In mapping out my road trip from Toledo, Ohio back to California, and after deciding I would go north through Michigan (vs cutting over to Chicago), livingthemap stressed, when giving me Michigan suggestions, that I could not miss Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw). I was on the fence, only because I hadn’t planned to stay in Michigan too long, but as you can tell by my apparent Michigan page now with all my posts from there🍁, I was no longer in a hurry to rush through the “Great Lakes State” (I stayed 5 days there!).

I’ll have (many) future posts from Mackinac Island, there was just so much to see and there’s so much history there! It’s why I haven’t posted about it until now, I wasn’t even sure where to start! I stayed one night on the island - I definitely suggest staying the night there vs just doing a day trip. You have to take a ferry⛴️ - from either Mackinaw City (in the Lower Peninsula of the state, which is where I left out of), or from St. Ignace (in the Upper Peninsula - called the UP), both are only about a 15 minute ride. Although just a warning, NO cars 🚘 are allowed onto the island (so be very prepared to walk, although they do have horse carriages and bikes that you can rent).

All I knew though was that I was on a mission to see the Grand Hotel (with the amount of photos I took and history behind the iconic landmark, I will definitely have quite a few posts from there). But since I didn’t know where to start in posting about this historic hotel, I figured I’d start from the actual beginning of my walk up to it ... before you reach the top of the hill that the hotel so grandly sits on, there is a garden tucked away at the bottom featuring a greenhouse🪴, these images are to its entrance. I’ll do a follow-up post tomorrow on the greenhouse but wanted to at least introduce you to the beauty of Mackinac Island.

#mackinacisland #mackinacislandmichigan #fall #thegrandhotel #greenhouse #soloroadtrip #grandhotelmichigan #fallcolors #michigan #exploremichigan #michiganfall #michiganfallcolors #puremichigan ...

Drove about 2 hours NW this morning to catch a ferry to explore Mackinac Island. While Lake Huron was constantly to our east, it seemed just like we were driving along an ocean. We passed beaches and people playing on the shore and most of the time couldn’t see any land on the horizon.
Once we finally arrived at Mackinaw City, we bought our ferry ticket, parked, and found our tram to the ferry. We left just in time because the rain was chasing us. About 5 minutes after we docked, we were caught in a rain shower. It didn’t last long and the rest of the day was sunny and perfect. One of the first things I noticed was there were no cars on this island. To get around, they had carriages, bikes or our own two feet. We wandered through the shops and headed around the bay to find lunch. We had great views of a grassy knoll on one side and the lake on the other. Great scenery, great food/beverage, and great company.
After lunch, we walked to the shoreline so I could touch the water of the lake. We found a large family of geese while we were there too. From here we followed a path that took us further around the bay where we found chairs set up on a lawn for people to sit and enjoy the views. Around this area, we actually spotted the sole vehicle we saw for the day - an ambulance.
Up until this point, we stayed along the coast. Now, we are headed up and inland to find our way to Arch Rock. Wandered through the trails to get to its location.

We eventually made it back to town where I picked up a variety of fudges and boarded the ferry back to the mainland. We saw a beautiful sunset with the Mackinac Bridge (connects the Upper peninsular to the rest of Michigan) on our way across. What a great day!
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#northernmichigan #mackinacisland #archrock #mackinacbridge ...

#mackinacisland #island #michigan #usa #instagram mackinacisle ...

Christmas decorations are up -how about you? Love it all ! LakeGirlPublishing.com #christmasdecorations #HappyBirthdayJesus #beingethelauthor ##bookstagram #mackinacisland #thegrandhotel #booksbooksbooks #kindle #mackinaw #ebooks #puremichigan #christianfiction #romanticsuspense #ilovelucy #beingethelauthor #happybirthday #kindlebooks #audiobooks #paperbacks #thisismackinac #mackinacislandlife #puremittigan #upnorthmichigan #makeitmackinac #wizardofoz ...

Celebrating Engagements! Mackinac Island is the perfect place to get engaged, married or to kindle the romance and fun! Our Island photographer Katharine Rose said “Yes!” over the weekend! Congratulations Kat and Michael. We’ll be featuring Engagement Photo sessions til Christmas to set the mood for all those getting engaged!
#engaged #engagedcouple #winterengagementsession #proposal #gettingmarried #gettingmarriedonmackinac #engagementring #shesaidyes #weddingplanning #mackinacisland #marriedonmackinac ...

Planning a babymoon? Here are some of the best destinations in the Midwest for couples looking to relax and reconnect before the baby arrives! From the charm of Mackinac Island to the scenic beauty of Door County, each spot offers peaceful vibes and romantic stays.

✨ Mackinac Island, MI: Car-free charm and lakeside luxury at the Grand Hotel.
✨ Door County, WI: Cozy up at the Hillside Waterfront Hotel or enjoy the modern vibe at Dorr Hotel.
✨ Galena, IL: Historic beauty and pampering at the Jail Hill Inn.
✨ Lake Geneva, WI: Lakefront relaxation at Grand Geneva Resort.
✨ Traverse City, MI: Wine country meets waterfront serenity.
✨ Branson, MO: Mountain views and cozy stays for ultimate tranquility.

Whether you’re dreaming of a luxurious getaway or a budget-friendly retreat, these Midwest gems are perfect for soon-to-be parents. Which one is on your list?

#Babymoon #MidwestTravel #CouplesTravel #PregnancyJourney #RelaxAndUnwind #TravelInspo #MackinacIsland #DoorCounty #LakeGeneva #GalenaIllinois #TraverseCity #doorcountybabymoon #midwestbabymoon #BransonMO #BabyOnBoard #TravelIdeas #RomanticGetaway ...