As someone who grew up to adulthood in the Upper Peninsula, I am finding all the UP hate in these comments to be. . .very realistic and refreshing. I owe my success to the UP in that I worked as hard as I could to get the fuck out of there and ensure that I would never have to return. Okay, yes, aurora borealis, waterfalls, blah. But also, bigots, more bigots, snow, more snow, freezing cold, nothing to do, mediocre-to-shitty schools, few career opportunities, small town gossip, small town politics, small town looking-the-other-way at abusers cuz everyone knows them, and did I mention bigots? And snow? And nothing to do? YES IT IS THAT BAD.

Nice place to visit (if you can make it on the ONE flight in and out each day after a lengthy layover in Chicago, Detroit, or Minneapolis), but you don't want to live there. Go in February. I dare you. Or late April, when it's the ugliest place on the planet.

It was a weird place to grow up. I recognize the advantages (I basically had the good parts of a 1950s childhood in the 80s and 90s), but the disadvantages (including the bad parts of a 1950s childhood) are permanent and stifling. Growing up in the UP is a thing that you have to overcome. Some people cope by making it their personalities and getting UP tattoos--as they make their way in big cities. My way of coping is laughing my ass off every time the New York Times recommends it as a tourist destination. Go visit, my pretties. Have fun, and buy lots of land.