Nestled In Michigan’s Wine Country, The Small City Of Escanaba Is A Charming Place To Get Away

About 55 miles of Lake Michigan (Green Bay) shoreline separate the lakefront city of Menominee, Michigan from the charming coastal community of Escanaba. In that stretch, you'll find four wineries, which makes this part of the Upper Peninsula premier wine country in Michigan. And Escanaba is the perfect spot to set up your home base for a weekend of wine-tasting adventure.

Escanaba is a city of about 13,000 on the south shore of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Known for its scenery and coastal charm, it also happens to be perfectly positioned as a point of departure for an excursion into Michigan wine country.

From Escanaba and Menominee, you can hit four wineries with only about two hours of total driving time - round trip.

But you don't have to visit them all in a single day. Take your time, and make a weekend out of it.

Before you head out on your wine tasting adventure be sure to lay down a base layer.

Personally, I'm a fan of breakfast at Rosy's Diner - it's just got a classic, hometown feel that I love.

In fact, your first winery is only a few blocks down the street from Rosy's, so you won't have to wait long to get your wine weekend started.

Leigh's Garden Winery is located right in Escanaba, and it offers a wide array of wines - whites, reds, and rosés - for you to choose from. You'll also find several fruit wines on the list.

The next nearest winery is located just a few minutes from Escanaba, in Bark River.

Northern Sun Winery and Vineyards may well offer the prettiest setting of any of the tasting rooms on our list - and its half-dozen wine offerings complement the views quite nicely.

Your next stop is located a little over mid-way between Escanaba and Menominee, in the small community of Stephenson.

The tasting room for Threefold Vine Winery and Meadery is housed in a historic former bank building. You can mix up your tastings here and try some honey-based mead along with the wines.

You'll find the most distant winery on your itinerary in Menominee.

Yooper Winery offers a good selection of traditional and fruit wines for you to sample. Whether you go to Yooper first, last, or somewhere in the middle of the trip, you won't be disappointed.

While you're visiting these U.P. wineries, don't forget to grab a bottle or two of your favorites to bring home with you. Upon your return, you'll find plenty of places for dinner in Escanaba. The city is a popular destination, especially in the summer, so be sure to reserve your lodging well in advance. You can usually find some of the best deals for accommodations on Hotels.com.

Have you visited Escanaba and/or any of these wineries? Let us know in the comments!