Tiny Tourist : Mackinac Island, Michigan

This is the second post in our themed posts under Ford’s Fiesta Movement! This month’s theme is Entertainment, and what provides better entertainment than a little wanderlust? Welcome Chris Klau who is taking us on a kid-friendly tour of Mackinac Island, Michingan!Tiny Tourist Series | Small Fry

“Hi!  I’m Chris Klau.  I have a day job I love and also pursue my passion and hobby on the side through Chris Klau Photography.  My little crew and I recently spent an afternoon at one of our all-time favorite places, Mackinac Island.  Mackinac Island is small island located right between the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  And we have found that although it is acclaimed for its history, beauty and charm, many folks still don’t know about it.  There are so many things to do and see there.  We thought we would let you inon some of our top spots and activities so you can start planning your trip with your family soon! I of course had to snap some shots and even filmed a quick video of our trip which you can see here.

1.It’s an island!  Soyou have to get there by boat or plane as there are no bridges that connect directly to the island.  There are several ferry boat services that will take you there.   We love Shelpler’s.  They are fast and reliable and they have a special Mighty Mac departure that takes you under the Mackinac Bridge (that connects the Upper and Lower Peninsula), which our kids really dig!2 Arch Rock2.  Mackinac Island is unique in the fact that there are no cars allowed on the island (except a few emergency vehicles).  So everyone gets around by bike or by horse (there are more than 500 horses on the island)!  The kids think this is super amazing!  We always bring our bikes but you can definitely rent them as well and they have lots of kid friendly options (like buggies) to make sure the little ones are included.  There is a paved path along the entire outer edge of the island.  There is nothing like that bike ride and taking in the beauty of Great Lakes the entire time!  Don’t forget to check out Arch Rock on yourway around!

2 horse

3.  Mackinac Island is home to the Grand Hotel!  This historic hotel is home to the world’s largest front porch and is a magical place to stay when on the island.  We love to walk in the Grand Hotel Garden and the kids like to make wishes in the fountain and run down the hill.  It is a must-see why you are there for sure.

3 Grand Hotel Make a wish fountain

4. There are tons of great spots to eat.  We love the Gatehouse for lunch which is located just down from the Grand Hotel.  They have great food and the kids love the Worms in Dirt dessert!  Speaking of dessert, Mackinac Island is famous for it’s fudge shops!  They have so many unbelievable flavors and when you walk through the downtown the smell of fudge lures you into one of the many spots that sell it.  This trip the kids opted for an ice cream instead from our favorite spot Ryba’s.   We usually take it to the park down the street under the Historic Fort Mackinac and watch the boats come in and out!4 jack ice cream

5.  During our time on the island we always make a playground stop. There is an amazing playground right by the island school that we think is a somewhat hidden gem and has an amazing view of the Mackinac Bridge!  And before we leave the island we always make a final stop by the water and let the kids skip stones and do kid things – like get wet!  We always bring extra clothes! There is a great spot right across from the playground to stop.  As the kids toss rocks we toss around memories of the day and soak in the remaining time!5 jack playground 5 kids rocks
Thanks, Chris! Doesn’t this look like an incredible afternoon?

This post is sponsored by the Fiesta Movement. Thank you for supporting the companies that make Small Fry possible!

6 Comments

  • Stephanie
    November 12, 2013 at 5:48 am

    I love Michigan! And got the chance to visit this summer, from one pic I can actually see where I had visited! Thanks for sharing, I’d love to see more places.

    Reply
  • Alicia @ La Famille
    November 12, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    I want to go! Its already on my list 🙂

    Reply
  • Jessica
    November 13, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    This looks amazing! I want the warm weather now ha ha

    Reply
  • Tena McKenzie
    November 15, 2013 at 9:57 am

    We spent a couple of days om MacKinac last summer and oh my goodness, I’m in love! My favorite is renting a bike and riding the loop around the island, paradise!

    Reply
  • renee
    December 20, 2013 at 6:53 am

    Awesome images !

    Reply

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