lake michigan coast: mackinac island

and to continue the recap of our adventure up to mackinac island, almost a month later, we started out by staying in mackinaw city at a hotel on the lake. that night we drove across the mackinaw bridge, just for the experience of driving over and going to the upper peninsula, and then we came back for dinner at a local place and some shopping. the next morning we got up early and took the first ferry ride over to the island. i love going to mackinac island. one of these days im going to rent a bike to ride around all day because i know that i would get to see a lot more! we walked through a lot of the shops downtown, walked to the Grand Hotel (side note: this hotel is literally "grand". its huge, and also very private. unless you are a guest of the hotel, you are not even allowed to walk up to the porch with the exception of those who pay a fee of $10! there is also a dress code of "evening wear" after 6:30 pm for those who stay at the hotel. I actually appreciate these "rules" at the hotel, although i do wish to get a peek inside each time i'm on the island, i like that the Grand Hotel is keeping it classy. 

 As you may have noticed in the pictures above, there were a lot of horses, which is because there are no cars allowed on the island. there is one "highway" that rides the perimeter of the island that doesn't even allow cars! if you are ever in michigan, taking the trip up to mackinac island (island view with grand hotel in last picture) sure is worth it! there are a few other things that we were unable to see while on the island that day like the fort, arch rock, and im sure many other things as well! next time i go back i will definitely be grabbing a bike for the day to explore! mackinac island takes the hustle and bustle out of the day, and allows you to take the day slow, enjoy the weather, and of course provides some great photo ops!

-e-