Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan

It's certainly grand, isn't it?

A building that’s impossible to miss on Mackinac Island is the Grand Hotel, a national historic landmark where old world charm is experienced firsthand. Grand Hotel first opened its doors in 1887 as a summer retreat for vacationers who traveled to Michigan by train and then came to Mackinac Island via steamer and boat. Five U.S. presidents have visited Grand Hotel and many of the hotel’s rooms are named after First Ladies. In fact, each of Grand Hotel’s 397 guest rooms has its own unique character. History is an integral part of the Grand Hotel's identity. It is purposefully designed and presented in a way that transports guests to a bygone era.

The carriageway leading up to Grand Hotel from downtown

Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you can experience the tradition of afternoon tea in the parlor, enjoy a cocktail in the Audubon Wine bar, have lunch in the main dining room, and sit in a rocking chair with a scoop of the hotel’s signature pecan ice cream on the world’s longest porch overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The films Somewhere in Time and This Time for Keeps were filmed at Grand Hotel.

L and R: The lobby of Grand Hotel

L: The Audubon Wine bar

M: On the lobby floor are the Market Shops, selling everything from bouquets of flowers to high-end resort wear, a cafe with grab-and-go snacks and an ice cream parlor

R: It was a delightful surprise to discover this wall of the hotel’s collection of chromolithographs by Carlo Pellegrini for Vanity Fair!

The fountain in the Tea Garden

Downtown Mackinac

Downtown Mackinac has many quaint shops and wonderful restaurants and cafes. As you stroll down the main street of Mackinac Island, you will likely smell the aroma of homemade fudge, where 14 candy shops churn out enough of the treat to earn Mackinac Island the name of America’s Fudge Capital. Each shop boasts having the best fudge on the island, and it is a competitive sport here! These downtown shops make 10,000 pounds of fudge each day during the tourist season, and you can see the fudge making process in action from many of the shop windows. We purchased some fudge from the well-known Ryba’s Fudge shop, and it would be hard to say if the other candy shops have the best fudge on the island because Ryba’s fudge certainly was the best fudge we’ve ever had!

While downtown you can participate in an architectural walking tour of the area, or take one of the many narrated carriage tours of the island. Mackinac Island is also very walkable, including 70 miles of hiking and biking trails, if you decide to get outside of the main tourist areas.

Some other interesting historical tidbits: Mackinac Island is home to Michigan’s oldest golf course (Wawashkamo Golf Club, built in 1898), the oldest grocery store in the USA (Doud’s Market, built in i1884) and Michigan’s oldest Catholic Church (Sainte Anne, original mission dating to 1670).

One day did not feel like enough time for us to fully take in all that Mackinac Island has to offer. The island has so much history and there’s just too much to write about here. You’ll have to see it for yourself!