Anyone ever been to Mackinac Island or Harbor Springs,MI?

[manchurianbrownbear]

We were just in that neighborhood the first week of June!

There are six of us, me, DW and four kids, so we usually look for "affordable" activities (except at WDW!).

The drive across the UP on Lake Michigan's north shore was very nice.

We were very pleased with the Holiday Inn Express in St Ignace (decent, clean room with balcony RIGHT ON THE BEACH) and great service!

Our kids are ages 4 - 12 and we didn't think that we would get our $ worth out of ferrying out to the island, but we had a lot of fun on the lake shore in Mackinac City and visiting many shops in town; especially the aforementioned fudge shops (mmmmmmmmm, Traverse City Cherry)!

 

[Fire14]

Ok now that I'm super seriously home sick Send me some fudge ASAP!!!! I love TC Cherry but boy was it hard for me to find. I loved just walking around Island and looking at bridge. When my family visted we usually stayed on mainland in either Nac City Or St. Igance.

 

[browneyes]

Never been there. But there was an ad in my local paper of a charter group going to Mackinac Island next month.

 

[tkyes]

Well, we tried to get a night on the island but we weren't able to. There is a big boat race and all the hotels are filling up quickly. Besides that most of them have a 2 night minimum in peak season and we would only want 1 night on the island.

I'm fine with just driving up to Mackinaw from Harbor Springs and spending the day on the island. We'll have fun either way.


Thanks everyone for your suggestions and tips. Can't wait for the fudge!


Tamie

 

[sharbear]

Just a warning! If you're going on race weekend be prepared for an island full of drunken sailors! My DH raced for years and wanted to get off the island as fast as possible. He's not a Mackinac Island fan, he used to go every summer but won't take me! Maybe this summer I'll go with the kids and leave him home.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ah yes...Mackinaw Island. I have been there twice and once we stayed in St. Ignance. The next we stayed on the Island at a B&B. We stayed for 2 days rented bikes & a trailer thing. We have since bought nice bikes and hope to get back up there with them.
If you are up for it, go have lunch at The Grand Hotel. They have a buffet that is just fun to go eat the myraid of fancy foods & desserts.

 

[Trinity721]

How long is the drive to Makinac Island from Chicago, does anyone know? And would it be worth taking a 1 year old?

I would like to go, since my parents and family will be going. But they keep telling me to stay behind with DD. How depressing, to be alone 4th of July weekend. I wanna go!

 

[lancerguys]

Mackinac Island is great. I went there when I was younger with my parents. Like said earlier, make sure you eat tons of fudge because the fudge is the best part. and, on the ferry ride in, I am not sure what it is called but there are tons and tons of containers in ships of black rocks. I think it is called ironite, or something like that. that enthralled me when I was younger.

 

[Chattyaholic]

DH and I spent a day of our honeymoon on Mackinaw Island, almost 28 years ago. Then we stayed at the Grand Hotel for our 6th anniversary, we had a room on the back side so no view but it was still $160 for the night, pretty expensive for "way back then" but it did include all three meals. Now I think they only do breakfast and dinner if I'm not mistaken, and you pay extra if you do the lunch buffet?? We thought it was great fun to "dress up" for dinner, and I LOVED the orchestra that played while we ate! I'd love to go for one of their "Somewhere In Time" weekends!!

The last time we were there was about 6 years ago, for my 40th birthday. We stayed at The Pines B&B, $95 for the night and the room was awful. Very tiny, shared bath "down the hall" and the bed's mattress needed replacing badly as we both gravitated toward the center. We woke up early with horrible back aches, BUT...we had rented bicycles for overnight so we got up at 5:00 a.m. and rode downtown. It was totally deserted except for one street cleaner!! What a sight to see the empty street!! On the back side of the island is a nature trail too.

We love biking around the island (on a tandem especially), and we rented a horse-drawn carriage once and that was fun too. Just walking around is fun, going into a few of the shops, and of course the FUDGE!!! I hope you have a wonderful time visiting the island, it's a really unique place.