This remote village on Lake Superior's Whitefish Bay is the nearest town to Tahquamenon Falls, and it's less than 70 miles from the Mackinac Bridge. Fifteen miles due north at Whitefish Point is the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, an increasingly popular destination. Its billboards, aided by the lighthouse craze, create a steady stream of traffic headed for Whitefish Point in peak summer months. Whitefish Point is also known for thousands of migrating birds in spring and fall. In summer, Paradise accommodates many divers who explore Lake Superior's underwater shipwreck preserve to the north. Snowmobilers make Paradise as busy these days in winter as in summer. At any one time in the winter as many as 500 snowmobiles may be parked in town.
Visitors to Paradise can overwhelm the town's ability or willingness to handle them, and in peak seasons restaurants and lodgings are hard-pressed to keep up with demand. Other times they may not be open at all. Your two most reliable options for getting fed in town at off-season times are a burger and fries at the Yukon Bar. Also, now there's Tinker's Pit Stop, a gas station/convenience store/snowmobile repair shop that's open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the slowest of seasons. It's on the west side of the main street, M-123. Tinker's stocks eggs, cheese, canned goods, spaghetti – basic groceries. And the adjacent Paradise Pizza (492-3663) is generally open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Local people like the pizza. Visitors are advised to stock up on groceries before coming, and to get a housekeeping cabin or at least a room with a microwave and minifridge. One positive: great bread, reasonably priced, from the North Star Bakery, open daily from 9 to 6, May through October. It's on M-123 5 miles west of the Upper Falls.
On the west side of Whitefish Point Road on the north edge of Paradise, across from Birchwood Lodge, you'll come across pleasant Sawmill Park along a creek. It's a nice place for a picnic, with tables, grills, vault toilets, and a little nature walk.
Paradise was founded in 1925 specifically as a resort community. A zealous promoter named it to attract visitors. Paradise has several motels, resorts, and restaurants strung along M-123 where it parallels Whitefish Bay before veering west to Tahquamenon Falls. Many resorts overlook Whitefish Bay. People came here for its easygoing pace, even when summer people return to their cottages. You can fish for walleye from the end of June to mid-July off the local boat launch dock or at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River south of town. Muskies are prevalent here in the spring.
Steve Harmon of Birchwood Lodge saw the area from an outdoorsman's perspective when he moved here. Here's Steve's interesting take on Paradise in fall from when he wrote a newsletter. "After Labor Day the pace in Paradise lessens somewhat. The nights become cooler and the fishing picks up. While those with the bigger boats fish the Bay for whitefish and lake trout, the Tahquamenon River . . . provides the most varied fishing for the average fisherman. The river supports walleye, pike, tiger muskie, perch, and bass. . . . Brook trout streams are available for those who like the bush and hate crowds. Nice rainbow and brown trout are caught at the Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls."
Color season is, of course, very beautiful and very busy. "Mid-November can be a very stormy time, and it's now that the Bay gets really interesting," Harmon writes. "It's not an uncommon sight to see ocean-going freighters anchored temporarily a half mile off shore from our resort. The winds blow and the trees bend to the snapping point. You can hear the steady roar of the lake as you walk through town. The skies turn steel gray and the town waits. It's this month that has sent more ships to the bottom of the Bay than at any other time."
Retirees comprise the biggest category of new residents, but some have moved to the area as part of Companions of Christ the Lamb, a nondenominational wilderness retreat center started by a Catholic priest, Father Jack Fabian. Drawing on the long Christian contemplative tradition of withdrawing to the desert, individual retreatants camp by themselves or stay in cabins and family housing built by Companions community members in the vicinity or from downstate. "The listening part has been lost in the tradition of prayer," says community member Chuck Rollent. "We recommend a minimum of four days to tune out from everyday life and get to that point of boredom and then listening." Retreats can also be arranged for groups, and there is a beautiful chapel whose glass wall brings the outdoors in. But simplicity is what it's all about. There's no electricity, just a generator used for construction projects. The informational brochure advises retreatants to leave their binoculars and nature guides at home. Publicity is informal, by word of mouth, never sought. For further information, contact resident caretakers Betty and Clarence Clemens at (906) 492-3647 or Chuck or Kathy Rollent at (906) 492-3815.
Personalities and background details drawn from Paradise and vicinity played a big part in propelling former IBM staffer Steve Hamilton into national prominence as the author of A Cold Day In Paradise , ...continued below...
the first in a series of bestselling Alex McKnight detective novels. Publisher's Weekly praised Hamilton's colorful characters, "offbeat locale," and skill turning clichés inside-out, starting with the retired Detroit cop, a loner of course, moving to a place in the woods outside Paradise to manage his father's hunting lodge. The novel won three major awards, starting with one for best first private eye of 1998. Next, in Winter of the Wolf Moon , Hamilton's story involved hockey, residents of the Bay Mills Reservation, and snowmobilers. Then North of Nowhere picked up on U.S.-Canadian border crimes.
Back to Tahquamenon & Seney, Grand Marais & Whitefish Point
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PARADISE
RESTAURANTS,
LODGINGS
& CAMPGROUNDS
These are our choices, not ads.
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PARADISE
RESTAURANTS
In season Paradise restaurants are often too crowded. Out of season, even in fall when visitors are still out in force at the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, it may be hard to get a meal after 8 p.m. except at the Yukon Inn. The Penguin has new owners and is now open mainly for breakfast. It's a good idea to come to Paradise prepared: bring a well-packed cooler.
See also: Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub at the State Park, Bear Butt Bar & Grill in Eckerman (nearest). Also: Wilcox's Fish House, the casino restaurant, and The Cozy Inn, at Bay Mills(in Sault Ste. Marie region of this web site).
BROWN FISH HOUSE
(906) 492-3901
It's easy to miss Brown's because it's on the west edge of town. It's both a restaurant and a fish market. It's only open when owner Buddy Brown, a commercial fisherman, has fresh fish. The interior is pleasant, with nifty paintings of local fishing boats. Whitefish comes fried (3 pieces for about $8.99 fried, $10.99 broiled) with fries or baked potato, cole slaw & pickle. The smoked whitefish chowder (cup $4, bowl $5) is delicious. A whitefish sandwich with fries and slaw is $5.95. Fish is maple smoked in back, and smoked fish is used for a dip that would make fine picnic fare. Checks OK.
On M-123 1/4 mile west of the light. Open from some time in May thru October. Fri & Sat only ‘til June 15. Then open Mon-Sat, noon to 8. Call to confirm hours. Handicap accessible. Family friendly. No alcohol.
YUKON INN
(906) 492-3264
Forget about cholesterol and you'll make a B-line for the Yukon Burger, an amalgam of ground beef, ham, bacon, and cheese at this fabulously rustic bar. Their signature "dish" is the $5.50 Yukonburger: 1/3rd pound of ground beef, a layer bacon, a layer of ham, a piece of American and a piece of Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun, cooked, we're told by owner Tom Archambeau, "to perfection."
This is the quintessential log tavern, built in the 1930s. Log buildings like this are susceptible to all sorts of exterior maintenance problems, but don't be put off by the deteriorating logs outside. Inside, the logs and rafters and rustic furnishings glow gloriously. The Yukon is self-described as "the friendliest bar in the north," and the moniker does seem well deserved. Language is unedited here, at this local hangout. Expect some smoke.
Right in town on M-123. Open year-round, daily at noon. Kitchen open ‘til 10. Handicap accessible: call. Friendly but maybe not for kids, especially at night. Full bar.
LITTLE FALLS INN
(906) 492-3529
The only restaurant with a full bar, where you can get a whitefish dinner with beer or wine in a smoke-free dining area, is the cheerful Little Falls Inn on M-123 adjoining the Red Flannel Saloon. The rustic log building was a ballroom in the 1930s, part of the Cedar Lodge complex. It offers a full menu at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s generally open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Wednesday in summer, Monday and Tuesday in winter. Completely closed from mid-March up to Memorial Day weekend.
M-123, east side, in "downtown" Paradise. Not handicap-accessible. Family-friendly. Full bar.
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PARADISE
LODGINGS
See also: Newberry, Bay Mills, Hulbert.
CLOUD NINE COTTAGES
(906) 492-3434; cloudninecottages@yahoo.com
This small resort has a pleasantly woodsy feel, a quiet family atmosphere, and almost 300 feet of sand beach. 3 of the 4 attractive, pine-paneled housekeeping cottages have water views. Each has 2 bedrooms, a microwave, stove, full-sized refrigerator, cutlery, linens, and a TV with no channel reception (Paradise has no cable TV) but with VCR & DVD players (over 500 videos and DVDs free of charge). $75-$100/night for 2 people; 20% off in April & Nov. Guests can use phone in office. Furnishings are 1970s rustic. Cottages come with picnic tables, grills, and lawn furniture. Reserve early; lots of repeat customers. Owners Jim and Eve Taulbee treasure having a quiet clientele. They do not rent to groups of over 4 adults. Smoking permitted. March, 2008
A mile south of downtown Paradise at 6720 North M-123. Handicap access: no. No pets.
BEST WESTERN LAKE FRONT INN & SUITES
(877) 538-2313; (906) 492-3770; bestwestern.com
It's more Mackinaw City than what Paradise had known before: a cushy 41-room hotel with an impressive lobby, breakfast area with a lake view (and a handy microwave), and a medium-sized indoor pool and spa tub. Luxurious, big rooms are richly decorated in burgundies and deep blues. Half the rooms, overlooking Whitefish Bay, have balconies or patio. Rooms have phones and satellite TV. High-speed internet throughout. Owned by the longtime owners of Cedar Lodge and Little Falls Restaurant. Breakfast includes cereal, bagels, toast, muffins, danish, oatmeal, and fruit. There's a beachside deck and a beautiful sandy beach below the 20' bluff. Rooms have either 2 queens or 1 king. Each 1-room suite has a living area with upholstered chairs and pullout sofa, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a queen bed. Rates in July and August range from $148 to $175. Winter $118 to $138. Consult the Best Western site for manager's off-season special. March, 2008
On M-123 slightly south of the main intersection in Paradise. Closes in spring (from the third weekend of March up to birders' weekend in April) and in fall (from third week of October thru Dec. 25). Some rooms ADA accessible. Families: rates go by room, not occupancy. No pets.
CURLEY'S PARADISE MOTEL
(906) 492-3445
You wouldn't guess it from the road, but this one-story motel has 26 quite modern rooms and many resort amenities: a lakeside picnic area with grills and fire pits, 700 feet of sand beach, a tennis court, a pinball and video game room, a heated garage for snowmobile repairs, and a small exercise room with weight machines, rowing, and ski machines. Ten motel rooms have picture windows with a lake views. Five comfortable, attractive housekeeping cottages and a good-size house are almost on the beach; some have decks. All rooms have phones, wi-fi, TV (6 channels), and in-room tea and coffee. A few rooms are no-smoking. Typical rates for most seasons: $80 for one queen, $90-$95 for two queens. Some rooms have kings. Guests can use the microwave and refrigerator in the office. Two large houses are also for rent: one with four bedrooms (3 kings, 1 queen) for up to 8 adults ($300/night), and one with two bedrooms (one king, one with 2 queens) for up to 6 adults ($200/night). Décor and furniture is a standard, updated motel look. Proprietors Bill and Lynda Ferguson stayed here on their honeymoon in 1962. For divers an air station is on the premises.
In "downtown" Paradise, opposite where M-123 turns west. Open year-round. Handicap accessible: some rooms ADA accessible. Families: under 16 free. Dogs welcome in all rooms.
HARMON'S BIRCHWOOD RESORT
(906) 492-3320; harmonsbirchwoodresort.com
The ambiance is woodsy and unfussy at this vintage family resort on Whitefish Bay, with 11 housekeeping cabins. Host Steve Harmon, a resident for decades, knows a lot about the area's recreational possibilities: birding, fishing, shipping, and more. His collection of free videos (each cabin has a VCR/DVD player) is most interesting. Guests are provided with lots of extras: inner tubes, badminton, volleyball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, tetherball and a rope swing. All cabins have individual fire pits, grills, and picnic tables.
StaIrs go down to the sandy beach. It's an easy walk to the center of Paradise. The cabins are gas-heated and well insulated. Half have knotty pine interiors. Guests can use the office phone. Two lakeside cabins have stone fireplaces. Cabins sleep from 2 to 6 and are generally rented by the week in summer. Typical summer rates are from around $500/week for 2 to around $775/week for a lakefront 2 BR cabin with fireplace for four people. Same rates have been maintained for 3 years. Ask about spring and fall discounts and winter rates. Minimum stay requested; call for overnights. March, 2008
Down a drive off Whitefish Point Rd. on north edge of town. Open year-round. Handicap access: call. Family rate: inquire. $10/extra person above stated cabin capacity. No pets.
FREIGHTERS' VIEW RESORT
(800) 236-3277; (906) 492-3266 (in season only)
Big picture windows let occupants of the 4 one-room units in 2 duplex buildings look right out on Whitefish Bay. Grounds are sunny. Overlooking the lake past a 50' lawn are 2 shared decks for sitting. A fire pit is nearby. 2 decks provide water access. 2 kitchenette units are $75/night or so, depending on length of stay, number of occupants, and season). 2 motel rooms are less. Maximum of 4 people, including children. Each unit has a coffeemaker, small fridge, TV/VCR with about 5 channels, and free videos to borrow. Units come with picnic tables and gas grills right outside. Guests can use the office phone. The resort is quite close to Whitefish Point Road, which is busy and audible from 9 a.m. or so ‘til 7 p.m. in summer. March, 2008
2 miles north of Paradise on Whitefish Point Rd. Open from mid-April through October. Handicap access: call. Family friendly. No dogs.
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PARADISE
CAMPGROUNDS
See also: Bay Mills, Raco.
RIVERMOUTH UNIT
(906) 492-3415
Reservations: (800) 44-PARKS; (800) 605-8295 TDD; www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails
The 76-space modern Rivermouth Campground and the 36-site semi-modern Pines Campground are nestled into the wooded lowlands on a bend of the Tahquamenon River just before it empties into Whitefish Bay. Advance reservations are a must for July and August. There’s a river launch site for canoes and boats; ask about fishing. A bayfront picnic area and sand beach are across M-123 just north of the river’s mouth. Some interpretive programs and young people’s Explorer programs are held here. This is a popular, heavily fished area for pike and muskies in early spring, and for walleye and smallmouths to July, says Tom Huggler in Fish Michigan: 50 Rivers . State park sticker required: $6/day for Michigan residents, $8/dy for others. Annual sticker: $24 and $29.
Take M-123 south from Paradise some 4 1/2 miles. Campground entrance is just west off the highway by the bridge. Handicap accessible: in progress. Doesn’t comply with current ADA standards, but facilities are used by people in wheelchairs.
ANDRUS LAKE CAMPGROUND/LAKE SUPERIOR STATE FOREST
(906) 293-5131
Not reservable.
Close to Whitefish Point, 25 rustic campsites are spread out around a lake with a beautiful, sandy beach. Fishing is for bass, perch, and bluegill. This campground is a popular alternative to the close-spaced, modern campgrounds of nearby Tahquamenon Falls State Park. This campground is full on summer weekends. Come in midweek, no later than Friday morning, and you can probably get a spot.
5 miles north of Paradise, turn west onto Vermilion Rd. Campground is in 1 mile. Serviced May thru Nov. $10/night. Wheelchair access: now up to ADA standards.
SHELLDRAKE DAM CAMPGROUND/ LAKE SUPERIOR STATE FOREST
(906) 293-5131
Not reservable.
The Shelldrake Dam has been repaired, and the 18 sites at this rustic campground , set on a ridge forested by jack pine and red pine, are again near water and a boat ramp. (Recreation interests won out over fisheries management, which preferred to remove the aging dam.) This is a popular campground because of the location near Whitefish Point and because sites are far apart, unlike the state park campgrounds. It's full for summer weekends, but if you come in midweek, perhaps as late as Friday morning, you can probably get a spot. Fishing at the Shelldrake Flooding is for pike, perch, bluegill, and rock bass. The flooding itself can be a good place for birding.
5 miles north of Paradise, turn west onto Vermilion Rd. Campground is in about 2 _ miles, beyond Andrus Lake campground. Serviced May through November. $10/night. Handicap access: call.
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