anyone here live in the U.P.?

[Newt]

does anyone live in the UP that can tell me some good (and bad) things about it

Some things of the top of my head:

The cost of living is low. In Gwinn (were I live) you can rent a three bedroom townhouse for about $450 a month. That includes a fenced in yard and garage. Of course if you live in Marquette, Escanaba, or Houghton (the college towns) the rent is higher, like $600 a month for an apartment.

The people are nice and friendly. If you break down on the side of the road or go off into a snowbank someone will help you.

You said you didn't plan on going outside much, but if you lived here you might change your mind. So many places to hike, camp, swim; just get in touch with nature. If you like photography you wouldn't be at a loss for subject matter.

Yes, it gets cold and we can get a lot of snow. The snowfall is heavier near the lake shores. In Gwinn we don't get as much snow as Munsing (where my parents live.) The upside of that is you can going skiing and snowmobiling. I like to snowshoe myself.

Good paying jobs can be hard to find. There is a lot of service and retail up here. Hospitals pay well. Mining and logging pay the best. If you are willing to work hard you can make money.

On the hobby side of things, the LFS SUCK! There are no big box pet stores up here (I think there is a PetsPlus in Iron Mountian, but that's it.) Hence I use the internet to get most of my supplies and fish.

 

[nitrofish1]

Some things of the top of my head:

The cost of living is low. In Gwinn (were I live) you can rent a three bedroom townhouse for about $450 a month. That includes a fenced in yard and garage. Of course if you live in Marquette, Escanaba, or Houghton (the college towns) the rent is higher, like $600 a month for an apartment.

The people are nice and friendly. If you break down on the side of the road or go off into a snowbank someone will help you.

You said you didn't plan on going outside much, but if you lived here you might change your mind. So many places to hike, camp, swim; just get in touch with nature. If you like photography you wouldn't be at a loss for subject matter.

Yes, it gets cold and we can get a lot of snow. The snowfall is heavier near the lake shores. In Gwinn we don't get as much snow as Munsing (where my parents live.) The upside of that is you can going skiing and snowmobiling. I like to snowshoe myself.

Good paying jobs can be hard to find. There is a lot of service and retail up here. Hospitals pay well. Mining and logging pay the best. If you are willing to work hard you can make money.

On the hobby side of things, the LFS SUCK! There are no big box pet stores up here (I think there is a PetsPlus in Iron Mountian, but that's it.) Hence I use the internet to get most of my supplies and fish.

i was looking at marquette, and it looks like a nice place. i live in a warmer place right now and i dont go outside lol. low cost of living would be a big plus. im going into aircraft maintenance, was going to see if there would be any job openings at sawyer international airport once i get out of college. and the gf wants to move there too. which makes me real happy cuz i want to get out of illinois and move north. south is out of the question.

 

[Newt]

i was looking at marquette, and it looks like a nice place. i live in a warmer place right now and i dont go outside lol. low cost of living would be a big plus. im going into aircraft maintenance, was going to see if there would be any job openings at sawyer international airport once i get out of college. and the gf wants to move there too. which makes me real happy cuz i want to get out of illinois and move north. south is out of the question.

Aircraft maintenance is great to get into. A couple of years ago KI Sawyer airport was begging for people to fix planes. They were even paying for school. I don't know if that's the case now, since there are less flights and airlines pulling out because of the economy.

 

[nitrofish1]

Aircraft maintenance is great to get into. A couple of years ago KI Sawyer airport was begging for people to fix planes. They were even paying for school. I don't know if that's the case now, since there are less flights and airlines pulling out because of the economy.

yeah it is a great field. but i dont really like people so id like to move to the up cuz of a lack of ppl lol. plus im not staying in illinois, and i stated to my gf that anywhere below wisconsin is out of the question. she said she wanted to move northeast so yeah. ive always wanted to move to minnesota too, but id pass that up for the u.p.

how are the summers? everytime summer in illinois comes around, i want it to be winter again. cuz in winter you can put on layers, but in the summer, you cant take off your skin......

 

[solchitlins]

Move to lower michigan and get a cottage "up north" for weekends and hollidays.

but seriously, Michigan economy is the worst.
I would move in a heart beat but I owe $165,000 on my house and I couldn't sell sell it right now for $80,000.

So that shows you how great Michigan is.
But, I guess if your in the market to buy then nows the time to get a steal of a deal. So many foreclosures everywhere. I know a lawyer that just forclosed on his $1.5M lake front home.

 

[nitrofish1]

Move to lower michigan and get a cottage "up north" for weekends and hollidays.

but seriously, Michigan economy is the worst.
I would move in a heart beat but I owe $165,000 on my house and I couldn't sell sell it right now for $80,000.

So that shows you how great Michigan is.
But, I guess if your in the market to buy then nows the time to get a steal of a deal. So many foreclosures everywhere. I know a lawyer that just forclosed on his $1.5M lake front home.

mainland = no-no.

plus i hear the roads are terrible. mainland michigan wouldnt be enough for me.

 

[rhinod56]

Would love to move back there.
I lived in Marquette MI (yes the UP) about 1hr north of escanaba, and about 1.5hrs east of houghton for 2years (00-02). Loved it. Would like to move back, but the area I was in, jobs may be hard to come by (at least good paying ones) but cost of living was relatively cheap, and no way can you beat the outdoor activites and scenary!!!

 

[AngelaRosenthal]

I'm from Michigan, been to the UP in October, it was beautiful but fairly cold. We drove all over and went to the falls. Don't ever go to "The mystery spot" waste of time and money. And if your not a fan of well water you will be drinking lots of bottled water. I orders a Pepsi at some little mom and pop diner and forgot to ask for no ice, that was a diff taste for sure. Everyone is real nice there though. Cost of gas and food is higher though seeing how it's not as easy to get things up to them.

 

[nitrofish1]

I'm from Michigan, been to the UP in October, it was beautiful but fairly cold. We drove all over and went to the falls. Don't ever go to "The mystery spot" waste of time and money. And if your not a fan of well water you will be drinking lots of bottled water. I orders a Pepsi at some little mom and pop diner and forgot to ask for no ice, that was a diff taste for sure. Everyone is real nice there though. Cost of gas and food is higher though seeing how it's not as easy to get things up to them.

gotta even out the cost of living? i dont mind well water.

 

[dthomasi]

I live in the U.P., and like our friend from Gwinn I also don't inbreed, although thanks for the stereotype.

For that matter, all people from downstate are "city folk" who are afraid of trees and probably deal drugs. Haha. Joking aside, if you want any info on the Western Half of the Upper Peninsula, I can probably answer it, as I was born, raised, and still live here.

I also agree that the LFS suck for the most part. I have found a couple of so-so ones but I have also lived in short stints on the Wisconsin coast of Lake Michigan and the LFS there have sucked as well, so maybe it's just something that happens to people that don't live in NY or CA.