The Trip of a Lifetime...Mackinac Island

The wedding bells have finished ringing, the merry-making is over, and it's now the day after the wedding. And we were departing Charlevoix. We ran by Connie and Tracy's, said our good-byes and headed out.

Our group for the tour of Mackinac Island...Mike, Zak, Nancy, Jessica and Stan

It was Sunday, and the chilliest day we had on our trip. We teamed up with sister Nancy, Stan and their kiddos and headed out to Mackinac Island. I always heard from everyone who went to see Connie that there was always a trip to Mackinac Island on the agenda, so I figured it must be worthy of a visit...and is it ever!

From Charlevoix, we headed north where we once again crossed the Mackinac Bridge. Once again I had to put it out of my mind how deep the water was in that area (I have checked, and it is about 400 ft. from the deck of the bridge to the lake floor!) Anyway, we finally arrived on the north end of the bridge and drove into a little town called St. Ignace where we commenced our venture to Mackinac Island.

Our ferry awaiting its passengers

There is no road to Mackinac, since it is an Island, so we took a ferry boat ride across Lake Huron to the Island. There was an option to ride inside the ferry or stand out on the deck. Even though it was cool and the waters were a bit choppy due to wind, we stood out on deck to take in the sights and grab a few pictures.  

Our view of Mackinac Bridge from the ferry

I took me a bit to gain my "sea legs", in fact I'm not sure I ever did, I just hung on to the railing to keep myself upright. There were some awesome sights on the trip over, but nothing compared to Mackinac Island itself.  

Round Island Lighthouse, a sight from our ferry

Being out on the open waters was an exhilarating feeling, especially if I can put it out of my mind how deep the waters probably are beneath us.  But the views were spectacular and it was easy to forget about those details.

The Harbor at Mackinac Island

Ste. Ann Catholic Church, one of the first sights as we approached the Island

When we finally washed ashore, we were free to roam the whole island as we wished. The "main street" was lined with shops and flowers. One of the big tourist sellers is the fudge that is made all over the island. There are umpteen flavors to choose from. However, since it was summer and we still had several days of travel before arriving home, we passed on the fudge.   

Main Street lined with tourists, bicycles and horses...no motorized vehicles are allowed on the Island except for emergency vehicles

One of many displays of flowers to be enjoyed on main street

Mike and I bought tickets for a tour-guided wagon ride around the island. We could also have rented bicycles or horses, but no thanks! The Boltz family opted to spend their time in the shops, so we parted company and agreed to meet again for lunch when our tour was completed.

A horse-drawn tour wagon like the one we rode

You might think this guided tour was just a guy explaining each site, but it was that and a whole lot more. He engaged the tourists in chitchat and cracked jokes as he went. (I discovered on a trip a few years later that this is apparently a script they have learned to recite, and I was able to pop a few holes in the second guide's banter since I already knew what he was going to say!) The tour was kind of pricey (like about $25 a ticket), but so very worth every dime.  

The Grand Hotel, one of the interesting sites on the Island

Little Stone Church, one of several churches we viewed on our tour

Arch Rock, one of the most notable geographical sites on the Island

When the tour was complete we met our company, had lunch, walked through a few of the shops, then headed back to the mainland. On that ride we were on a catamaran so the trip took about 1/4 the time since they travel much faster than the ferry. However, by this time we were getting chilly, especially since we once again opted to ride up on top in the open air, and were ready to get out of the wind.

A catamaran similar to the one we rode on

When we got back to St. Ignace where we began our trip, Nancy and Stan loaded up and we said our good-byes as they were taking the fast track back to South Dakota. We were still in for a few more days of travel.

As we scoped out the hotels, we made a point of getting a room at a hotel that advertised a hot tub. We thought that might help us warm up. It was such a pleasant experience that it became necessary for the remainder of the trip to find accommodations with hot tubs. 

If you ever get anywhere's near Mackinac Island, DO NOT pass up a chance to visit this one-of-a-kind tourist attraction. And don't pass up the fudge either...it is awesome!