To a lot of road warriors, Newberry isn't much more than a couple of restaurants and gas stations located conveniently between Sault Ste. Marie and Munising.
To those folks, Newberry is a bit of an oasis. It's either the last stop before the drive through the unsettled wilderness of the Seney Stretch, or it's a welcoming sight once you've finally made it through that stretch of roadway.
But Newberry is so much more. It's a wonderful location to visit, teeming with sights to see and places to visit. While it's not the largest town on the map, hosting a population right around the 2,650 mark, it is far from the smallest.
Newberry is an outdoors paradise, first and foremost, surrounded by thousands of acres of state and national forests. It's just a hop, skip and a jump to the
Tahquamenon Falls, which is a must-see for fans of all things water, or just the falling variety. You also don't have to travel far to enjoy some great fishing, hunting for agates and visiting the Two Hearted River, which was made famous by none other than Ernest Hemingway.
As if that weren't enough for the outdoors lover, Newberry is also the "moose capital of Michigan," as designated by the resolutions in both the Michigan House and the Senate. In addition, it's the home of
Oswald Bear Ranch, which is the largest bear-only ranch in the country.
If you're visiting in the fall, try to time it around the time the Newberry and Sault Ste. Marie high school football teams are playing against one another on the gridiron. The two teams have been rivals since they first played in 1913. Each year, the victor takes home the Little Brown Jug of the Upper Peninsula and, of course, bragging rights. Records don't matter when these two teams play, that's for sure.
But the outdoors isn't the only thing to see in Newberry. You can take a stroll through the
Tahquamenon Logging Museum, or visit the
Luce County Historical Museum, which features the history of the area that includes logging camps, lumberjacks, Native American culture and the Upper Peninsula's state psychiatric hospital.
And while it's not directly in Newberry, it's not a far drive to get to the
Whitefish Point Lighthouse and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum--the only museum of its kind, dedicated to the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes.
Don't worry if you can't get there until there is snow on the ground. Newberry is one of the premier Upper Peninsula snowmobiling destinations around. You can also visit
Nature's Kennel, which has sled dog tours and rides to give that true musher experience.
Dining options abound, too. You can hit
Timber Charlie's and enjoy a huge variety of food choices, or snag a bite at the best pizza and sub shop around with
Seder's. If it's a hand-crafted cold brew you're after (and some darn good eats, too), then take a trip to
Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub.
And there is even a great weekly newspaper to read over while enjoying your meal.
The Newberry News, run by the Diem family, is all things Newberry. Newspapers just don't focus on community these days like the Newberry News still does.
No matter what time of year you come to the U.P., make a point of visiting Newberry. If you want to experience all there is to offer up here, few places meet those needs as well as this wonderful town.
Sam Eggleston is the managing editor of the U.P. Second Wave and a full-time freelance writer. He was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula. His first stop in Newberry came during high school while traveling through the town to play football on the east end of the U.P. There have been many stops since. Eggleston can be reached via email.
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