Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan has plenty of wonderful overlooks across Lake Superior with great views (for some, see my previous post here).

But the best way to see the sandstone rock formations is via boat. Russ and I took a sunset cruise the first full day of our trip. We knew the weather would be changing to rain the next day, so we didn’t want to miss the opportunity for good photos.

Our particular cruise left from the town of Munising. Although we arrived at the cruise dock early, apparently, we weren’t quite early enough. A huge line had already formed.

Pro tips:

• Make a reservation a few days in advance for your cruise to ensure you can experience it on the day you want.
• Arrive at the dock more than a half-hour early to ensure you get a good seat. Good seats for taking photos are toward the front of the top deck, which is open to the elements.

There were so many passengers, the cruise line ended up fitting us onto two boats. Russ and I nabbed seats in the middle of the top deck. Not ideal, but not that bad, either.

The captain wouldn’t let people stand up to take photos, so when we neared interesting rock formations, I had to go downstairs to the viewing platform on the back of the boat where photography was allowed.

The sunset was colorful, but even more impressive was how it reflected off the rock formations. Although the sunset cruise costs a bit more, it’s worth it for the added colors.

If there’s some way you can get out on the water in a canoe or kayak, that would be even better for taking photos, but we didn’t have time for that.

Next up: a lighthouse tour and a sumptuous meal in Munising.