Born for the Fourth of July: Mackinac Island Hotels

Known as the jewel of the Great Lakes in Michigan, this island and Mackinac Island hotels are just enchanting, even moreso punctuated by the Grand Hotel. If you love traditional architecture, vintage homes and period-correct renovations, this is the place for you. The streets are lined with stately regal homes, a few even looking like miniature White House replicas, many boasting gingerbread-house detailing and fantastic, lush floral landscapes.

The town itself is a pedestrian delight. See the sights via bicycle, surrey or a horse-drawn carriage for four that you can drive yourself via Rent a Buggy. History comes to life at Fort Mackinac, a former military outpost where you can even fire the iconic cannon. And you can easily spend the afternoon exploring Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

As you are planning your places to stay and visit while on Mackinac Island, Chocolate-aholics will find themselves in cacao heaven as Mackinac Island is known as America’s Fudge Capital, so be sure to try the samples and take some home as a souvenir (we recommend Murdick’s Fudge Shop). Don’t miss the charming Shepler Ferry that takes passengers from the mainland and deposits them right on the most touristy Main Street of Mackinac.

So much of what you want to see is within walking distance of the historic Grand Hotel on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, which opened in 1887 with rates back then ringing in at $3 to $5 per night. For the first decade, Thomas Edison’s phonograph demos graced the longest hotel front porch in the world along with talks by the famous American author Mark Twain. Later, movies starring Jimmy Durante, Esther Williams, Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour would be filmed against the majestic backdrop of the white, wooden hotel. At ICONIC, we love exploring charming and historical locales, like Italian Tuscan estates and Parisian street front eateries, but island hotels here are a stateside charm that just can’t be rivaled.

Upon arrival at Michigan’s Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, you will be taken to a bygone era featuring turn-of-the-century upholstered furniture and ornate wallpapers. If you arrive in the late afternoon, you’ll see ladies dressed for high tea in the parlor and tuxedoed wait staff serving Champagne and tea sandwiches on vintage china. By night, the hotel’s dress code is formal and dancing in the ballroom is a daily affair.

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Every guest room is uniquely designed by interior designer Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Company in New York in bright, summer-vacation colors, and several are named after First Ladies including Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Reagan, Mrs. Bush (both 41st and 43rd) and Mrs. Clinton.

If you can, splurge for the Grand Hotel’s four-bedroom Masco Cottage on Michigan’s Mackinac Island hotels, where you will be treated with dinner service in the cottage, nightly happy hour hors d’oeuvres and wine, breakfast, and a gorgeous patio of its own that allows nightly relaxation to the sound of horses making their way past the hotel. A fully-stocked kitchen and jacuzzi for the entire group adds to the stay.

Photo by Laura Novak

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