The votes have been counted and the results are in for the BEST Above the Bridge! From Mackinac Island to Marquette and across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, here are your 2023 Red Hot Best winners! Explore the Above the Bridge region winners below or view our full 2023 RHB list for all winners across Northern Michigan.
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Your Above the Bridge Red Hot Best Winners
More than 230,000 nominations and votes were cast in MyNorth’s sought-after 2023 Red Hot Best Awards, celebrating the people, places and experiences that make our region OURS. Dive in to see who took home the gold, silver and bronze across the Above the Bridge region below. From buzzing happy hours and pretty places to paddle to fabulous lodging, restaurants and events, we’ve got your go-to list for summer fun—and beyond.
ART GALLERY
1) Mackinac’s Little Gallery
2) Maeve Croghan Art
3) The Gallery, Marquette Artist Collective
BAKERY
1) Joann’s Fudge
2) The Jampot
3) Wild Blueberry Breakfast & Bakery
BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
1) Detour Drummond Community Credit Union
2) First National Bank of St. Ignace, Main Office
3) Honor Credit Union, Marquette
BEACH
1) British Landing
2) U.S. 2 Sand Dunes Beach
3) Big Shoal Bay Beach
BREAKFAST SPOT
1) Keweenaw Coffee Works
2) Round Island Kitchen, Mission Point Resort
3) Watercolor Café
BREWERY
1) Great Turtle Brewery & Distillery
2) Keweenaw Brewing Company
3) Les Cheneaux Distillers
Photo by Great Turtle Brewing & Distillery
CHIROPRACTOR
1) Dr. Brian J. Chandler, Drummond Island Medical Center
2) Dr. Phil Pietila, Core Wellness Chiropractic
3) Dr. Justin Fountain, Fountain of Life Chiropractic
COFFEE SHOP
1) Lucky Bean Coffeehouse
2) Keweenaw Coffee Works
3) Watercolor Café
DENTIST
1) Scott Elsey, DDS, Pickford Dental
2) Angela Cena, DDS, St. Ignace Dental Associates
3) David P. Anderson, DDS, Anderson Dentistry
3) Scott W. Taylor, DDS
DISC GOLF AREA
1) Great Turtle Park
2) Silver Creek Disc Golf Park 3) Silver Mountain Disc Golf Course
EVENT
1) Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
2) Drummond Island Fall on the Island Festival 10K, 5K
3) Jibba Jabba Rail Jam
FINANCIAL SERVICE ADVISOR
1) Joshua MacDonald, Edward Jones
2) John W. Kling, Edward Jones
3) Mark A. Aho, Mark Aho Financial Group
FLOOR COVERING
1) Northwoods Flooring & Rustic Decor
2) Upper Peninsula Carpet Mart (Formerly Weir Carpet Mart)
3) Carpet One Floor & Home
GYM OR HEALTH STUDIO
1) Great Lakes Fitness
2) NMU Physical Education Instructional Facility
3) David & Thu Brulé YMCA
HAPPY HOUR
1) Pink Pony
2) Round Island Kitchen, Mission Point Resort
3) Horn’s Gaslight Bar & Restaurant
Photo by Jacqueline Southby
HEATING & COOLING BUSINESS
1) Island Breeze Heating & Cooling
2) Mark & Sons Plumbing & Heating
3) Mackinac Plumbing & Heating Co.
HIKING TRAIL OR AREA
1) Mackinac Island State Park
2) Lake of the Clouds Overlook
3) Heritage Trail, Drummond Island
HISTORICAL LANDMARK
1) Fort Mackinac
2) Soo Locks
3) Quincy Mine
LOCALLY MADE HARD BEVERAGE
1) Widow Maker, Keweenaw Brewing Company
2) Ginger Beer, Superior Culture
3) 51K IPA, Blackrocks Brewery
LODGING: HOTELS, MOTELS & RESORTS
1) Mission Point Resort
2) The Vault Hotel
3) Hotel Iroquois
Photo by Mission Point Resort
LODGING: NO HOTELS, MOTELS OR RESORTS
1) The Mackinac House
2) Haan’s 1830 Inn
3) Bay View Bed & Breakfast
NONPROFIT
1) Mackinac Arts Council
2) Straits Pride
3) Drummond Island Community Food Pantry
OUTDOOR DINING
1) Bistro on the Greens, Mission Point Resort
2) Esther’s Authentic Mexican Food
3) Pink Pony
PHYSICAL THERAPIST
1) Mackinac Straits Health System: Therapy
2) Inner Strength Physical Therapy and Wellness
3) Northern Michigan Physical Therapy
3) UP Rehab Services
PIZZA
1) Island Slice Pizzeria
2) Calumet Pizza Works
3) Pins Bar & Grill, Drummond Island Resort & Conference Center
PLACE FOR A WEDDING
1) Mission Point Resort
2) Drummond Island Resort & Conference Center
3) The Inn at Stonecliffe
PLACE TO BUY A BOOK
1) Island Bookstore
2) Grandpa’s Barn
3) Snowbound Books
PLACE TO BUY A GIFT
1) Mission Point Marketplace
2) Little Luxuries
3) K.C. Bonker’s Toys & Coffee
PLACE TO BUY HOME FURNISHINGS
1) Weir Furniture Center
2) Everson’s Home Furnishings, St. Ignace
3) Everson’s Home Furnishings, Newberry
PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY
1) The Boutique at Mission Point Resort
2) North Haven Gifts
3) Little Luxuries
PLACE TO BUY ORGANIC & NATURAL FOODS
1) Doud’s Market
2) Keweenaw Co-op
3) Marquette Food Co-op
Photo by Jacqueline Southby
PLACE TO BUY PET ITEMS
1) Caddywampus
2) Erickson Feed, Seed & Pet Supply
3) Mares-Z-Doats
PLACE TO GET ACTIVE/ OUTDOOR WEAR & GEAR
1) Mackinac Outfitter
2) Drummond Island Outfitters
3) Down Wind Sports, Houghton
3) West End Ski & Trail
PLACE TO KAYAK/CANOE/SUP
1) Mackinac Island
2) Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
3) Drummond Island
PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG
1) Great Lawn, Mission Point Resort
2) Heritage Trail, Drummond Island
3) Maasto Hiihto & Churning Rapids Nordic Ski Area
PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER
1) Christine Cordray, MD
2)Â Valerie Taglione, MD
3) T. Michael Kates, DO
PROJECT HANDYPERSON
1) Matt Myers, Residential Building & Construction
2) Frank Gordon, Trifecta Handyman Services
REAL ESTATE AGENT
1) Suzanne Sasso Kuusinen, Drummond Island Realty
2) Lauren Rowland, RE/ MAX 1st Realty
3) Jo Jo Visnaw, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, Realtors
RESTAURANT
1) Esther’s Authentic Mexican Cuisine
2) Chianti, Mission Point Resort
3) Pink Pony
SALON
1) Lakeside Spa & Salon, Mission Point Resort
2) Citrus Salon
3) Vintage Glam Salon
SPOT FOR PICKING (THRIFTING/CONSIGNING)
1) The Copper Poppy
2) Keweenaw Consignment
3) 906 Restyle
TEACHER
1) Heather May, Mackinac Island Public School
2) Becky Newell, Drum- mond Island Elementary
3) Liz Burt, Mackinac Island Public School
THERAPIST/COUNSELOR
1) Claire O’Brien, LLP
2) Sarah Santiago, LPC
3) Lottie Kohtala, LMSW, CAADC
WINERY
1) End of the Road Winery
2) Threefold Vine Winery
WINTER HIKE OR SNOWSHOE TRAIL
1) Great Turtle Trail, Mackinac Island State Park
2) Hungarian Falls Nature Area
3) The Rock Golf Course
XC SKI TRAIL OR AREA
1) Mackinac Island State Park
2) Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
3) Drummond Island Resort & Conference Center