Some people look for amusement parks and casinos in their travels. I seek out churches, bridges, bookstores and libraries.
Mackinaw Island is thought of primarily as a summer destination but it’s also home to a year round population of about 500. The library has shorter hours during the winter but it does stay open.
This location, right on the lake, dates to 1992 but the island has been served by a library since 1936. We were there on a Sunday so we didn’t make it inside but the exterior is charming.
I stood there for a moment imagining life as a librarian in this quaint island community. The thought was fleeting since I don’t care for crowds of summer tourists and the isolation may not be the best for me.
Someday I’ll go back on a weekday for a look-see inside!
When I told a friend that I was quickly piecing together a Michigan trip last month, I asked for his recommendations. He quickly fired back that I needed to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. He said I would love it there and that it’s beautiful.
He was not wrong.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan. It covers about a 35 mile stretch of coastline and is a place of extraordinary beauty.
Lush forests, gorgeous lake views, towering sand dunes, a lighthouse and interesting things to see along the trail will someday lure me back for more exploration.
That’s because we had just part of a day to nose around since we got clobbered by rain on day two. Yet, our short hike and the scenic driving tour we took near sunset are burned into my memory among the very best of my favorite travel memories.
It’s funny, because I’ve seen gorgeous sunsets in my lifetime. We watched the sunset every night that we could on this trip and the ones we saw in Petoskey were the very best.
At least they were the very best until I got to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
I have never seen such a beautiful sky. Sadly, the magnificent colors that ranged from fiery reds and oranges to cotton candy pinks and blues did not translate well in my photos.
Not well at all.
I cannot stress enough how beautiful it was and how much it is worth the drive to visit this place. Even if all you do is spread out a blanket high atop a sand dune and wait for the sun to slip below the horizon, it will still be one of the most amazing experiences of the average person’s lifetime.
It was tranquil and serene, reverent and sacred. It almost felt like a religious experience, these last several minutes of daylight.
It was hard to believe this is the same sun that sets over the rural ridge I call home here in southern Ohio.
I hope to make it back again someday and hope you will go too. Trust me. This is something for the bucket list.
On the walk to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island we encountered the most charming church you could hope to see in a quaint island community.
The official name is Union Congregational Church but everyone calls it the Little Stone Church, a fitting name if I’ve ever heard one.
The faithful were beginning to gather in their Sunday best as we walked by and I made a mental note to stop after our visit to the hotel.
We were in luck! Not only was the service over, the doors were open and the pastor was inside. I got to admire this pretty 1904 church made of local fieldstone.
The minister said that his congregation consists of only a few local residents and that many attendees are visitors each week.
Since winters are harsh and most people leave the island before the weather takes hold, they hold services beginning in May through early October.
The stained glass and woodwork are gorgeous and the light in here is calming. We didn’t linger here but I enjoyed each breath I drew in this beautiful old church.
If you visit Mackinac, it’s just down the hill from the hotel. They welcome guests!
When the Grand Hotel opened its doors for the first time in 1887, it set the gold standard for summer vacationers. The Victorian hotel is a National Historic Landmark and continues to offer the best of modern amenities for visitors to Mackinac Island.
The hotel still observes a dress code for most of its thirteen on property restaurants. In fact, the day I visited in jeans, I qualified only to eat in the ice cream parlor. They offer high tea and dancing in the evenings. Here I am in my jeans on their fabulous front porch.
History talks, activities at the pool and stables, croquet and themed luncheons are among some activities I noticed on the daily schedule. Themed weekends and events make for a lot of fun throughout the season.
Plus, the world’s longest porch is a terrific place to relax in a rocking chair and take in the view. The views are pretty spectacular too! A rolling lawn and manicured gardens overlook the lake. It really is gorgeous.
Of course, shoulder season rooms start at about $300 with no meals and go up to over $1,400 a night. Since this was not in the road trip budget, we were not there to spend the night but to simply be tourists and take a $10 self guided tour.
I was excited to see some pictures and artifacts from the hotel’s lengthy history including mementoes from the 1980 cult classic Somewhere In Time. Tbat movie is what inspired me to visit the island so seeing some of the movie landmarks and items was a treat.
The hotel is decorated in Victorian style which, by today’s standards, looks somewhere between opulent and tacky. Oddly enough, the over-the-top decor reminded me a little of Elvis Presley’s Memphis home Graceland.
The place has a rich history. In fact, Mark Twain lectured here in 1895 and a radio salon was added in 1935 to allow hotel guests a place to enjoy their favorite radio programs. In the last few decades, they have added a hair salon, jeweler and a golf pro shop. The hotel celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2007 by adding air conditioning to guest rooms.
The timeline of how they have added new rooms and features makes one think this amazing landmark is constantly a work in progress.
I like that idea. While they are rooted in many traditions like proper dress codes and afternoon croquet, they are open to changes that improve the guest experience.
Want to learn more about the Grand Hotel? Click here to visit their website. Even if you don’t spend the night, it’s a must-see when you visit Mackinac Island!
Mackinac Bridge is a Michigan landmark. That’s because it is the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. It spans the Straits of Mackinac, a body of water that connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, making travel between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan a breeze.
According to the Mackinaw Bridge Authority (MBA), it opened in 1957 to replace a ferry system that struggled to keep up with increasing traffic demands. At just under five miles long, it’s a sight to behold and something unique to drive at least once. So we paid $8 in tolls round trip just to say we had done it!
We chose to visit Mackinaw Island on Sunday of Labor Day weekend because the following day was a special occasion. Since 1958, they have closed the bridge for the Bridge Walk. This year’s event attracted about 35,000 people in a single morning. I heard people on Mackinac Island talk about looking forward to walking Mighty Mac the next day.
It’s a smooth ride at 45 miles per hour and quite a view. It took about seven decades of planning and construction to bring the dream of this bridge to fruition. Locals were inspired by the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, engineers were informed by a 1940 bridge catastrophe in Washington, and it was finally built at the cost of nearly $100,000,000 and five lives lost.
Here’s a fun fact for you. The MBA says it takes seven years to paint the bridge and that once complete, they turn around and start it again.
Our ferry captain was kind to detour underneath this famous bridge on our way to Mackinac Island so I’m pleased to say I have driven on and sailed under this bridge.
Visit the Make the Journey Fun Facebook page for a short clip of our drive across Mighty Mac. tomorrow, we will talk about Mackinaw Island, another bucket list item from this trip!
Just down the street from the enormous roadside hot dog I showed you this week, there is a beautiful lighthouse. The Old Mackinaw Point Light was deactivated in 1957 after almost six decades of service.
Today, it’s a beacon of education, serving as a museum where visitors can go up in the tower. Sadly, we arrived too late in the day to climb the 62 feet up the tower.
I like that it resembles a castle tower.
However, we did get to walk around the shore and admire the lighthouse which presides over the Fort Michilimackinac State Park.
From here, you can also see the Mackinaw Bridge, the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world.
