Page 18 - AAA Now – AAA Central Penn – January/February 2022

TRAVEL
Mackinac Island Jewel of the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are known for many things, and one of those is possibly the crown jewel of the Great Lakes – Mackinac Island.
You may have visited before, or perhaps this is the first time you’ve ever heard of Mackinac Island. (If that’s the case, you should know that the last “c” in the word Mackinac is pronounced “aw”.)
Regardless of your experience with the island, let me go over some of the basics and get you introduced or reacquainted with this very special place.
Michigan is divided into two peninsulas, the upper and lower. Mackinac Island is located on the lower peninsula, at the northern tip. Although the island measures less than five square miles, it is full of interesting things to do and extraordinary places to stay.
There are no chain hotels. Instead, the island boasts over 1,600 unique rooms, in a variety of hotels, resorts, B & B’s, cottages and homes. The timeless charm that blossomed here in the 1800s still lives on through the island’s historic places to stay.
Downtown is where the ferry boats from the mainland arrive, and it is where you’ll find many of the most popular attractions, from horse-drawn carriage tours and bike rentals to handfuls of charming shops and a variety of restaurants and bars.
At one end of downtown is historic Fort Mackinac, art and native American museums, and several historic sites, including 19th century homes and a blacksmith shop.
At the other end of town is the iconic Grand Hotel with its notable longest porch in the world, a golf course, horse stables, and one of Mackinac Island’s two butterfly houses.
Mackinac Island is a place where the horse is king, where
the streets have been car-free for over 100 years. It is a place where life moves at the clip-clop pace of a carriage, and where the noise of day-to-day life is silenced by the delightful ding of a leisurely bicycle bell.
It is a place full of history where forts and ancient rock formations have stood the test of time, and where it seems
as though time stands still. It is a place where you can pause to smell the sweet scent of lilacs, and where you can treat your tongue to the simple pleasure of world-famous fudge. A year- round getaway, the island is often incorporated as a stop on a variety of guided land tours in this region of the USA.
But more than a place to go, Mackinac Island is a state of mind. One of the best places in the world, yet fully a world apart. And when you visit, no matter where else you’ve been, you’ll realize that there is only one Mackinac Island.
MACKINAC ISLAND
September 25 – October 3, 2022
From $3,779* per person, double occupancy (Includes Airfare)
HIGHLIGHTS
Guided tour of Chicago I Walking tour of Millennium Park Horse-drawn carriage tour of Mackinac Island I Two nights at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island I Guided tour of Alden B Doe’s home and studio Frankenmuth, Michigan I Bronner’s (largest Christmas store in the world) Henry Ford Museum I Greenfield Village
For reservations and information, contact your local AAA Travel Agent at 888-743-2844.
*Rates are subject to availability at time of booking and include taxes, fees and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. All pricing and included features are based on a minimum of 15 passengers.
18 I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022