I just got back from a two-week trip through Wisconsin where I convinced my husband to drive us 5 hours north to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (which apparently, according to him, I pronounce weird. As in PEN-insula instead of pen-IN-sula. Tomato tamato. I digress). And of course the reason I wanted to go so far out of our way was for the promise of a magical island where there are no cars and you have to get around on foot, bike, or by horse drawn carriage. Squee!
I first learned about Mackinac Island (pronounced “Mackinaw” if you’re wondering what the hell to do with that c at the end) when I worked at the guest ranch in Arizona. One of my coworkers back then had spent her summer season working up there and told me about the island, how there no cars are allowed on the island (you have to ferry over) and carriages everywhere.
Although we go back to Wisconsin pretty regularly, it’s never worked out to make our way up there until this year. This post will be part vacation-gush, part travel tips for seeing the island.
Tip #1: We booked our hotel for just after Labor Day and cut the cost in half. We stayed at Mission Point Resort, which has a lot of history on the island and is away from busy downtown. They have an acre of lawn in front of the resort dedicated simply to sitting in brilliant white Adirondack chairs, sipping an old fashioned (optional, but highly recommended) and watching the ships navigate the Great Lakes Channel.
Tip #2: There are also several smaller bed and breakfasts and intimate hotels in which to stay. Whatever you choose, pick something that has windows you can open. There’s nothing more shocking or enchanting, or old-world feeling, as drifting off to sleep and hearing the distinct clip-clop of hooves going by. It’s also quite possibly the best way to wake up.
Tip #3: While the Grand Hotel is the another large hotel with a lot of history on the island where you can stay, I found the décor to be a little dated and reminiscent of the hotel in The Shining. So I obviously opted not to book a room there. However, you do need to go see the Grand. It. Is. something. I was born and raised on the west coast where there aren’t a lot of old buildings and we don’t dress up for much. The Grand was built in a time where vacationing was as much about getting away as it was about promenading. Hence their promenade porch. The longest porch in America at over 600 feet. They have a formal dining room and dress requirements to attend dinner. We did not attend. We don’t regularly travel with sport coat, slacks, and tie for my husband. But you can pay a small fee ($12) to walk around the hotel, and I definitely encourage you to go up and have a drink in the cupola bar, which has panoramic views of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The hotel also includes the image of a carriage horse in their logo, not unlike that of Coach. I’m a sucker for any marketing that includes a nod to their equestrian heritage.
Tip #4: Go to the Grand Hotel’s stable and carriage museum. The museum has an awesome display of carriages through the years (and for different purposes) as well as other tack and equipment. Included are several harnesses, bits, bridles, and carriage blankets, which were often made of horse hair. The last time I was in Wisconsin I found two carriage blankets for sale in antique stores. They were actual horse hides, with a little bit of the mane left on. It was macabre. Like, “You better behave cart horse! Or I’ll have your hide. Literally.” Anyway…way off track here, go see the museum and there’s an attached barn where you can see a few stalled horses.
Tip #5: After you’ve completed Tip #4, step out the back of the carriage museum in the late afternoon and you can watch the draft horses getting turned out as they’re done with their day. We visited on a drizzly afternoon, carriage tours were slow, so there were more horses having a day off than usual. Fun to watch them stretch, and eat, and be horses. Also, if you walk up Cadotte Avenue to get to Surrey Hill (and the carriage museum) you’ll be able to see in the end of one of the carriage barns and might spy some ample draft butts. These barns aren’t open to the public, so don’t go wondering in like that one annoying person at a horse show who just “accidentally” ended up in the barn very clearly labeled “boarders only.”
Tip #6: Brace yourself, this recommendation is 100% not horse related. Go to the Butterfly House. Go early in the morning so you can avoid a crush of people (ugh, people amiright?). They have several different types of butterflies and they’re all so beautiful. Mackinac Island is home to wild summer Monarch butterflies, but it’s fun to see all the other types. Supposedly if one lands on you, you’ll have good luck. I wasn’t so lucky, but maybe you’ll be.
Tip #7: One more non-horse related recommendations Rent a bike and bike around the island. It’s beautiful, the water goes from teal to deep blue to green and there’s plenty to see away from downtown. However, if you haven’t been on a bike in a while, practice riding one before you get on the island. That way you don’t end up in a heap, bleeding from head and compound leg fracture with strangers trying to help you out. I wish I was joking. But seriously, we were the strangers helping with very nasty bike accident and it was the THIRD ACCIDENT WE HAD SEEN. After less than 24 hours on the island. That’s a load of crap about it being “like riding a bike.” Practice. It’s windy on the island. With hills. And other wobbly tourists. Don’t bust your face or your butt on vacation. It will totally mess up your show season.
And thus concludes my Mackinac-euphoria gush post. Put it on your bucket list. Follow my tips. Tell me how much you loved it.
