Landing at Gogebic-Iron County Airport in Ironwood gives you an easy home base, with ski hills, waterfalls, and Lake Superior close by. Ironwood sits at the far western tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, right on the Wisconsin line, in a region that gets some of the deepest snow in the Midwest. The town has a rugged mining heritage, a downtown of old brick storefronts, and a laid-back outdoor culture built around skiing, snowmobiling, and fishing. It feels remote in the best way.

Things worth doing around Ironwood: - Ski or snowboard the Big Snow Resort hills at Blackjack and Indianhead - Ride the chairlift to the top of Copper Peak, the only ski flying hill in the Western Hemisphere - Hike to the waterfalls along the Black River on the way to Lake Superior - Snap a photo with the giant Hiawatha statue downtown - Paddle or fish on Lake Gogebic, the largest inland lake in the U.P. - Cross the border into Hurley, Wisconsin, for its old-school taverns - Catch a show at the restored Historic Ironwood Theatre

Ironwood is the gateway to the Porcupine Mountains, with Lake of the Clouds and old-growth forest about an hour northeast. Ashland and Chequamegon Bay are around 45 minutes west, and Bayfield with its ferry to the Apostle Islands is roughly 90 minutes away. The region's Finnish and Italian roots show up in saunas, pasties, and the hearty food at local supper clubs. Come for powder in winter or for leaf color and waterfalls in October.