It had been years since we were last on Mackinac Island, and since we were so close by it was a perfect opportunity to make a day trip. Our 5 year and nearly 3 year old boys loved the ferry ride back and forth - but make sure you do a better job than we did looking for discounts. Full price fares are expensive on all of the 3 ferry lines that make the trips from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.
While on the island, we decided to take a horse-drawn carriage tour, provided by Mackinac Carriage Tours. It was a very good decision, but again very expensive (do you sense a theme here?). The excursion was a new experience for the boys - the youngest actually enjoyed it so much he took a nap during much of it.
Anyhow, by taking the carriage ride we were able to view parts of the island that we probably would have never been able to see with the boys. They take you through the downtown area, past the Grand Hotel, and up to Surrey Hill where (for a fee) you can check out a butterfly conservatory. The stopping point was a good time to take a potty and snack break before heading to the Arch rock for a quick stop. The tour guides provide just enough information to be interesting without being annoying.
After the Arch rock, you make stop at Fort Mackinac where you can get off and explore the fort (once again for a fee). From the fort you can either catch another carriage past the governor's mansion and then eventually back downtown or just walk back downtown from the other side of the fort. It was just flexible enough for us to do what was best for the kids- bottom line a good time was had by all.
We spent just enough time on the island to want to go back and explore more sometime - but this time without out kids. While they had a good time and didn't give us any grief, there's a lot of places that adults can explore a bit more thoroughly and get more out of the trip. Maybe next time we'll stay at the Grand Hotel, but only if we win the lottery first. Oh yeah-- the cost to just enter the Grand Hotel to look around these days? $10. Each. Yikes!!
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