The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island – situated between the Upper and Lower Michigan peninsulas – just completed its 122nd year of operation.

The AAA four-diamond hotel closed for the season on October 27, and will reopen with limited service (rooms only) on April 23 and full service (dinner and breakfast included) on May 7, 2010. Those who enjoy a pleasantly quiet environment, and a reduced room rate, should look into the April booking opportunity.

No one at the Grand in winter

It is hard to imagine the exuberant Grand Hotel cast in dreary winter silence with only a small crew of workers roaming her massive passageways to attend to emergency maintenance and security.

During the coldest months, temperatures inside the hotel can dip to ten degrees below zero – the very thought provokes images of gripping winter scenes from Doctor Zhivago – or the far less romantic The Shining.

Ah, but in the spring...

The Grand Hotel comes to life every April. The crown jewel of Mackinac Island awakens to present her waiting public with expansive lawns, and 50 acres of greenery and flowers.

She is the world’s largest seasonal hotel, with 385 individually and beautifully decorated guestrooms and suites.

Because she opened in 1887, there is an ever-present aura of elegant Victorian charm in her rooms, corridors, and public places. The pleasure of her afternoon teas and dining room chamber music is world-renowned.

More resort than hotel

The Grand is more than a hotel. She is really a destination resort complete with tennis courts, golf courses, restaurants, a theatre, convention facilities, spas, retail shops, and boutiques – all with impeccable standards of taste and service. Her 220-foot long Ester Williams swimming pool was featured in the 1947 movie This Time for Keeps starring Esther Williams and Jimmy Durante.

The Grand veranda

The world famous and frequently photographed Grand veranda is 650 feet long, and provides rocking chairs for scores of visitors.

Hotel guests idle away sunny days rocking and listening to the sounds of horse-drawn carriages. They can also hear the remote laughter of fellow guests engaged in a relaxing game of croquet on the seemingly endless lawn.

The Grand Hotel is a beacon to all island visitors. To insure privacy, there is a ten-dollar entry fee for all non-registered guests.

About the island

Mackinac Island has been a popular resort destination since the end of the Civil War.

Mackinac Island National Park (80 percent of the 3.8 square mile island) was the second National Park established by Congress after Yellowstone.

Because of the local community’s extensive and ongoing preservation and restoration efforts, the entire island has been listed as a National Historic Landmark. This is indeed a special and unusual place.

No public motorized vehicles have been permitted on the island since 1898 - nothing is allowed to intrude on the tranquility and quietude of the surroundings.

Covered in boreal forest, the island is abundant in natural scenic beauty. There are pathways and trails for those who enjoy walking, horseback riding, and bicycling.

A picturesque walk or ride around the island’s perimeter on Lakeshore Drive, a.k.a. state route M-185 is 8.2 miles, on mostly flat terrain. M-185 is a circular road that never ends and is the only US state highway that does not allow motor driven vehicles.

Old Fort Mackinac

There were two battles fought at historic Fort Mackinac during the War of 1812. Today, the well-preserved fort is open to the public – as is the Civil War Cemetery that is a short walk inland.

Several geological formations are also within easy walking distance of town. The most popular is Arch Rock, a natural limestone formation that towers 146 feet above the perimeter road.

Getting there

We drove from Niagara Falls to Mackinaw City along Lake Erie and Huron. We stopped at delightful and romantic inns all along the way. It was a joy to drive beside the lakes and meet the people of rural New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

The innkeepers were extraordinary, and the lodgings were pure Americana at its finest. In future articles, we will review the best of our experiences.

If you don’t care to drive, there are several commercial air services and airports servicing Mackinac Island. There is also a small airport on the island that accepts chartered and private planes.

The Arnold Transit Company is the oldest and most modern of three boat services that comfortably ferry visitors and vacationers to the island from the Michigan ports in Mackinaw City, and St. Ignace.

A visit to Mackinac (pronounced Mac-in-aw) Island should be on everyone’s Places to Visit in My Lifetime List – or your Bucket List if you like.

One last thing, be sure to try the Mackinac Fudge and Ice Cream. No one is ever disappointed.

© Travels with Wayne and Judy (syndicated)
Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff