I’ve been fascinated with Mackinac Island since I learned there are no cars (with the exception of emergency vehicles and some construction vehicles). With a population of about 500 people, half of whom stay all year round, I wondered why people would want to live there when you have to take a bike or horse to the store. Even the delivery people have to use a horse!
So when I was asked to present at a conference in Chicago, The Husband and I decided to make it into a month-long road trip of places between Buffalo and Chicago that we haven’t been to (those posts are coming soon!). Mackinac Island was high on my list.
I had watched Somewhere in Time with my grandma, so I really wanted to stay at the Grand Hotel. It was more expensive than the rest of the hotels but I figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list kind of stay so we booked it.
Going to Mackinac Island requires a ferry (or a tiny, private plane if you’re extra bougie). The ferries leave from Mackinaw City, across the Straight of Mackinac from Mackinac Island, or Saint Ignace, just over the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP). We went early, just a few weeks after they opened for the season May 1st, so traffic wasn’t an issue. We decided to take the ferry from Saint Ignace, so we could cross the UP off the list. The locals all said Shepler’s Ferry was the best, so that’s what we booked.
We bought our tickets online, recommended as to avoid waiting in line at the ticket booth. Round trip tickets from Saint Ignace to Mackinac Island and back were $34 each. The tickets are good for the whole day, not a specific time, so you can buy them then get on when convenient. Since there are no cars on the island, you have to leave your car on the mainland. Shepler’s Ferry has two parking options: premium parking in the lot right next to the ferry for $40/night, or economy parking down the street with a shuttle for $20/night. We opted for the premium parking because we had a lot of stuff.
The weather was sunny and a little chilly in Saint Ignace (compared to the sunny and 80 it was in Traverse City that morning!) but got very foggy as we approached Mackinac Island. Normally it’s a beautiful ride in, but we could barely see a thing.
We checked our large luggage at the ferry, and they loaded it and unloaded it. On the island, you either pick up your large luggage and pay a bike porter to take it to your hotel, or depending on the hotel, they do it for you. The Grand Hotel has porters that load the luggage onto horse-drawn carriages, so we checked in with the porter, got our luggage claim tickets, and hopped on a horse taxi to go to the hotel. It’s a short ride, and costs $8.50 per person. It was nice not to carry our backpacks (full of things we didn’t want to check) but we could have easily walked.
Check in was easy and there wasn’t a line, which is always nice. We booked a golf course/water view balcony room. It was located in the east wing, which had a separate elevator from the rest of the hotel. Weirdly, we were in room 298 east, and room 298 was just down the hall. It got a little confusing when charging to the room, because we had to make sure they knew to add east. We also had to walk by 298, and almost tried to go in it the first time.
One of the unique features of the Grand Hotel is that every room is completely different. The décor, furniture, everything is different. And like the rest of the hotel, interesting decisions were made. The room itself was a decent size, with a king bed, small desk, sitting area, and an armoire with a mini fridge inside. The balcony was a good size, but had tiny furniture that made me think of an old-timey garden party. It wasn’t nearly as luxurious as I expected for a room that was over $800/night (with taxes and fees) should be. The view wasn’t great when we arrived due to the fog, but we were pleasantly surprised by it the next morning. We could see down into Mackinac and all the way to Lake Huron.
The main areas also had some wild décor choices. There are so many colors, and nothing matches, and most things look like they’ve been there for decades (and probably have been). The color scheme is definitely bright and unmistakable.
The crown jewel of the Grand Hotel is the front porch. It’s claim to fame is that it’s the longest covered porch in the world, at 660 feet, and has 100 white rocking chairs. I could have spent all day in a rocking chair, watching the people go by, freighters passing on the lake on the horizon, drinking $25 Aperol Spritzes (okay I only had one of those), and living the grand life.
Right inside the front porch is the main dining room, the Geranium Bar, a large seating area, and the Audubon Wine Bar, on what is called the parlor level. After 6:30 pm, there is a formal dress code on the parlor level. Men must wear suits and ties; women must wear dresses or dress slacks. Yes, you must dress up if you want to walk around that area of the hotel after 6:30 pm.
We decided to check it out one night, and there were very few people in the parlor area. It was early May, before the busy season, so I’m assuming that’s why. (Or perhaps people don’t want to travel with suits just to have a drink.) Side note: how cute is this bird dress? I found it in a little boutique in Camden Market in London while we were there and obviously had to have it.
We had a drink in the Audubon Wine Bar, a bar that was basically made for me. It has books and birds and wine. Like the front porch, the wine was pretty expensive but it was made just for the Grand Hotel. It was actually pretty decent. They also have a beer made by Bell’s, one of The Husband’s favorite breweries, just for them called Big Porch Ale.
We also had a drink at the Cupola Bar, a small bar up in the cupola of the hotel, which boasts 360-degree views. It was very pretty, with great views, but it was also super hot.
The hotel has multiple restaurants, some within the hotel and some adjacent but still on the grounds. Our room included breakfast, which is served in the main dining room. They have the option of the buffet or ordering off the menu. We both ordered off the menu and the food was really good.
We had dinner the first night at the Grand Hotel’s Detroit-style pizza place, Mackinac Island Pizza. It was pretty legit. The second night we ate at The Gate House, and it was also really good. We prefer more low-key meals, since The Husband is picky and I don’t eat meat.
The grounds were also gorgeous. The grass was a bright green and the tulips were in bloom. The front grounds have a fountain, walking paths, games, and a lawn sculpture of the owner’s award-winning dogs. There’s also a gym and a pool, which wasn’t open yet for the season. The golf course was the busiest area of the hotel, and the golfers seemed to be having a good time.
They have lots of activities around the hotel. They have tours, talks, and a Woodland Center, where you can rent bikes. We rented bikes and went around the whole island, which only takes a few hours, even with stopping. There’s a bike trail that goes around the perimeter of the island and has lots of scenic areas to stop and enjoy the views.
The loop takes you through the downtown, where there are a bunch of little shops and, of course, the famous Mackinac Island fudge. They all looked really good and smelled incredible. Multiple people said Murdick’s was the best, but like most of the other shops, they didn’t sell anything but a whole slab. Since we don’t really like fudge, it seemed like too much. Luckily, Joann’s Fudge sold half slabs, and they gave us fresh piece right off the marble slab. It wasn’t too sweet and was hands down the best fudge we’ve ever had.
On your departure date, you put your luggage outside your door, like a cruise ship, and they take it back to the ferry and load it up. Three hours later, you can pick it up at the mainland ferry port when you get your car. Having to put your luggage out early was a little annoying but not having to drag it around the island was awesome. We walked the short 15 minute walk back to the ferry port when we left, and it was a lovely end to our stay.
Overall, Mackinac Island was quaint and charming. The Mackinac Island street apples (horse poop) did stink, but they have a crew whose job is to clean the streets, and they do a great job. We thought the Grand Hotel was overrated for the very expensive cost. If I went back, I’d pay the $12 to visit the Grand Hotel (yes, you have to pay just to go inside or sit on the front porch), and stay somewhere else.