Marquette
Around Marquette
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Town and around · Michigan · 67k people
Marquette
“Queen City of the North”
Where the north woods meet the big lake.
Northern GreenOld GoldLake Superior Blue
Welcome to Marquette, where the lake meets the woods and the pasties are hot. Whether you're here for the trails, the hockey, or just to soak in the Superior views, you'll find a community that loves the outdoors and each other.
Clubs for Marquette
No clubs for Marquette yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Marquette. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Marquette. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Presque Isle Park Rocky shoreline and walking trails on Lake Superior.
- Marquette Harbor Lighthouse Historic beacon at the harbor entrance.
- Sugarloaf Mountain Short hike to panoramic views of Lake Superior.
- Black Rocks Popular jumping cliffs at Presque Isle.
- Dead River Falls Series of cascades along the Dead River.
- Northern Michigan University Home of the Wildcats and a hub for events.
- Outdoors Hiking at Presque Isle and Sugarloaf
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing on Noquemanon Trail
- With kids Upper Peninsula Children's Museum
- With kids Marquette Maritime Museum
- Evenings Live music at downtown bars
- Evenings Brewery taprooms
- Locals love Lake Superior shoreline spots
- Locals love Cross-country ski trails
Through the year
- UP 200 Sled Dog Race February Mushers race from Marquette across the UP.
- Marquette Marathon September Scenic course along Lake Superior.
- Hiawatha Music Festival July Folk and roots music in Tourist Park.
- Marquette Area Blues Fest August Blues concerts at Mattson Lower Harbor Park.
- Ishpeming Ski Jumping Tournament January Skiers fly off the Suicide Bowl jumps.
Marquette has a harsh but beautiful climate: cold, snowy winters and short, mild summers. The best time to be out is summer and fall, but winter is prime for snow sports. Best: Late spring to early fall for hiking and water sports; winter for skiing and snowmobiling.
Talk like a local
- “Yooper”
- A resident of the Upper Peninsula.
- “UP”
- The Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
- “Troll”
- Someone from below the Mackinac Bridge (lower Michigan).
- “Pasties”
- A meat and vegetable pie, pronounced 'pass-tees'.
Getaways
- Houghton Historic copper mining town with a lively downtown.
- Escanaba Lake Michigan port city with a waterfront park.
- Iron Mountain Gateway to the Menominee Range and ski hills.
- Sault Ste. Marie See the Soo Locks and ship traffic.
Local flavour
Teams
- Northern Michigan University Wildcats NCAA Division I (hockey), Division II (other sports)
Eat and drink
- Pasties A hearty meat-and-potato turnover brought by Cornish miners, a U.P. staple.
- Cudighi A spicy Italian sausage sandwich on a long roll, a local specialty.
- Lake Superior Whitefish Fresh whitefish from Lake Superior, often broiled or smoked.
- Yooper-style Coney Dogs A local take on the Coney dog, often with a unique meat sauce.
Where people go
- Pasty shops Small bakeries and diners that serve pasties, a U.P. tradition.
- Ski hills and cross-country trails Marquette Mountain and groomed trails for winter sports.
- Lake Superior shorelines and lighthouses Rocky beaches, cliffs, and the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.
- Iron mining museums Historic sites like the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming.
Heritage and traditions
Marquette is proud of its rugged Lake Superior shoreline, its deep iron-mining roots, and a tight-knit Yooper culture where people help each other through long winters and celebrate the outdoors.
This time of year in Marquette
- Color tours Fall Fall foliage drives and hikes.
- Marquette Farmers Market Summer and fall Weekly market with local produce and crafts.
Say it like a local: “Eh” — Tag question used at the end of sentences, as in 'It's cold, eh?'
Festivals
- Marquette Art on the Rocks July Annual art and craft show in July.
- Noquemanon Ski Marathon January A premier cross-country ski race in January.
- Marquette Winter Beer Festival February A winter beer tasting event in February.
- Marquette Blueberry Festival August Celebrates local blueberries with food and activities in August.
- Hiawatha Music Festival July Folk and roots music festival in July.
- UP 200 Sled Dog Race February A 200-mile sled dog race through the U.P. in February.
Landmarks with a story
- Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum Historic iron ore mine in Ishpeming, offering tours.
- Michigan Iron Industry Museum Museum in Negaunee telling the story of iron mining.
- St. Peter Cathedral Historic Catholic cathedral in Marquette.
- Marquette County Courthouse Historic courthouse built in 1904, a local landmark.
- Bishop Baraga Shrine Statue of Bishop Frederic Baraga, a missionary to the Ojibwa.
- Old Post Office Historic federal building in downtown Marquette.
Food traditions
- Thimbleberry jam Made from wild thimbleberries, a local delicacy often found at farmers markets.
- Smoked whitefish A Lake Superior tradition, often smoked and served at gatherings.
- Finnish pulla Cardamom bread brought by Finnish immigrants, a coffee-time favorite.
- Pasty with ketchup or gravy A Yooper way to eat the miner's pie, often with ketchup or gravy.
- Wild blueberry picking A late-summer family tradition in the forests around Marquette.
Music and arts
- Yooper folk music A blend of Finnish, Scandinavian, and American folk traditions.
- Finnish-American crafts Weaving, woodworking, and other crafts from Finnish heritage.
- Marquette Symphony Orchestra Classical music performances in the community.
A little history
- 1844 Discovery of iron ore near Negaunee
- 1849 Founding of Marquette
- 1850s Shipping of iron ore from Marquette harbor
- 1870s–1900s Finnish immigration to the U.P.
- 1900s Iron mining boom and growth of the region
Rivalries
- NMU vs Michigan Tech hockey Fierce college hockey rivalry between UP schools.
- Marquette vs Ishpeming/Negaunee high school football Local bragging rights in the county.
- Yooper vs Troll Friendly disdain for people from below the Mackinac Bridge.
- Marquette vs Houghton Rivalry over which UP city is the true hub.
- Game day NMU hockey games
- Game day Ski jumping at Ishpeming
- Outdoors Hiking to Sugarloaf Mountain
- Outdoors Jumping off Black Rocks
- With kids Ice skating at the outdoor rink
- With kids Snow tubing at Marquette Mountain
Yooper dialect blends Midwestern English with Finnish and Scandinavian influences, often ending sentences with 'eh', using 'ya' for 'you', and 'dere' for 'there'. The accent is distinctive and a point of pride.
Only here
- The pasty is a symbol of the mining heritage and a point of pride.
- The UP 200 is one of the few sled dog races in the Midwest.
- The word 'Yooper' originated here to describe Upper Peninsula residents.
- The Iron Ore Heritage Trail is a 47-mile trail connecting mining history.
New here? A few tips
- Learn to say 'Marquette' as 'mar-KETT' – not 'mar-KET'.
- Invest in good winter tires and learn to drive in snow.
- Try a pasty with ketchup or gravy – it's a local staple.
- Get used to the snow – it can start in October and last into May.
- Layer clothing for the cold; it's better to be over-prepared.
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Nearby
Every areaEscanabaMichiganWhere the north woods meet the bayIron MountainMichiganWhere the Northwoods meet the iron rangeEastern U.P.MichiganWhere the forests meet the Great Lakes.HoughtonMichiganA Finnish-flavored slice of the Upper PeninsulaMarinetteWisconsinWhere the Menominee meets the bayNorthwoodsWisconsinLakes, pines, and the quiet hum of the north.ShawanoWisconsinWhere the river runs through the pines.PetoskeyMichiganWhere the Great Lakes meet the pines.
Marquette, 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.