When you live in Florida and are used to 80 – 90-degree weather going to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island can be a little bit of a shock to your system. We spent a significant portion of yesterday on the island and we spent a little bit of time in Mackinaw City before going over the BIG bridge. We plan on doing some of the upper peninsula since neither of us has seen any of that country.

Michigan has something about Big and Grand things. Grand Rapids, Grand Traverse, the Grand Hotel, Big Rapids, big pie pans and really big hot dogs!!! The Grand Hotel was built in 1887 and is said to have longest front porch in the world. Five US presidents have visited the hotel, Truman, Kennedy, Ford, H.W. Bush and Clinton. Vladimir Putin, Thomas Edison and Mark Twain were also visitors. Quite the eclectic group. The hotel now charges $10 per person to go up on the porch and into the lobby. We were not able to visit today since there was some type of republican policy conference being held there and you needed a badge. So we were satisfied taking a few pictures.

If you ever plan to visit the island the only mode of transportation is bikes, walking or horse drawn carriages. Please keep that in mind as you walk along the street and sidewalks. The horses are not too particular as to where they leave “things”, if you know what I mean. The only way to get there is by ferry. We saw people that were coming for the season with carts of items that they will need. Once on the island they get a horse drawn taxi, load it up and off they go, albeit as a very slow pace, but off they go.

As an FYI the one grocery store on the island had a bottle of wine that I just bought in Tampa for $11.99 for only $19.99. I would probably have to switch my choice of drink

A geological formation is called Arch Rock is on the island. It is a limestone formation on Lake Huron. The Native Americans thought the rock had spiritual power and many legends were born as a result of the rock.

Fort Mackinac is also on the island. The fort was built during the Revolutionary War by the British and was relinquished to the Americans 15 years after the war.

Today, the fort is a popular destination. Situated on 150-foot bluffs above the Straits of Mackinac, it is one of the few surviving American Revolutionary War forts and one of the most complete early forts in the country. The neat part of the fort, they have costumed greeters that portray life in the 1880’s. Some of the soldiers carry original period guns, play music etc.

Last but not least you ask about a cemetery. By golly there is a pretty big cemetery on the island. The oldest grave I saw was from 1786 and the latest was from 2015. Pretty interesting.