pictured rocks national lakeshore

After deciding to escape the city this past Labor Day holiday weekend, we now were faced with the difficult decision of where exactly would we be escaping to. My boyfriend did a quick google search of destinations within a day's drive from Chicago. He found a place neither of us had heard about before. After looking at about two pictures, we couldn't wait to get there.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, located just a few miles east of the small town of Munising, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is an outdoor lover's paradise. It boasts sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, beaches, lakes and sand dunes. It also offers numerous hiking trails, camping, sightseeing and other year round activities.

The North Country National Scenic Trail follows the shoreline which offers spectacular views of Lake Superior, the largest, deepest, coldest and most pristine of all of the Great Lakes. Although, the best views, in my opinion, are seen directly from the water. There are a few options in which to do this. One option, which is my favorite, is to rent sea kayaks from Paddling Michigan to get up close and personal with the sandstone cliffs and crystal clear water. If you are not too keen about strapping yourself into a kayak, there is more leisurely option of a scenic boat cruise with Pictured Rocks Cruises that travels along the shoreline. We opted to do both and it was definitely worth the splurge!