The sun setting over Lake Superior as viewed from Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula last week

Last week, I returned home to my favorite place in the world - Michigan's Upper Peninsula - for a week of fishing and outdoors fun. It's where I grew up, learned to hunt and fish, and where my folks still call home. If you've ever considered a vacation to "da U.P.," then here are a few insider tips for enjoying a summer vacation there. The Buck Inn: My hometown is Escanaba, which is located in the south central U.P. on the shores of Lake Michigan's Little Bay de Noc. Known as a world class walleye fishery, Escanaba is also a good launching pad for the U.P. grouse hunter. To the east is the Hiawatha National Forest and to your west is Dickinson County, which is considered the best grouse county in the state. The Buck Inn is also located in Escanaba. I've been to Memphis, Kansas City, and Texas, but the world's best ribs are served every night at The Buck Inn. As is our ritual, my wife demanded a Buck Inn visit on our first night to the U.P. last week for her rib fix. AuTrain River: Want to catch some lunker smallies? Load up your canoe or kayak because this isn't a big river, but the smallies are worth the paddling. Bring your poppers, jitterbugs, spooks, devil's horses, and torpedoes - get ready for some top water explosions. Keweenaw Peninsula: Looking for a place where your cell phone won't get a signal? Here's your ticket. The Keweenaw is Michigan's version of the Iron Range, where copper mining was king back in the day. It's a peninsula jutting out into Lake Superior that is pounded by snow all winter long, but stays pretty darn comfortable all summer long. Featuring Copper Harbor and Michigan Tech University, the Keweenaw is famous for thimbleberries, blueberries, and bilberries, Keweenaw Brewing Company Beer, delicious whitefish, abundant splake and monster lake trout. Copper Harbor is also the launching off point to Isle Royal, one of the "Great Lakes State's" crown jewels located in western Lake Superior. The Vierling: Located in Marquette, Michigan in the north central U.P. on the shores of Lake Superior is a small restaurant and brewpub. Last week, I sampled a beer for the first time in my life that boasted wild blueberry extract and was garnished with wild blueberries. Let's just say that I've never been a big fan of picking blueberries (which are now fully ripe and pickable), but after this tasty beer treat, I have my berry picking pail at the ready. Forecasting Grouse: My eyes are also searching the woods for ruffed grouse during every trip home. Like Minnesota, it appears this decade's peak was in 2008 or 2009. And like Minnesota and Wisconsin, the U.P. has suffered through a wet period right during the peak of the grouse hatch. That's not good news for grouse and not good news for this guy. So there you have it, what I did on my summer vacation. Say ya to da U.P. eh!