City of Houghton among the top 15 off-the-beaten-path vacation destinations in the US
A town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with a legacy in copper mining is considered one of the top 15 off-the-beaten-path vacation destinations in the country: the city of Houghton.
"Houghton is surrounded by natural beauty while offering rich history and lots of things to see and do," according to a travel discovery website, Trips to Discover. "It’s known for its copper mining past, which visitors can explore on a Quincy Mine tour as well as in the Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw, focused on the region’s cultural and natural history. Along College Avenue, marvel at the Colonial Revival architecture."
Houghton was the only place in Michigan to make the list.
Houghton is known as the Gateway to the Keweenaw, as the Portage Lake Lift Bridge that connects the cities of Houghton and Hancock serves as the sole land route onto the Keweenaw Peninsula. Located near Lake Superior, Houghton's picturesque setting further enhances its charm and significance in the region.
In 2015, Houghton was also ranked No. 96 in Livability.com's list of top 100 Best Small Towns in America.
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The city offers a wide range of year-round activities — with water sports, kayaking and biking available in the summer, and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, according to Trips to Discover.
Houghton also boasts the Michigan Technological University, founded in 1885, several dining and shopping options, parks, trails and more.
More Houghton activities, guides and history can be found at Pure Michigan and VisitHoughton.com.
Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Houghton among top unconventional vacation destinations in the US
