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    Tag: Mackinac Island Page 2 of 3

    Hidden Gems of Mackinac

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    On June 30, 2020

    In Hiking, Michigan, Project: State Parks

    Mackinac Island is a popular summer destination and the ferries to and from the island each day are bustling with tourists. Its very popular for visitors to rent bikes (or bring your own) and pedal M-185, the car-free state road that circumnavigates the island. This summer, M-185 is under construction near Mission Point Resort and Arch Rock due to record high water levels in the great lakes. This year, visitors will not be able to take the 8.1 mile long journey around the island. Instead, I propose bicyclists head inland, away from the crowds (social distancing, right?) and to some lesser-known spots.

    Crack-in-the-Island

    Sugar Loaf (top) was something I did not even know existed before this trip. Towering at 75 feet tall, this limestone rock formation is the tallest on the island. Geologists believe it formed this way when the waters of Lake Algonquin began to recede, eroding the surrounding rock. Native American legend is much more verbose and dramatic. You can read about it at MackinacIsland.org. The rock is very easy to see from Point Lookout on Sugarloaf Road. The adventurous can even hike down to the rock, just remember, all the step you go down, you have to climb back up!

    Cave in the Woods

    Near the Mackinac Island Airport are two more hidden gems of the island, Crack-in-the-Island (left) and Cave in the Woods (right). They are pretty self-explanatory, one is a cave in the woods and the other is a big crack in the island. After biking up hill for a while, it feels good to get off the bike and hike on your own two feet and see these unique geological features. And of course, Crack-in-the-Island makes for a great photo-op like you’re stuck in the crack! Cave in the Woods is one of several caves on the island. It could be a fun journey to try to find them all!

    Of course, since the interior of the island is quite hilly, getting to these sites requires more work than just biking the flat road along the water. But, getting away from the people and seeing sites that not everyone sees are definitely worth it! MackinacIsland.org has a great map to help you find these and many other worthy sites on your next trip to the island!

    Did I miss your favorite hidden spot on Mackinac? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for stopping by! To read about some of our previous trips, click here. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram! You can purchase prints on Etsy and Fine Art America. To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. For information about our new Guided Photography Tours, visit GuidedPhoto.com.

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    Wordless Wednesday: Mackinac Blossoms

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    On June 24, 2020

    In Flowers, Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

    Last Minute Island Getaway

    By

    On June 23, 2020

    In Michigan

    As I’m sure you know by now, we had to cancel our spring break trip due to the pandemic. So, after three months of being stuck at home, when the Governor of Michigan announced the end of Stay at Home, I quickly booked a last-minute trip to Mackinac Island! We had talked about staying on the island in the spring before it gets busy, but because of coronavirus the hotels opened a few months later than planned. We ended up staying at the Chippewa just days after they opened for the season.

    We have wanted to stay at the Chippewa for years now. Its right on the water and is home to the Pink Pony, our favorite restaurant on the island. If you take Star Line Ferry to the island, The Chippewa is just around the corner from the dock. Because of the last minute nature of our booking, the waterfront rooms were all booked up, but our main street view room was great, very clean, and much more modern than I expected from the pictures on the website.

    Enjoying a drink at the Pink Pony

    This was my first time staying on the island, unless you count my 8th grade class trip, and since we weren’t allowed out of our rooms after dinner, I don’t think we got the full island experience. The best thing about staying on the island is that you get the place to yourself after the day visitors leave on the last ferry of the day. And since the two biggest resorts on the island (The Grand Hotel and Mission Point) weren’t open for the season yet, it was even quieter in the evenings. You can see the deserted Main Street in the top photo.

    If you have never experienced evening on Mackinac Island, I highly recommend spending the money to stay on the island. Even if its just for one night, having the island to yourself after the day guests leave is totally worth it. And I highly recommend the Chippewa as well. It is one of the less expensive options and you can have breakfast on the water at the Pink Pony. It doesn’t get better than that!

    Thanks for stopping by! To read about some of our previous trips, click here. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram! You can purchase prints on Etsy and Fine Art America. To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. For information about our new Guided Photography Tours, visit GuidedPhoto.com.

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    Wordless Wednesday: Island Blossoms

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    On June 17, 2020

    In Michigan

    Wordless Wednesday: Fog on Mackinac

    By

    On September 5, 2018

    In Michigan

    Wordless Wednesday: Church on a Hill

    By

    On June 14, 2017

    In Michigan

    Church on a Hill

    Wordless Wednesday: Island Colors

    By

    On October 5, 2016

    In Michigan

    Colors of Mackinac

    Wordless Wednesday: Lady Mackinac

    By

    On July 20, 2016

    In Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

    Lady Mackinac

    Epic Michigan Road Trip: Mackinac Island

    By

    On July 18, 2016

    In Michigan, Road Trip

    Mackinac B&W

    Visiting Mackinac Island is like taking a step back in time. No cars are allowed on the island, so everyone either walks, rides a bike, or gets around by horse drawn carriage. One of the most popular things to do is to rent bikes and ride the 8.2 mile trail around the island. We rented a tandem bike from Ryba’s bike rentals. I had never ridden a tandem before but once I got used to it, it was a lot of fun, and now I want one! It was nice to not have to do all the work myself!

    There are three ferry companies that transport guests to the island. We chose Arnold Line, which has the slowest boats but the cheapest fares (Update: at the end of 2016, Star Line bought all of Arnold’s assets and now operate the slow boats) . We were able to get a 2-day pass for the price of one round trip on the other lines. We weren’t in a hurry, so the extra 15 minutes weren’t that big of a deal to us. The first day, we went to the island from Mackinaw City and the second day from St. Igance. Arnold had more and later departures to and from Mackinaw City, but the ride from St. Ignace was a lot more scenic since you actually drive around the island.

    About the Photo:
    This shot was taken from the ferry on the way to the island from St. Ignace on a foggy morning. This was a single RAW exposure edited with an Improve Photography Black & White preset in Lightroom.

    Camera Gear:
    Nikon D3100 with the 55-200 kit lens, handheld

    Date Taken:
    June 26, 2016

    Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. To plan your visit to Mackinac Island visit, MackinacIsland.org.

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    Wordless Wednesday: Rock Under Water

    By

    On July 13, 2016

    In Michigan, Project: State Parks, Wordless Wednesday

    Water over Rock

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