Front Street Park

The L'Anse waterfront now has an attractive marina, pier, and park, with features that add up to a pleasant picnic spot for a driving break to stretch your legs and enjoy a beautiful view of L'Anse Bay. Pick up a sub from Subway, deli takeout from Pat's Supermarket, or Mexican takeout from the Canteen across from the park on Front Street, and you'd be set.
L'Anse's uninterrupted public frontage on L'Anse Bay at the Falls River mouth was a gift from the Ford Motor Company when it sold the adjacent Falls River mill. Ford's lumber operation had used the waterfront for its own shipping and for decking logs.
For the best bay view, walk out to the end of the barrier-free pier alongside the marina. (It's directly opposite the lighthouse attached to Indian Country Sports.) There's an excellent boat launch ($2 fee) at this natural deepwater harbor. Various platforms have picnic spots, but anglers mostly fish off the pier's end for salmon, steelhead, perch, and most any kind of Great Lakes fish. (A fish-cleaning station across from Indian Country Sports is a new addition.) A green buoy marks the end of the existing dock; off it lies the remains of the remains of the Northerner, an easy dive for scuba divers. The 20-slip, self-registration marina offers boaters lights, water, pumpout, and gas.

The adjacent Front Street beach and playground are magnets in good weather. There's a 1,500-foot lighted walkway with benches, a large pavilion, and restrooms. Summer concerts, from hymns to rock, are held Thursdays at 7 at the bandshell from early July into late August. It's become a tradition for the extremely popular folk music group Whitewater to close out the season.

At the park's west end, toward the BPB Celotex plant, there's a sand volleyball court, a horseshoe court, two covered picnic areas, and a fun little train for kids to play in. Here too an informal nature trail curves south along the Falls River alongside a striking series of easy-to-reach waterfalls (see Falls River, Lower and Middle Falls).

Since 1990 or so, business and civic leaders and village government have worked together to develop the waterfront into a well-thought-out marina-park complex. State and federal grants and a Downtown Development Authority with tax-increment financing have augmented the village's limited budget. Everybody appreciates the way the park has transformed drab city property formerly used for parking.

From U.S. 41 at the main Y intersection, head down Broad Street. Proceed a block past the Main Street business area to the park. Or turn off 41 at Burger King, then take a left onto Broad and proceed to park. Wheelchair accessible.

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