Magical Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island it's a playground and fairytale. Located in Lake Huron at the end of the Straits of Mackinaw between Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsula. It's only accessible by ferry or plane. No motorized vehicles allowed, transit on the island is by foot, horse, carriage and bicycle.

      

No matter in what direction you walk in the island, you are surrounded by bicycles, horses and carriages. It's a step back in time for some, or a daydream for others but no matter what the case I it's magical and the memories will last a lifetime. 

                       

 

We enjoyed a carriage tour for almost two hours. Our tour guide was a student from Purdue University pursuing to be a medical veterinarian. He kept our tour interesting and fun with his great sense of humor. The island has so much to offer and people truly get island fever.

The Grand Hotel is the big landmark of the island. It has golf, jockey, tennis, croquet, bocci-ball, beach, horseback riding, bicycling, carriage tours and more. 390 rooms and no two are the same. It's luxury and history at their finest. The service is superb. There is an admission fee for non hotel guests.

                               

      

   

        

Petosky and Bay Harbor

The Petosky area is where daydreams turn into lifelong memories. A breathtaking place on Lake Michigan's glistening bay with stunning natural beauty, Victorian houses and beautiful parks along the bay.

                    

    

Petoskey is known for its Victorian architecture and Michigan's state stone, the Petoskey Stone. The picture-perfect downtown is great for watching boats in the harbor. There are no strip malls there, just shops and upscale restaurants. The luxury community of Bay Harbor is bordered with spectacular views and top of the line amenities. It is home to charming retail shops, inviting restaurants and a marina. 

Luxury at it finest can be illustrated by this home....you can use your imagination for the interior of the home...

                             

    

We ended the evening watching the sunset....

Life offers many "Moments", some we create, some are created for us and it's up to us to enjoy them. Watching the sunset is an exhilarating and beautiful moment for anyone to enjoy.

Mackinaw or Mackinac?

After a big power outage at Delta which caused many flight cancellations around the world, we finally made it to Pellston, the closest airport to Mackinaw. We traveled from Southern California where the traffic was intense at all hours of the day and the speed limit is never achieved due to the number of cars on the highway at anytime. Needless to say, we were looking forward to the second phase of our trip to enjoy some sightseeing of the wonders of Michigan and take advantage of the slow pace of living in the Upper Pensinsula of Michigan.

Our first stop was at Mackinaw City which is the gateway between the lower Peninsula and the upper Peninsula which is our final destination. We crossed the Mackinaw bridge which is five miles long.

                           

   

As we walked the streets of Mackinaw City, I couldn't help to wonder what was the proper spelling for the city...some signs read Mackinaw, others read Mackinac. Is this another of the wonders of Michigan? Its own residents don't know and each person has a preference. 

  

 

                         

                                 

In conclusion, Mackinaw City retains the "aw" spelling while the bridge, straits and island steadfastly cling to the "ac" spelling. No matter how it is spelled, however, it is always pronounced Mackinaw! The French Pronounced it "aw" but spelled it "ac". The British heard it pronounced "aw" so they spelled it that way. Whichever way it is spelled, it is always pronounced "aw".

                         

    

The city is surrounded by lighthouses, historical buildings, a beautiful downtown and connected to the UP by the Mackinaw bridge which is 5 miles long and considered the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. 

                                    

  

It's the home of one of the nicest and unique Starbucks building, a three story log cabin very appropriate for the town. The second and third floor offered additional seating overlooking the bay. The seats are bar stools standing on a bike post with pedals of different heights. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture.

 

                    

                                                             

We also landed at the best restaurant in town, Darrows, where everything is homemade including the bread and it's the home of the best pies, a very Michigan tradition. 

Next, Petosky and Bay Harbor....stay tuned!

Getting ready...

The time is getting closer!!! We have been planning this trip for about six months and can't hardly wait to start the exploring of this beautiful and magic area of Michigan with so much natural beauty to be soothed and healed after putting our senses in order.

We will have the pleasure to travel with our dear friends Gene and Dianne. My husband was born and raised in Marquette, the major city in the Upper Pensinusla, he grew up in the UP and is always telling stories about his upbringing and college years. This is the land of the Yoopers, a play on words for the UPers and very proud of their nickname. I love the beauty and splendor of the area, it's peacefulness and natural beauty fill my soul every time I visit it, even through pictures.

For those not familiar with the UP, it's an abbreviation for Upper Penninsula. Here is a brief introduction:

The Upper Peninsula is a forested region in Michigan bordering 3 of the Great Lakes and extending outward from Wisconsin. It’s connected to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula by the roughly 5-miles-long Mackinac Bridge, which spans the Straits of Mackinac. Sandwiched between the 2 peninsulas is Mackinac Island, a car-free vacation destination closely associated with the iconic 1887 Grand Hotel and Victorian-era Fort Mackinac.