Grand Marais, Michigan, was named by early French explorers who used the word “marais” to mean “harbor of refuge.” It lived up to its name, as historically the large, shallow harbor has acted as a lifeline for sailors traveling the dangerous shipwreck coast of Lake Superior.

Nestled on the south shore of Lake Superior, the charming and idyllic Grand Marais now acts as the eastern gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and a popular tourist destination. With a permanent population of only about 300, the town census ebbs and flows mightily throughout the year as the locale is well known as a four-season destination offering snowmobiling in the winter and biking, swimming, boating, fishing and kayaking in the summer. And while the community is small, its voice is mighty as was evidenced in 2011, when it gained national attention by becoming the leader in a national contest sponsored by Reader’s Digest. Visitors to the “We Hear You America” website had the opportunity to “cheer” for any community in order to win recognition and cash prizes. Grand Marais attained 1,281,724 “cheers” and won the top municipal first prize of $40,000 in the contest, as well as notoriety in a subsequent Reader’s Digest article.

The town plays host to several events during the popular summer months. In mid-June, the harbor is the site of the annual sea plane fly in, hosted by the Grand Marais Pilots Association on behalf of the National Seaplane Pilots Association. In July, it’s home to the Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium, a multi-day event which attracts sea kayakers from around the country. It is billed as “the largest and oldest sea kayaking symposium on the Great Lakes.”

A music and art Festival in August and triathlon in September finish off the summer event calendar. Autumn heralds in the fall color tour season and legions of drivers trek to Grand Marais along H58, a road known for its infamous 194 curves that make it popular with motor tourists. Grand Marais is also a travel town on the North Country Trail (NCT). Created by Congress in 1980, the NCT us the longest National Scenic Trail in the United States (4,600 miles when complete).

While Grand Marais draws visitors who enjoy its beauty for just a few days, it casts a more powerful spell on some individuals who opt to make it a permanent destination. Such was the case for Kim and Dennis Weaver, who own Grand Marais Outfitters. The Weavers moved to Grand Marais four years ago when Dennis retired from a 23-year career with the U.S. Marines. Frequent visitors to the area over the years, according to Kim, “I asked him where he wanted to retire, I said, the government has been telling you where to go for 23 years and the Marines have been in some pretty miserable places. He had the whole world to choose from, and he picked Grand Marais.”

For more information on Grand Marais visit grandmaraismichigan.com