Alpena sits on the edge of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a stretch of Lake Huron nicknamed “Shipwreck Alley.”

Nearly 200 historic vessels rest on the lake bottom here, from 1800s schooners to early freighters.

You can see them a few different ways:

1. hop on a glass-bottom boat tour and watch the wrecks appear below you
2. snorkel out to the shallow wreck at Besser Natural Area or one of the other many sites
3. or book a dive trip with Great Lakes Divers if you want to go deeper.

For the dry-land version, the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center has artifacts, interactive exhibits, and a full-size tilted schooner you can climb aboard for free.

Alpena’s downtown murals add plenty of color, with the 3D fish mural stealing the show.

Restaurants and shops line the streets, and it’s easy to spend an evening hopping between spots.

We ate at Mangos Tequila Bar for Mexican food, grabbed ice cream at Scoops, and still had time to wander the shops.

Be sure to check out Downtown Alpena!

North of town, Rockport State Park sprawls across 4,000 acres with cliffs, trails, sinkholes, and an old quarry where people still pick through fossil piles.

You can hike, swim in the clear water, or stick around after dark since it’s a designated dark sky park.

It’s one of the best places in the region for stargazing.

Another reason to head just north of Alpena: you’ll find two of Michigan’s most iconic lighthouses.

The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse went up in 1840 but was too short to safely guide ships, so the much taller New Lighthouse was built in 1870.

You can still climb both, ring the giant bell at the Old Light, and take on the 130-step climb at the New Light for wide-open lake views. (Open hours vary.)

Starlite Beach is Alpena’s family headquarters.

The beach has a giant splash pad, shady picnic spots, and a playground right on the sand.

The tipping bucket on the splash pad is the highlight, dumping gallons of water on anyone brave enough to wait underneath.

A Mexican restaurant next door even has a patio right on the beachfront, so you can go straight from beach day to tacos.

Island Park is a 17-acre island right in the middle of Alpena.

You cross a covered bridge to get there and suddenly you’re surrounded by trails that wind through meadows, woods, and little backwater channels.

It’s a favorite spot for birdwatching, and if you’d rather be on the water than next to it, there are self-serve kayaks ready to rent. It feels tucked away even though it’s basically in the heart of town.

For just a few dollars, you can visit the Besser Museum.

This spot pulls together art, history, and science in a truly unique way.

Inside you can wander through local history displays and changing exhibits, and outside there’s a rock quarry pile where both kids and adults end up sifting for fossils like treasure hunters.

(Be sure to look at the giant Petoskey Stone on their front lawn if you stop by.)

About 40 minutes north of Alpena, Ocqueoc Falls is the only publicly accessible waterfall in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. It’s wide, shallow, and swimmable, making it an easy day trip from town.

There are also trails here and a state forest campground if that’s your kinda thing.

Probably the trickiest thing about this park is parking – it’s in limited supply so you might have to park on the road and walk in. You do need the state recreation pass either way.

Ossineke’s Dinosaur Gardens has been a Sunrise Side roadside attraction for nearly a century.

Life-sized dinosaur statues stand in the woods, delightfully odd and a little retro.

It’s quirky, strange, and unforgettable.

Alpena is made for easy outdoor adventure.

The Alpena Bi-Path circles through town if you want to hop on a bike, while the channel and backwaters around Island Park are perfect for a kayak ride.

Thunder Bay itself is calm enough for paddling on a good day, and there are self-serve kayak kiosks right at Island Park if you don’t have your own gear.

For a longer outing, head up to Besser Natural Area, where you can launch into quiet waters and even paddle out to a shallow shipwreck just offshore.