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GRAND RAPIDS | KALAMAZOO | MUSKEGON | 9.24.23

When we chose the stories for this edition, all the events and dates were accurate. As always, find the mostup-to-date information on the business/event/activity website, Facebook page or other direct information source.

[LOOK INSIDE] Plan your fall adventure in Munising

Vibrant

beauty

‘Find joy in the U.P.’ with fall color tour and a reopened landmark restaurant on Lake Superior SPONSORED for Munising Visitors Bureau

hen Tom Dolaskie and Darrin Hubbard bought, renovated and re-opened the historic Brownstone Inn, the Munising natives focused on goals that were bigger than extending an 18-year business success story in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was a passion project that centered on the community vibrancy in and around AuTrain. It was about continuing a legacy dining location for locals and visitors, all of whom fondly recall the landmark gathering spot with incredible fourseason views of Lake Superior. And it was about giving generations of clientele and employees the ability to carry-on traditions. “It’s all about the overall experience of being in the U.P.,” said Dolaskie, who with Hubbard owns and operates seven restaurants in Alger County in addition to a technology firm that was relocated to their hometown. “We are all about giving people a great product, partnering with our local farmers and letting the people who have loved working here for years continue to have jobs they enjoy. “The Brownstone has always been a destination by vehicle and the (off-road vehicles) and snowmobiles on the trail, a place that you can’t wait to visit. We’re really looking forward to being part a great fall color season and having people find joy in the U.P.” The Brownstone was built along M-28 just west of AuTrain in 1946 using locally harvested materials that include masonry stones from around the county, logs cut and hauled from Chatham and beams and metal windows from a shuttered Ford Motors plant, as legend and lore from the past 70+ years have recollected. The rustic vibe and unique design complement the vintage log furniture that was built years ago in Cheboygan and remains in the dining room today. “This is a one-of-a-kind place, and we wanted to stay true to that,” he said. “We freshened it up, but most of the investment is behind the scenes in the infrastructure and the people.” Dolaskie relays that the bar is new, and the commercial-grade kitchen is equipped like never before for unparalleled food and service. He also brought in excavators to clear and smooth a onemile off-road path that allows all-terrain vehicles – and come winter a groomed trail for snowmobiles – to easily access the restaurant. After a busy summer season, when travelers flocked to Munising to enjoy the Pictured Rocks

The fall leaf forecast indicates that peak color will occur in Munising between Oct. 1 and Oct. 18.

National Lakeshore, kayaking, boat cruises, hiking and more outdoor activities, the region’s dining and lodging establishments are looking forward to the green forests transition to a fireworks-style explosion of reds, oranges and yellows. Temperatures will drop while remaining comfortable and crowds will dwindle but the serenity and outdoor beauty that people find in the U.P. remains the same. The fall leaf forecast indicates that peak color will occur in Munising between Oct. 1 and Oct. 18, providing a twoweek window for people to take advantage of what nature gifts this year, though the lead up to those dates and the immediate aftermath will still offer vibrant beauty. Of course, in Munising, the prime attraction is and will remain the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, with cliffs that climb between 50 and 200 feet and flash stunning shades of red, orange, green and blue, along nearly 30 miles of Lake Superior coastline.

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Visitors continue to discover the dramatic views of the sandstone cliffs on outdoor adventures and longtime residents advise guests to take a different perspective on the property by experiencing the sights from the water. “If you want the best experience and the most incredible views of the cliffs, you’ve got to get out on the water to see them,” said Cori-Ann Cearley president of the Munising Visitors Bureau. “When you’re on a trail, you’re only seeing it from the top down, or from a certain vantage point that has limitations. “If you’re on the water, you’re looking at the whole thing and getting all of that beauty.” Water experiences in the area vary from kayak tours to larger tour boats that continue into the fall months, but visitors should be sure to check the schedules of outing providers. When it comes to planning a visit to Munising, Cearley says there’s never a dearth of options. “Everyone is looking for their own way to travel and have their personal experience,” Cearley said. “It’s awesome that we have the ability to give people what they are after.”

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Telling Michigan’s Best Stories Join us as we explore Michigan to find the best our state has to offer. Follow along as we travel to find and tell stories about Michigan’s best adventures, foods, events, nature, innovations, businesses, and communities. Your source for feel-good, positive Michigan news. Find us on MLive.com/MichigansBest and our social channels.

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