Yipee,
we're off to Straits SP, just outside St.
Ignace, MI which is the last stop in the UP.
It is also where we catch the ferry to Mackinac Island to visit the Grand Hotel where the movie "Somewhere in Time" is filmed; and yes we did go find "the room" Christopher Reeves slept in. It was foggy in the morning so our ferry didn't go under the Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the US, but cleared as we wondered around the island.
When you get off the ferry, if you are staying at the Grand Hotel, here is your ride.
The veranda at the Grand Hotel is over 600 feet so lots of space to sit, relax, read, people watch or whatever you want on a lovely day, then you can wander into the hotel lobby.
Before leaving we reinforced ourselves at Sadie's Ice Cream Parlor, the Scottish Terrier who is the only dog to date to win the "Triple Crown" the 3 largest dog shows in the country. The ice cream, Mary Sue's--The Grand Hotel Pecan Ball and Irene's the #1 seller Salted Carmel, is from a creamery in Hudsonville, MI.
Mackinac Island is known for the fact they use transport from an earlier time so no motorized vehicles. Of course one can get run over by bicycles. In a write up on the island the author observed unless it has rained, avoid puddles. Their sanitation department stays busy.
The last evening in town, after Mary Sue spent hours at the library "blogging" and Irene at the laundromat where she got restaurant recommendations from the "Food Inspector" of this village, we went out to dinner, listened to music at the festival in town and then watched the Sat. night fireworks with a couple from the town where Sadie's ice cream is made.
The fish tacos were quite nice and the view of the harbor on a beautiful day was perfect.
A lot of the fun of this kind of travel is to open ourselves up to visiting with complete strangers and sharing travel stories and learning of other "must do" eateries or places to see. We heard about Clyde's from a docent at Whitefish Point then read an in depth review and just had to give it a try. Irene had been a car hop in high school.
It is also where we catch the ferry to Mackinac Island to visit the Grand Hotel where the movie "Somewhere in Time" is filmed; and yes we did go find "the room" Christopher Reeves slept in. It was foggy in the morning so our ferry didn't go under the Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the US, but cleared as we wondered around the island.
When you get off the ferry, if you are staying at the Grand Hotel, here is your ride.
The veranda at the Grand Hotel is over 600 feet so lots of space to sit, relax, read, people watch or whatever you want on a lovely day, then you can wander into the hotel lobby.
Before leaving we reinforced ourselves at Sadie's Ice Cream Parlor, the Scottish Terrier who is the only dog to date to win the "Triple Crown" the 3 largest dog shows in the country. The ice cream, Mary Sue's--The Grand Hotel Pecan Ball and Irene's the #1 seller Salted Carmel, is from a creamery in Hudsonville, MI.
Mackinac Island is known for the fact they use transport from an earlier time so no motorized vehicles. Of course one can get run over by bicycles. In a write up on the island the author observed unless it has rained, avoid puddles. Their sanitation department stays busy.
The last evening in town, after Mary Sue spent hours at the library "blogging" and Irene at the laundromat where she got restaurant recommendations from the "Food Inspector" of this village, we went out to dinner, listened to music at the festival in town and then watched the Sat. night fireworks with a couple from the town where Sadie's ice cream is made.
A lot of the fun of this kind of travel is to open ourselves up to visiting with complete strangers and sharing travel stories and learning of other "must do" eateries or places to see. We heard about Clyde's from a docent at Whitefish Point then read an in depth review and just had to give it a try. Irene had been a car hop in high school.
Sue we
apologize in advance, but we did this next segment in half a day and should
have taken two days. We drove down the Upper
Lower Peninsula coast (west side of Michigan) to Petoskey (US 31), down
thru the very charming town of Charlevoix, and
on through Traverse City
to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We're not sure if it's all the car
industry retired CEO's who live in the first two towns, but there was evidence
of lots of wealth. Driving by Charlevoix we passed by several "gated
communities", huge country clubs, and an equestrian center.
Sleeping Bear Dunes was a narrow enough road we took the tow car off and Mary Sue drove her around. She doesn't get to drive much because Irene is navigationally challenged! The places we spent the most time were the dunes. One was called the Dune Climb.
The other one which had an area that led straight down to Lake Michigan.
It was recommended one not slide or walk down to the lake but of course some do. That tiny white dot was a very large sailboat. It was a long hot climb back up!
A great source of information on any place we've mentioned are the AAA TourBook Guide by state(s) so we are sparing you the details in this blog.
Sleeping Bear Dunes was a narrow enough road we took the tow car off and Mary Sue drove her around. She doesn't get to drive much because Irene is navigationally challenged! The places we spent the most time were the dunes. One was called the Dune Climb.
The other one which had an area that led straight down to Lake Michigan.
It was recommended one not slide or walk down to the lake but of course some do. That tiny white dot was a very large sailboat. It was a long hot climb back up!
A great source of information on any place we've mentioned are the AAA TourBook Guide by state(s) so we are sparing you the details in this blog.
About
4:30 pm we set off to get to Seven Lakes SP to finish a 360 mi day. Not a great
plan because we arrived after dark in a not very well lit area. Not going to do
that again! We were so glad to be settled down for the evening we decided to have a beer we found in St Ignace which seemed to be just the right touch.
After a good nights sleep we're off to visit Mary Sue's relatives in the Troy, OH area.
After a good nights sleep we're off to visit Mary Sue's relatives in the Troy, OH area.
Glad you got to the Island! Too bad you didn't to to drive the bridge in the rig, though; the grates are fun! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe did drive the Mackinac Bridge, but stayed in the far right lane which was paved. Noticed the grates and were really glad we were not on motorcycles!
DeleteYeah! Ice cream, at last! Surprised you didn't collide with Nancy and Steve, as they were coming through Sault St. Marie about the same time you were in the area. They're on the way home from the Maritimes. My Mom has stayed at the Grand Hotel a couple of times and loved it. Save those Lazy Daze empties!
ReplyDelete