Official Name: | Paradise, Michigan |
Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
Pushpin Map: | Michigan |
Pushpin Label: | Paradise |
Pushpin Label Position: | left |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | United States |
Subdivision Type1: | State |
Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
Subdivision Type2: | County |
Subdivision Name2: | Chippewa |
Subdivision Type3: | Township |
Subdivision Name3: | Whitefish |
Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
Utc Offset: | -5 |
Timezone Dst: | EDT |
Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
Elevation Ft: | 623 |
Coordinates: | 46.6275°N -85.0375°W |
Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
Postal Code: | 49768 |
Area Code: | 906 |
Blank Name: | FIPS code |
Blank Info: | 26-62300[1] |
Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
Blank1 Info: | 1621151 |
Paradise is an unincorporated community in Whitefish Township, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Paradise is on the northeastern portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the western side of Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior, about 60miles by road from Sault Ste. Marie and about 55miles north of the Mackinac Bridge. Its zip code is 49768, and the area code is 906. Founded in 1925, Paradise is surrounded by state and national forests and its main business is tourism. It is considered one of two gateways to the Tahquamenon Falls area and Tahquamenon Falls State Park. (The other gateway is Newberry, about 40miles to the southwest.) The area draws hunters, fishers, campers, backpackers, snowmobilers and birdwatchers. The region harvests blueberries and cranberries in season. It is also the home of the blueberry festival held every summer. Lake Superior shipping lanes are several miles off shore. The Paradise post office opened May 1, 1947.
Paradise is the main point of entry to Whitefish Point, 11miles to the north, which is a world migratory route protected by the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, and studied by the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. It is also known for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, its Lake Superior shoreline, the Whitefish Point Lighthouse, and the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve, a series of sunken shipwrecks. The Sufjan Stevens album Greetings from Michigan contains a song entitled "For The Widows In Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti."
The Alex McKnight series of fictional crime books by author Steve Hamilton is set in Paradise, and includes numerous descriptions of the terrain and natural landmarks.