Today I fulfilled a long awaited dream to visit Mackinac Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. What a glorious day it was! The weather couldn’t have been better, it was sunny and 75 with no humidity. I slept in until 6:30 then enjoyed a leisurely cup of coffee while I waited for the Star Line Ferry Shuttle to arrive and whisk me off to the dock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boat arrived right on schedule at 9 am and after a short 15-minute ride I got my first up close and personal look at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island!

I met some lovely people on the ferry who advised that I take a horse and carriage tour of the Island as well as touring the Grand Hotel. They told me it was the best way to see the island if you are only there for the day.  Motor traffic (other than rescue and a few police vehicles) is prohibited on the island so everyone gets around by horse, bicycle, or walking. It sounded like a good plan to me so as soon as I arrived, I made a bee-line for the Mackinac Island Carriage Tour desk and signed up for the first available tour which left at  11:40.

After I booked my carriage ticket,  I stopped at the Mackinac Island Visitors Center and picked up a guide to the island then decided to have breakfast.

The cheerful waitress at the Good Day Café served up a delicious Egg and Ham sandwich on a Cheddar Biscuit with Iced Coffee. Yum! The food and the service were excellent in this cafe.

 

After breakfast, I walked around the downtown area and enjoyed some of the sights and shops.

At 11:30 I hopped on the carriage and was treated to an hour and 45-minute tour of the Island which included a ride past the Governor’s Mansion, the downtown area, Fort Mackinac, the Grand Hotel and a nice ride through the Mackinac Island State Park with a short stop at Arch Rock.

I learned on the tour that the horses are shod with a new type of shoes that are a composite material over steel. These shoes are more comfortable for the horses and wear better on the roads. Here’s a look at them and a link to an article in the local paper, the Mackinac Island Town Crier, if you are interested in reading more about these shoes!

It was also a treat to see a horse drawn street sweeper!

After the carriage tour, I walked to the Grand Hotel and enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch and walking tour of the hotel. The décor of this stunning hotel was amazing! I took the stairs to the 4th floor for some spectacular views and roamed the hotel and grounds.  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!

 

 

I had a lovely view of the Mackinac Bridge on the ferry ride back to St. Ignace.

 

It was a full day and I’m ready for a quiet night before heading back west tomorrow. These last three days have been full of adventure and now it’s time to get down to the business of getting myself to Chilliwack. Only 9 more days until Wild Thing is ready to roll!