Wanting to avoid the hassle of air travel and having not been on a road trip in a while, for my husband’s 70th birthday, we decided to celebrate it by taking a trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan. This is a popular destination for many tour companies in our area, and several family members who had been there recommended the destination for a short trip.
If you envision the lower peninsula of Michigan as an oven mitt, 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 lower peninsula from the upper. It’s about 530 miles from Pittsburgh, and the small island is only reached by ferry. There are no motor vehicles on the island; the primary means of transportation are horse-drawn carriages or bicycles. The island is only open for the summer.
We went early in the season from May 14-18, and this part of Michigan is about as far north as Montreal; therefore, it seemed as if spring was only starting to arrive there. I had never been to Michigan before, and I was shocked that once you drive past Saginaw, the state is quite desolate. It reminded 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 German architecture, restaurants, and the famous Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store. However, the birthday boy was disappointed as he had hoped to have a celebratory beer at the Frankenmuth Brewery, Michigan’s oldest brewery, but alas it was not open the Wednesday night that we arrived.
The next day we headed for Mackinac City and arrived at Shepler’s Ferry that afternoon to find that a plague of insects had taken over the docks. They covered everything and everyone. Shepler’s runs like a well-oiled machine, loading passengers, their luggage, and bicycles and shuttling visitors over to the island in 16 minutes. The ride over affords tourists a view of the “Mighty Mac” bridge, which connects the lower peninsula of Michigan to the upper one.
Fortunately, the insects weren’t swarming on the island when we arrived. The ferry dropped us in the middle of town, and it was a bit disorienting to walk out on to a main street that looks like it came from the 1800s, with horses clip-clopping by and luggage handlers loading their bicycles with suitcases like a game of Samsonite Genga to deliver the bags to the hotels.
That day we just walked the town, which is also famous for its fudge, (there are seven shops selling fudge in four blocks) and had dinner at The Great Turtle, which is what Mackinac means. The Native Americans likened the island to a big turtle in the lake.
On Friday, the weather was warm and sunny. After taking a horse-drawn carriage tour of the island, where we saw the Michigan governor’s summer residence, Fort Mackinac, the Bark Chapel—the place where the French Catholic missionaries first held Mass—and the historic Grand Hotel.
After lunch, we rented bikes and cycled the 8.2 miles of shoreline around the island. The trail was flat, and the water was Caribbean-clear and sparkling. Now, I know why Michigan’s motto is “Pure Michigan.” The water was that crystalline.
On Saturday, the weather changed, and it dropped into the 50s and was windy and rainy. We walked to the Grand Hotel, which was the setting for the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time that starred the late Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. We dined at the extensive Grand Buffet that featured build-your-own pecan balls, which were—you guessed—it dipped in Mackinac fudge. The hotel boasts the world’s longest porch. Unfortunately, it was too inclement to sit on the rockers and gaze out at the lake.
The Grand Hotel
After Mass at St. Anne’s church, we had dinner at Patrick Doud's Irish Pub. My husband sampled the fried Michigan whitefish, which he said was delicious.
On Sunday, we caught the first ferry off the island and headed back to Pittsburgh. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip back in time, and I kind of miss not hearing the horse hooves on the pavement outside our window. They set 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 of lilacs and the island boasts over 60 different varieties.
The drive is primarily interstate, and it is worth the trek to step back in time.
This article originally appeared in Northern Connection magazine.
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