Overview
Alpena is a city in Northeastern Michigan.
2 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Alpena
Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan
Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve
A 4,300-sq-mi (11,000 km²) area that protects an estimated 116 historically significant shipwrecks ranging from nineteenth-century wooden side-wheelers to 20th-century steel-hulled steamers.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 81°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Sep. (climate data from nearby Traverse City)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- APN Alpena County Regional Airport, Alpena — 6 mi away. Directions
- PLN Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County Airport, Pellston — 75 mi away. Directions
- GRR Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids — 183 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan, Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
- Lunch Downtown Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe
- Afternoon Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve
- Evening Austin Brothers Beer Company
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
See
Do
Do Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve
A 4,300-sq-mi (11,000 km²) area that protects an estimated 116 historically significant shipwrecks ranging from nineteenth-century wooden side-wheelers to 20th-century steel-hulled steamers.
Eat
Eat Downtown Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe (Scoops)
A small ice cream shop.
Drink
Drink Austin Brothers Beer Company
Nice brewery on the outskirts of town. Decent food menu as well.
Sleep
Nearby
Atlanta
City / town · 5 listings · 35 mi away
Tawas City
City / town · 3 listings · 55 mi away
Gaylord
City / town · 10 listings · 61 mi away
Cheboygan
City / town · 3 listings · 65 mi away
Drummond Island
City / town · 13 listings · 66 mi away
Grayling
City / town · 2 listings · 69 mi away
Les Cheneaux Islands
City / town · 76 mi away
Petoskey
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My experience
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