Looking for a vacation destination that welcomes travelers who use mobility devices or supports sensory needs?

Head to the northern shore of Lake Michigan, where Escanaba and the Bays de Noc region make everyone feel welcome. Here, accessibility is expanding across the board — from paved trails and adaptive lodging to inclusive museums, parks, playgrounds, live music venues and arts spaces. Explore the area’s breathtaking natural beauty, rich and evolving history and the warm hospitality of its small towns. Everyone belongs here.

Accessible and Sensory-Friendly Beaches, Parks and Trails

Soak up the sun at top U.P. beaches

If you want to enjoy one of the best beach days ever, “Visit Escanaba”! With over 200 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Delta County, you are never more than a few minutes from relaxing or playing by the water. Swim, build sand castles, spike a volleyball, reel in tasty fish, enjoy your favorite water sports or read a good book. Check out these accessible and sensory-friendly beaches:

Escanaba Municipal Beach | Aronson Island 

This is the nearest beach to downtown Escanaba. It has many accessibility and sensory-friendly features that make everyone feel welcome. 

• Accessible by car, bike or from the municipal marina or boat launch
• Spacious, sandy beach with certified lifeguards on duty from noon to 7 p.m.
• A Mobi-mat lets you take your wheelchair, mobility device, stroller or wagon down to the water. A Mobi-chair is also available that takes you right into the water. You can rent it at no cost from the beach house.
• Accessible restrooms, changing rooms and showers
• ADA-accessible fishing pier
• Bring food and water; there is no concession stand
• Adjacent to Ludington Park, you will find sunrise to sunset activities for all ages.

Gladstone Beach | Van Cleve Park 

Parents love bringing their kids to play in this beach’s shallow, warm water. 

• Access the beach from a paved parking lot.
• Hawaiian palm tree-style beach umbrellas create shade on this large expanse of soft sand.
• Water “jungle gym” with a slide that enters the water
• Accessible restrooms, changing facilities, showers and a concession stand
• ADA-accessible fishing pier where you can reel in walleye, perch, bass and panfish
• Easy access to Van Cleve Park and its family-friendly activities.

J.W. Wells State Park | Cedar River 

Good choice for travelers with mobility and sensory-friendly needs.

• Designated swimming beach
• Accessible playground
• Nature education programming
• Cedar River State Harbor, just a couple of miles to the north, offers a boating access site and an accessible walkway along the river. It is popular for fishing and educational programs.

Sac Bay County Park & Beach | Tip of Garden Peninsula

This secluded park is sensory-friendly and is one of the lowest-stimulation beaches in the Escanaba area. 

• Eight miles south of Fayette Historic State Park on the shores of Lake Michigan
• It is like having a private, soft sand, Lake Michigan beach; swim, relax or practice sea kayaking.
• Picnic tables and grills
• Pit toilet restrooms

Discover more of our top beaches. Nine Best Beaches Near Escanaba

Parks where everyone can join in the fun

Ludington Park | Escanaba

This park, along a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline, blends natural beauty with accessible recreation.

Inclusive features are paved walking and biking trails, accessible restrooms and a wheelchair-accessible band shell that hosts concerts, movies and seasonal festivals. The park is also home to Harbor Hideout Playground, a 22,500-square-foot, barrier-free play space. It features slides, swings, transfer points and sensory-friendly equipment so kids of all abilities can play side by side. 

Other highlights are a nine-hole disc golf course designed by Joe Harris from the Professional Disc Golf Association that follows the Little Bay de Noc coast. A paved path takes you to the Sand Point Lighthouse, built in 1867, which offers daily public tours from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. The Delta County Historical Museum is behind the lighthouse and is the perfect place to learn about Escanaba’s and the surrounding area’s fascinating history — from the Native American families who first called this home to modern times.

You can also walk across the brick bridge to Aronson Island, home to Escanaba Municipal Beach, a walking trail and a boat launch that is popular with kayakers and boaters. 

Van Cleve Park | Gladstone

This park offers something for everyone in the family.

Its recreation amenities include a skate park, volleyball court, baseball diamond, a basketball court, accessible fishing pier and access to Gladstone Beach. There is a large pavilion and picnic shelter with wheelchair-accessible picnic tables. A huge playscape with wooden towers thrills toddlers to pre-teens, which makes this a popular park for reunions. The gazebo is a relaxing place to view the beautiful scenery.

The park’s still-active Gladstone Lighthouse is one of the newest beacons in the Upper Peninsula, constructed in 2010. Check out the bronze statue near it, “The Captain and the Kid,” created by local artist Andy Stacksteder. 

In the summer, weekly music concerts delight all ages, and in the winter, this is one of the most serene places to snowshoe. 

Fayette Historic State Park & Townsite | Garden Peninsula

This park brings to life the story of a once-booming iron smelting community that is now one of the Upper Peninsula’s best preserved ghost towns. 

The accessible visitor center provides historical context and insight into the site’s role in America’s industrial development during the mid-to-late 1800s. A large diorama of the townsite gives you a quick overview and there are exhibits about the ancient trees still growing on the limestone cliffs and the iron smelting process. 

The visitor center includes accessible, modern restrooms and an accessible vault toilet is available within the townsite. Designated ADA parking is provided. A wheelchair is available to borrow, subject to availability, and service animals are always welcome. 

Head outside to enjoy the walking/wheelchair-accessible paths to view the 20 preserved historic buildings and Snail Shell Harbor. In the summer, join a free guided tour (ask at the visitor center) or take a self-guided tour from mid-May to mid-October. Also, check their website for seasonal festivals and winter lantern-lit cross-country skiing and snowshoe events. 

Peninsula Point Lighthouse & Picnic Area | Stonington Peninsula

There are multiple reasons to visit this park at the end of the Stonington Peninsula — and thousands of migrating monarch butterflies and hundreds of birds agree that it’s a good place to stop.

The park’s centerpiece is the 40-foot-tall Peninsula Point Lighthouse, which played a pivotal role along shipping lanes connecting Escanaba with Gladstone. The beacon was operational from 1865 to 1934 and helped mariners navigate through hazardous shoals extending into Lake Michigan. Today, visitors can make the easy climb up the tower’s circular staircase for an unparalleled view of the lake from the platform at the top. Others can hunt along the rocky shoreline for fossils, estimated to be 400 to 500 million years old; however, please take photos and leave these treasures on the shore. 

The picnic area is one of the most scenic and the stargazing is spectacular. Accessible restrooms are available. 

A premier time to visit is from August to September, when thousands of migrating monarch butterflies converge on the area to rest along their ancient route to Mexico. Spring and fall are also when many migrating birds make a stopover. Be sure to bring a camera and a bird guide. 

U.P. State Fairgrounds | Escanaba

This is a year-round destination for visitors who need mobility accommodations. With your mobility device, you can access the grandstand, arenas, pavilion, exhibit areas and restrooms. The highlight each year is the annual fair held during the third week of August. 

The annual fair is best for those who enjoy high-sensory stimulation. Other events held on the fairgrounds throughout the year are just right for low to mid-stimulation. Call the fairgrounds to learn which upcoming events best fit your needs. 

Connect with nature on accessible trails

Little Bay de Noc Trail | Between Gladstone and Escanaba

This trail travels along the western edge of the bay, running between the cities of Gladstone and Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula. It’s a 2.5-mile asphalt multipurpose pathway with trailheads in Van Cleve Park (Gladstone) and P Road & SR 35 (Escanaba). 

You can walk, bike or wheelchair the full distance. There are benches and overlooks where you can take in the uninterrupted view of the bay, watching parasailers, kayakers, boaters and birdlife along the way. If you own or rent a kayak, it’s popular to launch near the Terrace Bay Hotel and paddle alongside the trail. 

Nahma Grade Trail | Between U.S. 2 at Forest Road 13 (Rapid River) and Baldy Lake Trail (Delta/Alger County line)

This multipurpose, 32-mile dirt-surface trail is accessible to outdoor-capable wheelchairs. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in what makes the Upper Peninsula an adventurer’s paradise.

The trailhead is on I-40 near County Road 509, two miles east of Rapid River. It mainly follows an abandoned logging railroad grade, passing through varied lowlands, jack pine stands and sandy flats. It is also used by hikers and horseback riders and, in the winter, is groomed for snowmobilers.

Accessible Museums, Art & Sensory Spaces

Bay College | Escanaba 

Our community college brings the arts, music and theater to the Escanaba area, showcasing the talents of students, faculty and regional artists and performers. The gallery exhibits change regularly and present a range of media, from sculpture and painting to digital design. The Besse Center Theater delights audiences with its “Strings on the Bay” and other live musical performances as well as plays by theater students and the Players de Noc community actors. The galleries and theater are wheelchair accessible.

Historic Downtown and Ogden Neighborhood | Escanaba

Not only does the Escanaba area have beautiful, scenic nature trails and waterfronts that you can walk or roll your mobility device along, but you can also enjoy Escanaba’s historic downtown along Ludington Street and the Ogden Avenue neighborhood, only a block from Ludington Park. It’s much more than a sightseeing experience. Your historic walking/rolling tour includes places to shop, dine, try local craft brews and enjoy art galleries, too. Follow our scenic sidewalks all year round!

Historic Tour | Gladstone

Take a self-guided, historic walking or wheelchair tour of the old homes and businesses in Gladstone, paying particular attention to the ones erected when the town was developing in the 1800s and early 1900s. Blue historical marker signs give information about each location. Highlights include the Island House, Trinity Episcopal Church, Goldstein’s Dry Goods, the original city hall and firehouse and homes and churches on Wisconsin Avenue. 

The Delta County Historical Museum | Escanaba

Along Little Bay de Noc behind the historic Sand Point Lighthouse, this waterfront museum features paved walkways and ground-level access to exhibits. Explore the region’s Native American culture and maritime, logging, railroad, sports and business heritage.

U.P. Military Museum | Escanaba

This tribute to the valiant U.P. men and women who served in the U.S. military is housed within the Delta Chamber of Commerce. It is free and fully accessible to visitors. The tours are self-guided, so you can view the exhibits at your own pace. Learn about the rarely told stories of the U.P.’s Native American military members, including the sharpshooters during the Civil War, the Polar Bears and Hello Girls during World War I and the Fly Girls and U.P. families that sacrificed during World War II.

The Webster Marble: Inventing the Outdoors Museum | Escanaba 

This is another free, accessible museum inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce building. If you love hunting or exploring the outdoors, you can thank Webster Marble. His clever inventions and bold entrepreneurial spirit helped pave the way for modern outdoor gear. The world-class ground-floor exhibits showcase the innovative outdoor tools he developed — gear that outfitted iconic explorers like Robert Peary and Theodore Roosevelt. ADA parking provides easy access.

We Rock the Spectrum Up North | Escanaba 

If you travel with a child with autism, sensory processing disorders or developmental delays, you will wish every vacation destination had a sensory gym like this. With calming rooms, tactile play areas and equipment like swings and crash mats, this is a welcoming space for ALL kids to play and burn energy. Siblings are encouraged to join the fun, too.

William Bonifas Fine Arts Center | Escanaba

This is the cultural heartbeat of the city, offering a free and accessible main gallery with rotating exhibits showcasing Upper Peninsula artists. Classes for all ages and abilities are available and the staff encourages visitors to call ahead if mobility assistance is needed. In the summer, the Bonifas also hosts Music Mondays at the Karas Band Shell in Ludington Park and the Logjam Music Festival along Ludington Street.

Walk of the Planets | Escanaba

What a fun way to explore our Solar System on foot or in your wheelchair. Starting with the sun in front of Escanaba City Hall, astronomy buffs of all ages can head westward along Ludington Street through the heart of downtown. Condensed into 18 blocks, you can visit the exact marking points of the planets of the Solar System. Take breaks on your interplanetary exploration at shops, restaurants and city landmarks near each planet. 

Accessible Marinas & Charter Fishing

The Escanaba Marina provides several accessible features for boaters and paddlers. The marina includes ADA-accessible docks and restrooms. 

Just up the shoreline, the North Shore Boat Launch in Wells provides barrier-free skid piers, paved surfaces and marked ADA parking. The site also includes restrooms, three picnic tables, a fish cleaning station and parking for approximately 200 vehicles with trailers.

The Gladstone Yacht Club and Van Cleve Park boardwalk welcome visitors of all abilities with a wide, paved path that stretches from the marina to the lighthouse and picnic island. Along the way, find shaded pavilions, benches and accessible restrooms, making it easy to enjoy the waterfront.

The Bays de Noc provide some of the tastiest fish in the Midwest and captains who know where to reel them in. Accessibility on local charter fishing boats varies, but several offer fishing trips that accommodate folding wheelchairs and anglers with mobility limitations. Be sure to contact the charters in advance to confirm details like lift assistance or transfer support.

Where to Stay 

Lodgings across the region offer ADA-compliant accommodations designed to support a wide range of mobility needs. Features may include accessible parking close to entrances, front desks built to wheelchair height, guest room doors at least 32 inches wide, roll-in showers, grab bars and lowered closet rods and counters. Additional amenities often include closed-caption TVs, TTY devices and accessible business centers. Service animals are welcome by ADA guidelines. 

If you or your traveling companion are seeking lodgings with varying sensory stimulation levels, we have places for you. Call and ask the staff about whether you can dim room lights, lower or turn off music in the indoor pool area or avoid loud noises.  

When making your reservation, ask about specific accessibility and sensory-friendly features to ensure a comfortable and safe stay that meets your individual needs.

Planning Your Accessible Adventure

From paved boardwalks to sensory-friendly spaces, Escanaba and Delta County are ready to welcome everyone. Be sure to book lodgings and outdoor adventures in advance and take time to research nearby dining and shopping options that meet your needs. 

Escanaba’s central location also makes it a convenient hub to reach a wide range of accessible stops throughout the U.P.  Whether you’re heading out on the water, soaking up art and history or simply enjoying the view, this is a place where accessibility meets unlimited U.P. adventures. 

Contact us if you have specific accessibility questions.

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