Don Mackinac Island—For Summer 2021
HELPFUL TIPS AND THINGS TO DO
From Don Goeckel and Dianne Weidner
https://www.mackinacisland.org/visitors-guide/
https://www.mackinacisland.org/maps-guides/
https://www.grandhotel.com/2021-experiences/
Grand Hotel - Our Host Hotel
Taxi Transportation from Airport to Grand Hotel: Phone: 906.847.3323. Call on landing. ~$8pp.
If staying in town, you can walk (25 minute nice and easy walk slight uphill, without heels), or take a taxi to the front entrance of the hotel. Taxi charge may be about ~$8 a person.
1. Tour the whole hotel. Admission ~$10.00 if you are not a guest staying there. This could be a good event for a Sunny or Rainy day.
2. The Hotel will have guided tours for several venues. These are available for sign up: Hotel History, The Gardens, Kitchen, West Bluff and more.
3. Dress code after 6 pm for men and women in the hotel public areas. Coats and ties for men. Women also dress for dinner. Before 6PM it is casual dress. Dress at the “Woods Restaurant Dining” is resort casual.
4. High Tea at 4 pm with Harp serenade is in the Parlor and dress is resort casual, as it is before 6pm. ~ $75 charge.
5. Cupola Bar up top-A Must! Spectacular View!! or a Drink, or snacks.
6. Fantastic noon buffet. ~$50.00/pp. They usually credit your $10 entrance fee toward the lunch charge if you are not a guest.
7. Box lunches available for takeout. Take on island bike or hike?
8. Breakfast another choice. Less expensive but costs and can have lots of food! ~$30.00/PP
9. Trivia: There are many interesting things on the walls, in the halls, etc. Colorful History and Celebrity Photos.
10. Usually there is a “Historic Movie” like “Somewhere in Time” or “This Time for Keeps”, usually playing every evening in the hotel.
11. Golf at the Jewel Golf course—Lower 9. Open to the public for a fee. ~$60- 9 holes
12. Pay to swim at Grand Pool by the day. No Charge for Guests.
13. Foot Golf: Reserve at 4 PM or 5 PM at Grand Jewel Course. Kick the Ball into the Can! Children Love it! ~$10 per person
FORT MACKINAC
A Military Stronghold on the upper lakes. There is an Admission Charge.
The fort inside events are good for a slightly Rainy day. Grab lunch or a beverage on the outside terrace at the “Tea Room” especially if it is a nice day, relaxing wonderful view of harbor. See the Fort Gift Shop, exhibits and reenactments including Canon Firing, Musket Drill, and Court Marshall in the interior muster area.
MORE ACTIVITIES
1. The Library, next to Windermere Park on west end of town is charming. This is a good event for a rainy day. Stop by and sit on the porch.
2. Wawashkamo golf course. Oldest Scottish Heather Golf course in US. Very unique if you like golf. You can rent hickory shaft golf clubs and see how good a golfer you really are, or use normal Clubs. It is just a “good drive” north of the airfield.
3. Richard and Jane Manoogian Art Museum across from the Yacht docks. New and Excellent. Nice 30-minute look if you are in town. FYI “MASCO” is the Manoogian family’s business. They are generous Island benefactors and own two homes on the West Bluff.
4. Governor’s House Tour. from 9:30-11:30 Wednesday mornings.
5. Post Office on Market Street. Go in. Only Post Office in United States with no delivery.
6. Medical Center on Market Street-the only emergency facility not connected to a hospital in Michigan.
7. Little Stone Church (Union Congregational--1899) pass on the way to Grand Hotel. Look inside at the lovely stained-glass windows. Charming. Sunday 10:30 Service
8. Music in the Marquette Park - Thursday evenings. Check Schedule.
9. Jack’s Livery – Rent horses or self-drive carriages. Near Grand Hotel.
Walk or Ride Bikes (Hotel Rents) or Taxi or Private Carriage Tour
1. Arch Rock—If walk, do one way along the water and the other by interior trails. About 2 miles each way from the Grand.
2. Sugar Loaf Trails--Walk or Bike Ride.
3. Fort Holmes—Newly Reconstructed, High point on the Island.
4. Island and Military Cemetery—Interesting monuments.
5. Leslie Avenue Walk or Bike Ride.
6. Manitou Trail from East Bluff to Arch Rock
7. Crack-in-the-Island—Find it! Near the Airport
8. Anne’s Tablet by Fort Mackinac
9. Tranquil Bluff Trail Rugged Hiking
Inn at Stonecliff Resort Area, Woods Resaturant, Woods Golf Course
West of the Grand Hotel and Near the Airport. Sit on the porch for a beautiful view of the bridge. Just a 5-minute walk to Sunset Rock from here.
The Woods Restaurant is next to the Stonecliff Resort. The Woods Restaurant has evening dining. Very unique “German Hunt Club” motif. Restaurant Operated by The Grand. Serving Lunch and Dinner, but Reservations required for dinner.
Plan 20-25 minutes taxi ride each way at about $10pp. Hotel is arranging carriages for the group dinner Friday evening.
Lunch is sandwiches. during the day, with seating outside.
There is a cozy small Bar which has free, the best worst popcorn you have ever had. There is a Duck pins Bowling Alley (Small pins and balls, manually set). Children love and lots of fun to see. You do not have to have drinks to bowl or eat the popcorn.
The Woods is the location of the Upper 9 Grand Hotel Golf Course. Open to the public for a fee.
Mission Point Resort ----- COPA 2019 Meeting Hotel
Lobby is impressive with huge White Pine timber construction - 1950.
1. Chianti Restaurant—. Excellent food. Nice evening - dine outside.
2. Martini Bar 5 to 10 pm
3. Bistro on Green Restaurant--nice outside dining in mild weather for Tapas / light menu.
4. Miniature Golf with real grass putting. Glo-Golf after dark. Kids love.
5. Boxwood Boutique, Café and Newsstand for Clothing, sandwiches, salads, simple breakfast, and best and least expensive Lattes on the island. Very nice coffee shop 4 kinds of ice cream for reasonable prices. New “Ice Box” Michigan made gourmet ice cream bars $3.
6. Round Island Bar. Sit at windows for beautiful view. Outstanding Bloody Mary’s. and appetizers.
7. Theatre. Find the seat where Christopher Reeves sat for filming of “Somewhere in Time”.
8. See if you can get into the “Sound Stage” area, where most of Somewhere in Time was filmed. Information on the sound stage in the Tower Museum.
9. Sit in Adirondack Chairs on Lawn in front lawn. Relax and sip your drink or coffee.
Some “Different” Fun Activities
1. Parasailing
2. Kayaking
3. Horseback Riding
CAFÉ DESTINATIONS:
1. Watercolor Café: on the Harbor east end, Pastries, light B Fast, sandwiches, Fresh Brew, one of my favorites due to the unique location right on the water. Operated by Kate Dupre.
2. Starbucks –on main street mid-town.
3. Mission Point—Lots of places--See above
4. Chuckwagon for Breakfast. Sit at Bar and watch it happen. 1950’s experience!
5. Iroquois Hotel—“The Carriage House Restaurant”--My opinion, “Best food on Island”. Exceptional waterfront views. Lunch and Dinner. College students serving staff.
6. Chippewa Hotel Restaurant and Pink Pony Bar including inside and outside upper deck and patio dining and drinking. Famous with the Sailboat Racers and the gals! Nice casual deck dining right on harbor for boat lookers. Look in or stop in.
7. Island House--Good. Get a window table/view, but there are very few of them
8. Grand Hotel—See above
9. Fort—See above
10. Yankee Rebel--Reasonable price and consistently good food. Daily specials. Split special and pay $5 for an extra plate and get extra food doing that! Sushi some nights.
11. Doud’s Market on the corner: Beer, Wine, Liquor groceries and Deli sandwiches. Doud’s Deli is another branch near Shepler Ferry. “America’s oldest grocery store since 1884”.
12. Pizza from Island Slice or Goodfellow’s. Eat in or order out.
13. Wine Bar next to Goodfellow’s.
14. Several places have “brew pubs” with many beers on tap including local. Part of Mary’s Bistro Draught House, and Winchester’s Grill & Bar and Kilwin’s Fudge in Bicycle Street Inn & Hotel.
15. Kingston Kitchen at the Village Inn. American fare with Jamaican influences.
16. British Landing. A good rest stop for bicycle or walking or rent your own carriage. This is halfway around the island. This stop has rest rooms, a small museum, and many picnic tables for dining.
17. Cannonball at British Landing. Ice cream, snacks, beverages, hot dogs, fried pickles, burgers, salads, floats.
18. Gate House Restaurant. Run by the Grand Hotel, as is Fort restaurant and Jockey Club and Woods Restaurant.
ADENDUM
I continue to add other things, as they happen. Updated May of 2021
5.27.20-5.15.20-MackinacIsland-SomeThingsToD
