Forty miles west of Munising is the unofficial capital of the UP, the bustling college town of MARQUETTE , also the center of the area's massive ore industry.

The helpful state welcome center (summer daily 9am-6pm, rest of year daily 9am-5pm; tel 906/249-9066), 2201 US-41 S just south of town, has vouchers for local hotel discounts and lots of information about Marquette's sights. Premier among them is rugged Presque Isle Park , north of town on Lakeshore Boulevard, almost completely surrounded by Lake Superior and with stunning views of the lake. Back at East Ridge Street and Lakeshore, the Marquette Maritime Museum (late May-Sept daily 10am-5pm; $3) has exhibits on the fishing and freighting industries, as well as a video about the fabled Superior wrecking of the Edmund Fitzgerald . The area's most curious sight, however, is the Superior Dome , on Northern Michigan University's campus at 1401 Presque Isle Ave, the largest wooden dome in the world.

Accommodations in Marquette are abundant and inexpensive. Cheap motels cluster west of town on US-41, but there are better, equally affordable options downtown. The Village Inn at 1301 N Third St (tel 906/226-9400, 1-800/800-8909; $50-75/$75-100) offers high-quality, good-value rooms (some with kitchen), but by far the nicest place to stay is the grand Landmark Inn at 230 N Front St (tel 906/228-2580, ; $100-130/$130-160), with rooms overlooking the lake. You can camp at the Tourist Park Campground (tel 906/228-0465) on Sugarloaf Avenue.

Downtown, JJ's Shamrock , 113 S Front St (tel 906/226-6734), serves basic bar food along with occasional live music. For a more formal dining experience, locals favor the Northwoods Supper Club (tel 906/228-4343), just west of town off US-41, with a meat-and-potatoes menu in a rustic setting. Popular drinkspots include Remie's Bar , 111 Third St (tel 906/226-9133), with a rowdy local crowd and live music on Wednesdays.