Paradise, Michigan

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 60mi by road from Sault Ste. Marie and about 55mi north of the Mackinac Bridge. Its zip code is 49768, and the area code and telephone exchanges are (906) and 492 respectively. 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 40mi 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, 11mi to the north, which is 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."