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Everything about the hotel oozes old-world
elegance and grandeur.
Nearby Main Street is lined with charming
cafes and shops, a beautiful church and a park
that opens up to panoramic views of the bay.
The scent of fresh fudge drifts through the air.
Mackinac takes its fudge seriously—this is the
island's most famous export, and it's made
daily outside of the winter season. There's
even an annual fudge festival held in Autumn
(Fall) each year.
Things to Do
The highlight of my visit is without question
the bike ride. Mackinac has a road that hugs
the shoreline, taking you through town, past
the island's iconic Arch Rock and into shaded
woodlands, before looping back through
elegant neighbourhoods where every home
looks pulled from the pages of a magazine.
If bicycles aren't your thing, take a
horse-drawn carriage for a ride around town;
a must for experiencing the true Mackinac
Island way of life.
Although around 1.2 million visit each year,
only a few hundred hardy locals stay through
the icy winters. It's easy to see why so many
return each summer, including celebrities like
Vince Vaughn and Bob Seger. You don't need
star power, however, to be drawn in—just a
bit of time and willingness to slow down.
Mackinac doesn't shout for your attention; it
earns it quietly, and lingers in the back of your
mind long after you have gone.
A U T U M N I S S U E 2 6
GETTING THERE: Our new 17-day
Niagara & Great Lakes Treasures
voyage takes guests from Toronto to
Milwaukee, or in reverse.
Sault Sainte
Marie
Chicago
Point
Pelee
Toronto
MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN
WISCONSIN
L ake
H uro n
L ake
Er i e
L ake
O n t a r i o
L ake
M i c h i g a n
Detroit
Alpena
Milwaukee
USA
ONTARIO
CANADA
Algoma
Mackinac Island
Frazer Bay
Fathom Five
National Marine Park
N o r t h
C h a n n e l
Killarney
G e o r g ian
B ay
N ia g a r a
Falls
Port Colborne
We llan d
C an al
ILLINOIS
–
C r ui s e
VIEW
VOYAGE
Clockwise, from top: Matthew Jones at Arch
Rock; views of Mackinac Island; fudge pouring
demonstration
