Mackinac Island Part I

The home base for our third week in Michigan was Mackinac Island, which sits between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. (We learned that it is pronounced "MACK-inn-aw," even when it is spelled with a "c" on the end.)

There are no motorized vehicles allowed on Mackinac Island, so we parked our car in St. Ignace ("Saint IG-nuss") and boarded the ferry for the 15-minute ride to the island.

As we neared the island, it was easy to see why it's such a popular place for summer homes and tourists. It was so pretty! The historic downtown was framed by rows of colorful Victorian houses overlooking the harbor.

Our hotel was directly across the street from the ferry landing.

The main modes of transportation on the island were bicycle and horse-drawn carriage. We enjoyed sitting our our balcony overlooking Main Street and watching the hustle and bustle. At night, we could hear the clip-clop of horse-drawn taxis. It felt like going back in time. (In fact, the 1980 movie "Somewhere in Time" was filmed on Mackinac Island.)

Main Street was filled with hotels, restaurants, and shops. Just outside the downtown area were dozens of pretty houses, each featuring a garden with a profusion of flowers. Steve was very patient with me during our daily walks, as I stopped every few steps to take photos. Here is just a sample!

Note, on our first few days on the island, it rained for a short while in the afternoon, but we were lucky to be indoors or under cover every time it rained.

One more note about Main Street: it seemed as if every third shop sold fudge. We were amused to learn that the locals call the tourists "Fudgies"! Fudge is fine, but we preferred the ice cream shop in the lobby of our hotel.