"Escanaba in the moonlight" is a Yooper city with a rugged charm all its own.
Located along the shores of Lake Michigan, Escanaba is a vibrant upper peninsula (UP) Michigan town brimming with the spirit of the great outdoors. Once a port town famous for shipping the iron ore, copper and lumber of the northern ranges, Escanaba stills holds fast to its rugged aesthetic and natural lifestyle. Hale and hearty, Escanaba is the perfect place to embrace your nature enthusiast while still enjoying the comforts of modern life.
Tips for Moving
Moving in the Winter
Why? Because it snows more than any other kind of precipitation in Escanaba. If you are entirely averse to moving in winter, then you can plan on the summer days in July and August. But since you're moving to a city where winter weather spans at least 7 of the calendar months, moving in winter might be a good way to embrace the climate of your new city.
Consider Your Ideal Neighborhood
Many who move to Escanaba are attracted to the outdoors lifestyle offered by the proximity to Lake Michigan. Don't expect to find posh fully furnished apartments complete with amenities. Escanaba already offers plenty of natural amenities. Instead, focus your apartment search on how close you want to be to nature. For easy access to the harbor and Escanaba's main street, check out the 1- and 2-bedroom apartments for rent just north of Ludington Park and the boat docks. If you're looking for properties right on the water or for secluded getaways, then rental homes in Escanaba might be your best option. Which brings us to our next tip...
The Information Age is Your Friend
This means that while you can use the Internet to get a rudimentary grasp of rental options, you'll want to visit your new city before you move to check out your rental interests in person. Make sure you call ahead. Not only is this common sense, it will also help avoid arriving to find that the vacancy listed online was last updated in July of '09.
Neighborhoods
Along the shores of Little Bay de Noc, you'll find Main Street and the surrounding downtown -- making up the only real neighborhood of Escanaba. Several apartment buildings are clustered around these blocks. You'll also find the city's only mall, Delta Plaza Mall, downtown. Home of chain stores and restaurants, this is the place to go if you're looking for slice of suburbia.
As you head west of downtown, you'll move into first residential and then wooded sections of town. Escanaba is a city for drivers. While a Lake Shore bike path has been in talks for years, it's still heavy in the idea stage. Before you move, make sure you have a car and some snow tires.
Life in Escanaba
You're Moving to The Land of Winter
So bring your snow boots, parka and a smile. Seriously. Locals don't appreciate weather whiners. Escanaba is part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, home of the clear waters of Lake Michigan. Warmer than its cousin Lake Superior, Lake Michigan is also home to one of the safest natural harbors in the Great Lakes. Called Little Bay de Noc, you'll find locals boating and swimming in and around this bay during the few months it's not snowing.
Inspired by Grizzly Adams?
If you've ever dreamed of building a cabin and living in the woodland wilds of the North, then Escanaba just might be your personal paradise. It's full of natural beauty, popular outdoor activities include hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, kayaking and canoeing. While backpacking and camping are also common activities, Escanaba offers such direct access to hiking trails and canoe and kayak-friendly waterways that locals need to travel to get into the great outdoors. Just open up your back door. Make sure to check out those stars at night. If you're recent urban dwellers, you won't believe the number of bright lights twinkling back at you.
It's Time to Dust off Those Winter Skis
Like much of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Escanaba is home to many an ardent skier. And while downhill skiing is certainly fine, this is nordic, i.e., cross country ski country. Close to the popular UP cross country ski race, The American Birkebeiner, locals take out their nordic skis and wax-filled suitcases as soon as the first snowfall in September or October and they don't put them away until late April. Once summer hits, it's not uncommon to see people out roller skiing, a sport that involves a shorter version of the winter cross country ski but with, you guessed it, wheels, not to mention ski poles. Perfect for dry land training, it can also be a less intimidating way to practice your burgeoning cross country ski skills before you try to show off in front of your friends by skate skiing up the bunny hill.
It's Called a Pastie, Eh?
While Escanaba certainly isn't Canada, it sits close enough to the boarder to have picked up a thing or two from its neighbors. So don't be surprised or think twice the first time you hear someone end a sentence with the interrogative "aye." It's just the Yooper version of "what do you think." Speaking of dialect, don't call your neighbors "Yoopers," the slang term for residents of the UP. Wait for them to self-identify. And remember 'UP' is an initialism. it's never pronounced "up." Do make sure you ask where to find the best pasties. Pasties are filled with a combination of meat and / or vegetables. Perfectly packable, pasties are popular hiking and backpacking food. They also go great with a morning cup of coffee.
Just Boatin' Around
Escanaba offers boaters and sailors one of the safest harbors to dock their anchor. If you don't have a boat, you can always lease. Or just make some new friends. Once the snow melts in April or May, they'll be happy at least to offer you a ride in their dingy.
