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Naubinway is located in the most northern community on the Lake Michigan Shoreline. The population of the city, according to the 2000 census, was 731 people. The city is the largest commercial fishing port on the Great Lakes.  The first main industry in Naubinway was lumber. In 1873 William Boucha founded the city.  The city was a natural port for the lumber ships of the lumber boom of the last century. After a turn of the century the lumber boom died off, and that is when fishing became the main industry. The fishing port is still active and one of the main attractions is the fleet of vessels that leave the dock every morning. The vessels venture out on to Lake Michigan in search of the next big catch. Naubinway is an Indian name which means “Place of Echoes”. Naubinway is a city for everyone. There is a little of everything so everyone can enjoy their vacation and have fun.

Beaches are a highlight to the area. There are miles and miles of some of the best beaches along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. With the beaches, you never have to fight with the crowd, if there is one, to get a spot on the sand. There is plenty of room for all to come.  Besides all the wonderful beaches, there are mile of woodland roads through pristine areas. Naubinway is located at the edge of the Hiawatha National Forest that visitors can walk through the woods with the wildlife.

If you enjoy picking berries and getting as many as your heart desirers, make sure you come to the city in mid-August through September.  There is a blue berry patch that you are able to get your own blueberries and enjoy them with your family and friends or all to yourself.

The Hiawatha Sportsman’s Clun was organized in 1927 by a group of men who were interested in establishing on an area of land, vacation center which would appeal to every one of all walks of life.  When these men went out to look for the location of the club, they would visit the property, traveled on few rough trails and believed there was a great future for a limited number of people to enjoy.

These men wanted a club which would be different from any other club before. They wanted it to be built as a community where nature could be utilized to its fullest. In April, 1930, there wereapproximately 500 memberships sold. The construction on the first 25 cabins was about to begin. The year 1943, the club experienced their worst forest fire. There were 40 men fighting this fire for several days, and after two rain falls that fire was finally put out. The fire burn over 300 hundred acres of the forest. To this day the Club is still active. Members enjoy doing the outside sports, fishing, hunting and even golf.  The golf course is a nine-hole course that is open to the public.

The course was originally built in 1932 but has been reworked extensively in recent years.  Snow fall brings out all the fun winter sports, especially snowmobiling. When snowmobiling in Naubinway you are able to enjoy the outdoors while seeing beautiful scenery within the forests. Every year there is the annual Antique Snowmobile Show. The Snowmobile Show happens in downtown Naubinway. The Show takes place on a Friday and Saturday.  The show for the year 2010 takes place February 19-20. The featured sled for this year is the “small sled” but all sleds are welcome. Some events that will take place on Friday are breakfast at 9am; 1pm bring the ride for all rear engine sleds and any other sleds to the Pipeline Bridge for a bonfire. Some on the events for Saturday are 9am brings registration at Top of the Lakes Snowmobile Museum; 10am to 3pm is a display of the sled. There are many food booths so no one in the family will go hungry.

Make sure you visit the Garlyn Zoo, and have a fun family vacation. The entrance of the zoo sits on the highway but the zoo its self is back a few hundred feet from the road. While you are driving in, make sure you are looking around because there is a large chance you will see some deer, coyote, bobcats, and wolves. Some animals that you can see at the zoo are alligators, the American black bear, coati-mundi, camels, reindeer, sika deer, river otter wolves and many, many more. The zoo opens in March, weather permitting, from 10am to 5pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you are planning to go to the zoo in March, its best to call first to make sure they are open.

The summer hours are seven days a week, starting April 1st to September 30th, 10am to 6pm. In fall the zoo hours are seven days a week 10am to 5pm in the month of October. In November the zoo is open on the weekends only, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Since the zoo is only open for a short period of a whole year, they are always in need of things. The money that is brought in during the time the zoo is open is for the care and food for all twelve months. The owners put together a wish list of things that they could always use if you are no longer in need of it. Some items that are always needed are aquariums, heating pads, dog kennels, food dishes and many more items.