“Say yah to da U.P., eh”

Welcome to the True North with the fresh smell of pine trees and the cool feel of freshwater on your feet as you walk along an endless sandy beach. This is the Land of Hiawatha. The Copper Country. The end of the road. You have to be going here because it’s not on the way anywhere. But, as luck would have it, it’s home to a wide variety of breweries and some atmospheric knotty-pine taprooms.

This ambitious tour begins in Sault Ste. Marie, the Soo, as it’s known to locals, traverses west along the south shore of Lake Superior across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Northern Wisconsin and ends in Duluth, Minnesota. Travelers will fly into Chippewa County Airport near the Soo and fly out of Duluth International Airport. The Upper Peninsula, aka, the U.P. or da Yoop! Is full of history from the Ojibway, to days of the French Voyageurs, to fur trading, to the War of 1812, to the logging of vast forests of giant virgin White Pine, to Copper Mining. It’s a land of boom and busts. The land that made great fortunes and caused broken dreams. To this day, it's a big wild country, sparsely populated with its own brand humor. You’ll come to a greater understanding and appreciation for the True North on this tour. 

For example, did you know the first Soo Locks were constructed in 1855 and annually more than 7,000 vessels pass through them? You’ll get to see the Soo Locks up close and 1,000’ lake freighters, which routinely pass through them. Great Lakes locals call these leviathans “Thousand footers.”

But points west reveal their own bounty as we drive through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising and then spend two nights in scenic Marquette, home to Northern Michigan University and some delightful breweries.

From there we continued on to the historic iron ore mining town of Ishpeming, the orignal home of Kognisjon Brewery (now in Marquette) and Ralph’s Italian Deli. We’ll pick up some Cudighi sausage sandwiches (a regional delicacy), then visit the historic Mather Inn, which housed the cast of the famous 1959 Jimmy Stewart movie, Anatomy of a Murder. Be prepared to be delighted.

From there we “keep ‘er movin’” toward Wisconsin and Duluth, our home for three nights with some stops along the way to take in some local color, including Ironwood, Michigan; dreamy Bayfield, Wisc. and the Thirsty Pagan Brewing Company in Superior, Wisconsin, where we’ll enjoy a sumptuous dinner and their fine beers. They are famous for their pizza and have routinely won awards for it and their live music. I think you’ll agree. Our gracious hosts are owners Steve and Deb, alumni of numerous BBM! tours.

Is Duluth the undiscovered gem of the west side of Lake Superior? “Ya, sure you betcha!” This port town is the gateway to the world for the harvests of the Upper Midwest and Iron Ore. This large, brawny port city features historic architecture, a rare lift bridge and has a long history of brewing, being most famous for Fitger’s Brewing, which closed in 1973 and has since reopened as Fitger’s Brewhouse and Fitger’s Hotel. The craft beer scene in Duluth is hopping and most of it within walking distance or a short Uber ride from one another. You’ll revel in exploring the beer and restaurant scene in this scenic harbortown, in the shadow of massive lake freighters parked there and ready to take on cargo heading all over the world. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the Twin Ports towns of Duluth and Superior, and wonder why you have not been here sooner. “Shhh. Our little secret now der eh?”

So, there you have it, the True North Tour. Please refer to the itinerary below for more details. I hope you’ll join us. “Tell your parents I says hi.”

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TOURS INCLUDE

• Nine nights accommodations.

• All breakfasts, two lunches and five dinners.

• Tour limited to three travelers.

• A minimum of all breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners with gratuities.

• Beer during brewery tours, taproom visits and company meals as listed on the itinerary.

• Ground transportation via large nine-passenger van. Leave the driving to us!

• Professional and courteous BBM! guide services.

• All tours and admissions.

• An instant group of interesting and fun, beer-loving friends you haven’t met yet. Maximum 3 travelers.

• Guaranteed tour price the moment you submit your deposit.

• Plenty of unstructured free time to relax, shop and explore on your own.

• Custom BBM! name badges.

• Souvenir BBM! luggage tags

• One souvenir BBM! soft-sided cooler per household.

• Flexibility in the event you need to transfer or cancel your tour.

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NOT INCLUDED

• Airfare

• Airport transfers.

• Some meals and beer on your own.

• Free-time sightseeing. Suggestions provided.

• Fine Print: You are responsible for the costs of your free-time sightseeing. Be sure to read our Terms & Conditions Agreement for important details.

• Gratuities, at your discretion, for brewery tour guides.

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TOUR COST

Deadline to sign up is May 1. Sign up here!
$2995/per person + Air, Single supplement $475*

* Prices based on double room occupancy, per person, U.S. dollars, land only.  If you are a solo traveler and would like to have a private room all to yourself there is a single supplement fee of $475 in addition to the base price of $2995 per person.  We can also work with you to try to pair you with other single travelers of the same gender to avoid the single supplement. Better yet, recruit a friend to come, too! Unless, of course, like Rick Steves says, you prefer to “snore alone.”

We require a minimum number of travelers for a tour to be confirmed to go, so it’s important to sign up ASAP, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Also, tours can fill suddenly, so signing up early guarantees your place and avoids disappointment.

PLEASE SHARE BBM! TOURS WITH YOUR REAL ALE ENTHUSIAST
FRIENDS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO JOIN THE FUN!

Day One • Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan -– This incredible tour begins in the afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, aka, the Soo,  as we meet at 1 p.m. in the lobby of the centrally-located historic Ojibway Hotel.  The Soo, Michigan is not to be confused with the Soo, Ontario, aka, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, located just across the St. Marys River and over the International Bridge to Canada. There is an international airport there, too. So if you are coming in from Canada for the tour, that would likely be the airport for your arrival (pending the border being open).

We’ll do a short walking tour of the Old Town Soo and end the famous Soo locks, we’ll have a welcome beer, watch the lake freighters, tugboats and other boats pass through the locks. It’s a fascinating process and one that’s been going on since 1855. You’ll learn the 10 most important facts about the locks to give you a greater appreciation for them. OK, maybe six, we’ll see how far I get. 

Afterward, we’ll visit my friend Ray over at the Soo Brewing Company and sample his full line of refreshing beers. This evening, we’ll have our welcome dinner at the Antlers Restaurant, a landmark there for decades, with a view of the St. Marys River and freighter traffic. I used to eat here with my dear old Aunt Elma, who passed away at age 99 in 2014. She loved it, so did I and I know you will, too. Evening is free to explore the town on your own and visit some of the hole-in-the-wall bars that have endured in this Northern Tier working town through the years. (Dinner #1)

Day Two • Grand Marais, Michigan-- This morning we head for points west with our first stop at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, which conveniently has the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery, where we’ll enjoy lunch. The Upper Falls is a great photo opportunity, is the largest falls in Michigan and one of the largest ones east of the Mississippi River. It’s rootbeer-colored water is caused by tannins from cedar trees.

We’ll continue on to Grand Marais, my and JoJo’s summer home, where we’ll spend three nights and two glorious full days.  Some of you will stay in the Historic Hotel Grand Marais  (HHGM) built in 1883, which also contains my home and the summer office of BBM! Others will be at the nearby Voyageurs Motel. This evening we’ll take our first beach walk and have dinner at the Lake Superior Brewing Company, aka, the Dunes Saloon. This was poet and novelist Jim Harrison’s hangout where he used to hold court most evenings in the summer. You’ll drink beer with the ghost of Jim Harrison. Jim was a friend and local legend. His presence is missed. The Jim Harrison Suite in the Historic Hotel Grand Marais is a tribute to him. Many of his profound and thought-provoking quotes hang on the wall there. You’ll have fun reading them. You’ll be inspired to read his novellas if you haven’t already. He is most famous for writing Legends of the Fall, which became a film in 1994 starring Brad Pitt. (Breakfast & Dinner #2)

Day Three • Grand Marais, Michigan-- We’ll gather for a group breakfast at the HHGM, then from there set out to do some sightseeing including Sable Falls and a scenic short hike through the woods to a remote beach on Lake Superior. You’ll have the option of walking along the shore about 45 minutes back to Grand Marais. We’ll be back in town for lunch on your own. This afternoon do some agate hunting on the beach, go for a swim in the pure fresh water of Lake Superior, enjoy some beers and soak in the pristine environment of this cozy harbortown. Grand Marais is famous for Lake Superior agates. This evening we’ll have a group meal at HHGM, then head down to the boardwalk to watch the biggest show in town, the majestic sunset over Lake Superior, aka, the Big Lake. It draws a crowd each evening and it’s kind of a big deal. From there we’ll enjoy a bonfire on the beach, enjoy some fresh U.P. beers and watch the stars, so clear and bright it’s like you could just reach up and grab one. A magical evening around the fire is guaranteed and a staple of any visit to the True North. (Breakfast & Dinner #3)

Day Four • Grand Marais, Michigan--We’ll gather for another group breakfast at the HHGM, then tour the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitors Center to learn more about this park created in 1966. From there we’ll continue for a hike to Sable Point Lighthouse. Depending on the fitness level of the group, we can go the easy 30-minute, level route or the more challenging one. We’ll also visit the famous Devil’s Log Slide where 19th century loggers slid giant white pine logs down the dune hundreds of feet to Lake Superior, where they were then towed down to the Grand Marais harbor to be milled. Once again we’ll be back in town for lunch on your own. This afternoon we’ll visit the Grand Marais Post Office Museum and the Lighthouse Keepers Museum. We’ll gather back at the HHGM for a group barbeque dinner with more U.P. beer. For sunset, we’ll hike up one up the Grand Sable Dunes for a view of Sable Lake and what will no doubt be another breathtaking sunset. From the top of this giant sand dune looking out over the Land of Hiawatha, is one of my favorite beer drinking locations anywhere and you’ll see why. Bring your thirst and your camera. (Breakfast & Dinner #4)

Day Five • Marquette, Michigan--We pack up this morning, say farewell to Grand Marais and head to Munising, where we’ll visit the fish basket and bring in some lunch to the By George Brewing Company. We’ll be able to see some of the Pictured Rocks and Grand Island, from Munising. We’ll push on to Au Train beach, take a dip in Lake Superior to cool off, then continue on to Marquette, our home for the next two nights. The shallow water at Au Train often produces very warm water. We’ll get checked in to our hotel, then have a tour of the town. Dinner tonight is on your own at the Vierling, the oldest brewpub in town with great atmosphere and food. (Breakfast)

Day Six • Marquette, Michigan--Morning is free to explore the old town of Marquette with its signature red sandstone buildings. It’s a good example of the architecture of the era in Northern Michigan. This town is historically famous for iron ore mining and as a loading port for freighters carrying the ore to foundries in places such as Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The giant ore docks to load the freighters are still in place and at least one of them in operation. To see and hear the ore being loaded from hopper rail cars above into the freighters is quite the experience. Marquette is also home to Northern Michigan University and the students give it a lively beat. We’ll have a company lunch at the Black Rocks Brewery, which is the first stop on our full day of exploring breweries. After lunch we’ll drive out to the nearby park to see the actual black rocks for which the brewery is named. It’s a secret swimming hole known mostly to locals. We’ll see people jumping off the rocks more than 20’ into the water. Bring your bathing suit if you are brave. It’s exhilarating to take that leap of faith and plunge into the crisp waters of Lake Superior.

We’ll continue our beer hunting with visits to Ore Dock Brewing and Barrel & Beam. Dinner is on your own at one of Marquette’s many inviting restaurants. (Breakfast & Lunch #1) 

Day Seven • Duluth, Minnesota--Today we continue west traversing the Upper Peninsula and will arrive late into Duluth, our home for the final two nights of the tour. You’ll be staying at the beautiful South Pier Inn in the Canal Park District, right on the harbor of Lake Superior and with views of the famous Duluth lift bridge. You’ll be an easy walking distance to Canal Park Brewing,  Hoops Brewing Company, the famous Duluth Pack Store, cool antique stores and many, many restaurants.  Canal Park is quite the center of activity and fun.

On our way there, we’ll visit the historic mining town of Ishpeming, have a company lunch at Ralph’s featuring their famous Cudighi sausage sandwiches and make a visit to Cognition Brewing Company for some of their fine beers. The status of the taproom of the brewery was a little up in the air at press time due to some issues surrounding a long-running battle with an unstable landlord, but we’ll work through that as necessary to get you some of their very worthwhile beer. Just another day in the True North.

As we continue west we’ll visit Cold Iron Brewing in Ironwood, Michigan, then do a drive through of Hurley, Wisconsin, known as “Hell on the Michigan State Line” as it historically has been home to dozens of hole-in-the-wall bars and activities of questionable pursuits. The mascot of the Hurley High School is the Midgets. You cannot make up this stuff and it’s all part of the True North.

From there we continue to South Shore Brewery Tap House in Washburn, Wisconsin, for a tasting of their beer. Time permitting, we'll swing through the charming town of Bayfield, Wisconsin, which is where you catch the ferry to the Apostle Islands, just offshore in Lake Superior. The islands feature parks and mostly private summer homes.

We’ll plan to arrive in time for dinner at the Thirsty Pagan Brewing Company in Superior Wisconsin. Located in an old Soo Railroad Depot, it is famous for its beer, pizza and other food. Our hosts are Deb Gonser and Steve Knauss, friends of mine and veterans of many BBM! tours. I know they are excited for us to visit. We’ll enjoy dinner and the cool atmosphere, then continue over the St. Louis River to our hotel in Duluth about 10 minutes away. (Breakfast, Lunch #2 & Dinner #5)

Day Eight • Duluth, Minnesota--Morning is free to explore Duluth. We’ll meet at 11 a.m. to have a tour of the city, including going up on the hills above it to look down and give you a perspective. Then we’ll head to lunch on your own at the Pickwick Restaurant, which is the former taproom of the old Fitgers Brewery, which closed in the early 1970’s. It’s wood-paneled walls and atmosphere will make you feel like you are in Germany. From there, we walk a few blocks to the Black List Brewing Company, where you can try your hand at axe throwing. What could go wrong? This afternoon we’ll work our way through numerous Duluth breweries including, Ursa Minor, Bent Paddle, the newish Fitger’s Brewhouse, located in the former Fitger’s Brewery. (Breakfast)

Day Nine • Duluth, Minnesota--Morning is free to sleep in, relax and explore some more on your own. Lunch is on your own. This afternoon we’ll continue on with our tour of visiting Duluth’s many, many breweries. Alternately, you may have this afternoon free to continue shopping and exploring Duluth on your own. Dinner is on your own, then this evening we’ll gather at 7 p.m. at the hotel for a bottle share on the patio to lighten our load of the many beers you no doubt will have purchased along the way. This will also be a good chance for one more beer session with you new friends and to put a bow on this incredible journey from the Soo to Duluth. Not many people will ever make this trek. You will have become a member of a fraternity within a fraternity of beer enthusiasts with memories to last a lifetime.

Day Ten • Duluth, Minnesota--Breakfast concludes this most memorable and satisfying True North Beer Tour.  Travelers will fly out of the nearby Duluth International Airport. Taxis are available for airport transfers.  (Breakfast)
*This itinerary is subject to change.

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