Upper MI trip report

[Double Mom]

Well here is the continuation from the wedding, our time alone part of the trip!

I did forget to mention that the newlyweds are in Hawaii on their honeymoon until the 23, they will be back in WI on the 24th.

July 13 Well all the family and wedding party left by 9 in the morning to head back to WI. DH & I had breakfast, went back to the room, packed up our stuff, took everyones tuxes back to the store and headed up north. We got to Mackinaw City around 3 and took a tour of the Mackinaw Ice breaker ship. It was very interesting and we found out that our dil, Koltin's mom, her friend was one of the last crew members on the ship before they retired her 2 years ago. We bought a DVD of the last time the ship was out and will let our dil watch it to see if her friend is on the DVD at all. It was a cloudy, windy, day on Sunday up there but still was nice.
We then drove over the Mighty Mac to St. Ignace checked into our hotel, unpacked and then went for supper. After supper we walked out on the board walk and went out by the one light house, it had rained while we were eating but quit by the time we were done with supper. It was a nice walk along the lake, very relaxing. We then went to the hotel and sat in our jacuzzi in our room to relax, it was a heart shape one and so nice. Form our balcony we had a view of the island, it was so nice to sit out there and listen to the waves come in.

July 14 We chose this day to spend on Mackinac Island, it was cool and cloudy in the morning but cleared off to be a beautiful day. On the ferry ride over DH wanted to sit on the upper deck, it was a cool ride over but neat. We got to the Island around 9 am. I did turn a little green on the ride over, DH thought that was funny.

We got tickets for a carriage ride tour right away and got some of the history of the Island by taking that. We were let off by Fort Mackinac and spent hours at the fort and watched some reenactments of different things they did. It was very interesting and a lot of fun. We ran into some people form a town about 45 minuets from were we live. I know there were people from Louisiana, Florida, MN, and W.V. that were on the Island that we talked to.

From the fort we walked downtown to get some lunch, it was 2:30 by this time and we were hungry. It was nice to sit and relax a little after walking around the fort.

We then walked around the town and went to some of the other museums there. When we got to the blacksmith shop my DH was talking to the guy, we had been there about 30 minuets by this time and he told my DH to come back and put the apron on. My DH was thrilled to back there working, he made an S hook, which turned out very nice. He was back there about an hour working with the guy. I got lots of pictures of him being a blacksmith. When we left the guy gave me a small leaf that he made to put on a necklace. He said he can't keep up with those because all the girls that work on the Island want one, they put them on a ribbon and wear them that way.

We then walked around the town and I got pictures of lots of things and we went shopping in lots of the shops. On the way into the Island I got some pictures of the Grand Hotel and some pictures when we went by it on the carriage ride. Of course you can't leave the Island without getting some fudge, that's what there famous for. We got some good fudge, it melted in your mouth when you ate it. I even ate some, I figure I lost 50 pounds before this trip I could have a little fudge.

We left the Island at 8:30 pm and it wasn't cloudy on the ride over but it was colder. We were heading straight into the wind and I was froze by the time we got back to out hotel, so it was a little supper and jacuzzi time for us when we got back to the room.

July 15 We ate breakfast at a little place near our hotel called Java Joe's, neat little place and great food. There are 27 different omelettes alone on the menu, the food was great.

We went to Mackinaw City and did a lighthouse tour and walked around the museum and gift shop there. We then went down by the lake and talked to a family from Ontario, they took our picture so you could see the bridge in the background. Dh took some of me in the Lake, man was it COLD, he wouldn't brave the water and come in at all on the trip.

We then went to a place called Discovery Mill Park. We got to see a old saw mill run by water power, it was neat. Then we watched a demonstration of a guy cutting the bark off the logs and telling how they did it way back when. He asked for a volunteer to help cut some boards, the person had to be on the bottom of the saw because the guy was on top of the boards pulling the saw up. Well DH jumped right in and helped saw those boards, of course being on the bottom he was full of sawdust but he didn't care. We then went to a nature talk and the guy had some pelts from a beaver, mink, and otter that you could feel and he had a turtle that you could look at. When he got to the next thing he said this might make some people squeamish and I said are you brining a snake out, he said yep and I said I'm outta here. I went over by a water wheel display that you could play with, DH just came by me when he was done.

It was back to Mackinaw City for lunch because it was 3:30 by then and we were hungry. We went shopping for a little bit then went back to the hotel to relax a little. I went and sat on the lounge chair on the beach for a while and read a magazine, I just wanted some relaxing time. I then went in the lake again, I only went in up to my knees, it's way to cold to swim in.

We went back to Java Joe's and had some garlic bread, not hungry and they give you a lot of it had to take some back to the room. DH had a banana split and I took a couple bites of that. We then went on a Vesper Cruise at 8:30 that night, while we were sitting on the boat to leave we talked to a couple form southern MI and they said they have wanted to go to Branson some day. We told them all about Branson and how neat it is, they wanted to know what our favorite shows are and we told them some of our favs. The cruise started and it takes you out under the bridge while the sun is setting, got some neat pictures of that. Another cold ride on the way back to the hotel, so it was jacuzzi time when we got back.

July 16 Did the jacuzzi right away, then had to pack things up We went for breakfast at Java Joe's again, we like this place, nothing fancy but great food and workers. Did some shopping and went back to get the things from our room, checked out and headed home.

We had a great time, it's very nice, but it's just not Branson. We will go back again some day and DH said when we do we will stay on the Island for sure at least one night.

Tomorrow I will go to Country Jam for the day, will leave later in the morning I think the first act is at 1, I have to go check out the lineup yet. I know tomorrow night the last act is Big & Rich, love those guys! DH is back at work tonight & tomorrow night...I was smart I took the whole week off!

[Cheesecake]

Sounds like a neat place.
Thanks for the review.......I'd love to go there.

[fordarama]

Oh Thank you so much for the review...
I wanna go there some day,
My dads from michigan...
we so wanna see pictures..........

[lindiet]

It sounds like you had a great time! Thanks for the review.