Superior Times Resort & Campground — Hotel in Au Train Township

My family, several generations, have been coming to Au Train since the 1940's. We tried to get a cabin at a different resort but there was no availability, so we opted for Superior Times. We had stayed there before under prior ownership and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. It was quaint, comfortable, and personable as we had nearly daily interaction with the owners.

I was disappointed this go 'round. The last time we stayed here it was just cabins. Now there's a ton of campsites and rv sites. It has lost the "up north" serenity and peacefulness you'd expect to commerce. There used to be a "community" fire pit near the center of the resort. People throughout the resort could gather together, talk, tell stories, etc. It was a great way to meet new people. That is no more. Every site has their own firepit. It's kind of isolating.

We brought our pontoon boat. I was told there was ample docking space as they "expanded" their docks. Fortunately, there was space at the very end of the dock, but most of the spaces were taken up by rental boats that rarely left the dock while we were there. Speaking of the docks... there were screws sticking up out of them, broken plastic planking. I was afraid someone was going to step in the wrong spot and their foot might go through or cut their foot on the loose screws.

Getting down to the dock you need to have good shoes on as the hill is quite steep, partially covered in gravel until you pass the de overlooking the lake, then it is sand. When we arrived, it appears the there was recently a lot of rain. There were huge ruts in the pathway from water runoff. There was no attempt to groom it for guests to safely walk down to the docks. I observed several children and adults stumble and fall.

Pets are permitted, but watch where you walk. Some people don't bother to pick up after their dogs.

A maintenance fee is charged to cabin renters for cleaning, I suppose. However, I am not certain our cabin was thoroughly cleaned before we arrived. I expect all the dishes and utensils to be in cabinets and drawers. When we checked in, there were dishes in the dish drainage rack on the counter. Not knowing if they were really cleaned. I was washing dishes before I cooked our first meal. Our cabin was supposed to accommodate 9 people, yet there weren't enough forks for 4. We ended up buying some el-cheapo ones from the local Family Dollar and leaving them there. There was also a large dog food bag in one of the cabinets containing dog food, bird seed, and dried corn cobs. If the cabin was cleaned properly, that should have been removed. Huge bug attractant.

I was just really disappointed that resort became so...

I am blown away by this perfect hidden gem. We spent four nights in the Forest Salem camper during Labor Day weekend and nothing about this campground/resort was disappointing.

The communication and accommodating customer service during the reservation process was too notch. Anytime, which was many, that we called with questions, they were more than happy to answer at full length. We originally were looking for two rustic sites next to each other and they helped us figure out the best two, then later on we easily switched one of the sites to a camper.

The camper itself was great! It was nice to still be surrounded by nature but have normal, everyday accommodations with a toddler. The camper was clean and had everything that we needed.

The campground itself, wow. It reminds me so much a little piece of home. It’s very communal, the playground was perfect for our toddlers and all of the other kids that were staying there. They have everything you could think of at the store from allergy medicine to camping chairs to basic groceries. The bathrooms were impressive for campground bathrooms, I just wish there were more shower stalls. The rentals - pontoon boats, kayaks, jet skis, golf carts, scooters, paddle boats are all so reasonably priced and the owners, again, couldn’t be more accommodating. The day we wanted to rent a golf cart they prorated it since we didn’t get it until later in the morning. Lake AuTrain is gorgeous and the sun deck area and “beach” is relaxing and comfortable. You can feel and see all of the love that has been poured into the place. Their story it heartwarming and deeply inspiring.

What makes me love this place the most is the overall laidback vibe. You feel at home and like you are amongst family. You have to experience it yourself to understand. Thank you all so much for truly making our first family vacation that one we will never forget. The Upper Peninsula has easily become a regular vacation spot for us.

Local recommendations - rent a golf cart and go explore the trails. Au Train Beach is a less than five minute drive up the road, spend a day there, it is unlike any beach I have ever visited and couldn’t be more perfect for my almost two year old. Rustic Grounds Coffee in Munising is some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. Miners Castle Point is also a must do and if you turn left out of the campground, just a short drive down the road is AuTrain falls, another...

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Copper Harbor cabin. The cabin felt and looked really clean (esp. the bathroom, which was lovely), it was stocked generously with everything we could need, we had plenty of comfortable chairs outside next to a nice fire pit and picnic table, there was a large TV, and the living room had a great view of the lake. The lake was beautiful! The cabin area was quiet at night, which made for great sleep. The owners kindly lent us two box fans to help cool the cabin, which was needed at night. Though I wondered if it would feel too far from Munising (where we went every day), it ended up feeling like a quick and lovely drive into town, and we decided it was the perfect distance. You know you're staying in a good place when you're always grateful to let yourself back in to your cabin--it felt like coming home. Also, the owners' book about her experience purchasing and improving the resort was so fun to read, and I wish I had her family's ambition and handiness! Additionally, we appreciated the cute and well-stocked camp store and took advantage of the nice, newer laundry room. My one recommendation, if even possible, is to put steps down to the lake to make it more easily accessible. Also, if hot tubs are still being considered for some of the cabins, my vote is yes, if they can be easily maintained. I love a cabin with a hot tub, but I also never felt like anything was missing during our three night stay here. Thank you for the wonderful experience, and we hope to...