Take a Day Trip to Alpena: The Sanctuary of the Great Lakes

Along a relaxing 45-minute drive north, escape to some of the best fall colors our area has to offer to reach the charming town of Alpena.

Culturally rich, Alpena, The Sanctuary of the Great Lakes, is the hub of a four-county region and an intersection of history, tradition, outdoor adventure and modern convenience. This refuge is quietly nestled between vibrant state forests and the tranquil blue waters of Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay. From maritime history and lighthouses to award-winning country breweries and wineries, the town offers major-metropolitan benefits without the congestion and stress.

Refresh at an historic lumberjack saloon, sip freshly brewed coffee in a downtown café, antique and shop or visit galleries and museums. Reconnect with nature along miles of trails within the city and county that weave among acres of pristine woodlands, meadows, lakes and rivers. Visit the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse, one of the oldest light stations on Lake Huron, situated in the center of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the nation’s only freshwater National Marine Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary preserves nearly 200 historic shipwrecks in and around the bay and interprets hundreds of years of nautical commerce and maritime history with exhibits and programs that bring the stories of ship captains, sailors and lighthouse keepers to life. Divers, snorkelers and kayakers explore the wrecks resting on the lakebed and visitors can take boat tours with glass bottoms to view the artifacts. Explore their history and archaeology at the admission-free Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, the Sanctuary’s 20,000-square foot riverfront headquarters. Exhibits include the new 9,000-square foot “Exploring the Shipwreck Century”, where visitors experience elements of a traditional maritime museum combined with a hands-on discovery center featuring life-sized recreations of an historic Great Lakes schooner and shipwreck sites, artifact displays and interactive learning stations. You may also want to explore the Thunder Bay Sanctuary Research Collection, one of the largest archival collections of Great Lakes maritime history in existence, located at the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library.

Preserve, within a wild sanctuary, an inaccessible valley of reverie. ― Ellen Glasgow