Escanaba Michigan
On Big Bay De Noc, a great Michigan back roads day trip.
Someone once said that there is no such thing as bad
publicity. I’m not so sure. Escanaba In Da Moonlight holds
the record for the longest running play in Detroit's
history. The film was a success but didn’t do any favors for
Escanaba. That film has given most people who have never
been to Escanaba, a distorted view of what life is like
there. Escanaba isn’t a primitive wilderness and the weather
isn’t always like that seen in the movie. Downtown Escanaba
is where the unique character of this upper peninsula town
begins to become apparent. The road to downtown is a broad
boulevard with five lanes. Shops, local dining spots and
brew pubs line the street. The sidewalks are broad as well,
making it easy to enjoy the many festivals and events that
take place there. To get a true idea of life in Escanaba,
one needs to know about the beaches, the arts and the banana
belt.
When
talking about beautiful beaches, Escanaba may not spring to
mind, but Escanaba has beaches and they are gorgeous. Little
Bay de Noc, part of Lake Michigan, is where you find the
Escanaba Municipal Beach. It is part of Ludington Park. The
beach is found on a small island connected to the main park
by a road and a footpath. When beachgoers have had enough
sun, the Sand Point Lighthouse and Delta County Historical
Museum are within walking distance. To get to the park and
beach just drive all the way through downtown on that broad
boulevard to the marina. Another beach is found inside the
Portage Point State Wildlife Area south of town. This beach
is on a strip of land that extends out into Lake Michigan
for nearly two miles, Portage Point.
Superb art can be found in the downtown galleries. The East
Ludington Gallery is the oldest artist cooperative gallery
in the Upper Peninsula. The gallery has become a favorite
destination for lovers of art of all kinds. There are more
than 40 artists contributing to the works at the gallery
from functional crafts to fine arts. Inside are found
paintings in several mediums, stained glass, jewelry,
photography and quilts among many others. The gallery has
high standards for what will be displayed. All artists must
have their work juried before the gallery will accept it.
The gallery is inside an historic building and consists of
several rooms. Whether searching for a simple craft item of
a complex piece of fine art, it can be found here, and the
quality is always of the highest. Just a short walk from the
East Ludington Gallery is the William Bonifas Fine Arts
Center. It is considered home to all the arts in the Central
Upper Peninsula. There are galleries to tour, art workshops,
educational classes and theatrical productions. The
galleries feature local and regional art exhibits. Their
programs and classes are designed to offer educational
opportunities for all ages and all skill levels.
Besides the prevalence of the arts, another thing that
surprises people is the pleasant weather. Sure, they have
winter weather, this is the upper peninsula, but it is more
clement than many expect. There is a section of the upper
peninsula known as the Banana Belt. It runs through the
center of the peninsula from west to east and has much
milder weather due to lake effect winds and other factors.
Escanaba is within the western part of the belt and gets
less snow than Lansing and much less than Traverse City. On
one trip I was in Felch, about 45 minutes away, where we got
12 inches of snow one night. When I arrived in Escanaba next
morning, they had gotten less than an inch. The weather is
pleasant enough of the time to support a superb farmers
market. At the pavilion are found local produce and a
variety of items created by local artists and crafters.
