Thursday we woke to beautiful sunny skies for a leisurely jaunt over to Mackinac Island. We left Cheboygan at 8am and were secure in our docks at Mackinac by 10:30!
DayDreams just behind us crossing the Straits of Mackinac.
A view of The Grand Hotel as we approach the island.
The Round Island Light as we make our turn into the marina.
Approaching the harbor with Fort Mackinac above. We only had to dodge one "lake size" cruise ship and one ferry going in.
MACKINAC ISLAND
The island is a mix of old and new --- no motorized vehicles, only bicycles and horses. Even the taxis are horse drawn carriages! There is the historic fort, the elegant Grand Hotel, beautiful victorian homes, along with a constant stream of ferries bringing the tourists. Then there's the shopping district (about 2 blocks by 3 blocks) featuring the famous fudge, some good clothing/outfitter shops and the inevitable trinkets and trash!
It happened to be the week long Lilac Festival with lilacs in bloom everywhere you looked --- kind of a natural air freshener to counteract the aromas of horsesh*#*#t and fudge!
Once secure, we had a light lunch aboard and got out the bikes. First objective, the 8 mile ride along the shore around the perimeter of the island. Then we ventured up the hill toward the Grand Hotel --- it's so grand it'll cost you $10 just to walk onto the porch! (we didn't) We did opt for a brief respite across the road at the little outdoor cafe by the golf course/pro shop. We enjoyed libations and just watching the bustling scene as guests arrived at the hotel in beautiful horsedrawn carriages with matched sets of 2 horses -- blacks, grays and chestnut.
This one's for the grandkids -- Zachary, Evan, Luke, Kate and August
Gramps, "Mimi" and the turtle!
Refeshed, we continued to the top of the hill in search of anything "Loon" for Jan --- no luck. Back down the hill (the easy part), we parked the bikes and did the quick tour through the shops and then back to the dock. After cocktails on the back deck, we walked to Mission Point where we enjoyed a lovely dinner accompanied by a pianist/bass duo.
A trip to the Island is not complete without a stop at the Pink Pony, a favorite of sailors completing the Mac races. So we walked back for a nightcap, a quick stop at the grocery across the street, then back to the boat for the night. What a jam packed perfect day!
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