop' for soda and 'you guys' for everyone. They often refer to Lake Huron simply as 'the lake' and use terms like 'up north' for the whole region.

Only here

  • Thunder Bay is one of the few freshwater marine sanctuaries in the world.
  • The Calcite quarry near Rogers City is one of the largest limestone quarries in the world.
  • The shipwrecks of Thunder Bay are so numerous it's called 'Shipwreck Alley'.
  • Alpena is known as the 'Sanctuary of the Great Lakes'.
New here? A few tips
  • Be prepared for long, cold winters with lake effect snow; invest in a good winter coat.
  • Summer is short but beautiful—get out on the water early.
  • Learn to pronounce 'Alpena' as al-PEE-nuh.
  • Try a pastie from a local bakery.
  • The area is quiet in winter, so embrace indoor activities like visiting museums.

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Nearby

Every area
Sunrise SideMichiganWhere every morning starts with a sunrise worth waking for.GaylordMichiganWhere the pines meet the lakes, and everyone knows your name.Tip of the MittMichiganWhere the lakes meet the pinesWest BranchMichiganWhere the pines meet the bay, and the deer roam.AlgomaOntarioWhere the Shield meets the Lake.PetoskeyMichiganWhere the Great Lakes meet the pines.Elliot LakeOntarioLocal rooms for Elliot Lake.Bay CityMichiganA waterfront town with a big heart.

Alpena, MI. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.

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