Munising is home to multiple options for those wishing to see the Pictured Rocks cliffs from the water. You can kayak with Pictured Rocks Kayaking or Paddling Michigan, learn about history aboard a Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tour, or get the full National Lakeshore experience through Pictured Rocks Cruises. For a thrilling experience the whole family will enjoy, Riptide Ride offers a fun and fast boat ride around Grand Island as its passengers see lighthouse, cliffs, waterfalls, and more. We took a trip with Riptide Ride in June of this year, and while we did battle a bit of the Canadian wildfire smoke that was in the area at the time we enjoyed a thrilling and scenic trip on Lake Superior. Today we will share some photos and video from that trip as well as our personal highlights.

The Riptide Ride departs from Commercial St. on the north end of Munising, just a block off of M-28. You can purchase tickets online or at their building. Tours run once a day in the slower months and up to five times each day in the heart of the summer.

The Riptide Ride building is also home to a gift shop full of souvenirs, as well as this fun map on the wall that shows Grand Island and all the points of interest you’re about to see on your trip. The waiting area across from the gift shop/ticket building is where you line up until it is time to depart, at which point you take a short staircase down to the dock.

This trip takes place on a jet boat that at times travels fast and at other times make sharp turns or spins. There is a good chance you will get wet on this trip but that is part of the fun! The boat’s smaller size also enables it to get you in very close to the cliffs, sea caves, and waterfalls.

A brief safety message before the boat leaves lets everyone know they have to remain seated and buckled for the entirety of the trip. The Munising Visitor’s Bureau describes this as “part scenic tour, part rollercoaster on the water” and we would definitely agree with that description. The fun begins with a little bit of speed, some music, and a journey out to Grand Island.

One of the first things we stopped at was the iconic Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse. Photos of this wooden lighthouse pop up in ads for the area frequently, and this is also an early stop for the Pictured Rocks Boat Cruises and Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours. Built in the 1860s, it stands 45 feet tall and was meant to guide ships into Munising from Lake Superior. It was removed from service in the early 1900s when the Munising Range Lights went up, and the years of harsh weather took a toll. At one time it was nearly lost to the lake but volunteers rebuilt the seawall in 2000 and helped save it. As this light is privately owned, the only way to see it is from the water.

After stopping at the lighthouse, we headed past some of the smaller cliffs and came to some of the sea caves and formations. This was the first spot where the jet boat got to really show what it could do, as it got us in incredibly close to the cliff for a look at the different colored layers of rock.

We then got a chance to get even closer and go partway into the sea cave. This video shows how close you can get:

As the ride continued on, the cliffs got taller and more colorful.

We soon saw our first waterfall of the day. The waterfalls that drip off the side of the cliffs are seasonal, and best seen after recent rain.

After passing some more cliffs, we soon saw our first wildlife of the ride – a bald eagle perched in one of the trees at the edge of the cliff!

The boat showed off what it could do as we made our way into a cove and then sped past more tall cliffs. Reaching an especially colorful cave, we once again got to get up close as the boat carefully maneuvered its way in.

By the time we reached the north end of the island the smoky haze had taken over the landscape. This unfortunately made for less-than-ideal viewing of the Grand Island North Lighthouse, whihc was one of the main reasons I had wanted to take this trip. This lighthouse sits atop a 175 foot tall cliff and dates back to 1867. Privately owned for many years since it was deactivated, the only views of this lighthouse come from the water.

We passed more colorful cliffs, saw another bald eagle, and even got to get right up underneath a waterfall as we made our way around the north and west sides of Grand Island.

Thanks to the speed of this boat we saw the entire coastline of Grand Island (more than 25 miles) in just an hour and a half. Below are a few more photos from our trip:

This was a unique and fun way to see some new sights, and we think just about everyone will enjoy the Riptide Ride! If you’re looking for family fun and beautiful scenery in the Munising area, this is a thrill ride you won’t want to miss!