Your journey to the Upper Peninsula
An isolated city deep in the Northwoods, getting to Marquette can be a challenge. It's nearly a seven hour drive from Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis. Flights, especially those from a smaller airport like PDX or SBA, typically have multiple transfers. We completely understand if the travel is too onerous, whether physically or financially, and you choose to celebrate with us in spirit instead.
That said, Paul has acquired a few tips and tricks that might help you get here on a budget. The biggest one though is to BOOK EARLY. Flights and hotels only get more expensive the closer you get to the wedding.
Airports: The closest airport is
Sawyer Regional Airport (MQT). It's a 25
minute drive from Marquette. While it's the most accessible, it's not
always the cheapest.
Bus service
is available from the airport to Marquette.
The next closest airport is
Delta County Airport (ESC) in Escanaba. It's
an 80 minute drive from Marquette and often is cheaper than
MQT.
A little further away is Ford Airport (IMT) in
Iron Mountain, which is 95 minutes from Marquette. If you're flying
into IMT though, keep in mind that it's on Central
Time, not Eastern Time.
Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) is 2
hours from Marquette and rarely has the cheapest flights. But if
you're planning on extending your trip in the UP by visiting the
beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula, it could be a good choice.
Further away in Wisconsin are
Appleton International Airport (ATW) and
Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport
(GRB). These two airports are about a 3.5 hour drive
from Marquette, but they often are much cheaper than other options.
Tip! Use
Google Flights and
plug in multiple airports to see the cheapest available options.
The Portland-Appleton Connection: For those flying
from Portland, there is a direct flight to Appleton that runs once
every Friday and Monday on
Allegiant Airlines. These flights are very cheap, and even with the 3.5 hour
drive to Marquette, factored in, they're often still faster than
flying to MQT with a connection.
Currently, there is a flight leaving PDX at 10:30 AM
on Friday, June 5th. It will arrive in ATW at 4 PM.
The return flight leaves ATW Monday, June 8th at 7:30
AM and arrives in PDX at 9:45 AM. Because of the
early departure of the return flight, it may be optimal to fly into
ATW and fly out of MQT/ESC
for the true budget traveler.
Tip! Coordinate with your other cool Portland friends to split
a rental car and save BIG MONEY!
International Travelers: If you're coming in from
outside of the United States, you may be able to find signicant
savings by instead flying into Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
(YAM). You'll save even more money renting a car on
the Canadian side, as they charge lower rates because the Canucks
drive less agressively than Americans. It's a 3 hour drive from there
to Marquette, winding through the rolling forests of the eastern Upper
Peninsula. Taking this route will allow you to sightsee the Soo Locks,
Tahquamenon Falls, and maybe even take a detour to Mackinac Island.
Tip! Make sure to check your passport, visa, and car rental
policy carefully, as you will be flying into Canada, then driving into
the United States. You will also need to pay a toll to cross the
International Bridge.
Current rates.
Predicting the weather in the Midwest is a fool's errand. It could be
a heat wave, there could be thunderstorms, or it could be snowing.
Maybe all three if you're lucky! Most likely, it will be partially
cloudy and mild. Here's what you can expect from historical trends:
Historic Average Temperatures for June 6th: High of
65°F (18°C), Low of 47°F (8°C).
Historic Highs and Lows for June 6th: High of 93°F
(34°C), Low of 30°F (-1°C).
I have found that
Weather Underground
provides the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts for
Marquette. Check it before you leave so that you are prepared.