July 2016
My son Colin is one of my favorite people to travel with. He is always fun to be around, adventurous and has such a unique point of view. He always makes me laugh. So we decided that Mackinac Island would be an annual trip for us every summer. We did it a couple years ago and now it's a regular thing. Our family way back when owned one of the lovely Victorian homes on the island right up next to the Grand Hotel. Tim and I were married on the island and so we have wonderful connections to it other than as tourists.
In case you are unaware, you must take a ferry boat (sans car) over to the island. You can go from Mackinac City, on the lower peninsula, or Sault Ste. Marie on the U.P. side. This time we chose the U.P. side so here are photos of crossing the Mackinac Bridge.
Photos of the bridge from the ferry.
And the downtown comes into view...
There was a cruise ship touring the Great Lakes in port.
When you get to the island, the wonderful Grand Hotel picks up your bags and transports them by horse and wagon. Generally, you can take a carriage ride to the hotel if you choose. But today we decided to walk up there on this gorgeous day.
The Stone Church along the way. It's hosted many weddings.
There she is...the Grand Hotel.
We had stayed in Petoskey, so we got there before check-in time, so it was time to relax on the porch and have cocktails and a cheese board appetizer.
The view from the lovely porch.
When you make your reservation, you can request a room with a view, which we always do...but you never know what room you will get. They are always lovely but sometimes, WOW. So we walked down the hall, wondering what our room will be like. And here it is...
You walk in and there's an entry way in our room....with a piano.
And there it is...just incredible.
And the view is amazing!
Time to walk around on Mackinac, since we were too late to rent bikes after lounging around in our lovely room. A home with a very cool gate.
Stone Church again...
Up the hill, trip #2.
Might need a nap before dinner.
Right about the furthest pillar to the right, that is our room!!
View of the Jockey Club, restaurant attached to the golf course.
One reason we both love going to the Grant Hotel is that you must get dressed up for dinner. Here are a couple styles we considered...
Dinner is included and here's tonight's menu.
Incredibly lucky this trip and got a window seat overlooking the porch and beautiful water view.
Dessert! Creme brulee for me.
Posing after dinner in my $8 Goodwill dress! Hey, if it works...I loved it.
Another lovely view way at the end of the restaurant for breakfast...
Cups ready for lunch...
One thing we both wanted to do was take a bike ride around the island and we got right at it.
Arch Rock
We were amazed to see these rocks stacked all around the island. They are called cairns, which sometimes are meant as memorials but here they just say "We were here!" SO cool because they were all around on every shore.
We made one quickly.
Photos of all the gorgeous flowers around the Grand Hotel.
Time to head back. We'll see you soon!
As you see, I have had the privilege of travelling all over the world, but the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island is always one of my favorite and most special places to experience.
