7 Ideas for a Rainy Day in Alpena

Posted on August 23rd, 2023

The arrival of spring and summer brings us warmer weather, greener foliage, and bluer skies. We often credit rainy days for spoiling our plans with somber days inside. Kick those rainy day habits to the side and let mother nature take a day to rest and grow while you follow these 7 ideas to make the most o…

Be Mine, Alpena: 5 Ideas to Make Your Valentine’s Day Special

Posted on February 11th, 2020

For some of you, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love and happiness while eating a romantic dinner and bestowing special gifts upon your significant other. For others, it is just another commercialized holiday that spins the wheels of a society controlled by consumerism. Which one sou…

Winter Forest Bathing. Photo by Paul Gerow.

10 Ideas For Winter Adventure in Alpena

Posted on January 31st, 2020

The hustle and bustle of the holidays are long over. This is the time when the full effects of a true northern Michigan winter start to wash over us, bringing feelings of cabin fever, seasonal depression, and anxiousness for spring. Try out these ideas to kick those feelings to the curb and make your…

Rise of the Craft: Austin Brothers Beer Company

Posted on October 10th, 2019

It’s no secret that craft beer is having its moment here in Michigan and we are here for it! Austin Brothers Beer Company (aka ABBC, aka Austin Brothers) in Alpena has found great success in our little northeastern corner of the state. We wanted beer and in our humble opinion, we got the best of it…

A variety of Alpena apparel at The Local Basket Case.

Alpena’s Holiday Shopping Guide

Posted on December 6th, 2018

Looking for that special, unusual Christmas gift or stocking stuffer? Do you have a someone in your life that seems to already have everything? Don’t get lost in online conglomerates and big box stores! Here’s a list of Alpena’s hidden treasures full of unique items for everyone on your list. The Or…

National Bootleggers Day and Alpena’s History

Posted on January 17th, 2017

January 17 has been proclaimed as National Bootleggers Day. This date marks the birthdays of Templeton Rye Whiskey, bootlegger Al Capone, and the son of another bootlegger, Meryl Kerkhoff. The term bootlegger began in the Midwest in the 1880s when one would shove flasks of liquor in their boot tops…

6 Ways to Be a Tourist in Your Hometown of Alpena, Michigan

Posted on October 6th, 2016

Say ‘goodbye’ to checked baggage fees and high gas prices and say ‘hello’ to your own backyard! “Staycation” is the new vacation and here are 6 tips to having the best tourist experience in your hometown of Alpena.

Think about when you have family and friends come to visit, where do you take them to sho

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You Might Love Alpena If…

Posted on March 8th, 2016

…you love snorkeling and diving the shipwrecks of Thunder Bay in the waters of Lake Huron, unsalted and shark-free! …you love ripping through the trails of Chippewa Hills Pathway on your mountain bike; hills and thrills for 6.6 miles! …you love sinking your teeth into a red ripe, locally grown, str…

Alpena’s Gourmet Burger Bucket List

Posted on February 17th, 2016

We’ve compiled a list of 10 famous, or soon-to-be-famous, burgers from local restaurants offering the best quality beef made with the freshest ingredients around. These features will be sure to satisfy your burger cravings…but you don’t have to take our word for it. Try it yourself! (Menus subjec…

Gotta Check it Out Adventure: Wine, Hops, Pick Your Stops!

Posted on November 16th, 2015

Summer is over and the air is turning crisp, it’s time to switch up seasonal activities in northern Michigan and we’re excited! It’s the perfect time of year to put on cozy layers and go sample wine and hops; one of the many things we LOVE to do in Alpena: Sanctuary of the Great Lakes.…