Grand Hotel.
peninsulas seemingly touch—in the deep blue Straits of Mackinac that link Lakes Michigan and Huron— Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw) seems a world away. That’s because it still basks in its past colonial character and Victorian glory thanks to the preservation and restoration of its 18th-century fort and 19th- century buildings, most notably the iconic, columned Grand Hotel. Motorized vehicles have been banned since 1898, making horse carriages, bicycles, and walking the only way to get around. From May through October, thousands of overnighters and day-trippers reach the island by ferry from either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. Overnight RV parking arrangements for visiting RVers can be made at the ferry terminals. I first became enchanted with Mackinac after seeing the dreamy 1980 movie Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, where the characters connect through time travel. Shot almost exclusively on the island, the 1887 Grand Hotel helps set the tone of yesteryear with its Victorian-era architecture and lushly furnished lobby and guest rooms, along with traditional rocking chairs lining the hotel’s 660-foot-long porch, the world’s longest. “The movie has two elements, time travel and love as being eternal and unending,” explains Grand Hotel
Lake view from lookout at Arch Rock, Mackinac Island.
Great Lakes Memories Story and photos by Richard Varr The pace is exhilaratingly slow.
I can hear every step the horses take—clip-clop, clip- clop—as they trudge along the historic waterside village. Their names are Tarfoot and Ree, pulling the carriage in which I’ve snagged a ride as it meanders through an increasingly busy Main Street with its storefronts showcasing fudge shops, art galleries, ice- cream stands, and boutiques. “I love it in the mornings when all the people are out—it’s wonderful,” exults the carriage driver, a student who’s working—as so many seasonal workers here do—a summer job on Mackinac Island. “And everyone is so happy here,” she adds. “There are no cars, definitely bringing you back to yesteryear. And that’s such a big part of Mackinac—stepping back in time.” Just off the shores where Michigan’s Lower and Upper
MACKINAC ISLAND
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2018
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