Convenient bases to explore lighthouses, accessible nature, Great Lakes history, and more
On the northeastern side of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Alpena combines access to lakes, the Thunder Bay River, and Lake Huron. When you’re figuring out where to stay in Alpena, a range of accommodation options means you can find the right stay for your trip, group, budget, and needs.
Plan your trip
A quick note: Our original visit to Alpena was part of a project with the Visit Alpena tourism board. However, this piece is not part of that project. Our opinions, as always, as our own.
Understanding the Alpena area
There are destinations we go to with curiosity. There are others where we arrive with an absolute hunger to get into everything a place offers. Within moments of arriving in Alpena, both were in high gear.
The town’s compactness means visitors can focus more on activities than the logistics of getting around. We found a safe, family-friendly, delightful community, close to water at every turn. Area attractions included an accessible waterfall, orchards, wood-fired pizza, local ice cream flavors, lighthouses, and the shallow shipwrecks of Lake Huron.
Most accommodation clusters around the downtown core and Highway 32, the main eastbound route heading into Alpena. Other hotels and accommodation are along Route 23, which is also one of the main roads for heading to Thunder Bay State Forest and other recreation.
Consistently top-rated stays for families in Alpena
Alpena has around 50 hotels, B&Bs, and other lodging. It’s enough to give you plenty of options, but not so much that the choices become overwhelming.
Where we stayed in Alpena
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Alpena – Downtown
225 River Street, Alpena, MI 49707
Not only is this cornerstone hotel a block from downtown shopping and dining. You can go right out the door and within moments be on a riverside path that parallels the Thunder Bay River.
Turn right, and in about half a mile you can be by the shores of Lake Huron at Bay View Park or Alpena’s enduring lakeside “Little Red” lighthouse. Or, turn left, and wander upstream where the river meets Lake Besser and the paddle-friendly Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary (complete with on-site remote kayak rental).
The included breakfast made it easier for us to start the day without having to figure out food. We could eat, snag what we needed from the room, and get into the day’s activities and sightseeing.
Ask for a room with a water view. During our own late-summer visit, quiet moments in our room came with beautiful views of this small town and the waterways that define it.
Check availability
Other Alpena accommodation recommendations
If this stay isn’t available or isn’t the right fit, here are consistently well-rated options in the same area.
Big Bear Lodge
Kitchenette suites with lake views and private bathroom. The property also has a playground, terrace, and gardens.
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Days Inn by Wyndham Alpena
Indoor swimming pool, kitchenettes, family rooms, and an outdoor seating area.
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Ramada by Wyndham Alpena
Indoor pool, hot tub, games room with arcade games, on-site guest laundry—and a free airport shuttle.
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Find your place to stay in Alpena
Alpena combines family-friendly accommodation with proximity to outdoor recreation
Of all the places we’ve visited throughout the USA, Alpena stands out to us. Shallow shipwrecks, a walkable downtown, and even an accessible waterfall? Fortunately, where to stay in Alpena also means you can always be near water, history, and outdoor recreation options.
More about Alpena
Our experiences: From shipwrecks to waterfalls, accessible Michigan experiences await in family-friendly Alpena
Plan your trip: Visit Alpena
