Hey Guys!
This post continues our journey exploring the amazing Great Lakes.
Read Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here & Day 5 here.…Click here to see links to all of my blog posts since 2018!
We are currently in the cute little town of Sault Ste Marie, MI but today we’ll be heading to Mackinaw City, MI to catch the ferry to Mackinac Island.
After checking out of the Lockview Hotel, we began our one hour drive to Mackinaw City, MI.
About 45 mins into the drive, we arrived to St. Ignace, MI. This is another place where you can catch the ferry to Mackinac Island.
The ferry service here is called Arnold Transit Co. and it’s usually not as crowded as the ferry in Mackinaw City. An adult ticket on the traditional ferry costs about $40 pp.
Purchase your ticket for this ferry, here & Read reviews here
As we were driving through St. Ignace, we passed Castle Rock. 
Castle Rock is considered to be one of the oldest lookout points near the city of St. Ignace, and was known as Pontiac’s Lookout by the Ojibwa Tribe.
Clarence Eby opened Castle Rock for tourists in 1929 and it has remained a popular tourist destination ever since.
The rock rises 195 ft above water level and about 183 ft above I-75. It offers amazing views of Mackinac Island, Lake Huron and the city of St. Ignace.
Read reviews here
To continue our drive to Mackinaw City, we had to cross over the famous Mackinac Bridge.
We had to pay a toll of $4 to cross the bridge.
The Mackinac Bridge is 5 miles long and is currently the seventh-longest suspension bridge in the world by total suspended length, and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.
The total cost to construct the bridge was almost 100 million dollars! The bridge opened to traffic on November 1, 1957.
Starting our drive across the bridge
And driving over the bridge
Shortly after crossing the bridge, we spotted this hotdog restaurant called, Wienerlicous. 
Atop the restaurant sits a 63 ft hot dog sculpture!
Read reviews here
Arriving to the cute town of Mackinaw City
Since we had arrived about 45 mins before our ferry reservation, we decided to drive around and check out the town.
We passed the Bridgeview Diner that was home to the “Worlds Best Burger”….we had to stop when we saw a huge burger sculpture sitting next to the restaurant.
If it hadn’t been so early in the morning, my hubby would have definitely wanted to try out their world’s best burger! 😉
Read reviews here
We then passed the statue of Hattie Stimpson.…she was one of the founding members of the Womans Mackinaw Club that was formed in 1912.
We decided to check out a nearby lighthouse called, Old Mackinaw Point Lighthouse.
The lighthouse was constructed in 1892 along the Straits of Mackinac at the junction of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. It was deactivated in 1957 and currently serves as a museum.
From the lighthouse, you will have views of the Mackinac Bridge.
Besides the lighthouse, you can also tour the keeper’s home, fog signal building, oil house and more.
Read reviews here & purchase tickets here (they are $10.75 for adults)
The tower of the lighthouse stands 58 ft tall.
After checking out the lighthouse, we walked down to the water to take pictures of the Mackinac Bridge.
And of course, we couldn’t leave without taking our pictures in front of the famous bridge!
We then headed back to the dock to board the ferry to Mackinac Island.
The ferry service in Mackinaw City is ran by Sheplers and their basic roundtrip ticket costs approx. $40 pp for an adult.
However, after arriving, we were told we could only park at the dock if we were staying overnight on Mackinac Island!
We had to drive to a nearby parking lot and be shuttled back to the dock.
Click here to read about where to park for the Shepler’s Ferry & Click here to read about where to park if you catch the ferry in St. Ignace. Read reviews here for Shepler’s Ferry.
Tip: There is a fee to park at the dock and at their offsite parking lot. If you park at the offsite parking, you can purchase your parking ticket online, or at the lot via a QR code using your smartphone or at the kiosk. Click here to read all about parking, ferry tickets and more.
After arriving to the lot and paying our parking fee via the QR code, we boarded the shuttle.
We were back at the dock in less than 15 mins from the parking lot.
Tip: The shuttles run every 15 mins and the ferries run every 15 to 30 mins depending on the season
I had pre purchased the enhanced ferry tickets for $50 pp. This allowed us to skip the regular ferry line and board before other ferry passengers.
We were literally the first passengers on the boat….so, we could sit anywhere we wanted!
We decided to sit inside.
After a few minutes, we were on our way to Mackinac Island!
The ride takes approx. 20-30 mins.
On the way, they take you under the Mackinac Bridge.
The views of the bridge from the boat were awesome!
As we neared the island, we spotted the historic, Grand Hotel!
I’ll talk more about this iconic place a bit later in my blog.
Views of Mackinac Island from the boat
As you near the dock in Mackinac Island, you will pass the Round Island Passage Lighthouse.
The lighthouse was built in 1947 and replaced the original Rock Island Light that was built in 1895.
Sitting near the Round Island Lighthouse, is the original Round Island Lighthouse.
Arriving to Mackinac Island
A shot of one of the ferries
After exiting the boat, you will walk a short distance and get your first view of the iconic streets of Mackinac Island.
As you know, there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island.
Only bikes and horses are allowed here!
So, after arriving, we headed to the nearest bike rental company to rent bikes for the day.
Click here for best things to do on the island
The nearest place we spotted was Ryba’s Bicycle Rental.
They offered several different kinds of bikes…we decided on the singles bike for $55 each for the day.
Tip: You will hold your bikes with a credit card but aren’t charged until you return because you may decide to only keep your bike 2 hrs or decide to keep it all day…the hourly rate is $12 for a single.
After getting our bikes, they gave us a map of the island. 
I hadn’t ridden a bike in years so I was a bit apprehensive at first but the anxiety faded quickly after I realized how easy it was…..it hardly took any effort at all!
One of the employees at Ryba kindly pointed us in the direction of the bike path that circles the island –M-185, the only state highway in the US where motor vehicles are banned. The bike path is 8.2 miles.
We passed so many gorgeous historic homes along the way.
There are several paths that you can take but we chose the one that runs alongside the lake.
The views were so beautiful!
This was definitely one of our most favorite things we did on our trip!
There are plenty of spots along the path where you can pull over and snap some stunning photos of the island’s scenic views.
One spot we stopped off at was called the Devil’s Kitchen.
The Devil’s Kitchen is a group of small sea caves and are the youngest rock formations on Mackinac Island.
According to the nearby plaque, this large mass of limestone was formed about 350 million years ago. 
Continuing our ride along the path
Later, we passed these beautiful houses!
Although a light drizzle started to fall, we didn’t let it slow us down ….we just threw on our rain jackets and kept riding.
Views along the bike path
After a few minutes of riding, we came across a beautiful beach and decided to stop for some photos.
It was so peaceful. This would be a great place for a picnic lunch.
After taking our pictures, we continued our ride.
Just a few minutes later, we arrived to the very popular Arch Rock stop.
Arch Rock is the most famous of the rock formations on the island.
More informational signs near the rock
We parked our bike and began our walk up the steep staircase leading to the rock….there are 207 steps! There are a few benches along the way in case you need to rest.
Tip: You can also reach the rock by foot or bike by using Arch Rock road or even by a horse drawn carriage tour.
After reaching the top, we got our first view of the massive arch rock.
The rock towers 146 feet above the shoreline of Lake Huron and spans 50 ft.
Arch Rock is a natural limestone formation sculpted by centuries of wind, waves and erosion.
In 1875, Mackinac Island became the second national park in the US (after Yellowstone), and Arch Rock was one of the first protected landmarks.
Views of the lake from Arch Rock 
Read reviews here
Tip: Also located near the rock is the Milliken Nature Center. You will find restrooms located in the nature center.
Parked near the nature center was a carriage tour being pulled by these beautiful horses!
Heading back down the stairs
Shortly after leaving Arch Rock, we were back in town where we passed old historic churches and buildings.
Read the history of the island here and Read reviews for the bike path here & here
We decided it was time for lunch so we headed downtown where most of the restaurants are located.
This area is the most crowded area on the island!
We parked our bikes and began our search for somewhere to eat.
Everything was super crowded….however, we ended up finding a burger joint called Verde’s Smash Burger that could seat us right away so we decided to eat here.
We were seated at a table with views of the lake.
Trying to decide what to order….so many choices!
I decided on the steak tacos and the hubby ordered his usual burger.
The food was delicious!
Read reviews here & Click here to see more restaurants on the island
After lunch, we walked around town to look for our usual souvenirs.
We then grabbed our bikes and continued our ride through town.
We passed this house that had the most beautiful garden I had ever seen!
Who wouldn’t love to have something like this in their back yard?!
We then passed this gorgeous stone church.
This is the Little Stone Church. The church was built in 1904.
We passed the historical marker for the Bonga Tavern…the tavern was the first hotel on Mackinac Island.
We were on our way to the incredible, historic Grand Hotel.
Tip: There are so many things to do on this island! I would highly recommend you spend a 2-3 days here if you can.
Arriving to the hotel
The hotel is surrounded by gorgeous flowers!
The Grand Hotel opened its doors on July 10, 1887, after just 93 days of construction!
The cost to stay here at the time was between $3 & $5 a night! It had 5 stories and 286 guest rooms.
The most iconic feature of this hotel is the 660 ft front porch — the longest in the world!
More pics of the hotel and grounds
After taking 897 pictures of the hotel and grounds, we headed to the front porch.
You have to pay $12 pp just to access the front porch and hotel.
Tip: Your admission includes a self-guided brochure with QR codes that link to videos to learn more about the areas you can visit. You can also have lunch and/or tea and access their retail stores.
The famous front porch!
Thomas Edison gave the first phonograph demonstrations here, Mark Twain lectured in the hotel’s casino in 1895 and the hotel has hosted several US Presidents including Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F Kennedy, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
The hotel was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1957, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989!
The hotel starred in the 1947 musical This Time for Keeps starring Esther Williams and was also the setting for the movie Somewhere in Time in 1980.
After checking out the front porch, we headed inside to look around.
Wow was it bougie! This place will cost you anywhere from $600 to over $1000 a night to stay here!
The furniture and decor were so beautiful!
All of the rooms were painted different colors.
They had a picture of John Oliver Plank hanging on the wall….he had the Grand Hotel built.
One of the dining rooms 
After checking out the inside, we headed back outside to the porch and grabbed a rocking chair to take in the breathtaking views.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without having our picture taken sitting on the front porch! 😉
Read reviews for the hotel here
After leaving here, we hopped back on our bikes and headed back towards town.
We passed the Stuart House City Museum, the Market Street historical marker, & the historic American Fur Co. Store.
When we spotted the historic Trinity Church, we decided to stop and go inside.
The church was built in 1882.
Its furnishings include an altar of hand carved walnut and two chancel chairs that were made by soldiers at the nearby fort.
The church had beautiful stained glass windows.
Read reviews here
Next, we decided to visit Fort Mackinac. 
After purchasing our tickets ($17 pp), we were given a map of the fort.
There was a list of scheduled events hanging by the ticket booth.
We had to climb 27 stairs to the entrance of the fort.
Once you were at the top, you had sweeping views of Mackinac Island.
Fort Mackinac was built by the British around 1780-82. It was constructed atop a bluff to replace the vulnerable Fort Michilimackinac. Its position secured control over the Straits of Mackinac and the fur trade routes on the Great Lakes.
In 1796, American forces peacefully took control of the fort. The fort then became one of the first battlegrounds of the War of 1812 when British and Native allies captured it in July of 1812.
Despite an American attempt to retake it during the 1814 Battle of Mackinac Island, the British held firm until after the war concluded.
The fort transitioned into the site of Mackinac National Park in 1875 and became Michigan’s first state park in 1895. It officially reopened in 1959 as a living history museum.
There are 14 original buildings that can. be explored including Michigan’s oldest…the Officers’ Stone Quarters built in 1780.
The interior has been restored to depict their original functions: barracks, hospital, guardhouse, and more.
On site there are consumed interpreters that bring the past alive with musket drills, cannon firings, guard monitoring ceremonies, and stories about military and family life at the fort.
Tip: Visitors ages 13 and older can register to fire the fort’s historic cannon in the morning and experience the process first hand.
There is so much to see and do at the fort that you could literally spend all day….from short films, to demonstrations, to shopping at the Sutler’s Museum store and even having lunch at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room.
One of my favorite buildings was the bath house…it was so cool!
The bathhouse was completed in the early 1880’s and was the last building erected at the fort.
The bathhouse contained six private bathing chambers each fitted with its own tub. It was mandated that each soldier took a bath once a week!
After spending about an hour at the fort, we headed back to the downtown area.
On the way, we passed the Missionary Bark Chapel.
This chapel is a reconstruction of the first Catholic chapel built by Jesuit missionaries during their 1670-71 mission on Mackinac Island.
It is made from birch bark and is a simple hut like construction that was commonly used by missionaries in the remote Great Lakes regions.
We then passed the St. Ann’s Church, so we decided to go inside and check it out.
The church was built in 1874. The inside was very simple but beautiful.
Read reviews here
Once we made it back to downtown, we spotted Sanders chocolate store so we couldn’t pass up purchasing some delicious chocolates. 😉
Sanders was founded in Detroit in 1875 by Fred Sanders, starting with a barrel of borrowed sugar, a leased shop and a confectioner’s dream.
Over time, the brand grew to more than 57 stores in the Great Lakes region. In 2002, the Sanders name and recipes were acquired by Morley Candy Makers, Inc, which continues to preserve the tradition and flavor.
Well, I was in candy heaven….the store offered a variety of candies, fudge, ice cream, and lots more!
Now how do you choose with all of this calling your name?!
You can even watch their sweet treats being made right in the store.
One thing I never do, walk into a candy store and not order chocolate covered caramel ….so, I ordered those and lots more!
It was so good!
Read reviews here
Tip: From what I’ve read, the “not to be missed” sweet treat on Mackinac Island is the fudge.
After eating our sweet treats, we turned in our bikes and headed for the ferry.
Heading back to Mackinaw City on the ferry.
We once again passed the Round Island Passage Lighthouse.
Once we had been shuttled back to our car, we headed to our hotel.
I had booked a little cabin on the lake at the Beach House Lakeside Cottages.
After getting checked in, we drove a short distance to our cabin….number 27.
The cabin was so cute!
It was sitting right on the shores of beautiful Lake Huron.
The cabin had two queen beds, a sofa, bathroom and kitchen and a table with 3 chairs in the kitchen.
Read reviews here
After getting settled into our room, we headed back out to find something to eat.
We decided to eat at one of the places my hubby had on the list called, Scalawags. 
Their menu is limited but they are known for their whitefish dinners so we both decided on the two piece whitefish dinner with fries.
After ordering, we headed outside to find a table.
The service was slow but the food was delicious!
Read reviews here
After dinner, we headed back to our little cottage where we spent time walking along the shores of Lake Huron.
Later, we settled into the chairs on our little front porch and watched the sun slowly dip behind the horizon, casting a golden light across the calm waters of Lake Huron.
Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for Day 7!