shipwreck tour cheboygan

Cheboygan Glass Bottom Boat Tours, Kayak Rentals & Boat Cruises

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SHIPWRECK TOUR

Enjoy the stunning views of our area on our professionally guided glass bottom shipwreck tour to see over 3 shipwrecks! Take our cruise down the Cheboygan River, under the drawbridge, and past three lighthouses. Book online!

• Hour Glass 1.5 Hours
• User All Ages

CHOOSE FROM OUR BOAT TOURS IN MICHIGAN BELOW

Shipwreck tour, cheboygan river, lock and dam tour.

Take a leisurely ride aboard the Yankee Sunshine upriver through the Cheboygan Locks. A professionally narrated tour to the Black River, offered  Sunday mornings at 10 AM with a light brunch during May and September!

• Hour Glass 5 Hours

Fireworks Cruise Mullett Lake

JULY 3rd ONLY. We leave the dock at ANCHOR INN MARINA and cruise a portion of the inland waterway system to Mullett Lake to watch one of the best fireworks shows that Northern Michigan has to offer! Book your Mullet Lake fireworks cruise online.

• Hour Glass 4 Hours

Fireworks Cruise Under the Mighty Mac

JULY 4th ONLY. Enjoy the fireworks under the Mackinaw Bridge! We leave the dock at 6:45 p.m. to take a beautiful cruise through Lake Huron up to Mackinaw to see fireworks from all the surrounding areas right on the water. Book your Mackinaw City fireworks cruise online!

Private Charters

Orchestrate your own adventure aboard the Yankee Sunshine. Whether you are interested in the “perfect date” night or want a unique proposal – wedding parties, class reunions-office parties-tour bus groups-are all welcome! We offer unique destinations/excursions to fit your need!  We welcome pets aboard our private charters. Please let us know how we can make your trip perfect! We can accommodate weddings, memorials, birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions! Book online.

• User Ages 12+

Kayak Rental & Eco Tours

Grab your friends or family, and get ready for some summertime fun in Cheboygan, Michigan! Choose your own adventure or join us on a guided eco tour-either through the Cheboygan Locks or out into Lake Huron. All guests 12 and up are welcome, life jackets are provided. Book online!

• Hour Glass 6-7 hours/day
• User Ages 10-14

Open Water Scuba Classes

Are you ready to REALLY explore the underwater world? Come join us in July and August for our open water certification class!

PADI Discover Scuba

PADI’S DSD provides you with the theory and knowledge you need to be comfortable and safe while scuba diving for the first time.

Things to do

Entertainment, come play on the water with nautical north family adventures.

Have you and your family been searching for things to do in Northern Michigan? Look no further! Nautical North Family Adventures offers a wide variety of options to get you out on the water, having fun, learning history and enjoying the natural beauty that defines our area. Whether you are looking for glass bottom boat tours, family kayak rentals or you’d really prefer to see a Lake Huron lighthouse up close, we have you covered! If Northern Michigan boat rentals leave you scrambling for a captain when you’d rather enjoy the day…let us take the helm with our private charters! If you are visiting and want things to do in Northern MI as a new and wonderful experience for the whole family consider a glass bottom boat ride. We are here in Cheboygan, just 20 minutes from Mackinaw City, Michigan. Book your boat tours in Michigan online today!

OUR SHIPWRECK TOURS ARE FIVE-STARS!

Wow! This was a great experience. Beautiful scenery, so much history and alot of fun. Great day on the water for us was so clear and calm. Thank you ! Highly recommended.

Captain Jen and her crew were awesome. Made us feel like family. The brunch we had was delicious. The information we learned was amazing. Going through the locks was a super neat first time experience. 🥰🥰

The tour was most enjoyable, the Captain and crew were both personable and entertaining. The boat was nicely configured for comfort and convenience. The ride was smooth and there was an unobstructed view of all the points of interest. A great time out on the lake!

The captain, the staff, the boat, the history and the many sights during the tour made this an outstanding experience. Don’t miss it!

The Shipwreck tour was amazing.. We had a perfect day to do the tour.. Captain Jennifer was amazing lots of knowledge and friendly staff.. Will definitely do the tour again...

We had a great time with Rob and Captain Jen! They were very knowledgeable and entertaining. I would definitely take more friends on this tour.

Loved the tour! Very informative and captain Jen will keep you laughing! I recommend to everyone! Don't forget to shout out, TIMBER!

Scenery was gorgeous! Captain Jenn and first mate Maria were phenomenal! Made my grandson 2nd mate! He returned the favor by ducking Jenn's jeep!

Had my wedding on the boat and it was absolutely perfect. They were so accommodating with my plans. Captain Jenn was quick to respond to any requests. We all highly recommend that you check out the tour, wither it's a private tour or not. Simply amazing.

Captain Jen really went out of her way to make this a fun and special trip for everyone on board. The group we were in had a lot of young kids. I loved how interactive and engaging the captain made the trip for them, as well as the adults. Definitely recommend.

We went on the shipwreck tour and it did not disappoint! Beautiful views, spooky shipwrecks, and the tour guides were very funny and informative :) definitely stop here on your trip to Cheboygan!

I loved that the crew seemed to vibe so well together, and were upbeat and enthusiastic. They were great with the kids and kept it fun and interesting for them. Snorkeling over the shipwreck was an awesome experience!

Nautical North Family Adventures

Review Highlights

“ We took a sunset cruise into Lake Huron and learned some history about the Cheboygan area. ” in 2 reviews

“ Even if you don't want to go snorkeling, the glass bottom boat is amazing. ” in 2 reviews

“ I found NNFA on a google search for shipwreck tours in Cheboygan. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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123 S Main St

Cheboygan, MI 49721

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Fun and interesting tour. Great captain and mate! Be sure to book a tour with them if you are anywhere near Mackinac Island.

We had an awesome trip with a super-awesome crew, starting at the Marina and heading up the Cheboygan River through the Cheboygan lock and up to just a little past the confluence with the Black River. The weather was perfect and the fall leaf color was getting closer to peak. We didn't realize there would be a luncheon, so that was a great bonus. The food was plentiful, unique and delicious (and I'm a picky eater)! We also got to lock through both ways and learned about the history of the lock and the whole area. We don't have to go all the way to Sault Ste. Marie to watch the boats in a lock. All-in-all, it was a wonderful experience and we highly recommend it. We can't wait to go on a Sunset Tour next summer!

I found NNFA on a google search for shipwreck tours in Cheboygan. How lucky am I?!? My husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary on July 4 and I was looking for something unique and exciting and Captain Jenn and the Crew of the Yankee Sunshine gave us an experience that I am going to have to put in work to top! Captain Jenn was engaging and entertaining and her resident historian provided a colorful commentary on our trip. We stopped over two shipwrecks and enjoyed really cool views through the glass bottom. Sunset under the Mackinac Bridge was only topped by the fireworks that were on three sides of the Yankee Sunshine, from Mackinac City, Mackinac Island and St Ignace. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this cruise. Supporting local business is SO important but you can't go wrong with NNFA, Captain Jenn and the Yankee Sunshine.

Went on the wreck viewing and snorkeling cruise. It was a great time . The boat is fantastic, the crew fun, friendly and super competent. Lake Huron was the star of the show , such a gorgeous place to spend time on the water. You can't go wrong here - you'll have a great time. Kudos to Captain Jen on a very fine charter and tour outfit!

Awesome time, so much great history and information. Cpt Jen was awesome!!! Great family fun for all ages. We would do this again and again. Next trip we will do the shipwreck snorkeling. This is a MUST DO trip!!

Light house close to the bay

This was a much fun! My grandkids (10 yo and 7 yo) loved it!! It was also very informative with some historical info too. The staff is all super friendly and happy to answer any questions. Highly recommend!

Wonderful atmosphere to be in! The staff is beyond friendly and interacts with the audience (especially little kids!) A lot of interesting facts are also mentioned during this tour and amazing views of the shipwrecks! Would love to come back! We surprised my grandpa for Father's day and he absolutely loved it, we all had a great time!

This tour was awesome! We took a sunset cruise into Lake Huron and learned some history about the Cheboygan area. We loved looking at the shipwrecks in the bay. Definitely recommend even for locals!

Lighthouse leaving the Cheboygan River heading into Lake Huron during the sunset cruise with Nautical North Family Adventures

Fantastic adventure! Captain Jen is wonderful and very knowledgeable ... what a great addition to the area! A great tour and fun snorkeling adventure. A must do!!

We took the tour yesterday and was so impressed! Being from the area and returning for a quick trip I didn't even know about the ship wrecks! Jen the Captain was so enthusiastic and proud of her hometown. Rob from the Cheboygan Historical Society did an excellent job explaining all of the nuances of the waters and town. They were so kind to the children on board and even let a little girl drive a boat. Don't miss this gem!!!

See all photos from Susan S. for Nautical North Family Adventures

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Resembling a small country church in style, its original color was white. The location, opposite the dangerous shoal at Sand Point, was critical for safe navigation.

Tickets for the 2024 season are available online

Ticket office and gift shop will be open starting May 24th

Tours start daily on May 25-September 30

One of Michigan's “10 Best Summer Travel Secrets!" from the Detroit News

Awarded the Trip Advisor 2023 Certificate of Excellence with a FIVE STAR rating!

Explore the Depth of Lake Superior and it's Treasures Within!

America’s first and today’s best Glass Bottom Boat Shipwreck Tour since 1992! Take an excursion back in time to the industrial ages of American shipping History. Let us introduce you to Lake Superiors natural underwater museum featuring a rare, fully intact, wooden sailing ship that was built before the Civil War and sits only a few feet from the surface of the lake.

The trip takes about 2 hours, visits two different shipwreck sites, rock cliffs & caves, a historic lighthouse, and the exquisite beauty of Grand Island and Munising Bay.

Grand Island is an interesting place all on its own with its’ rich history, sandy beaches and colorful sandstone cliffs and caves. North American Bald Eagles are often spotted all throughout the trip as they nest along the shoreline.

Trips are scheduled daily from Memorial weekend until the 30th of September. Reservations are highly recommended!

To guarantee your reservation, purchase your tickets online . If you’re looking for the perfect present, we also have gift certificates available !

Click on our website link "Buy Tickets Now" to buy online or call...

     (906) 387-4477 

(OFFICE/GIFT SHOP HOURS ARE KEPT FROM MEMORIAL DAY UNTIL OCTOBER 1st)

Wheel/Power chair accessibile tours are at 10AM, 1PM, 4PM on the Shipwreck Express on scheduled days .

Fun, educational, and awe-inspiring for the entire family. 

Experience Great Lakes History on Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours in Michigan

Though Great Lakes waterways are picture-perfect on a calm day, rough seas and unpredictable storms have claimed many ships too, giving Michigan a rich shipwreck history . The best way to see that history up close is on glass bottom shipwreck tours in Michigan .

Because these waters have claimed so many ships, the lake bottoms are dotted with schooners, steamers, and barges, many of which are carefully preserved.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see those shipwrecks up close? If you have, you’re in luck because there are several opportunities in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula for you to see these beautiful relics.

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours on Lake Huron

If you’re seeking out glass bottom boat shipwreck tours in Michigan, start on Michigan’s Sunrise Side along the shores of Lake Huron in Alpena & Cheybogan.

Alpena Shipwreck Tours | Alpena MI

Alpena, and Lake Huron by extension, are home to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary , which protects almost 100 shipwrecks.

Board the Lady Michigan and prepare for an unforgettable shipwreck tour in Lake Huron’s Shipwreck Alley, complete with friendly narration by your guide.

There’s something that’s equally fascinating and eerie about seeing these incredible ships at the bottom of the lake, and a tour guide is on hand to answer all your questions.

The Lady Michigan has plenty of room to explore and many of the wrecks are still intact, making for a great experience as you see Great Lakes history up close.

Unique tour to see wreck remnants, not really recognizable as intact ships. The glass-bottom boat is an easy way to glimpse what divers in the area scout out, and makes for a nice afternoon on Lake Huron. Be aware that getting to and from the actual shipwreck sites takes up the majority of the two-hour time frame. Crew was friendly and entertaining, and offered up some bits of history. – Walker H. via TripAdvisor

When you’re done with the tour, make sure you leave time to visit the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena.

Admission is free and you can learn about and explore more of Lake Huron’s shipwrecks. There are lots of placards and exhibits to see and there are immersive exhibits as well. You can walk over the deck of a full-size schooner and feel what it’s like to be underwater by walking through dive tubes.

The visitor center is open year-round and is fun for all ages. It’s visited by nearly 100,000 people each year, so you know you’re in for something special when you visit.

Nautical North Family Adventures | Cheboygan MI

Continue your quest for glass-bottom boat shipwreck tours in Michigan by continuing up the Lake Huron coast to Cheboygan.

Board the Yankee Sunshine with Captain Jenn for a tour from Nautical North Family Adventures. The tour company, which began operations in 2018, offers an experience that’s equal parts educational, fun, and intimate. You can even borrow the company Go-Pro to document your awesome adventure!

Cast off from port and make your way down the Cheboygan River to Lake Huron. Once you’ve hit the big lake, you can see three different lighthouses as well as three different shipwrecks from as far back as 1891 and as recently as 2010.

If you really want a unique experience , try a sunset cruise where the shipwrecks are illuminated by underwater lights.

We had an awesome trip starting at the Marina and heading up the Cheboygan River through the Cheboygan lock and up to just a little past the confluence with the Black River. The weather was perfect and the fall leaf color was getting closer to peak. We didn’t realize there would be a luncheon, so that was a great bonus. The food was plentiful, unique, and delicious (and I’m a picky eater)! We also got to lock through both ways and learned about the history of the lock and the whole area. We don’t have to go all the way to Sault Ste. Marie to watch the boats in a lock. All-in-all, it was a wonderful experience and we highly recommend it. – Pat K. via TripAdvisor

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours on Lake Superior

Munising is adored by Michiganders and out-of-state visitors alike for its trips along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

But if you visit, Munising, you absolutely must leave time to do a glass bottom boat tour.

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours | Munising MI

Munising’s Shipwreck Tours are some of the oldest in the nation and offer visitors a chance to see the underwater wonders of Lake Superior. It’s one of the few places where you can see these turn-of-the-century wrecks on a glass bottom boat.

Trips are seasonal and last about two hours. Excited visitors can see two different shipwreck sites, including the remains of a fully intact wooden ship from the mid-1800s, the Bermuda . You can also see the remains of the Herman H. Hettler who wrecked when seeking shelter in Munising Harbor in November 1926.

Above water, there’s a chance to see Lake Superior’s sandy beaches, a historic lighthouse, and the beautiful shoreline along Munising Bay. All in all, it makes for a fun day of sightseeing and exploring!

This is a must-do! The main draw is, obviously, seeing sunken ships through the glass-bottom sections of the boat. But there are so many more things to see! The views above the water are absolutely beautiful, & our “all-girl Yooper-crew” gave us nuggets of knowledge along the way. Every single thing about this boat ride was just fabulous, & I strongly encourage everyone even mildly curious to DO THIS! – Kate S. via TripAdvisor

Experiencing Glass Bottom Boat Shipwreck Tours in Michigan

There’s no doubt about it: Glass bottom boat shipwreck tours in Michigan are memorable, exciting, and oh so thrilling.

Here’s what one of our writers had to say about their experience seeing Lake Superior shipwrecks in Munising Bay up close:

Three shipwrecks, one lighthouse, and close-up views of Munising Bay.

I departed Munising on a foggy morning around 10 am, excited for what I was going to see. I have to say that the fog added a little flair to the trip, as it brings this ominous illusion to the boat. I did hear that the shipwrecks are easier to see when it is bright and sunny out, but I had no problem seeing them in the fog. The first site on the trip is the wreck of the Bermuda , a ship that sunk in 1870 from excess weight and a leak in the hull. This shipwreck is less than 12 feet under the surface of the water, letting all the passengers on the glass bottom boat see the ship clearly. After this sight, the tour continues around Grand Island in Munising Bay and pulls up close to the East Channel Lighthouse for some photo opportunities and to tell a little history about the lighthouse. The lightkeeper raised his family on Grand Island making a great living of $400 dollars a year plus benefits (wood for his fire!). The second shipwreck comes shortly after a great view of the Grand Island shoreline. The Herman H. Hettler crashed into a rock reef during a storm in late 1926 and was slowly broken apart from multiple winter storms. While all 16 of the crew members escaped, nothing was salvageable and the steamer was left to be broken apart by nature. Today the wreck is scattered around the bay in varying depths. Still, plenty to see, including the captain’s bathtub and commode! On the way back to the Munising docks, the shipwreck tour shows one more shipwreck that is an unknown wreck . So far no one has been able to identify the story of this ship and there are no records of any ships of this style disappearing. Maybe you can help solve the mystery? This two-hour tour was interesting as well as being educational! The things that you can see from the glass bottom are amazing. History buffs and children will enjoy this ride – even the youngest children enjoy watching the fish under the surface.

Book Your Michigan Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tour Today

If you love Michigan, its history, and boats, glass bottom shipwreck tours in Michigan are truly the best of all worlds! 

There’s something that’s just so peaceful about being out on the Great Lakes, but seeing a shipwreck up close takes the experience to a higher level. These beautifully preserved time capsules to a time long ago remind visitors not only of how treacherous the water can be, but also of how important many of these ships were to Michigan’s economy.

So book a glass bottom boat shipwreck tour and see for yourself just how awesome these shipwrecks are. With a clear view of these ships, you’ll no doubt learn something new and your eyes will light up in wonder, no matter how old you are.

James Andersen is an award-winning journalist and editor who was born and raised in Metro Detroit but currently resides on the shores of Lake Huron in Alpena, Michigan. When he’s not knee-deep in research or conducting interviews for stories, he can be found fishing, cheering on Detroit sports teams, and spending time with his wife and two dogs.

15 Fantastic Things to Do in Cheboygan Michigan

Nestled along the emerald shores of Lake Huron, Cheboygan radiates small-town charm and natural beauty. This port city serves as the gateway to northern Michigan adventures, from lighthouse exploring to shipwreck diving, trail hiking to island hopping.

Cheboygan spoils visitors with its wealth of attractions from history to cuisine, recreation and beyond. Here are the top 15 things to do in Cheboygan for an unforgettable Up North Michigan getaway.

Table of Contents

1. Tour the Cheboygan Lighthouses

No trip to Cheboygan is complete without visiting its iconic lighthouses guarding the harbor. The Front Range Lighthouse sits right downtown along the scenic riverwalk. This stately red-brick lighthouse dates to 1880 and still operates today. Gaze at the intricate fresnel lens up close and take in panoramic views of the straits from the top.

Offshore in Lake Huron sits the quaint Cheboygan Crib Lighthouse, mounted atop a concrete pier just outside the river mouth. Take in picturesque views of this lighthouse from Festival Square downtown.

Next door, the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association museum details the region’s maritime past through fascinating exhibits and artifacts.

2. Launch Your Boat

With miles of inland waterways, perfect Lake Huron access and dozens of pristine fishing lakes, Cheboygan is a paradise for boaters. Launch your own vessel from one of Cheboygan’s many public marinas and boat launches.

Top fishing spots near Cheboygan include Burt Lake , Mullett Lake, Crooked Lake, Duncan Bay and the Cheboygan River. Don’t have your own boat? No problem! Charter a guide to take you fishing for popular catches like walleye, steelhead, smallmouth bass and perch.

Companies like Anderson Guide Service and Revelation Guide Service offer full and half-day fishing charters out of Cheboygan.

3. Paddle the Water Trails

See a whole new side of Cheboygan’s natural beauty from an easy-going kayak or canoe. The Cheboygan River Water Trail makes a perfect peaceful paddle. Traverse 15 miles of the flowing river as it winds through wetlands, by old lumber dams and under forested banks.

Spot turtles, herons, kingfishers and more along the way. The trailhead lies 4 miles south of downtown at Major City Park.

For a shorter paddle trip, explore the marshy Dingman Creek or the Lower Black River near downtown Cheboygan. Outfitters like Cheboygan Outdoor Company rent canoes and kayaks right in town.

4. Hike and Bike Local Trails

Lace up your hiking boots or strap on your helmet to explore Cheboygan’s scenic trails. Walk along the 1.7 mile Cheboygan River Heritage Trail that loops from downtown out to the footbridge, passing historic mills and bridges.

Serious mountain bikers test their skills on the expert Wolverine Trail at Cheboygan State Park. Nearly 2 miles of technical single-track weave steeply up and down through the forest.

5. Go Spelunking at Michigan Caves

Adventurous souls will love exploring the underground chambers at Michigan Caves. Located near Cheboygan in Indian River, professionally guided tours lead through massive caverns adorned with lofty ceilings, stalactites, flowstones and an underground pool.

Knowledgeable guides shed light on the fascinating geology and lore surrounding the ancient caves. Above ground, meander through quiet woods along scenic hiking trails. Don’t miss this chance to descend into Michigan’s ancient underground world.

6. Stroll and Dine Downtown

From laid-back cafes to chic bistros, downtown Cheboygan delights visitors with its pedestrian-friendly streets lined with shops and eateries. Start your day fueling up on coffee, bagels and baked goods at the Main Street Bakery. Stop in for a classic fish sandwich or cup of chowder at the Porthole Bar & Grill. For some retail therapy, browse the boutiques for gifts, jewelry, books, art and more.

When evening hunger strikes, linger over expertly prepared steak and seafood at restaurants like The Riverside, Mulligan’s Pub, or the Macedonian Specialty Food and Grill. With its walkable streets and diverse dining, downtown Cheboygan truly encapsulates small-town living at its finest.

7. See the Sights by Bicycle

Experience the sights of Cheboygan from the seat of a bike. Rentals are available from local outfitters like Great Lakes Cycling and River Driver. A 15 mile loop ride offers scenic views of the Cheboygan River, downtown highlights, Lake Huron shoreline, wetlands and more.

Let the bike paths transport you back in time as you pedal past historic homes, churches and footbridges from the lumber era. It’s a relaxing way to explore the area’s natural beauty and heritage.

8. Tour Historic Sites

History unfolds at Cheboygan’s museums and historic attractions. At the Cheboygan Opera House History Museum, exhibits detail the region’s early lumbering operations, shipping industry and railroads.

You can choose to see replica 1890s lighthouse and exhibits on Great Lakes shipping at the Twin Sisters Lighthouse Museum.

9. Go Underground at Duncan Bay Cave

For a truly off-the-beaten-path adventure, grab a flashlight and explore Duncan Bay Cave. Located on private land near the tip of the Cheboygan River, this wet cave contains passages winding over 1,600 feet through the limestone bedrock.

Droplets of water glistening on cave formations create magical scenery. Guided tours of Duncan Bay Cave run seasonally. Contact Endless Forest Adventures for reservations to explore this unique natural wonder.

10. Play Disc Golf at the Recreation Area

Spend a day in the sunshine playing disc golf at the Major City Recreation Area. This wooded 18-hole course provides over 2 miles of terrain right in town.

Park amenities like covered shelters, restrooms and playgrounds make for a full day of fun. Bring your own discs or rent them on-site. Nearby tennis courts, baseball fields, hiking trails and boat launches offer more recreation options for everyone.

11. Pick Fresh Berries

Juicy ripe blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cherries abound at Cheboygan area pick-your-own farms.

From June through September, sample berries straight from the bush at u-pick farms like Hall’s Berry Farm, Klondike Farms, Paradise Berry Farm, and Cross Orchards. Many local farms have play areas, petting zoos, corn mazes and hayrides adding to the family fun.

12. Dine at Ryde Inn

For a fine dining experience with gorgeous lake views, head 15 minutes north of Cheboygan to the Ryde Inn Restaurant. This renowned restaurant is set inside a 19th century former stagecoach inn overlooking the shores of Burt Lake.

Savor expertly prepared meals showcasing fresh regional fish, meats, cheeses and produce. Watch the sunset over the water during dinner or come Sunday for their lavish brunch buffet. It’s the perfect place for a romantic dinner or special celebration.

13. Attend Summer Festivals

Cheboygan celebrates summer with a lineup of fun community festivals. Rock out to live music at the free Cheboygan Music Fest in July. Other popular annual events include Rib Fest, the Red, White & Blues Festival, and the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival.

Kids love the Cardboard Boat Race and Fishing Day. October brings the changing leaves, heralded by autumn highlights like the Festival of the Trees and Pumpkin Festival. Cheboygan knows how to show visitors a good time!

14. Try Golfing

With its rolling landscape and abundance of lakes, the Cheboygan area is a golfer’s paradise. Tee off at top-rated courses like the Cheboygan Golf & Country Club, Indian River Golf Club, or Black Lake Golf Club.

For value-priced golf, check out Pine Ridge Golf Course or Lincoln Hills Golf Club, both just minutes from downtown.Practice your swing at Lakeview Hills Golf Driving Range or play a round of mini-golf at Adventure Golf and Go-Karts.

15. Explore Shipwrecks

The legend of Lake Huron’s shipwrecks draws divers and adventurers from across the globe. Climb aboard a shipwreck glass-bottom boat tour in Cheboygan to glimpse intact wrecks just offshore.

Scuba divers can plunge deeper to explore partly buried vessels like the Keystorm and City of Bangor. Area dive shops like Blue Bubble Scuba and Shipwreck Tours offer charters.

For an easy shipwreck experience, snorkel the warm shallows and find artifacts preserved for decades under the cold Lake Huron waters.

With its enviable blend of heritage and nature, recreation and relaxation, Cheboygan shines as an ideal base for exploring things to do in Northern Michigan . From lighthouses to waterfalls, historic sites to hiking trails, this charming port city truly offers an authentic slice of Up North.

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By Land and Sea: A Trio of Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours

Featured image from shipwreck tours, munising, michigan.

Driving time: 3 hours, 38 minutes

Mileage : 217 miles

The Great Lakes can be as treacherous as they are beautiful. Poor weather can cause the waters to become hazardous, and the lakes have swallowed up their fair share of vessels of all sizes. Some are nationally famous ( Edmund Fitzgerald) while others are known only through their discovery, because let’s face it, we love finding something that’s been lost to time.

There are hundreds of shipwrecks, their resting places known in some cases but not known in many others. You can learn some of this history and encounter some of these ships by embarking on a glass bottom shipwreck tour. There are three main destinations in Michigan that offer this type of excursion, and honestly, it’s worth going on every single one.

Stop #1: Alpena

To begin this driving tour, you must visit the premiere destination for underwater exploration and shipwreck diving in the state: Alpena. Settled on the shores of Lake Huron, this picturesque town is home to a national marine sanctuary, complete with glass bottom boat tours. The Lady Michigan takes you down this Great Lake’s “Shipwreck Alley,” where you can get a glimpse of two to five shipwrecks. However, the area is a sanctuary because there are an estimated 200 shipwrecks, many of which haven’t been discovered. The ones that have been located are often utilized for research, diving expeditions, and to learn how to use underwater technology. During the summer months, tours depart three times daily at 9:00 a.m., Noon, and 3:00 p.m. Tickets for adults are $39, it’s $14 for ages 6-12, and under five years old can take the 2.5-hour cruise for just $1. A guide will narrate throughout the tour, giving insightful history on the wrecks as well as the local area itself. Before or after your glass bottom boat tour, visit the free-entry Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. Meander into historic Alpena and get an ice-cream cone at Scoops, walk the downtown shops, maybe get a pint or two at Austin Brothers.

Stop #2: Cheboygan

Get back in the vehicle and head north on U.S. 23 toward the Mackinaw Bridge. The drive follows the Lake Huron coastline, and it’s a beautiful drive on a sunny summer day. There are several beaches and roadside parks if you want to take your time or have some lunch. Your next destination on this driving tour is Cheboygan. Nautical North Family Adventures has been doing a swell job of giving shipwreck seekers a gander at some of Lake Huron’s wrecks since 2018. Their vessel, the Yankee Sunshine , takes you down the Cheboygan River, past three lighthouses, and over three shallow water shipwrecks. You can add snorkeling, with gear provided, to get an up-close look at the shipwrecks. Adult tickets are $29 apiece, children 6-12 are $14, and under five years old are $5. There are also senior and military discounts. After the tour, you can choose to go into town for some food and shopping. There also a wonderful farmer’s market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. if you happen to be there those days of the week.

Stop #3: Munising

To reach the last destination, you’ll leave Cheboygan and drive 20 minutes north to the Mackinac Bridge, which spans five miles from end to end and connects Michigan’s two vast peninsulas. It’s an experience in itself to cross the big bridge. Once on the Upper Peninsula side, it takes only a couple hours to reach Munising. Also known as a hotspot for viewing stunning waterfalls and the entry point for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising is home to the only glass bottom shipwreck tour on Lake Superior. Shipwreck Tours runs seven days a week until September 30, rain or shine, with five tours daily during July and August. The website eagerly promotes the tours as being: “Fully narrated, educational and entertaining, two hour tour explores two historical shipwrecks, the Bermuda (sank 1870) and Herman H. Hettler (sank 1926). Cruise by Grand Islands’ East Channel Lighthouse (constructed 1867) and colorful rock cliffs, caves, beaches, and pristine wilderness.” Adult tickets are $38, seniors over the age of 62 are $34, children are $14, and those under five are $1.

Weekends are typically busier, so try to visit during the weekday if you can. Make sure you bring a jacket or sweatshirt, even if it’s forecast to be warm, as it can be much cooler on the water.  It’s convenient that all three glass bottom shipwreck tour companies offer online booking. You can purchase tickets – and should – well in advance. With several tours leaving daily, you have a better chance of getting on to a tour on your chosen day.

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Sunset Cruise - Nautical North Family Adventures

• United States    
• Michigan (MI)    
• Cheboygan County    
• Cheboygan    
• Cheboygan - Things to Do    
• Nautical North Family Adventures

Great way to get out on the water and see the sights. Crew was informative, funny and helpful... read more

Twice in the last 2 years, we have been in Cheboygan in the first week of May, before the normal... read more

Sunset Cruise

We did the sunset cruise and had a great time! It is always fun to go on tours where you can tell that the guide genuinely loves their job, and that has never been more true than with Captain Jenn and her crew! They kept the stories fun and informative, and combined with the beautiful scenery of Cheboygan bay and the sun setting over the Mackinac Bridge made for a wonderful evening. I would definitely come back, and am looking forward to going on the 2 PM snorkeling cruise when it warms up.

Can’t wait to have you aboard again 😀

We had a great family experience on our recent sunset shipwreck cruise out of Cheboygan. Our 3 and 4 year olds were even very comfortable and enjoyed the trip. Highly recommend!

Wonderful! So happy you all had fun😀

I had never known there was a glass bottom boat in Cheboygan before we found Nautical North. We did the shipwreck tour and it was SPECTACULAR. The weather was gorgeous the morning we went so visibility was perfect to see the shipwrecks! 10/10 would go again. 😊

Thank you so much for the accolades🤩 So glad you could join us!!

We loved the shipwreck tour. We had a varied party of a senior citizen, an adult post-knee surgery and a child under 10 so this was the perfect activity for us. The crew seriously loves what they do and are so knowledgeable that it was an absolute pleasure to take a tour with them.

It was really our pleasure to have you all along!!

Great trip. Highly recommend for family. Sunset tour was amazing. Shipwrecks we’re cool to see. Staff friendly and knowledgeable.

Thanks for joining us😀

We enjoyed the cruise down the Cheboygan River and looking through the glass bottom at the shipwrecks. The captain and historical speaker were both entertaining.

Thanks so much for joining us😀

The Coast Guard Connection

The Coast Guard has had a presence in Cheboygan since 1944. The Coast Guard Connection committee helps make Cheboygan feel like home away from home for some 60 Coast Guard service members during their tour serving on the Icebreaker Mackinaw.  We want the Coasties to feel that Cheboygan is a welcoming place and that we appreciate their service time here. Further, the Coast Guard Connection welcomes the families of service members and works to make the adjustment of moving to a new post as comfortable as possible.

Every summer, about 1/3 of the Mackinaw shipmates depart for other assignments–to be replaced by an equal number of shipmates reporting aboard for duty. A Welcome Picnic, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, gives members and families information about businesses and services available in Cheboygan plus schools, camps, athletic, and recreational opportunities. Quarterly potlucks hosted by the Coast Guard Connection give the shipmates and their families time together to talk in a social setting and share a meal.

The Coast Guard Connection helped coordinate and participated in the Coast Guard Open Base Day this past summer. The Mackinaw was available on a Saturday in July for the community to tour the ship. County and City officials, police and fire departments, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Coast Guard Connection all participated, having booths and information to pass out.

Thanksgiving week, volunteers and committee members helped load Christmas trees aboard the Mackinaw for the annual Cheboygan to Chicago voyage. Then, the community turns out to wave off the ship on departure day.  In December a Holiday Community Skate allows community members time to meet Coasties and chat.

Commemorating their Coast Guard service tour in Cheboygan, the Coast Guard Connection gives each service member a holiday ornament featuring the Mackinaw and a community message.

We look forward to a continuing relationship with the Coast Guard, family members, and the Mackinaw. Cheboygan especially welcomes service families who have never seen ice and snow before. We hope you love the beauty of winter as much as we do!

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• Saginaw/Bay City
• All Michigan

Tall ship visits Tulip Time for tours

• Updated: May. 09, 2024, 1:42 p.m. |
• Published: May. 09, 2024, 1:38 p.m.

• Cory Morse | [email protected]

HOLLAND, MI - A popular stop during the Tulip Time Festival has been a visit to the “Friends of Good Will” tall ship for a tour.

The tall ship, a replica of a top sail merchant sloop that plied the waters of the Great Lakes in the early 19th century, is currently docked at Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, 216 Van Raalte Ave.

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Corales Puntacana Championship

Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales Golf Course)

Punta Cana • DOM

Apr 18 - 21, 2024

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With Arms Wide Open

How did creed, the most hated band of the 1990s, become so beloved—and even cool i sailed the seas with thousands of fellow lunatics to find out..

It’s high noon on a blazing April day, which is the ideal time to be sitting in an Irish pub aboard a cruise ship the size of a small asteroid. The bar is called O’Sheehan’s—yes, pronounced “oceans”—and it’s located deep within the belly of the boat, just above the teppanyaki joint, the sake bar, and the lustrous duty-free shops. This consciousness-altering diorama of infinite seas and cloying Guinness-themed paraphernalia is where I meet Colleen Sullivan, a 46-year-old woman with a beehive of curly red hair and arms encased by plastic wristbands. She wants to tell me how Creed changed her life.

A few moments earlier, Sullivan dropped one of those wristbands on my table—an invitation to talk. It’s lime-green and emblazoned with pink lettering that reads “Rock the Boat With Creed.” I slip it past my hand and sidle up to her booth. Sullivan uses one nuclear-yellow-painted fingernail to hook back the wristbands on her right arm. Underneath is the pinched autograph of Scott Stapp, the band’s mercurial lead singer, enshrined in tattoo ink. This, it seems, is not her first rodeo.

We are both here for “Summer of ’99,” a weekendlong cruise and concert festival for which Creed—as in the Christian-lite rock band that sold more than 28 million albums in the U.S. alone and yet may be the most widely disdained group in modern times—is reuniting for the first time in 12 years. Roughly 2,400 other Creed fans are along for the round-trip ride from Miami to the Bahamas, and the rest of the bill is occupied by the dregs of turn-of-the-millennium alt-rock stardom. Buckcherry is here. So are Vertical Horizon, Fuel, and 3 Doors Down, the latter of whom hasn’t released an album since 2016.

To celebrate, Sixthman, the booking agency responsible for this and many other cruises, has thoroughly Creed-ified every element of the ship. The band’s logo is printed on the napkins and scripted across the blackjack felt. The TV screens at the bar are tuned to a near-constant loop of Creed’s performance at Woodstock ’99. The onboard library has been converted to a merch store selling Creed hoodies and shot glasses. The stock music piped into the corridors has been swapped out for Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel,” Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy,” and 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite.” When I turn on the closed-circuit television in my cabin, a channel called New Movies plays Scream 3 and Can’t Hardly Wait . And four elevator doors in the boat’s central plaza are plastered with the words “Can You Take Me Higher or Lower?” Sixthman pulled similar stunts with 311’s “ Caribbean Cruise ,” Train’s “ Sail Across the Sun ” cruise, and Kid Rock’s notoriously debauched “ Chillin’ the Most ” cruise—the Kid Rock cruise also took place on the vessel I’m on, the Norwegian Pearl . The idea is to teleport a captive audience back into the dirtbags they once embodied and to a simpler time, when Scott Stapp controlled the universe.

Sullivan tells me that her relationship with Creed overlaps with her sobriety story. She first became a fan of the band in the late 1990s, when “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open” were soaring up the Billboard charts. Then, Sullivan started using, and her appreciation for the divine proportions of those songs faded in service of more corporeal needs. Years later, after Creed broke up and Sullivan got clean, she returned to the music and discovered a dogma of her own: Maybe she had been put on earth to love Stapp—and Creed—harder, and with more urgency, than anyone else in the world.

“He helped me grow with those old Creed songs,” she tells me. “When I saw Scott for the first time live, he had just gotten clean too. I’d go to the shows and there would be tears streaming down my face.” Her left arm contains another Stapp tattoo, with the words “His Love Was Thunder in the Sky” scrawled up to her elbow, surrounded by a constellation of quarter notes. It’s a lyric taken from a 2013 Stapp solo song called “Jesus Was a Rockstar.” The singer Sharpie’d it onto her body himself.

“Summer of ’99” is Creed’s second attempt to reunite, after it disbanded in both 2004 and 2012 amid clashing egos and substance issues. The band couldn’t have picked a better time to get back together. If you haven’t noticed, we’re in the midst of an extremely unlikely Creed renaissance, redeeming the most reviled—and, perhaps more damningly, most uncool —band in the world. For much of the past 20 years, hating Creed has been a natural extension of being a music fan: In 2013 Rolling Stone readers voted the group “the worst band of the 1990s,” beating out a murderers’ row of Hootie and the Blowfish, Nickelback, and Hanson. Entertainment Weekly, reviewing Human Clay , the band’s bestselling album and one of the highest-selling albums of all time, bemoaned the record’s “lunkheaded kegger rock” and “quasi-spiritual lyrics that have all the resonance of a self-help manual.” Meanwhile, Robert Christgau, the self-appointed dean of American rock critics, wrote Creed off as “God-fearing grunge babies,” comparing the group unfavorably with Limp Bizkit.

The disrespect was reflected more sharply by Stapp’s own contemporaries. In the early 2000s, Dexter Holland, the frontman of the Offspring, played shows wearing a T-shirt that read “Even Jesus Hates Creed.” After leaked images of a sex tape filmed in 1999 featuring Stapp and Kid Rock and a room full of groupies made it onto the internet, Kid Rock retorted by saying that his fans didn’t care about the pornography but were appalled that he was hanging out with someone like Stapp. The comedian David Cross, who embodies the archetype of the exact sort of coastal hipsters who became the band’s loudest hecklers, dedicated swaths of his stand-up material to bird-dogging the singer. (One choice punchline: “That guy hangs out outside a junior high school girls locker room and writes down poetry he overhears.”) Then, in 2002, after a disastrous show in Chicago at which a belligerently drunk Stapp forgot the words to his songs and stumbled off the stage for 10 minutes, four attendees unsuccessfully sued the band for $2 million. Holland’s shirt didn’t go far enough—at the group’s lowest, even Creed fans hated Creed.

All this acrimony plunged Stapp into several episodes of psychic distress. His dependence on alcohol and painkillers was well documented during the band’s initial brush with success, but after Creed’s short-lived reconciliation, Stapp spiraled into a truly cavernous nadir. In 2014 the singer started posting unsettling videos to Facebook, asserting that he had been victimized by a cascading financial scam and was living in a Holiday Inn. That same year, TMZ released 911 calls made by Stapp’s wife Jaclyn claiming that he had printed out reams of CIA documents and was threatening to kill Barack Obama. But these days, Stapp—who announced a bipolar diagnosis in 2015—appears to be on much firmer ground, and the band has reportedly patched up some of those long-gestating interpersonal wounds.

But with time comes wisdom, and in 2024 neither the critical slander nor the troubling reports about Stapp’s mental state are anywhere to be found. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Creed is good, a shift that, as Stapp told Esquire , “just started happening” around 2021. The new paradigm likely solidified the next year, when Creed’s mythically patriotic post-9/11 halftime show, played on Thanksgiving in 2001, began to accrue latter-day meme status. The set was ridiculous and immaculately lip-synced by Stapp and company. Yoked, shirtless angels spin through the air, and cheerleaders pump out pompom routines synchronized with “My Sacrifice,” all while the live broadcast is interspersed with grim footage from ground zero. It’s garishly, unapologetically American, issued just before the unsavory decline of the Bush administration clicked into place. Today both of those relics—Creed and the unified national optimism—are worth getting wistful about. “This is where we peaked as a nation,” wrote football commentator Mike Golic Jr., linking to the video.

Creed nostalgia has only proliferated further since the resurrection of that halftime show. The band’s guitarist, Mark Tremonti, told the hard-rock site Blabbermouth that he’d recently noticed athletes bumping Creed as their “ go-to battle music ,” and in November, an entire stadium of Texas Rangers fans belted out “Higher” to commemorate their team’s World Series victory . Earlier this year, a viral remix of “ One Last Breath ” even began pulsing through some of the hottest parties in New York. The band has clearly crossed some sort of inscrutable cultural Rubicon and thrown reality into flux—up is down, black is white, and, due to a sublime confluence of biting irony and prostrating sincerity, Creed fucking rocks .

All this means that the inaugural edition of the “Summer of ’99” cruise is buoyed by very high stakes. It has been 12 long years since Creed last played a show, and the cruise is intended to be the dry run for a mammoth comeback tour that is scheduled for 60 dates, through summer and autumn, in basketball arenas and hockey stadiums across North America. The only remaining question is whether the band can keep it together. I’m there in a commemorative Creed Super Bowl halftime T-shirt to find out.

Several flights of stairs above O’Sheehan’s, the day before I meet Sullivan, I find Sean Patrick, a giddily beer-buzzed 34-year-old from Nashville who is standing in awe of a Coachella-sized stage that looks downright sinister on the pool deck. Creed is playing two shows this weekend, and the first is set for the very minute the boat leaves port and escapes Miami for the horizon. This means that everyone who purchased a ticket to “Summer of ’99”—which ranges from $895 for a windowless hovel to $6,381 for a stateroom with a balcony—has ascended to the top of the ship, preparing for Creed’s rebirth in a wash of Coors Light tallboys.

As of two days ago, Patrick was unaware he would be attending this cruise. Everything changed when a friend, who was on the waitlist, received a call from Norwegian Cruise Line informing him that a cabin with his name on it had miraculously become available. Patrick was suddenly presented with the opportunity to spend a tremendous amount of cash, on very short notice, to witness this reunion amid the die-hards.

Unlike Sullivan, Patrick doesn’t possess one of those highly intimate histories with the band, flecked with tales of trauma and perseverance. Still, he fell in love with Creed—even if it was only by accident.

“I think it started as a joke. The songs were good, but there was definitely a feeling of, like, Yeah, Creed! ” he tells me. “But then, next thing you know, you find yourself in your car, alone, deciding to put on Creed.”

The majority of the passengers on the Pearl have never been burdened with Patrick’s hesitance. Their relationship with Creed is genuine and free—cleansed of even the faintest whiff of irony—and, unlike Patrick, they tend to be in their late 40s and early 50s. The woman standing ankle-deep in the wading pool with a Stewie Griffin tattoo on her shin unambiguously loves Creed, and the same is probably true of whoever was lounging on a deck chair with a book, written by Fox News pundit Jesse Watters, titled Get It Together: Troubling Tales From the Liberal Fringe . Two brothers from Kentucky who work in steel mills, but not the same steel mill, tell me that loving Creed is practically a family tradition: Their eldest brother, not present on the boat, initially showed them the band’s records. Tina Smith, a 48-year-old home-care aide from Texas, crowned with a black tennis visor adorned with golden letters spelling out the name of her favorite band, loves Creed so much that she embarked on this trip all by herself. “This is my first cruise and my first vacation,” she says, proudly. (Smith is already planning her next vacation. It will coincide with another Creed show.)

Passengers I encounter that are a generation younger are clearly acquainted more with Creed the meme than Creed the band. These are the people who vibe with statements like “Born too late to own property, born just in time to be a crusader in the ‘Creed Isn’t Bad’ fight”—especially when they’re arranged as deep-fried blocks of text superimposed over the face of Keanu Reeves as Neo. If the establishment brokers of culture once settled on the position that Creed sucks, then it has been met with a youth-led insurgency that seems dead-set on shifting the consensus—if for no other reason than to savor the nectar of pure, uncut taboo.

Many members of this insurgency are aboard the Pearl , and they’re caked in emblems of internet miscellany that scream out to anyone in the know. Consider the young man, traveling with his father, who is draped in a T-shirt bearing the Creed logo below a beatific image of Nicolas Cage circa Con Air , or the many fans who wander around the innards of the Pearl in matching Scott Stapp–branded Dallas Cowboys jerseys, a reference to that halftime show. In fact, the best representatives of sardonic Creed-fandom colonists might be the youngest collection of friends that I’ve met on board. They are all in their 20s, most of them work in Boston’s medicine and science sectors, and each is dressed in a custom-ordered tropical button-down dotted with the angelic face of Scott Stapp in places where you’d expect to find coconuts and banana bunches. A week before “Summer of ’99” was announced, the four of them made a pact, via group text, that if Creed were ever to reunite, they would make it out to see the band play, no matter the cost. Their fate was sealed.

“I hated Creed. I thought they were terrible,” says Mike Hobey, who, at 28, is the oldest of the posse and therefore the one who possesses the clearest recollection of Creed’s long, strange journey toward absolution. “But then I started listening to them ironically. And I was like, Oh, shit, I like them now .”

His point is indicative of a strange tension in this new age of Creed: If “the worst band of the 1990s” is suddenly good, does that mean all music is good now? Is nothing tacky? Have the digitized music discovery apparatuses—the melting-pot TikTok algorithm, the self-replicating profusion of Spotify playlists—blurred the boundaries of good and bad taste? Am I, like Hobey, incapable of being a hater anymore?

This is what I found myself thinking about when Creed took the stage, right as the Miami skies began to mellow into a late-afternoon smolder, and put on what was, without a doubt, one of the best rock shows I’ve ever seen. The scalloped penthouses of Miami’s gleaming hotel district passed overhead as the Pearl ’s rudder kicked into gear, and Scott Stapp—looking jacked and gorgeous, chain on neck and chain on belt, flexing toward God in a tight black shirt—launched into “Are You Ready?,” the first song of the afternoon, his baritone sounding, somehow, exactly like it did in 1999. “Who would’ve thought, after our last show in 2012, our next show would be 12 years later, on a boat?” Stapp said. He is risen, indeed.

I later hear from Creed’s PR agent that Tremonti, the guitarist, was more anxious than he was excited to get this first show in the books. I also gather, from Stapp’s representative, that photographers are mandated to shoot the lead singer during only the first two songs of the set, before he begins to “glisten” (her word) with sweat. But if nerves were fraying, Creed conquered them with ease. The members of the band were enveloped by an audience that had paid a lot of money to see them, and in that atmosphere, they could do no wrong. They blitzed through a variety of album cuts before arriving at the brawny triptych of “Higher,” “One Last Breath,” and “With Arms Wide Open,” pausing briefly to wish Tremonti, who was turning 50, a happy birthday. (Stapp wiped away tears afterward, a genuinely touching moment, considering that during their first breakup, Tremonti had compared his years collaborating with Stapp—who was then in the throes of addiction— with surviving Vietnam .) Given Creed’s historic proximity to the Kid Rock brand of red-state overindulgence, I half expected the concert to detonate with violent pits and acrobatic beer stunts, but nothing remotely close to mayhem occurred. This crowd was downright polite—chaste, even—as if it had been stunned by the grandeur of Creed.

“He tried to dance pogo ,” says a disappointed German woman, basking in the pool after the show, gesturing toward her husband. Both of them explain to me that pogoing is the German word for “moshing” and that, even more astonishingly, Creed is huge in their native hamlet, just outside Düsseldorf.

“It’s a reunion after 12 years!” says her husband. “Everyone should be dancing pogo .”

Nothing about Creed’s music has changed in the past decade, which is to say that many of the quirks that people like Hobey once used to mock the band for were on brilliant display during its first show back. But the truth is that little of the smug hatred for the group has ever had much to do with the music itself. Creed’s first record, 1997’s My Own Prison , was nearly identical to the down-tuned angst of Soundgarden or Alice in Chains, drawn well inside the lines of alt-rock radio. (It earned a tasteful 4/5 rating from the longtime consumer guide AllMusic.)

The problems arose only after the band started writing the celestial hooks of Human Clay , solidifying its superstar association with other groups chasing the same crunchy highs with machine-learning efficiency: Nickelback, Staind, Shinedown, and so on. Post-grunge was the term music journalists eventually bestowed on this generation, and in retrospect, that was the kiss of death. Creed was suddenly positioned as the inheritor of the legacy of Kurt Cobain, the godfather of grunge, who bristled at all associations with the mainstream music industry and hired the notoriously bellicose Steve Albini to make Nirvana’s third album as sour and uncommercial as possible. Stapp, meanwhile, has long called Bono—he of the flowing locks, billionaire best friends , and residencies in extravagant Las Vegas monoliths —his “ rock god .” Creed’s sole aspiration was to become the biggest rock band in the world, and for a few years there, the group actually pulled it off. Cobain’s grave got a little colder.

Post-grunge steamrolled the rock business, reducing its sonic palette to an all-consuming minor-chord dirge. Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” went quadruple platinum in 2001, eventually sparking a furious period of retaliation from the underground. (You could make the argument that the rise of the Strokes or the White Stripes or the indie-rock boom writ large is directly tied to the vise grip Creed once held on the genre.) Before long, music aesthetes adopted a new term, rather than post-grunge , to refer to the Creed phenotype: butt rock . In fact, by the late-2000s, the hatred of Creed had been so canonized that when Slate published a rebuttal —in which critic Jonah Weiner asserted that the band was “seriously underrated”—the essay was considered so “ridiculous” and contrarian as to single-handedly inspire the viral and enduring #slatepitches hashtag, instantly prompting parodies such as “ Star Wars I, II, & III, better than Star Wars IV, V, & VI .”

But, frankly, when I revisit Weiner’s piece, many of his arguments sound remarkably cogent to modern orthodoxies. “Creed seemed to irritate people precisely because its music was so unabashedly calibrated towards pleasure: Every surging riff, skyscraping chorus, and cathartic chord progression telegraphed the band’s intention to rock us, wow us, move us,” he writes. Yes, these easy gratifications might have been unpardonable sins in the summer of 1999, capping off a decade obsessively preoccupied with anxiety about all things commercial and phony. But now even LCD Soundsystem—once the standard-bearer of a certain kind of countercultural fashionability—is booking residencies sponsored by American Express. We have all become hedonists and proud sellouts, and with Creed back in vogue, it seems as if the band’s monumental intemperance has become a feature rather than a bug.

That does not mean Stapp no longer takes himself, or his art, seriously. The singer’s earnestness—some might say humorlessness—has always been a cornerstone of Creed’s brand, and there are millions of fans who will continue to meet him at his word. They brandish personal biographies that intersect with Creed’s records; they finds lines about places with “golden streets” “where blind men see” more inspiring than corny, and many of them are etched with the tattoos to prove it. But in the band’s contemporary afterlife, when all its old context evaporates, Stapp has also attracted a community eager to treat Creed like the party band it never aspired to be—the group of licentious pleasure seekers Weiner wrote about. They’re all here, sprinkled throughout the boat, ready to drink a couple of Coronas and shred their lungs to “My Sacrifice.”

After wrapping up the first night of the cruise, Creed, along with the rest of the bands on the bill, was scheduled to administer a few glad-handing sessions on the weekend itinerary. On Saturday, Tremonti chaperoned a low-key painting session while the Pearl floated into the Bahamas at a dock already crammed with other day-trippers. (Our boat was parked next to a Disney cruise, and when we disembarked, in direct earshot of all the young families, the PA blasted Puddle of Mudd’s “She Fucking Hates Me.”) Tremonti keeps busy: The previous evening, he had judged a karaoke tournament—on the main stage—alongside 3 Doors Down lead singer Brad Arnold. Toward the end of the competition, Tremonti grabbed the microphone for a rousing cover of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” which I’d like to think served as a tribute to Creed’s own tenaciousness.

Stapp, on the other hand, is slated for exactly one appointment mingling with the masses: He’ll be shooting hoops with some of the more athletically oriented Creed adherents on a helipad that doubles as a basketball court near the rear of the boat. Stapp is, by far, the most famous person on board, evidenced by the security detail that stands guard on the concrete. So I take my seat on the bleachers and watch him casually drain 10 free throws in a row in mesh shorts under the piercing Atlantic sun with the distinct tang of contractually obligated restraint. Afterward, Stapp slips back into the mysterious alcoves of the ship, while an awed buzz of fans—hoping for a selfie, an autograph, or a split second of euphoric surrender—tail him until they are sealed off for good. It is the one and only time I see him cameoing anywhere but the stage, drawing a stark contrast to the other musicians on board, who flit between the casinos, restaurants, and watering holes in the guts of the Pearl .

This makes some sort of cosmic sense. Stapp, to both his detriment and credit, has never embraced the flippancy that so many other people wanted to impose on Creed. “Sometimes I wish we weren’t so damn serious,” he said in a memorable Spin cover story from 2000, at the height of his mystique. “My agenda from the beginning was to write music that had meaning and was from the heart. You can’t force the hand of the muse.” If you’ll excuse the ostentation of the sentiment, you can maybe understand how someone like Stapp might not be able to feel like himself when he’s orchestrating photo-ops around a free-throw line with that same young man dressed in his Nic Cage–themed parody Creed shirt. He seems to find nothing trivial about Creed’s music. The threat of irrelevance shall never tame him. You cannot force the hand of the muse.

Unfortunately, Stapp’s remoteness is also why Kelly Risch, a 58-year-old from Wisconsin with streaks of ringed, white-blond hair and glam-metal eye shadow, is currently fighting back tears in the Atrium, the ship’s lobby and central bar. Risch is sipping mimosas with her sister Shannon Crass, and, like so many of the others I have spoken to on this cruise, they each have matching Creed tattoos memorializing a personal catastrophe. Twenty years ago, Risch suffered a massive blood clot in her leg and almost died. Crass printed out the lyrics to the latter-day Creed ballad “Don’t Stop Dancing”—a song about finding dignity in the chaos of life—and pinned them in Crass’ intensive care unit during her recovery. Today the chorus is painted on their wrists, right above Scott Stapp’s initials.

The sisters were two of the first 500 customers to buy tickets to “Summer of ’99,” which guaranteed them a photo with the band at its cabin. This is why Risch is crying. The photo shoot came with strict rules, all of which she respected: no Sharpies, no hugs, and no cellphones. She’d hoped for a moment, though—after spending $5,000 and traveling all the way from the upper Midwest, after clinging to life with the help of Creed, and after waiting 12 long years to have the band back—to thank the singer for his comfort. But Stapp, even indoors, was wearing dark, face-obscuring sunglasses. She didn’t even get to make eye contact.

“He’s so great with the crowd. He’s so engaging onstage,” says Crass. “I think that’s why this is disappointing.”

The two sisters are determined to make the most of the rest of their vacation. The Pearl will be pulling into Miami tomorrow at 7 a.m., and there are plenty more mimosas left to drink. I tell them I’m going to speak with Stapp, and the rest of Creed, in an hour. Do they have anything they’d like me to ask?

“Tell him not to wear sunglasses during the photos,” they say.

Creed is finishing up the meet-and-greet obligations in a chilly rococo ballroom, paneled—somewhat inexplicably—with portraits of Russian royalty. The band members have been at this all morning, after a late night finishing off the second performance of their two comeback sets. A molasses churn of Creed fans, all sea-weathered and scalded with maroon sunburns, weaves through a bulwark of chairs and tables toward the pinned black curtains at the rear.

Creed has this down to an art. The band is capable of generating a photo every 30 seconds, and afterward, the fans exit back down the aisle, with beaming smiles, their brush with stardom consummated. Stapp chugs a bottle of Fiji water and holds out his hand for a fist bump after the last of those passengers disappear. A crucifix dangles above his navel, and an American flag is stitched to his T-shirt. He’s still wearing those sunglasses.

I am given just 15 minutes to ask questions, in a makeshift interview setup against the portside windows, under the watchful surveillance of the entire Creed apparatus—both PR reps, a few scurrying Sixthman operators, the photographer, and so on. I ask what their day-to-day life is like aboard the “Summer of ’99,” in this highly concentrated environment of super fans, with no obvious escape routes. Stapp says that he has spent most of the time on the cruise “resting and exercising,” while Brian Marshall, the band’s bassist, told me he executes his privilege of being one of the band’s secondary members by frequenting the sauna and steam room. Throughout the weekend, Marshall is hardly recognized.

Scott Phillips, Creed’s drummer, confirms my suspicions about the cruise’s demographics. The ticket data reveals that a good number of the passengers aboard are under 35 years old. I’m curious to know how the band members are adjusting to this new paradigm shift, and if they wish to settle common ground between the post-ironic millennials and the much more zealous Gen Xers, who bear Creed insignias on their calves and forearms.

“People are drawn to our music for different reasons,” Stapp says. “That’s probably why you have the guys you were talking about, who want to chill and drink light beer and scream ‘Creed rocks!’ and the others, who have a much deeper, emotional impact.”

“And maybe, at some point, with the light-beer guys, it does connect with them,” Phillips adds. Stapp agrees.

But, really, the reason I’m here is because I want to ask Stapp a question I’ve been curious about for the entirety of Creed’s career. The band’s bizarre odyssey, from its warm reception among youth groups across America to the bloodthirsty backlash that met its success to this current psychedelic revival, has all orbited around a single lasting question: Why is Scott Stapp so serious? Could he ever mellow out? Does he want to? Surely now is the time. If Stapp allocated some levity for himself, then so many of the bad things people have said about him would be easier to process. Who knows? Maybe he’d have an easier time getting his arms around the current state of Creed, a group that is now, without a doubt, simultaneously the coolest and lamest band in the world. Why must he make being in Creed so difficult?

“It’s just who I am,” he says. “It’s what inspires me. It’s where I come from. And it’s tough, because you have to live it. That’s the conundrum of it all. That’s the double-edged sword. If I started writing [lighter material], there would be a dramatic shift in my existence.”

There’s a break in the conversation, then Stapp asks me to identify the name of the new Taylor Swift album. The songwriter’s 11 th record has dropped like a nuclear bomb while we’ve all been out to sea, but data restrictions mean that nobody on board can access Spotify or any other streaming service. The Norwegian Pearl serves as a butt-rock pocket dimension: The biggest story in pop music simply can’t penetrate our airtight seal of Hinder, Staind, and so much Creed. “It’s called The Tortured Poets Department ,” I reply. Outside of my fiancée, he is the only person on the entire cruise I will speak to about Taylor Swift.

“That’s what I feel,” he says, without a shred of artifice. “I connect with that title.”

Later that evening, I climb to the top of the Pearl for a final round of karaoke, where fans keep the spirit of 1999 alive for a few more hours. The bar is more hectic than it’s been all trip—everyone is willing to risk a hangover now that Monday is all that looms on the horizon. The host asks a guest if they intended to sing “Torn” by Creed or “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia. “I assume Creed, but Natalie would be a fun surprise.”

The playlist is more diverse than I expected. We are treated to both Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’ ” and Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine.” Brandon Smith, one of the very few people of color aboard the cruise, crushes Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved.” A lanky kid from St. Louis unleashes a Slipknot death-growl into the microphone. A queer couple quietly slow-dances on the otherwise empty dance floor. And a 16-year-old, teeth tightened by braces, orders his last Sprite of the night. “Rockers are the most awesome people!” shouts one transcendently inebriated guest over the clamor of his Rolling Stones cover. “Creed is awesome!” On this one thing, at least, we can all agree.