9 Reasons to Visit Mackinac Island & the Beautiful Grand Hotel

Have you seen the 1980 film, Somewhere in Time starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour? Remember the beautiful hotel featured in that movie? Fifty percent of the movie was filmed inside or on the grounds at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Every October the hotel hosts an annual convention for fans of the cult classic.

Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel

Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel invite visitors to step into the past for the length of their visit.  The island is seemingly frozen in time, with its horse-drawn carriages, grand Victorian architecture and fudge-shop-lined Main Street 

Mackinac (pronounced MAK-in-aw) Island sits in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. While nearly 1 million people visit Mackinac Island each year, the Island has less than 600 year-round residents.

Mackinac Island is so special that the whole thing is a National Historic Landmark.

1. NO CARS

Perhaps the most noticeable first impression visitors get of Mackinac Island is the absence of automobiles! Motorized vehicles have been prohibited on the island since 1898 with the exception of snowmobiles  during winter, emergency vehicles and service vehicles. Travel on the island is either by foot, bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. This tempo is more comparable to the 19th century. As a result, it does not take long to adjust to the slower, welcome pace.

We took the ferry to the island and enjoyed great views of the Mackinac bridge and the majestic Grand Hotel from the water. Upon arrival, a horse taxi took us to the hotel.

2. MACKINAC FUDGE

Mackinac Island is well-known for its fudge! From the second you step off the ferry, the aroma of fudge surrounds you. The smell draws you into the shops where you can watch as they make it. There are so many fudge shops that is it difficult to choose just one place to buy your fudge.

3. MACKINAC STATE PARK

Mackinac Island State Park was established in 1895. Over eighty percent of Mackinac Island is State Park property and most of this park land remains in its natural condition to be enjoyed. Historic landmarks, breathtaking vistas, spectacular rock formations, quiet forests and inspiring nature trails are just minutes away. The sites are accessible by foot or bike, rented horse or buggy, sightseeing carriages or horse-drawn taxi.

4. ARCH ROCK

Arch Rock is a geologic formation that towers above the water and is more than fifty feet wide. It once stood as a solid mass 100 feet above lake level. About 4,000 years ago the lake waters slowly dissolved the softer material that extended into the center of the formation. As the lake erosion cut away its base, the middle of the stack slowly crumbled into the water leaving the firm breccia limestone arch.

5. FORT MACKINAC

History comes alive at Fort Mackinac. It contains the oldest building in Michigan and 13 other historical structures boast exhibits explaining everything from military training and battles to medical treatments to family life within the fort.

More than just a military outpost, Fort Mackinac served as a home for soldiers and their families and eventually the headquarters for Mackinac National Park, where tourists to the island visited the great fortress on the bluff, much like they do today.

6. BIKING AROUND MACKINAC ISLAND

Many visitors tour the Mackinac Island eight-mile shoreline path on their bike, most importantly, because it is guaranteed to be automobile free!

7. BEAUTIFUL VICTORIAN HOUSES

For those who enjoy beautiful homes, Mackinac Island is full of one of kind, Victorian style, family owned and award-winning properties.

8. FLOWERS

The many gardens on the Grand Hotel grounds contain more than 125,000 annuals.

9. AND FINALLY…THE GRAND HOTEL!

Grand Hotel Facts

The Grand Hotel opened in 1887 as summer retreat for vacationers who arrived by lake steamer and by rail from across the continent. The hotel took a mere 93 days to complete and opened on July 10, 1887. In 1989 the hotel received the designation of a National Historic Landmark.

Grand Hotel’s front porch is the longest in the world at some 660 feet in length, overlooking a vast Tea Garden and the resort-scale swimming pool.

The swimming pool at the Grand Hotel is named for Esther Williams, who starred in the 1947 film This Time for Keeps. This featured many scenes filmed on Mackinac Island.

Arrival at Grand Hotel

We arrived by horse taxi and entered the elegant lobby where a harpist was playing. Following registration, the valet guided us to our room, one of the 397 rooms. Amazingly, each room has a different décor.

Evening Dress Code

Every every evening at Grand Hotel was a dress up occasion requiring dresses, skirts, blouses, dress sweaters or dress slacks for ladies with gentleman required to wear a suit coat, necktie and dress pants, no denim or shorts.

Dining

Our Collette tour included our dinners otherwise the cost would be $79 per person. Those not staying at the hotel would pay $89.00. We thoroughly enjoyed the 3 delicious courses, and most importantly, the Grand Pecan Balls, the Hotel’s most popular dessert.

A live band played music throughout the meal. With 850 seats, this restaurant is enormous. As a result, I felt as though I was in the dining room on a cruise ship.

Dancing in the Ballroom

After dinner we headed to the lobby to enjoy the harpist until the doors to the ballroom opened. There we danced the night away to a live band and singer playing music from a by- gone era.

SUMMARY

In conclusion, our two nights at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island were part of an 8 day Collette Tour of Michigan but they were definitely the highlight. I felt as if I were in a time warp, when life was more formal and hotels catered to those escaping the summer heat in the cities.

The Grand Hotel is for those willing to dress for dinner. In short, if you like ballroom dancing, this is the place for you. If you are looking for a disco, you won’t find it here.

Ultimately, Mackinac Island is a place of beauty, serenity, horses, flowers, and a Grand Hotel. I highly recommend a visit.