Mackinaw City...what to do and how to get there?

Booked a few days in Mackinaw as a get-away with the wife unit. Anyone have any advice on what to do in the area besides go over the bridge to the Island?

As to arriving, I will be approaching from the east so the choices seem to be to take I75 as soon as I cross the border, or find hwy 23 and meander along the lake. Good idea or bad idea on the non-interstate option? Other routes that might be fun in the FRS?

ooppss. Wrong forum!

There isn't a bridge to Mackinaw Island. Just ferries. No cars on the island.

As for good driving roads- there are some nice ones on the west side of the state- this web page may be of some help- http://www.motorcycleroads.us/states/mi.html I've driven some of those roads, and they are fun.

There's a lot of history in the area- a fort both in Mackinaw City and on Mackinaw Island.

Unless you like Casinos, just relax and enjoy the scenery.

Traverse City isn't far away- and that's one of the wine areas in Michigan.

edit- nothing wrong with the freeways. But if you have the time, take the lake road. Much nicer.

Points on traverse city and bellaire for the scenery, roads, and boating.

Please describe the vacation you want.
What kind of accommodation Hotel/B&B/cabin/tent?

What kind of daytime activity golf/hike/shop/lake/swim/canoe/sleep/fish?

My recommendation will be to focus on the area from Mackinac to Traverse City.

I wrote a lot here on the same region

JohnRW1621 wrote: Please describe the vacation you want. What kind of accommodation Hotel/B&B/cabin/tent? What kind of daytime activity golf/hike/shop/lake/swim/canoe/sleep/fish? My recommendation will be to focus on the area from Mackinac to Traverse City. I wrote a lot here on the same region

Thanks for the tips. Got a Hotel just by the water not too far from the bridge. No real idea of what we want to do other than get out of town for a few days and enjoy a change of scenery. This was kind of a "Throw a dart on the map and go" type of deal.

When will you be going? The girlfriend and I are going to Traverse next weekend. Got a room for two night at Harbor Lights in Frankfort. Wish I could take the FiST, but she cant drive stick and I don't want to drive the entire time haha.

You can also leave from St. Ignace and stay in the U.P.

beans wrote: When will you be going? The girlfriend and I are going to Traverse next weekend. Got a room for two night at Harbor Lights in Frankfort. Wish I could take the FiST, but she cant drive stick and I don't want to drive the entire time haha.

15th to 18th. Wife unit booke the place, so I am confident it will be nice and it will be $$$.

I am off to see if there might be a sailing charter or sundown cruise opportunity that I can book.

If it were me and you don't mind spending $$$ (cause everything up there is $$$ this time of year) but you're going during the week which is good.

I would consider the following hotels:

Bay Harbor as the most expensive place you can stay.
Bay Harbor wesite

The Historic Perry Hotel a personal favorite of ours. The basement level of the building is an Irish Pub with good food and live music. Tie one on and stumble up the stairs to bed. Check to see if they have bands mid-week or just weekend.

No view of the water and looks like any other Hampton Inn-esque hotel but typically a good value

Here is the tourist sailing charter that you want.

I have not been on since they got this vessel but the previous (original) was a monohaul of about 45 ft. The guy who started the whole thing charters boats in FL and he set up his daughter with this business in Charlevoix. At that time, she was 18 and living on the boat as well. She was the youngest Charter Captain on all the Great Lakes and went to take the test just days after turning 18. The Coast Guard tried to turn her down but had not precedence to do so.
She is married now and her husband, Josh, runs most the on-water business.
Sunshine Charters goes out of downtown Charlevoix.

Josh and his wife Sonia

DAILY TOURS:
11:30am – 1:30pm $35.00
3:00pm – 5:00pm $35.00
7:15pm – Sunset $40.00
*Children under 12 – $10.00 off

Sunset tour time will change August 13 to 6:45

Other sailing. If you have done any sailboat racing, there are races on Tuesdays at Boyne City Yacht Club and Weds at Charlevoix Yacht Club. There are typically boats always looking for crew. This can be a simple as just sending an email to the racing chairman of each club and they will often match you with a boat in need of crew...free. (It helps if you can prove you know a thing or two about sailing.)

You might find that Sunshine Charters does not run a Weds night sunset cruise (because Josh is likely out racing boats at The Yacht Club)

This Lavender Farm is on my wife's list of "must do's" while in the area. It is little more than just a farm and a gift shop but you can cut your own Lavender right off the plant and take home these "fresh flowers". I can't remember how this is priced, might be by the pound but she loves it.
It is a pretty place that smells amazing too.

Also, the road it is on is a good FRS road with high rolling hills (high rolling road).

The cat cruise looks good. I would be all over the boat race, but the wife not so much. Crewed on everything from a windsurfer to a square rig so I can fake my way around the rigging.