Alas, it’s nearly that time of the year. Spring is around the bend. Summer 2024 is almost upon us. Time for ice cream, local fudge, friends and family reunions. Fill up the tank and hit the road. From M26 to Chassell, Calumet to Copper Harbor, to Houghton, Hancock and all the other smaller towns in between. It’d be impossible to see and do everything available here until the fall comes rolling back. Make the most of it in however, and whatever, ways the Copper Country interests you.

Time to get to thoughts of spring day trips and adventures locally, to planning and booking summer dreams. Day trips or shorter trips, anything goes. Maybe meeting old friends or reliving old adventures. Learning new favorites. Way up north here in the Copper Country, there is a window period where you need to do some serious planning or at least heavy consideration of your summer endeavors you aspire to. From making camping reservations to buying summer essentials. Perhaps inviting old friends to come visit the Copper Country and stay awhile. Stocking up on camping foods.

Gardening here, for example, takes special preparation earlier if you are farthest north. There is even a time difference between towns north of Houghton for getting starts seeding. If you are not into gardening per se, plan on visiting local farmers markets. Maybe learn to find wild berries or plant some perennials. It is easy to find appropriate season perennials for free if you know locals willing to share. Or plan to go pick berries at a local farm.

Our summers up here in the Copper Country certainly can fly by if you are not careful to plan to make the most of it. Be it camping, biking, hiking or gardening. Not to mention, fishing, boating or kayaking. With so much to do, see and experience around here, it is imperative to make the most of the warmer weather. It is a wonder and an absolute joy to be amongst the lucky to live or visit our amazing Copper Country.

From canoeing to kayaking or meeting locals to agate picking. To watching sports locally or even making new camping memories, the choices are endless here and vast. We have three solid months to get out and enjoy the summer weather. The actual big lake takes quite awhile occasionally to warm up for swimming comfortably, but soaking up natural vitamin D is easy as early as April some years. This summer is almost around the corner.

Being from the Copper Country as a child, teen or adult or visitor, we all share special memories and experiences. It is something so unique and wonderful about being here is why being a Yooper was more than likely coined. Even visitors to our area learn to fall in love with our Lake Superior shoreline or beaches and towns so much they return as often as possible. This is what makes our Copper Country area so special.

We love our Upper Pennisula. And especially our Copper Country. From the deep woods to the lakes to even the mosquitoes. We will always love being up here. The myriad summer activities and abundance of outdoor trails and parks are spectacular. And every town or place in the country would be a toss up or difficult to rival our uniqueness compared to our area.

Besides camping or summer jobs, or volunteering, or going to one of the many local churches. The area is rich with local history and an underlying camadarie. Being from the Copper Country is a way of life. So much so, once you move here, it is actually very difficult to leave again. The area is called God’s Country for a reason.

Get out the calendar and lay out some exciting plans. Embrace our weather and plan for both sunny and rainy days. Take a drive up north to Copper Harbor and spend a whole weekend or a night. Enjoy Great Sands Bay or a day hike in the deep woods. Meet the locals and tourists alike. Pretend you’re square dancing. It is one way to truly make your outdoor memories last even longer.

A little rain can’t ruin anything either around the Copper Country if you plan ahead. Take a moment to pack extra clothing or rain gear. And remember to keep dry if temperatures are cooler yet. Meet up with friends and family as often as you can. Nothing is better than a picnic or a day hike, as long as you remember the bug spray and sunscreen. From sightseeing to joyriding to long, long hiking trips. Our summers offer a huge choice here, so it’s definitely worth pondering and prioritizing your months.

Our favorite camping spots or parks to our favorite beaches and biking trails. We have everything and anything in between. Unique restaurants and unique summer popular spots or special summer activities. There are many indoor activities, too, from the Copper Mining Museum in Calumet to the Rock and Mineral Museum in Houghton. Those could both be rainy day activities or any day if you want to explore.

We have it all here up north – from the favorites to the more unknown. Searching for that piece of elusive Copper or a favorite beach rock. Watching the sunrises to the sunsets and star gazing. Swimming in Lake Superior for the very first time. Making the best campfire around. Maybe even skinny dipping in the dark. Not sure if that one is actually legal. But you get the drift.

Once you take time to make some spring and summer plans around our beautiful Copper Country, remember to take along your camera too. It’s a blessing to live or visit here and some day it’ll be nice to have an album to look back to reminisce about all your outdoor adventures. Visiting a few local beaches in one day here is possible and makes an interesting day for sure. If you take the time to pack and plan ahead. Sometimes a beach hop is necessary for whatever reason or simply for fun. We have so many to choose from. Houghton’s beach to the breakers. Essentials being coolers, ice, drinks and a little bit of summer sisu.

Our Copper Country is a blessing to us all and we are all lucky to live here or visit, so take some effort and time to plan a few wonderful summer months. The only condumdrum is squeezing in all your favorites and finding the perfect time to lay your summer plans. Nothing is better than our Copper Country here in the summer. Soak up everyday you can – from reading a book at the beach or simply enjoying the summer breeze.