From small-town parades and rainy-day pivots to lakeside ice cream and local eats, our 4th of July weekend in Escanaba was full of unexpected joy and Northwoods charm.
Escanaba just keeps pulling us back in the best way. After a winter visit full of tip-ups and local faves, we couldn’t wait to return for a summer trip. We were happy to work with Visit Escanaba again this weekend to explore town and experience the area’s celebrations firsthand. From parades to park festivities, this trip centered around community pride, local businesses, and the small-town charm that makes Escanaba shine.
Jay and I got up early Friday morning and left the house about 5:15am. We rolled into town just in time for the Gladstone (Escanaba’s north-neighboring city) parade to kick off at 11AM. Parking was tight, but we found a spot just a few blocks from the corner and settled into a front-row view by families with kids. For 45 minutes, we helped scoop up candy, waved at floats, and soaked in that small-town Fourth of July magic. The streets were packed, the floats were great, and I can say this was one of my favorite parades I’ve ever been to! When we figured it was wrapping up, we made our way toward Van Cleve Park—only to realize the parade still had another hour to go! No complaints though; the energy was high and the turnout was huge. Red, white, and blue everywhere!
Van Cleve Park was buzzing! There were food trucks, bubble soccer, log rolling competitions (with our local Krick Logrolling crew from Hayward!), live music, games, and hundreds of people celebrating together. It felt like the whole community showed up and we were grateful to be part of it. We grabbed ourselves some fresh squeezed lemonade and walked the park.
Afterward, we headed back south to grab a light lunch at Hereford & Hops in downtown Escanaba. Jay and I split a Caesar salad and spinach artichoke dip (both solid, refreshing picks) and had a great experience with our server, Emma. The building itself has a neat history too, with roots in the brewing industry. They even make their own root beer; Jay and I were huge fans! From there, we stretched our legs at Ludington Park and made our way out to Aronson Island. The views of the water never get old. You definitely don’t want to miss the giant Bigfoot sand sculpture this year! One is lounging with a drink on Gladstone Beach, and this one casting a line from a boat (cover photo). Carved by Michigan’s Art Club Hub, these bring local folklore to the shore.
Jay and I decided to spend our afternoon doing some shore fishing, so we stopped at Bayview Bait & Tackle for jigs and crawlers and tried our luck at the North Shore fishing pier. We watched a guy lose a monster channel catfish right at the dock! A few bites here and there for us, but nothing stuck. Next stop: the Escanaba River Dam Park. The setting is unique; big structure, easy access, and definitely a pit stop worth making if you’re into fishing or just want a peaceful overlook. A few smallmouth were being caught by a gentleman down the river from us, we had no luck but sometimes that’s fishing! The dam wasn’t putting out a ton of water so we took advantage of a little calmness.. by the end of the weekend, you’d see water sneaking over the top of the dam gates due to the heavy rainfall!
We then bopped over and checked into our Lakeview Tower room at Terrace Bay Hotel and headed straight for the pool to cool off before dinner at Freshwater Tavern. It was our first time staying there in summer, and we really appreciated the access to kayaks and e-bikes (free for guests), not to mention the on-site restaurant, coffee shop, lounge, lakewalk, and overall vibe. For dinner, Jay started out with an Old Fashioned (those Fabri cherries are to die for) and I started with a mocktail. I forget all of the names, but they are all seriously so good. We got the cheesecurds to share and for dinner, Jay got a Filet Minon with some delicious potatoes and I got the Halibut special over an insanely good rissoto.
We ended our day with an e-bike ride to Barn on the Bay for ice cream. I got the Me Want Cookie (think blue moon meets cookie dough and Oreo), and Jay went for a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough (I forget the name LOL). It was busy, but everyone was happy. How can you not be with ice cream on a summer day? We sat out on the deck, watched the sun go down, and agreed it might’ve been the best bite of the weekend. We finished off the Fourth by getting into our comfy clothes and sitting on our balcony watching Gladstone’s fireworks show at dusk.
Saturday should have started off early and on the water, but unfortunately for us our salmon charter got cancelled with incoming winds. I was up early and decided to stay up and watch the GORGEOUS sunrise over Lake Michigan from our balcony. We decided to start off our day with coffee and breakfast sandwiches from Biggby Coffee (located conveniently inside Terrace Bay Hotel lobby) and a stop at the Escanaba Farmers Market. Between the baked goods, sourdough loaves, plant stands, and handmade crafts, we walked away with some dog treats. Everyone was kind, friendly, and eager to chat. A couple of my favorite vendors were Yooper Farmhouse, Nourished by Nature LLC, and Up North Design & Gifts!
Our fishing luck didn’t change on day two, but we gave it our best at the dam again before heading back for a quick recharge. While fishing wasn’t exactly going our way, honestly, the slower pace was just fine. It gave us time to relax and pivot to do more fun activities! Until it made us pivot again. With full intent to spend roughly 4pm to dark at Ludington Park for the 4th of July celebration, it was cancelled due to torrential downpour and forecasted thunderstorms through the evening. We went downstairs to the Fresh Coast Lounge for a light appetizer, some drinks, and game planned our night.
When the rain started to pour, we went mini-golfing at U.Putt, which is indoor, glow-in-the-dark, and absolutely worth a stop—especially on a rainy day. Each hole had a clever theme and even a few hidden surprises (we never did find the camel mascot). I lost in typical Sarah fashion while Jay won and essentially practiced his putting for Tuesday night golf-league. LOL
After 14 holes, we hit up Saunders Point Brewing Co. Jay enjoyed a couple beers from their very creative tap list, and I appreciated the wide range of non-alcoholic options from Coca-Cola, Bubbl’r, LaCroix and more. The place was hopping, thanks to a class reunion, and had a really good energy. I would have loved to try some beers, but I just can’t break how good I feel by not drinking. My tolerance is probably so bad now LOL. (I appologize for the lack of photos in high quality here… I didn’t bring my camera inside these places but I am now not afraid to be that person the next time around – fear not!!)
We then had a hankering for pizza, so we called Saloon Pizza down the road and ordered up a mushroom and pepperoni pizza. Super convenient using their drive-thru window, and ended our night back at Freshwater Lounge with friends Lucas and Katelyn of Beaver’s Lures. It was great to reconnect!
Sunday brought wind and rain, but we made the most of it. Breakfast at Rosy’s Diner hit the spot: eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, toast. Afterward, we visited the Sand Point Lighthouse, walked through the Art in Flight sculpture display at Ludington Park, and took a loop around Aronson Island again. Even with grey skies, Escanaba is beautiful.
Not everything went as planned, our salmon trip was canceled, the fireworks got rained out, but there was always something else to do. Escanaba never left us bored. From fishing and food to local events and spontaneous moments, this place knows how to keep you coming back.
Sometimes the best trips aren’t about sticking to the itinerary. They’re about finding joy in the in-between. About showing up, even when the weather doesn’t. About discovering that a small-town parade, a cold scoop of ice cream on a hot afternoon, or an unexpected pitstop can still make the day.
Escanaba and its neighboring towns give off the same charm I feel in Hayward—just on a bigger scale. From well-kept parks and clean city streets to friendly faces and packed community events, there’s an undeniable sense of pride in place here. It’s a great reminder that even when plans fall through, the spirit of the place and the people can make it all worthwhile. I can’t wait to come back!
