One of the highlights of our Upper Peninsula family road trip was our cruise with Pictured Rocks Cruises, which is the only approved vendor at the National Park Service’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We booked the 2.5-hour cruise that ventures all the way to Spray Falls one afternoon. Other options for cruises were the classic cruise and the sunset cruise.
We paid four tickets were $92. Adult tickets are $45 and child tickets (0-5) were $1. These are general admission tickets, which means you can sit wherever you want on the boat, but if you have a preference for seats, such as upper level or indoor, you should get to the dock early to wait in line. We were among the last passengers on the boat, so we were seated indoors. This ended up being the best for us since we had a baby and a 5-year-old.
As soon as we boarded, we had our safety briefing and were told the waters were rough that day. We were given the option to deboard and get a refund if we thought we might experience sea sickness. This made me nervous to hear because of our two kids. I wondered if we should try again another day, but we chose to stick with this adventure, as the staff called it. I’m glad we stuck it out because it ended up not being that bad. Sure, the boat moved a lot, but it was not bad at all. And the views were worth it!
The tour is narrated and along the way the various rock formations are pointed out. Don’t worry about not being on the right side to catch good photos because you will see everything on the ride back. The rule is that you can only stand if you are in the back of the boat, FYI.
Keep in mind that the weather cools off during the two and a half hour cruise, so bring warm clothes. We bought a blanket at the gift shop beforehand because I was worried the girls would be cold. This was a great purchase because V was able to wrap herself in it and nap. Addi napped in her baby carrier as well.
On the ride back you will also see the lighthouse on Grand Island, a historical site. You’ll also see all the major formations along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This was my first time seeing Lake Superior and it was a relaxing way to take it the views. I even saw some adults who had fallen asleep amid the swaying of the boat.
I would highly recommend this cruise if you visit Munising. It’s well worth the ticket price.
Tip: If you have your dog with you, you can bring it to their kennel, which is an air-conditioned space, while you cruise. It’s free! Simply bring a lock for the kennel and it’s first-come, first-served.
Have you visited Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.