Mackinaw/Mackinac

During our trip to MI we managed to sneak away for a couple days to Mackinaw City & Mackinac Island.

Now, if you're not from MI you probably don't realize that Mackinaw and Mackinac are pronounced the same ~ both like Mackinaw. The spelling with the 'w' is British and the spelling with the 'c' is French. I believe they kept Mackinac Island spelled differently to create less confusion with the mail system. But who knows!


Back to the trip, we stayed in Mackinaw City which is the last stop before you get to the Mackinaw Bridge at the top of the hand. You know all us Michiganders use our hand to point where we're going, right??

We're almost there, I can see the bridge!!

This was the view from our porch at our hotel. I could've stared out at that lake forever.

Off in the distance you can see Mackinac Island...

It goes to show ya how long it's been since I've been to a Michigan lake. Totally forgot some of them are rocky. Note to self ~ bring beach socks on next trip!

The kids had fun anyway. Ben kept looking for aquatic life...

and tried to make friends with the locals

That picture makes me laugh because it reminds me of when he was just a year and a half old in this one...

After dinner we found a spot where there was a really good view of the Mackinaw Bridge. 

And the kids got a lesson in the art of skipping rocks.

Cause Michigan beaches have great skipping rocks.

Oh look, it's the Michigan welcome committee ;)

Then we headed over the bridge...for no other reason that just to drive over it. We weren't doing anything in the U.P. We crossed the bridge and then turned around and came right back! 

The Mackinaw Bridge is the 3rd longest suspension bridge in the world...spanning 5 miles long. Betcha didn't know Michigan held such a gem, did ya??

Can you see the bridge in my rear view mirror??

The sun was starting to set as we crossed back over to the lower peninsula.  Just beautiful.

The view of the lake the next morning

The next day it was Mackinaw Island. We discovered that Ben loves boats, Olivia...not so much. I also discovered that wearing a sundress is probably not the best option if you want to stand up to take pics on the boat...

It was hard to take pics with the death grip she had on my arm! I made Dave sit next to her on the ride back. You can see her hanging onto me for dear life in the reflection in Ben's sunglasses :)

That big hotel is the Grand Hotel. You need bookoo bucks to stay there. That's where they filmed Somewhere in Time. I so love Christopher Reeve...

There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island. You get around the island by walking, riding a bike or horse.

And the fudge, oh the fudge. I think I ate my weight in fudge during this trip. There's nothing like Mackinac fudge....

A closer look at the Grand Hotel

Their horses are very fancy

Such a neat island. I wished we could've stayed longer. Next time... :)