Mackinac Island | Upper Peninsula Michigan

Aug 18

Last week I posted the first four days of our road trip to the Upper Peninsula (UP). We finished the last night and full day on Mackinac (mak-in-aw) Island, a magical little island that’s actually a part of the State of Michigan.

To reach the island from Interstate I-75 you park your car either in Mackinaw City (Lower Peninsula) or St. Ignace (Upper Peninsula) and take a 16-30 minute ferry ride across. That is unless you have your own boat for transportation.

Shepler’s Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island

The Mackinac Bridge is a 5 mile suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac connecting the Upper and Lower peninsula.

Or, you can always fly into the Mackinac Island Airport (MCD) and take the horse-drawn taxi service from the airport.

When you disembark the ferry you instantly feel transported back in time. It’s the perfect place to sit back, relax, and move at a slower pace. The absence of automobiles gives a sense of quiet and calm. Modes of transportation are walking, biking, or horse-drawn carriage.

Luggage for overnight guests is delivered by horse drawn carriage or bicycle.

There’s always the option to walk down the street looking like a real tourist with your own luggage.

Most of the island came under federal government protection in 1875. When the U.S. army soldiers left Fort Mackinac in 1895, the federal land became Michigan’s first state park. Private development was limited, preserving the Victorian architecture of the bluff cottages. Many of these beautiful homes, as well as the Fort Mackinac structures have been restored to their original condition hosting period reenactments and guided tours.

Hmmm – not your typical form of transportation.

Last summer we visited the island twice, but only for day trips. This time we spent the night on the island at Harbour View Inn, a unique and fun experience.

Harbor View Inn – our home for the night.

We were able to walk to dinner at Yankee Rebel Tavern enjoying a delicious meal, nightfall and the clearing of the busy streets.

My favorite part might have been getting up early the next morning to catch pictures of the sunrise.

Early morning Kayakers around the island.

What I didn’t expect was seeing the beauty of the island before the hustle and bustle of tourists arriving for a busy day. Streets were being cleaned, the horse-drawn carriages were getting set up for the day, and everywhere you looked supplies were being delivered to the restaurants and businesses on the island.

As the shops open and the ferry begins arriving with tourists, a walk through town is an interesting mix of freshly made, heavenly fudge juxtaposed against the not so pleasant aromas the horses leave behind.

The most popular souvenir on the island is the delicious fudge. Be sure to visit one of the many confectionaries and try some samples of the variety of flavors. Yum!

There are great choices of restaurants on the island. We enjoyed another great meal on this trip at Seabiscuit Cafe. Other than meals and souvenir shopping, we don’t spend much time in the busy “downtown” area of the island. Be sure to explore the rest of the island by bike, on foot, or horse-drawn carriage. Spend some time learning about the rich history and architecture either on your own or in a guided tour.

Sainte Anne Catholic Church – just one of the churches on the island.

Biking is the primary form of transportation on the island. You can take your own bike over on the ferry or rent one on the island. The ride around the outside of the island is a lovely 8 mile loop on M-185 – the only state highway with no cars! It’s an easy, flat ride along the rocky shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. If you choose to explore the inner part of the island, you’ll find more hills and extensive trails winding through the trees and limestone cliffs.

There are beautiful flowers and butterflies all around the island.

You might want to consider a narrated carriage tour.

One interesting fact about the island is that the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time was filmed there at The Grand Hotel. There’s a monument of Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour in a scene from the movie near the Grand Hotel. The island is a perfect place to imagine the enchanting romanticism of traveling back in time.

Our own re-enactment – well I guess officially we would need to travel back to Ecuador for our personal re-enactment.

Other fun facts about Mackinac Island:

The Summer Residence for the Governor of Michigan is on the island.
Some people think Fort Mackinac is haunted.
There are only 500-600 year-round residents on the island
Five U.S. Presidents have visited Grand Hotel: Presidents Clinton, Bush, Ford, Kennedy and Truman.
Great Lakes American Indians were Mackinac Island’s first summer visitors.
The total area of Mackinac Island is 3.776 square miles.