We love to support our local economy, and there are some great businesses, services, and attractions in our area! Here are a few of our favorites!
SHOP
Hank’s General Store – IGA Express in Helmer (3 mi. N of Birch Shores) with all the essentials and more! They offer pizza, subs, and wings to go, the best steaks, bacon, and homemade brats are available in the deli, and you’ll be greeted by great folks to boot!- The Store – This shop is in downtown Curtis (3 mi. S of Birch Shores). They carry all the basics, plus a selection of fresh cut meats and also offer subs to go.
- The Guitar Man’s Ruff Cut Music – You’d never expect to find this special place in the small town of Germfask. Chip is a wealth of knowledge of all things guitar, plus a lot of other instruments as well! New instruments, repairs, parts . . . he has it all!
- The Curtis Farmer’s Market – 9 to 11 am Fridays starting mid July, located at W16683 Sandtown Rd. in Curtis. If you’re prepared to be wowed, go on a garden tour for a small fee! We’ve never seen a more impressive and beautiful garden!
- Mary’s Garden Co-op and Natural Foods – You’re sure to be charmed by this home-based natural foods shop. Small but well-stocked with a variety of natural and organic foods and products. Open Thursdays 12pm – 5pm and Fridays 9am – 5pm. Located at W16683 Sandtown Rd. in Curtis.
EAT
The Helmer House – This is a customer favorite! The bakery items are made with love by a local family, and the cafe menu never fails to titillate your tastebuds with its delicious, homemade entrees. (3 mi. N of Birch Shores)- Lake Superior Brewing Company – Try the garlic parmesan popcorn or scotched eggs! (About an hour north of Birch Shores in Grand Marais, MI)
- Goodales’ Sweet Spot – Ice cream sells itself, right?! The owners are also doing some really cool things with the shop. (About 4 miles S of Birch Shores in Curtis, mi.)
- Hank’s General Store – This is an IGA express, but also deserves to be mentioned for its great take-out! Super tasty pizza, plus subs, wings, and nachos! (3 mi. N of Birch Shores)
- The Triangle Restaurant – A great diner with homemade bread and soups. (Around 8 miles north of Birch Shores.)
- JP Memorial Golf Course and Pizza – Fantastic pizzas; one of our favorites!! Located about 20 minutes from Birch Shores near Germfask, MI
PLAY
- Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Must-see waterfalls, beautiful hiking trails, old growth forest . . . a first stop for many of our customers! About an hour from Birch Shores, north of Newberry, MI.
- The Manistique Lakes, Curtis, MI – More information about our immediate area.
- Pictured Rocks National Shoreline – Boat tours, hiking, biking, etc. The shoreline is just spectacular! It can be accessed in several places around an hour northeast of Birch Shores.
- Day Hikes at Pictured Rocks
- RipTide Ride – A customer favorite! Adventurous boat tour of Pictured Rocks. Many customers appreciate that it is quick and exciting and there’s not a moment of boredom! Be ready to get wet! Launches from Munising, MI, about an hour northwest from Birch Shores.
- Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours – A fascinating tour of the shipwrecks on the bottom of Munising bay. Launches from Munising, MI, about an hour northwest from Birch Shores.
- Oswald’s Bear Ranch – A charming locally owned business where you can meet real bears around a half hour northeast of us!
- Grand Marais, MI – This end-of-the road town is a charming place to visit and catch beautiful views of Lake Superior! Hike the Log Slide and Sable Falls, grab some refreshment at Lake Superior Brewing Company, and Hunt YooperLites on the beach! Driving from Birch Shores, it is about an hour N/NE.
- Kitch-iti-kipi Spring – Stunning, crystal clear spring with a covered, open centered ferry so you can see the bottom. Near Manistique, MI around an hour’s drive southeast of Birch Shores.
The Garlyn Zoo – Located in nearby Naubinway, MI, this is guaranteed to be the most personable zoo you’ve ever been to! Just over a half hour southeast of Birch Shores.
Hot Plate Pottery – This lovely business in Marquette, MI has a large selection of unfinished pottery pieces. Once you purchase your piece, they have all the supplies on site for you to paint and decorate your pottery. They will then glaze and fire it for you to pick up later, or ship it to you! It’s a great activity for a rainy or “town” day, and very affordable too!- JP Memorial Golf Course and Pizza – We are hearing great things about this local 9 hole golf course. For 2024 they charge $12 for 9 holes walking, $18 for 18 holes, or add a golf cart for a few dollars more. There’s also disc golf!! Located about 20 minutes from Birch Shores near Germfask, MI.
- Sault (Soo) Locks – A much overlooked hingepin of international shipping, the Sault Locks are a wonder to behold. From the viewing platform you can watch freighters pass through the locks – some up to 1000′ long! Call ahead to find the daily schedule of what ships will be passing through or check out live ship tracking websites like marinetraffic.com to see what ships are on their way and learn info about the individual ships. This is located in Sault Ste. Marie, about an hour and 15 minutes northeast of Birch Shores.
- The Valley Camp – This is absolutely one of our family favorites! This freighter-turned-museum is truly impressive to explore. At 550 feet, it’s only half the size of some of the modern Great Lakes ships – – which is really astonishing considering how huge it is! This is located in Sault Ste. Marie also, about an hour and 15 minutes northeast of Birch Shores.
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum – Just outside of the beautiful town of Paradise, this museum highlights the history of Great Lakes lighthouse keepers, shipwrecks, and in particular the Edumund Fitzgerald tragedy. Plan some time to explore the shoreline in this breathtakingly beautiful location! Located about an hour and 15 minutes’ drive N/NE of Birch Shores.
- Lighthouses – Our shorelines are dotted with fantastic lighthouse museums. The glimpse into the lifestyle of past lighthouse keepers is always fascinating, and the views are gorgeous. Be sure to check websites or call ahead for age and pet requirements before going with children or pets, and be prepared for lots of stairs. Just a few of the nearby lighthouses:
- The Point Iroquois Lighthouse is near Brimley, just over an hour northeast of Birch Shores.
- The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum mentioned above also has a lighthouse attached to their museum, located about an hour and 15 minutes’ drive N/NE of Birch Shores.
- The Crisp Point Lighthouse is about an hour and a half N/NE of Birch Shores.
- The Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver is one of our favorites and probably the closest to Birch Shores, about 45 minutes’ drive to the S/SW
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center – Bring your passports for visiting this museum as it’s located on the Canadian side of Sault Ste. Marie! This is a really great museum with 24 classic bushplanes to view and/or explore, lots of hands-on interactive activities for kids, and a small special effects theater. You might also be surprised to find that Sault, Canada is a larger city than any in the UP with over 70,000 residents and the infrastructure to match – restaurants, shopping, museums, outdoor activities, etc. It’s worth checking out! It’s about an hour and a half drive northeast from Birch Shores.
- The Fayette Historic Townsite lies in Fayette State Park and is a partially restored ironmaking company “ghost” town. Set in a beautiful location on Lake Michigan, the buildings and history are fascinating to explore. Located around an hour and 20 minutes southwest of Birch Shores.
