Mackinac Island, Michigan **more pics pg2**

Did anyone miss me? Probably not. But for the odd person who noticed I was gone...here I am!

I've been in Mackinaw City for the past week :) Seems crazy that I live in Michigan and yet have no memories of Mackinac [I was about 4 the last time I was up there.]

In case you DON'T know what Mackinac Island is....it's a small island near the straits of Mackinac. It's absolutely AMAZING! See, there are no cars allowed on Mackinac Island. Everything is either bikes or horses. There are horse drawn carriages EVERYWHERE. We happened to be up there for the festival of the horse, as well, which meant they were getting appreciation!

I saw Belgians, Percherons, and even the odd Haflinger. My family and I went on a 2 hour long horse drawn carriage tour of the island [the whole thing is like, 7 miles wide or something.] It's so CUTE! Sure, the whole thing smells of horse poop. Sure, there are rivers of horse pee running down the sides of the road...it was so neat to be there! It's truly kind of magical.

We also visited Fort Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackinac, which were two ooooold forts [Michilimackinac I believe was founded in 1715?]. It was insanely cool.

And now...pictures.

Mackinac Island [this was my view from the restaurant we ate lunch at.]
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This was basically what the streets looked like, but much more crowded:
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We also went over the Mackinac Bridge. My dad had a panic attack half way over [that suckers like 5 miles long, lol] but we made it into the UP
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Where we went to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie
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more pictures in the next post...

Fort Mackinac [sorry, I didn't take many pictures there. I have to go look through my dad's camera haha]
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AAAND..Colonial Michilimackinac [I can only imagine how much I butchered the spelling of that.]
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These things kept FREAKING me out. I always thought they were real...of course, the one time I thought it was fake, it turned out to be a real person! I screamed and jumped out of my skin when she sat up, bahahahaha
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MORE pictures coming :]

The fired off a cannon...WOW that was loud! I also saw...three? musket firings at the various forts
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This morning, before we left, I went to Old Mackinac Point light house and climbed to the very top. I went up 51 stairs and an 8 foot ladder to get there. :) I was the only person in the group NOT gasping for breath bahahahaha. We had a great view up there though!
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These were the stairs we climbed:
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It was a 5 hour drive to Mackinaw City and another hour to the Locks, but it was totally worth it. Oh, and I went to a Mystery Spot too, but I was pretty underwhelmed.

Sorry for the immense load of pictures. ^-^ But I wanted to share the wonders of Michigan with you all!

What nice photographs and description of your trip! Thank you.

I grew up in Michigan (Detroit area).. then lived on the East Coast for some 33 years. Came back to MI (Ann Arbor) in 2002. I've NEVER been to Mackinac Island.

When I was about 15 or 16 years old, my family took a vacation trip to the Upper Peninsula. This was shortly after the Mackinac Bridge had been opened, and it was a big thrill to be able to drive straight from the Lower Peninsula to the UP. We didn't have time to visit the island too, though.

The first night we stayed at a motel in St. Ignace (first UP town west off the bridge) and were treated to a display of Northern Lights that night. They weren't the colored kinds, just white light.. but still VERY thrilling.. not something you see around Detroit!

I took pictures with my Brownie box camera, and I think I still have those somewhere around. If I find them (rather blurry black & white photos) I'll post some!

Beautiful!
My sister-in-law lives in Michigan and she went there for her honeymoon. I'd like to go there sometime if/when we go to visit her.

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Originally Posted by phesina

What nice photographs and description of your trip! Thank you.

I grew up in Michigan (Detroit area).. then lived on the East Coast for some 33 years. Came back to MI (Ann Arbor) in 2002. I've NEVER been to Mackinac Island.

When I was about 15 or 16 years old, my family took a vacation trip to the Upper Peninsula. This was shortly after the Mackinac Bridge had been opened, and it was a big thrill to be able to drive straight from the Lower Peninsula to the UP. We didn't have time to visit the island too, though.

The first night we stayed at a motel in St. Ignace (first UP town west off the bridge) and were treated to a display of Northern Lights that night. They weren't the colored kinds, just white light.. but still VERY thrilling.. not something you see around Detroit!

I took pictures with my Brownie box camera, and I think I still have those somewhere around. If I find them (rather blurry black & white photos) I'll post some!

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We drove through St. Ignace but didn't spend any time there. Haha, you definitely don't get Northern Lights down here.

Please do, it'd be interesting to see how it's changed over the years!

Wow, looks like a really nice place to visit. Thank you for sharing

Very very very awesome pictures!!! WOW!! I've been to MI once. I was in the Flint area. We visited Frankenmeuth(spelling?). I thought the state was absolutely beautiful. Your pictures certainly prove it gets even more beautiful than what I saw.
We left Florida and it was around 95 degrees in July. We arrived in Flint and it was almost cold and delightful. I would love to go back.

It looks like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing!!:)

Looks like a really nice place!:)

Mackinac Island fudge is to DIE for!!! I lived in MI for 3 years and always wanted to go there. Unfortunately, like the Detroit Zoo, I never made it there.

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Originally Posted by Daisy and Delilah

Very very very awesome pictures!!! WOW!! I've been to MI once. I was in the Flint area. We visited Frankenmeuth(spelling?). I thought the state was absolutely beautiful. Your pictures certainly prove it gets even more beautiful than what I saw.
We left Florida and it was around 95 degrees in July. We arrived in Flint and it was almost cold and delightful. I would love to go back.

It looks like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing!!:)

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Frankenmuth it a cool place :) That's only about an hour from me so we visit that more often haha.

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Originally Posted by moosmom

Mackinac Island fudge is to DIE for!!! I lived in MI for 3 years and always wanted to go there. Unfortunately, like the Detroit Zoo, I never made it there.

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Mmmm I know it's amazing :) We got like 5 slices and two are already gone hahahaha.

You've never been to the Detroit Zoo?! :eek: How horrible! haha, I love the zoo. Especially in the winter, because it's really uncrowded! I'll have to go and take pictures for everyone :D

Mackinac Island Is a beautiful place to see. Thanks for sharing your
pictures.:) We visited when the kids were younger & they loved it too.:)

Banning cars was a wonderful idea, keeps the Island more as it used to be.
It's a gorgeous place to see & I would recommend it to anyone.

p.s. I sympathize with your Dad about the bridge. It's a real doozy.:eek::)

Isn't if funny, Phesina how you moved FROM MI to the East coast, and I moved TO MI from the East coast. They say if you've never been to MI, you'll hate it. But people who were born and raised there love it. Go figure.

Nope, never made it to the zoo. I did go the UP (Upper Penninsula) over New Year's with some friends. That huge mall is awesome!! Took hours to go through. Lots to see!

I lived right outside of Detroit in Ecorse, MI across from the Detroit River. Not the greatest area, but the rent was cheap. $550/month for 1200 sq. feet including everything. Sure can't find that in CT unless you want to pay up to $1200/month not including utilities.

After 3 years of trying to find employment as a news writer, I finally gave up, left everything behind (anything that wouldn't fit in my little KIA Sephia) and went back to CT, because I missed my family and friends so badly. Now THAT (moving back to CT) I'll never regret!!

Great pictures!!!

Thanks for sharing the pictures & story of your trip to the Island, over the bridge & the locks too. Years ago we went to the Island & did the samething took a horse drawn surrey ride around the Island. The lilac bushes were in bloom & there were 30 some varities on the Island. Moo, I can still taste the good fudge yet. I recall a huge hotel I think was called the Grand. We went inside & had a coupon for strawberry daiquiris, had to climb a bunch of stairs to the top & the bar looked out over the island. The Grand has a huge porch with a bunch of chairs to sit on & look out over the Island & Lake. Just a really neat place. :)

Bonny,

Everytime I think about that fudge, my mouth waters!