Up North 2009 part 2 - Mackinac Island and The Grand Hotel

No trip to northern Michigan is complete without a visit to Mackinac Island and The Grand Hotel. In the late 1880s, Mackinac Island grew into a popular summer getaway for people from lower Michigan and Ohio. The Grand Hotel opened in 1887 as a summer retreat for people arriving by lake steamer from Chicago, Erie, Montreal, Detroit, and by rail from Cleveland and across the country. (Room rates at that time were $3 - $5 per night!) The above drawing depicts the hotel as it was in 1890. The island, between "mainland" Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, is one of those rare places that gives you a glimpse into a simpler life. A little fudge, some healthy walking, a chance to see some beautiful scenery. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the island, but horses are everywhere. A carriage ride up the hill from the ferry dock to the hotel is a lot of fun and even a little magical. You'll swear you're back in the late 19th century. Victorian inns and homes with wide verandas, long wood balconies, and turrets line the hillside. The Grand Hotel's Front Porch - at 660 feet the longest in the world - is a wonderful place to sit and relax and enjoy the scenery. It is graced by 100 white rocking chairs and thousands of bright red geraniums. Over the years, it became a meeting place for folks on the island as well as a "Flirtation Walk" for romance. We enjoyed sitting on the porch for a time during our all too short visit to the island and the Grand.