Another Mackinac Island visit (1 Viewer)

[TonyD]

We’re looking at times during the Lilac as that seems to be a good time to go.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yikes the Soemwhere in Time weekend at the Grand is well over a Grand for two people and two nights.

The Grand Hotel is the most expensive place to stay on the island. It's also rather "stuffy", as in the evenings men must wear a jacket and tie, while ladies must wear a dress. We have never stayed there, and never will. Every place else on the Island is very casual.

The Lilac Festival is a great time to visit, as the weather should be nice, most kids are just finishing school so the weekend traffic heading up I-75 hasn't hit its summer peak, and there are lots of events for the festival. However, it is a popular time, so I would recommend making hotel reservations very soon.

Other times I would avoid are the weekends of the sail boat races from Port Huron to Mackinac and Chicago to Mackinac (you can use Google to find the dates), and the major summer holidays. On Labor Day, the Mackinac Bridge is closed to traffic and people are allowed to walk across the bridge. The entire area is a zoo.

This is the Island House, where we always stay:

Here are some views from the Island House hotel:

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We’re looking at times during the Lilac as that seems to be a good time to go.

Tony,

I sent you a PM regarding a Cyber Monday deal for The Island House.

 

[TonyD]

Thanks I’ll take a look.

 

[TonyD]

Well we are here and thanks to Scott did get good deals on cyber Monday for the Island House and ferry.

We’ve seen many wonderful sights.
Had some delicious food and ice cream.
Saw all the Somewhere in Time locations we could find (best part).

We took a bunch of pictures.

A terrific weekend.

Oh we also got to meet Scott and his wonderful wife.

Thanks for the help with this trip Scott.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Tony,

I am so glad you enjoyed the visit to the island, despite some rough weather. Denise and I really enjoyed having dinner with you and your lovely wife.

I will post some photos when we get home. Hopefully I will get a few decent ones from tomorrow's Lilac Festival parade.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

All looks and sounds beautiful -- don't know how missed this thread before... Now, I gotta get around to watching Somewhere in Time and maybe visit the island "one of these days" now that I have more time, etc on my hands...

Thanks for sharing, Scott (and Mark, et al)...

_Man_

 

[TJPC]

We loved our visit, which was part of a bus tour. One caveat. Beware the fudge! We bought a “lifetimes supply” when we were there for a modest price and ate it all in about a week!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I finally got around to processing my photos from our trip to the island during the Lilac Festival in June. Here are a few:

The Island House Hotel, along with neighboring buildings, as seen from the ferry:

Musket firing demonstration at Fort Mackinac:

A view of town from Fort Mackinac:

Restored Fort Holmes, the highest point on the island:

A surrey with the fringe on top (for you Oklahoma! fans) in the Grand Hotel's Carriage House:

A carriage from the Grand Hotel, with a few historic houses in the background:

Houses on the West Bluff:

A few shots from the Lilac Festival Parade, from the front porch of The Island House:

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We visited the island again early this week. The weather could have been better, but we did have one nice day.

We took a "Sip and Sail" sunset cruise for the first time. It gave us a unique view of the bridge.

The Grand Hotel, from the boat.

A night shot of Marquette Park and Fort Mackinac

This isn't a very good shot (took it with my phone from the ferry), but it is the Le Champlain from the cruise line Ponant. We were on this exact same ship in early August in Iceland, and now saw it here anchored just off shore at Mackinac Island!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We visited Mackinac Island again last weekend. The trip was originally scheduled for June, but the island was late opening up due to the virus. So, we visited the island in the middle of summer for the first time in many, many years. We wisely decided to leave our bicycles at home -- the road around the island is being repaired, and it being summer there were a lot more people trying to ride bikes on M-185, which is routed around the perimeter of the island. Instead, my wife and I spent time hiking in the interior of the island, avoiding the crowds.

Sugar Loaf:

The restored Fort Holmes, at the highest point on the island:

Twilight at the harbor

Houses along the West Bluff

Star Line Ferry's new pirate ship ferry boat

The famous porch at the Grand Hotel

 

[John Dirk]

@Scott Merryfield - We've been toying around with this trip for awhile and now may be the perfect time since all International travel is pretty much on hold. You'd think, having been born and raised in Michigan, I would have made it to the island years ago but when something's right in front of your face you sometimes take it for granted.

My wife thanks you in advance for doing all of her research.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

@Scott Merryfield - We've been toying around with this trip for awhile and now may be the perfect time since all International travel is pretty much on hold. You'd think, having been born and raised in Michigan, I would have made it to the island years ago but when something's right in front of your face you sometimes take it for granted.

My wife thanks you in advance for doing all of her research.

John,

It's surprising how many Michigan residents have never visited the island. If you decide to make the trip, I am sure you will have a great time. We have another trip scheduled for September -- we've been doing the June / September trips for quite a few years, avoiding the more crowded months of July and August. We originally scheduled this trip to be during the Lilac Festival in mid-June, scheduling it back in late December right after my dad passed away. My mother and sister went with my wife and me this time. When we are back in September, it will just be the two of us. We scheduled that trip way back on Cyber Monday last year when The Island House has some great deals on their website. We always stay at The Island House.

The big white building in the middle right of the frame below is The Island House, originally built in 1852. I took this shot this morning while waiting on the dock for the ferry for our return trip to the mainland at Mackinaw City. Not the best light, as it was raining when we left today (but we had beautiful weather for the rest of our visit).

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Some photos from our visit last week. The autumn colors were just starting to peak out. We also had a couple of very foggy mornings.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

More fog please!



_Man_

 

[Scott Merryfield]

More fog please!



_Man_

Okay, a few more...

 

[John Dirk]

John,

It's surprising how many Michigan residents have never visited the island. If you decide to make the trip, I am sure you will have a great time. We have another trip scheduled for September -- we've been doing the June / September trips for quite a few years, avoiding the more crowded months of July and August. We originally scheduled this trip to be during the Lilac Festival in mid-June, scheduling it back in late December right after my dad passed away. My mother and sister went with my wife and me this time. When we are back in September, it will just be the two of us. We scheduled that trip way back on Cyber Monday last year when The Island House has some great deals on their website. We always stay at The Island House.

The big white building in the middle right of the frame below is The Island House, originally built in 1852. I took this shot this morning while waiting on the dock for the ferry for our return trip to the mainland at Mackinaw City. Not the best light, as it was raining when we left today (but we had beautiful weather for the rest of our visit).

We finally made it to Mackinaw Island this past week. We spent one night in the city and then another on the island at the Chippewa hotel which houses the famous Pink Pony. It wasn't crowded at all this early in the season but there were still plenty of folks there and we had a great time. I can't possibly post any photos that would compare to @Scott Merryfield 's so I won't even bother trying.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We finally made it to Mackinaw Island this past week. We spent one night in the city and then another on the island at the Chippewa hotel which houses the famous Pink Pony. It wasn't crowded at all this early in the season but there were still plenty of folks there and we had a great time. I can't possibly post any photos that would compare to @Scott Merryfield 's so I won't even bother trying.

John,

I am so glad you made it to Mackinac Island (it's spelled with a "C", not a "W" like Mackinaw City on the mainland). We love the Pink Pony. I would love to see some photos of places you visited.

My wife and I will be visiting the island early next month for three nights. We took advantage of a cyber Monday sale to get a good rate at the Island House.

 

[John Dirk]

John,

I am so glad you made it to Mackinac Island (it's spelled with a "C", not a "W" like Mackinaw City on the mainland). We love the Pink Pony. I would love to see some photos of places you visited.

My wife and I will be visiting the island early next month for three nights. We took advantage of a cyber Monday sale to get a good rate at the Island House.

How'd I miss that?

We were only there a single night but here are a few shots. We took the horse drawn carriage tour around the island which I highly recommend.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Looks like you made the most of your one night stay on the island, @John Dirk. It looks like you had sunny weather. May can be a roll of the dice up there, and the fish flies come out for a week or so - - they cover everything!