Ironwood is a compact, welcoming Upper Peninsula base ideal for multi-week contracts — it has a walkable downtown with local cafés and restaurants, a friendly community, and immediate access to year‑round outdoor recreation (hiking and biking in summer; skiing, snowmobiling and icy lakeside scenery in winter), so you can stay busy and enjoy a true small‑town rhythm between shifts.
For quick escapes and more weekend options, Ashland, Wisconsin — about 39 miles away on Lake Superior — offers additional restaurants, festivals and shoreline parks for day trips and longer outings.