Month Visited: June

Description: The Mackinac Straits Bridge is the only way to get to or leave Mackinac Island, and motor vehicles are not allowed to operate on this island. The upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan are connected by this important span, and the double suspension design of this bridge makes it ideal for the conditions that occur in this area of Michigan. Mackinac Island is home to numerous attractions including The Grand Hotel and a historic fort, as well as many shops and scenic vistas.

Gorgeous Views And Culture Await You On Your Trip To Mackinac Island

Our Experiences: Anyone lucky enough to visit Mackinac Island should plan a whole day for this stop/ There is a bike path all the way around the island with gorgeous views of the water. You can bring your own bike on the ferry, or you can rent one for a reasonable price. Since our children are older we sent them to bike around the island while we enjoyed lunch at the fort on top of the hill. When the children returned from their bike tour of the island we walked over to The Grand Hotel. This hotel has the longest porch in the world and it was stunning to look at. For a small fee you can enter the hotel to tour it on your own. Immaculate and grand are words that describe the feel of the hotel as you explore it. A good stop is the dessert cafe located on the first floor here. The items are fairly reasonably priced and of course delicious.

At this point everybody was ready to do a little shopping, and there are many tasteful but touristy stores to buy souvenirs at. One of our kids always buys a “Biked Mackinac” t-shirt. Our shopping trip completed our visit for the day and we took the ferry back across the lake. The only downside to this stop is there are many horses on the island because automobiles are not allowed. The horses are quite beautiful and we enjoyed seeing them, but they do their bathroom business in the streets. Street cleaners do their best to keep up but you may have to get used to the smell while you are here.