Mackinac Island, Michigan

While I was in Mackinaw City visiting my parents this past weekend, I day tripped over to Mackinac Island, the small island resort that does not allow automobiles. This time of year, the only way to get there is by airplane. The flight is so short that if you know where to look, the end of one runway can be seen from the end of the other.


Mackinac Bridge from the flight to the Island

View from my taxi has we passed the Grand Hotel on the way into town.
There are only three restaurants open on the Island this winter, and I tried two of them.

I had an early lunch at Patrick Sinclair's Irish Pub, a place where I had never eaten before, or even noticed.





Their winter menu is pretty limited - mainly burgers, Reubens and daily specials. A sign did say they were having a DJ that evening, and everyone was encouraged to wear their pajamas.

After consulting with the waiter, I ordered a cup of chili and a Patrick Sinclair burger. The small cup of chili was fairly good, though it was served with cheese, something I wouldn't have chosen. The Patrick Sinclair burger is a 1/3 pound burger topped with corned beef, 3 cheeses, lettuce, tomato, tomato and Thousand Island dressing. Fairly good - I would consider getting it again.


Patrick Sinclair burger

The Village Inn has been a popular restaurant for many years, and I have dined there a couple of times in the past.





They also have a special menu for the winter, but it has a lot more variety than the one at the Irish Pub. Perhaps they have more freezer space? The back page of the Winter menu includes a list of 15 hot mixed drinks.



It had been only a couple of hours since my first meal, so I ordered only a fried perch appetizer and French fries. The fries were average and I didn't bother finishing them, but the perch was very good.



When returning to the Straits area, I always try to get my fix of perch, whitefish and walleye.


If anyone is interested in my other photos from Mackinac Island, they are at http://www.mightymac.org/mackinacislandwinter.htm

Tonight or tomorrow, I will also post a couple of restaurants that I visited on my drive back down state to catch the flight home.


Keith

Keith,

Great report as always. We visit my sister-in-law in Midland, MI at least once per year and before that my mother-in-law and father-in-law all the way back to 1970. Our driving preference from Minneapolis and back was always northern Wisconsin, the UP and across the bridge. We've gotten to know the area intimately. Oddly, though, I have never been on the Island. My wife has a few times. We've talked about it but never seem to work it into our schedule.

Great report and excellent pictures. I love the Island and there is alot of history there going back to the 1780s. Must have been a very rough place back then in the winter. I try to get up there every few years myself.A good movie was filmed there called Somewhere in Time...Russ

Great report Keith!
I've never been to Mackinac Island, so I appreciate seeing it vicariously thru YOU.
The closest I've come was eating the "Mackinac Island Fudge" brand at county fairs!!

A burger with corned beef topping, huh? (I've heard of pastrami on a burger, so why not corned beef, I guess)

Looks like pool tables are the centerpiece of those restaurants.

Love the big of the long bridge..
How much does that "puddle jumper" flight cost?

Thanks for sharing!

Hi Keith I always wanted to go there! I would prefer going in the summer though! Great report.

Thanks for the great report. I have been to the area but failed to take time to visit the Island. Now I just have to give it a try. Thanks for the coverage.

Butch Ragland
Colorado Springs, CO

The best time to visit the Island is probably late June, September, or very early October. The crowds change the feel from mid July through August. Though if you stay overnight, things settle down by evening when most of the day trippers have left. I saw only 7 other tourists on Saturday.

The puddle jumper costs $44 round trip.

Ellen, anywhere within a hundred miles of the Straits, tourists are known as "Fudgies." My personal favore plave to buy or order shipped fudge, is Marshall's in Mackinaw City. There must be at least 30 place to buy fudge between the two communities.

Russ, the summer that Somewhere in Time was filmed, I was a police officer in Mackinaw City. The nights that they were filming in the Grand, we could tell, because one side would be lighted about 3 times brighter than the other. (The Grand is clearly visible from Mackinaw CIty, 9 miles away)

Keith

Someplace I have always wanted to go and then
Somewhere in Time made it just more appealing.

quote:

Originally posted by Sfreader



The puddle jumper costs $44 round trip.

Ellen, anywhere within a hundred miles of the Straits, tourists are known as "Fudgies." My personal favore plave to buy or order shipped fudge, is Marshall's in Mackinaw City. There must be at least 30 place to buy fudge between the two communities.



Keith

"Fudgies" is a cute nickname! Down here at the Jersey Shore, they are known as "shoobies". That goes way back to the railroad days when daytrippers would come down, and bring their lunch in a shoebox.

I may just order some fudge online from that Marshalls' place, since it's your personal favorite.

And thanks for answering my question about the puddle jumper..

What lovely pictures!!!And the perch looks mouth watering.....

What beautiful photos! We've been in the summer but have never seen what winter looks like there. I especially liked the picture of the bridge, which is one of my favorite landmarks anywhere. Thanks

Ever since my mother saw the movie Somewhere in Time, she has really wanted to go stay at the Grand Hotel. I am determined to get her there in the near future.

Typical great report, by the way!

I lived in Michigan (Traverse City region) and made several trips to Mackinac Island. The Grand Hotel is truly beautiful as is the rest of the island. Just don't try getting there when the Great Lakes winds are howling.

I grew up in Michigan (age 3-11), and loved reading your trip report to Mackinac Island. Now that's some snow! A co-worker vacationed in the UP this past August, and visited Mackinac while on vacation--he brought me back some of that fudge and boy was it GOOD!

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

I lived in Michigan (Traverse City region) and made several trips to Mackinac Island. The Grand Hotel is truly beautiful as is the rest of the island. Just don't try getting there when the Great Lakes winds are howling.

Did you ever eat at Tapawingo lleechef?

...Russ

I have always wanted to visit the island. I have seen it many times from the Bridge. I have spent the night many times in Ste. St. Marie at the Ojibway hotel beside the locks and the gambling casino just out of town. I really like the white fish from that area. I do not know that I would be up for a winter trip though.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul, I wouldn't be there that time of year if my parents didn't still live in Mackinaw City. The have been in the same house for 70 years.

But when I was growing up in the area, I was used to winter and it was no big thing. Since even us teenagers worked hard all summer, in many way we did more in the winter. Snowmobiles were sure special until I had a car!

I went to college in Sault Ste Marie. Twice (once in Mackinaw and once at the Soo) I have seen a week go by without the temperature ever getting up to zero.

But the mild summers made up for it.

It is funny how the body adjusts to where you live. We had one summer in Mackinaw (when I was working at Fort Michilimackinac) when we had an unbearable hot spell: 21 straight days of 80 or warmer. We thought we were going to die:-)

Keith

As promised, I ordered my Mackinac fudge online,
ordered from Marshalls, the place that you said was your personal favorite...

I was pleased with the quick 2 day delivery

I ordered a 1/2 pound of chocolate ($7.00), and a 1/2 pound of vanilla (also $7.00)... plus another $7.00 for shipping.

It was a fun and tasty $21 to spend.
I thought the vanilla was a bit too sweet, but I absolutely loved the chocolate!!

And combined with the fudge I just had from the Jersey Shore boardwalk, I'm definitely getting my fudge fix !!

--ellen--

Automatic: Stop for fudge in Mackinaw City, drive across bridge, stop for pasties at Susie's. You can get fudge at Susie's too, but it is a ritual to two stop. The fudge stop has been random but we have kind of settled in on Susie's for the pasties over the years I think mainly because it is the first place you hit going west on Highway 2 and easy to pull in.

I'm glad I didn't steer you wrong, Ellen.

Aside from liking their product, Marshall's has been the only one to always get my orders exactly right and they stay open year around.

I lean more toward the peanut butter and maple walnut fudge.

Here is what the shop looks like:


They are on Central Avenue (Mackinaw City's main street).

You mentioned the Jersey shore. I lived in Aberdeen Township (formerly Matawan Township) for 3 years. The first time we were in Atlantic City, we were walking on the boardwalk and I was surprised to find a Ryba's original Mackinac Island Fudge shop with the familiar pink sign.

Keith

Thank you so much for the pictures, I've always wanted to know how Mackinac Island looked, we have friends who live in Cinci who take their kids there for a little vacation and always talk about how fun it is.

I live in Michigan, and your still making me drool...