If you go, i suggest Mackinaw city, the island, US 2 to Iron Mountain, north to US 41, north to the Keweenaw peninsula to Copper Harbor, stop at Eagle Harbor, etc, back down through Ironwood to Duluth and where ever from there.
At Eagle Harbor, if you go stand on the rocks waterside, your standing on the earths exposed crust and on the southern edge of the mid continental rift.
At Calumet, youll be able to see the copper mining hay days. There is about a 16 ton, or so lump of nearly pure copper on display there...or there used to be anyway.
MTU at Houghton. They got a hell of a mineral display there.
At Iron Mountain, the Cornish Pump museum.
Fayette state park-reserved pig iron smelting town.
Big springs state park.
Porcupine mountains and lake.
At Ironwood/Bessemer swing a short trip across the state line and visit Hurley Wi...before Las Vegas, there was Hurley Wi. The wildest WORLD INFAMOUS, town in America back in the mining and logging boom. Most of what the mob learned about stuff was learned from Hurley Wi.
Just a few suggestions.
Wow. My father was from Minnesota, and I’ve been there many times, but not within the last 30 years or so. We’ve been up to thunder bay, up around Ontario, but I’ve never been to Michigan or northern Wisconsin, I’d love to see the Upper Peninsula. We’ve been all around the northeast, some beautiful sights there, and a lot of history also, but want to see different places.