Mackinac Day 1

The Grand Hotel

 After dropping Natalie off at my parents' house, we drove through Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to reach the ferries to Mackinac Island.  There are several ferry services as well as a small airstrip to get on to the island, and it's not too far from the mainland--we were there in 15 or so minutes.  The weather was a bit dreary when we first got there, but it was gorgeous the other days.

Harbor with the fort on the bluff

New lighthouse in the harbor

Old lighthouse on Round Island

Arriving at Mackinac

 I remember feeling really overwhelmed when we got off of the ferry--it was a Monday afternoon and there seemed to be tons of people shuffling down Main Street.  Our hotel was just across the street and down a few doors from the docks and was very nice.  We then walked down the street and hopped on a tour carriage to get the orientation of the island.

 Turns out once we got past Main Street, the crowd really died down.  There is a second street that runs behind it called Market Street where the fur trade used to thrive, but beyond that people were few.  Most of the island is a state park (originally the second national park, later turned over to the state) with over 70 miles of trails.  The island has a pretty rich history with the fur trade, the fort, and the tourist industry.  I know I won't remember or do it justice, but it's worth a read if you're interested.

The Grand Hotel

 Our carriage took us by the Grand Hotel which is the largest hotel on the island with over 300 guest rooms.  If I remember correctly it has the largest porch in the world.  We did walk around the hotel (after shelling out $10) and it was ornate and luxurious, but very not our style.  It was very expensive as well and it appeared to have an older guest clientele.  It was up on the bluff away from Main Street and the commotion and I could see guest never leaving the area of the hotel if they were staying there as the hill to get back up is steep.

Arch Rock

 We got off of the two-horse carriage and boarded a three-horse carriage for our ride through the Mackinac Island State Park.  The forest was thick and lush and beautiful.  There was a large cemetery and a few geological structures within the park but largely it was just peaceful.

Fort Mackinac

 The end of our tour went by Fort Mackinac (more on that later as we toured it on day 2) and the Michigan Governor's summer residence.  From there we walked back down to Main Street and had supper and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and gorgeous homes.  It was a great first day on the island!

Michigan Governor's Summer Residence 

Beautiful homes

 We were there for the Lilac Festival; they were in full bloom and they smelled beautiful!  We stopped for a smell every chance we got.

St. Anne's Church