Wanting to avoid the hassle of air travel and having notbeen on a road trip in a while, for my husband’s 70th birthday, wedecided to celebrate it by taking a trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan. This isa popular destination for many tour companies in our area, and several family memberswho had been there recommended the destination for a short trip.

If you envision the lower peninsula of Michigan as an ovenmitt, Mackinac Island sits in the Straits of Mackinac at the top of the mitt.The straits connect Lake Michigan to Lake Huron and separate the lowerpeninsula from the upper. It’s about 530 miles from Pittsburgh, and the smallisland is only reached by ferry. There are no motor vehicles on the island; theprimary means of transportation are horse-drawn carriages or bicycles. Theisland is only open for the summer.

We went early in the season from May 14-18, and this part ofMichigan is about as far north as Montreal; therefore, it seemed as if springwas only starting to arrive there. I had never been to Michigan before, and Iwas shocked that once you drive past Saginaw, the state is quite desolate. Itreminded me of Alaska.

On the way up, we stopped overnight in Frankenmuth, Michigan,which is billed as “Little Bavaria.” It is noted for its quaint Germanarchitecture, restaurants, and the famous Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, theworld’s largest Christmas store. However, the birthday boy was disappointed ashe had hoped to have a celebratory beer at the Frankenmuth Brewery, Michigan’soldest brewery, but alas it was not open the Wednesday night that we arrived.

The next day we headed for Mackinac City and arrived atShepler’s Ferry that afternoon to find that a plague of insects had taken overthe docks. They covered everything and everyone. Shepler’s runs like awell-oiled machine, loading passengers, their luggage, and bicycles and shuttlingvisitors over to the island in 16 minutes. The ride over affords tourists aview of the “Mighty Mac” bridge, which connects the lower peninsula of Michiganto the upper one.

Fortunately, the insects weren’t swarming on the island whenwe arrived. The ferry dropped us in the middle of town, and it was a bitdisorienting to walk out on to a main street that looks like it came from the1800s, with horses clip-clopping by and luggage handlers loading their bicycleswith suitcases like a game of Samsonite Genga to deliver the bags to the hotels. 

                                                                Main Street in Mackinac.

That day we just walked the town, which is also famous forits fudge, (there are seven shops selling fudge in four blocks) and had dinnerat The Great Turtle, which is what Mackinac means. The Native Americans likenedthe island to a big turtle in the lake.

On Friday, the weather was warm and sunny. After taking ahorse-drawn carriage tour of the island, where we saw the Michigan governor’ssummer residence, Fort Mackinac, the Bark Chapeltheplace where the French Catholic missionaries first held Massand the historic Grand Hotel.

The Bark Chapel
Fort Mackinac

After lunch, we rented bikes and cycled the 8.2 miles ofshoreline around the island. The trail was flat, and the water wasCaribbean-clear and sparkling. Now, I know why Michigan’s motto is “PureMichigan.” The water was that crystalline. 

                                                                    View of Lake Huron

On Saturday, the weather changed, and it dropped into the 50sand was windy and rainy. We walked to the Grand Hotel, which was the settingfor the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time that starred the late Christopher Reeveand Jane Seymour. We dined at the extensive Grand Buffet that featured build-your-ownpecan balls, which were—you guessed—it dipped in Mackinac fudge. The hotelboasts the world’s longest porch. Unfortunately, it was too inclement to sit onthe rockers and gaze out at the lake. 

 

                                                                         

                                                                    The Grand Hotel

 After Mass at St. Anne’s church, we haddinner at Patrick Doud's Irish Pub. My husband sampled the fried Michiganwhitefish, which he said was delicious.

On Sunday, we caught the first ferry off the island andheaded back to Pittsburgh. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip back in time, and Ikind of miss not hearing the horse hooves on the pavement outside our window. Theyset the tone for a relaxing visit.

Mackinac Island has fudge, restaurants, recreation, history,and horses. If I ever went back again, I would go a bit later in the season.Ideally, the Lilac Festival in June would be best, as I love the smell oflilacs and the island boasts over 60 different varieties.

The drive is primarily interstate, and it is worth the trekto step back in time. 

 

This article originally appeared in Northern Connection magazine.