Long before the coming of the first settlers to the Alpena area, three Native American tribes representing the Ottawa, Chippewa, and Pottawatomie had several villages in the Alpena Area. The small band of Ottawa lived in a little village named “An-a-ma-kee”, meaning “The Thunder”, located on the Thunder Bay River, which was called “An-a-ma-kee-zebe”. The […]
On April 10, 1933, Michigan became the first state to vote yes on the 21st Amendment in an effort to end prohibition! We led the way to overturning the unpopular 18th Amendment, which banned alcohol in the United States. Michigan’s governor at the time was Alpena native Governor William A. Comstock. In his words, “Prohibition […]
Northeast Michigan is a fisherman’s paradise. We’re far away from the stress of the modern world and close to the heart of nature. Bring your own boat or book a charter to experience Alpena’s healthy fisheries. Alpena is a target location for numerous fishing tournaments, offers fishing charters, and has even been featured on the Outdoor […]
Nothing is more authentic to the Alpena area than fishing. When the morning sun is peeking out from a blanketed horizon, the silhouette of a rod and reel can be seen casting along Thunder Bay River on your way into town. As the Autumn leaves bluster about the September breeze, they clear a line of […]
Donny Hartman calls himself, “a working musician that loves to fish”. That’s a very humble description for a man considered on of the greatest guitar players of all time and one of the best fishermen anywhere. Hartman is an original member of The Frost band…. one of Michigan’s premier bands that sprang from the gritty, […]
Have you heard the news? The Alpena area is now home to not one, not two, but THREE designated dark sky preserves! Rockport State Recreation Area, Negwegon State Park, and Thompson’s Harbor State Park have officially been given dark sky designation as of February 16, 2016…and we could not be more proud to be home […]
Are you looking for new ways to experience culture right here in your own backyard? Are you new to the Alpena area and looking for fun, creative experiences specific to Alpena? Here are a few must-see places to get involved in Alpena culture, listed alphabetically: Alpena Civic Theatre For over 50 years, Alpena Civic Theatre has […]
…you love snorkeling and diving the shipwrecks of Thunder Bay in the waters of Lake Huron, unsalted and shark-free! …you love ripping through the trails of Chippewa Hills Pathway on your mountain bike; hills and thrills for 6.6 miles! …you love sinking your teeth into a red ripe, locally grown, strawberry on the Fourth of […]
Do you recall the nor’easter that gave us the “Great Blizzard of 1978”? What about the snowiest winter on record of 1970-1971? More recent winters brought us the abnormal shift of the polar vortex in 2013-2014, and just 3 days ago on March 1st, Alpena broke the record for daily snowfall with 7.2 inches! Beating […]
Did you know that the oldest pair of skates found to date are from around 3000 B.C. and were discovered at the bottom of a lake in Switzerland? Thousands of years of skating has brought us a beautiful establishment right here in Alpena. Northern Lights Arena was built in 2003 due to dedicated community efforts […]
Alpena Area Convention & Visitor Bureau
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