Exploring the Beautiful UP of Michigan

We just returned from a four day weekend exploring Mackinac Island, the Soo Locks, and the area around that beautiful part of Michigan.

We met our friends from Cleveland, Ohio up there.  They left their home at 8:00, we left our home at 8:00 and we met at our rental home at almost the same exact time!  About 6.5 hours for each of us.  They came up through Lower Michigan and we headed up through Meonomonee and Escanaba MI.

I found our rental home in Cheboygan, MI on Air B and B.  We have rented through VRBO and Homeaway but this was our first experience with Air B and B.  It was a good experience as it has been with the other companies.  Our rental was a three bedroom, two bath ranch home located with a view of Lake Huron.

It was very well equipped and clean.  We would definitely rent it again.  The price is comparable to the motels in that area and we like having so much space and a full kitchen.

Cheboygan is about 20 miles from the Mighty Mac bridge but that distance didn't bother us and it kept us out of the hustle and bustle of Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, the two towns that are on either side of the bridge.

Both cities have many hotels, shops, and other tourist traps and lots of people.   I prefer St. Ignace which still has small town charm.  This is the first time that we have stayed anywhere other than St. Ignace.

There are two bridge viewing pull offs along Highway 2 right before you get to St. Ignace. This was taken at one of the those stops.

Here are a few more photos from those stops.

There are clean bathrooms located at the second viewing area.  The first area had pit toilets of which Sherri is not a fan.

The bridge is back there somewhere!

After leaving the second viewing area, we crossed the Mighty Mac and proceeded to Cheboygan.

There is a $4.00 toll to cross the bridge.  There was not a line on either Thursday afternoon or Sunday morning, but on Saturday late morning we did end up waiting in a long line. 

Crossing the bridge:

 These last two were taken as we left Cheboygan to return home.

Notice how blue the sky was on the day we left as opposed to the cloudy skies of the first trip over the bridge to Cheboygan.

As I said, our home was beautiful and so well equipped.

Welcome to our home away from home.

 We enjoyed some great fires around our firepit.  Don't forget the mosquito spray!

This was our back patio and deck.

A great place to enjoy a beverage and catch up on our lives.

This was the view from our backyard.  Lake Huron is off in the distance, but we could easily walk to the shore.

Day Two - Mackinac Island Adventure

We woke up to a cloudy, drizzly morning and questioned our plan to go to Mackinac Island, but we decided that we were not going to let a little weather keep us away.

Apparently thousands of other people felt the same way since the Island was so crowded.

We had brought our bikes along although it is so easy to rent a bike on the Island if you don't want to bother with  your own.

We caught a "Starline" fast boat at the Mackinaw Dock.  There are a few boat companies and as far as we can tell, they all offer the same services at equal prices.  We just happened to come upon the "Starline" dock first so that is what we chose.

The ride on the fast jet boat took about 25 minutes, the ride on the slower boat takes about 45 minutes.  Either way, it is a beautiful trip across Lake Michigan.  On this particular day it was a bit cool and windy but still very nice.

 We found that dressing in layers was the way to go on this cloudy, drizzly day.  We took a backpack so could easily shed the layers as the weather warmed and the drizzle stopped, which it did.

Here are the two boats.  The one with the rooster tail is the fast jet boat and the other one is one of the slower boats.

https://www.insidemackinac.com/

We rode the 8 mile bike ride around the Island first.  It is an easy smooth, level blacktopped road with lots of fun places to stop along the way.  We love to stop and take photos along the way.

There are no motor vehicles on the Island but you will need to watch out for all the horse drawn carriages and other bicyclists.
Our first stop was at the miniature golf course to have lunch at The Bistro on the Green.

The first of many whitefish sandwiches.  YUM!

Great outside seating right on the lake, wonderful food, great drinks, reasonable prices, friendly wait staff, and nice, clean bathrooms made it a great stop.
The next stopping point was Arch Rock.  At this stop you can park your bike and hike up the steps to the top to view arch rock from the top as well as from the bike route.  We have always climbed to the top, but on this trip since we were with friends who were not able to make that big climb, we stopped only to photo if from the bottom, still a beautiful photographic opportunity.
There are very nice bathrooms at the top if needed.

At this point you have traveled about a mile.  The bike route is right along the lake so it is very scenic..
Our next stop was at the midway point where there are clean bathrooms, a concession stand with lots of good treats and a historical marker as well as a cannon marking the British landing.

As we continued on our bike ride, our next stop was Devil's Kitchen.  Stopped for another photo op and also offered to take photos of a few families who were there.

Before we knew it, we were back in the downtown area and our bike ride was finished.
An easy 8 miles for sure.
We parked our bikes along with literally thousands of other bikes lining the street.
There are ample clean public bathrooms in the downtown area, too.  So far finding a bathroom has not been an issue.
We decided to have a beer to reward ourselves for a ride well done.  There are so many choices and we chose Millie's On Main which was right in front of  us.  We think they would all be equally friendly and have a good variety of local craft beers.  The bar tenders were a wealth of local information and recommendations for entertainment and dining as well as history. 
We decided to take a carriage ride around the island to learn more about its history.
The carriage ride started out on Main Street, right in front of our beer stop, and after a tour of the downtown area we were dropped at the stables in the interior of the island where we could tour some historical buildings and do some shopping before boarding another carriage which took us farther into the interior of the island.
Both parts of the tour were very informative, we learned a lot of facts.
The second tour took us to the top of Arch Rock, so we were able to see it from up there after all.

 We got an up close and personal view of the Grand Hotel.  It does cost $10.00 just to get on the grounds of the hotel, so seeing it from this vantage point was great.

 Here is Arch Rock from the top.  Due to natural erosion, it is believed to last only another twenty years or so, so, you better get there soon to see it!

 View from the top.

 The road we biked on is way down there in this photo.

Our second carriage pulled by three Belgian horses.

After the tour, which lasted over 2 hours, we were dropped off at the top of this hill which leads to the downtown area again.

We boarded our boat to make the return trip to the mainland after a great day on Mackinac Island which is pronounced Mackinaw, by the way.  We learned that  on the tour.
Whether you choose to see Mackinac Island by foot, bike, or carriage, it is definitely a must see spot on your trip to the UP.

We returned to Cheboygan and had a wonderful meal at the Boat House Restaurant.  More whitefish for Sherri!  She can't get enough when she's am up there or in Door County.

Day Three - The Soo Locks

The Soo Locks are located in Sault Ste Marie which is about an hour drive from Cheboygan.  We were held  up on the bridge crossing for about ten minutes, but the view is so pretty that it hardly mattered.

We had lunch at a great little place in Sault Ste Marie, called Karl's.  No white fish this time for me, I opted for pizza but our friends tried a pasty, that wonderful UP specialty.  They really enjoyed the pasties.  John and I have had them before and they are tasty.

After lunch we decided to take the Soo Locks boat tour.

We would highly recommend the tour since it takes you through both the American and the Canadian locks.  The locks move boats up or down the 21 foot difference between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.  The tour is very informative.  It lasts about two hours.  There are refreshments and clean bathrooms on the boat.

The infamous Pasty

Ready to board the boat to tour the Soo Locks

 Our boat

 The international bridge to Canada.  If you wanted to visit Canada by crossing this bridge, you would need a passport.

The Canadian flag flying along the Canadian side of the locks

We are in the lock here

The lock has lowered us 21 feet and we are ready to head out the doors that are opening.

After the tour, we headed back toward Cheboygan with a stop in St. Ignace at the Mackinaw Grill for dinner.

We sat outside on a patio overlooking the lake

John and I both had the whitefish platter, so yummy.

There was a fish boil on the menu but I just didn't think Michigan could do them the way that Door County does, so I opted out of that choice.  Our friend, Tom, who is from Ohio wanted to give the fish boil a try.  He did not care for it and I will say it did not look anywhere near as appetizing as the ones in Door County.

We headed back to our rental and enjoyed a fire and a full moon.

 Again, a reminder about the mosquitoes!  Wear lots of spray.

We left the next morning for our homes

John and I stopped in St. Ignace to hit up one of my favorite souvenir shops.  We walked out $91.00 poorer but with some great treasures.

We also walked along the boardwalk by the lake in St. Ignace.  It's a great walk and there are clean public bathrooms right by the large parking lot.

John and I stopped at a park in Escanaba and ate some of our leftovers by the lake.

It was a wonderful long weekend.

We enjoyed making memories with our friends from Ohio.

We know we all all be back again.

Until next time, which is going to be our BIG summer trip...

Travel safe and have fun along the way.

Where do you think we are going? 

Door County - A Treasure for Seniors in all Seasons

Door County is such a wonderful treasure we have here in Wisconsin.

John and I have enjoyed it in all four seasons and love it no matter what the weather.

The reason I decided to post about Door County is because my adult niece texted me and had a lot of questions about what to do and see when she travels to Door County later this month.

I decided if she has questions about the area, maybe others do, too.

Door County

For those of you who don't know where Door County is, here is a map:

Door County is the skinny thumb sticking out on the northeast corner of our state.  It juts out into Lake Michigan on the East side and Green Bay on the West side.  

It begins in Sturgeon Bay and goes up to Gills Rock on the peninsula and then Washington Island out in Lake Michigan.  The Island is only accessible by ferry or boat.https://www.facebook.com/thekoyencollection/

There are many cute, little towns on both sides of Door County.  The Green Bay side is the busier of the two sides, the side on Lake Michigan is referred to as the quiet side.  Here is a better map of the county.

There are so many places to stay in each town and in between.  We have stayed in Egg Harbor at the Landmark, in Fish Creek, in Ephraim, and in Sister Bay.  All have been wonderful for different reasons.

We have been heading up to Door County to celebrate New Year's Eve for the last five or six years.
We stay at the Landmark for this trip.  We prefer the Landmark in the winter because it is a large resort with lots of amenities.  The prices are very reasonable during the off season and we always go through VRBO rather than the resort itself.  We found that the price was even less when we went through VRBO.  The condos are really nice.  Each has a fireplace, well supplied small kitchen and comfortable beds.
During our winter stay, we always celebrate New Year's Eve at the Carrington Inn which is on the grounds of the Landmark so we are able to walk.  You are able to wind your way through he hallways of the buildings, thereby limiting your exposure to the winter elements.  The buffet is always a good spread and the drinks are tasty, too.  I like to have the cherry martini and John likes the cherry old fashioned.  There is always karaoke in the bar area and a live band in the downstairs bar.  The crowd is a variety of ages, but we have always felt right at home there as Seniors.
We also have taken a trolley tour on the Door County Trolley during the winter visit.  If you get a chance, take a the trolley.  We had a five hour tour which included stops at the Distillery, a few wineries, the English Inn for lunch, and a sleigh ride.  So worth the money and such a friendly trolley driver.  They offer the tours throughout the year and I am sure they are all equally interesting.
We also take our snowshoes for the winter trip.  Cross country skiing is also a favorite up here.
It has been 20 below with even colder wind chills and we have enjoyed it.
Our very favorite place to go, in any season, is Cave point County Park.  You can hike (snowshoe) in winter from Cave Point to Whitefish Dunes State Park. It's about a mile through beautiful wooded areas.  Be aware, there are only outdoor bathrooms in the winter, but they are okay in a pinch.
During any other seasons, you can use the nature center which has clean indoor bathrooms.
This whole area is just so pretty.
If you like to cross country ski, you could go all the way to Old Baldy in the state park, but hikers and snowshoers are not allowed on the groomed trails.
We would recommend a hike to Old Baldy during any other seasons though.
It's about 3 miles round trip through some really pretty wooded areas.  Once at Old Baldy, you can climb to the top. It's actually a big sand dune, a very big sand dune.
After spending time at these two areas, we like to head to Jacksonport, the nearest town and have a meal and drink at Island Fever. There are good drinks and lots of food choices.  I would recommend the whitefish.
Here are a few winter photos:

You can see here that this was one of the warmer winter trips, though shoeing does warm one.

These photos are from Cave Point County Park, one of our favorite spots in Door County

Just a short beautiful hike from Cave Point to Whitefish Dunes State Park.

Above and below are the beach at Whitefish Dunes State Park

One of the Door County Trolleys

During the off season there are many businesses and restaurants that are closed, but we still find plenty to explore and enjoy.
Another place we love in the winter, as well as all seasons is Peninsula State Park between Fish Creek and Ephraim on the Green Bay side.
We like to use our snow shoes in the area of the nature center which has a nice snow shoe trail but we have also hiked without our snowshoes up to the very high bluffs.
It's also a great place to go on the bike trails in the other seasons.
If you are a camper, I am sure you would enjoy this park, too.
Here are a few photos from Peninsula State Park:

No trip to Door County is complete without a trip to the very tip of the peninsula.
It looks especially bleak and cold in the middle of winter but still very beautiful.

This is up at the ferry dock.  The ferry runs a few times a day even in the winter as long as there is not too much ice.

Enough about winter, let's move on to the other seasons.
All the above places are wonderful in the other seasons, too and should be on your "to do" list.
We usually stay in Sister Bay during the warmer weather.
Sister Bay is in the middle of things and has a wide variety of shops and restaurants as well as a great marina and beach.
We like Husby's for a quick burger and beer.  It even has an outside garage area for those warm summer evenings.
JJ's is another restaurant that we always have on our itinerary.
It is a Mexican restaurant but also has some tasty whitefish on the menu as well as American food  Casual and fun place with cute decor and friendly staff.  It is in Sister Bay.

  Bar stools at JJ's

It is very important that you partake in at least one fish boil while in Door County.
You get to watch them boil up the fish and yell, "Boil over," while fire shoots up from the pot of fish, potatoes and onions.  There is always cherry pie for dessert.
Just writing about a fish boil makes me hungry.
We have enjoyed fish boils at a number of different restaurants but the one at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek is especially good.
After the fish boil head down the dead end road to Sunset Park and watch the sunset.  It is always a popular spot and the sunsets are so pretty in every season.

If you are traveling with grandkids, you must stop at PC Junction.  There you will enjoy your meal brought to you by a train that runs around the bar area   It's a fun place but not a place you would go if you had no kids in tow.

Washington Island
There are two ways that you can get to the Island.
One is to take the passenger clipper and the other is to take the car ferry.
You can take bikes on either boat, but if you want to take your car, you have to do the ferry.
Once on the island I would suggest taking one of the train tours, either the Cherryland Train if you rode the ferry or the Viking Train if you rode on the clipper.  Both trains take you on a guided tour with stops at four popular places along the way.
If you bring your car, you will be able to drive around the island and discover things on your own.  You can also enjoy the island on your bike.
The island is too big to just go over and think you will walk  The dock is quite far from the downtown businesses so walking is not advisable.
There are good restaurants on the island as well as the School House beach.  It is one of only five beaches of its kind in the whole world.  Check it out!
You can spend anywhere from half a day to a few days on the island if you choose to stay in one of the motels.
We have  never stayed there overnight and have usually found that a half a day is plenty of time to explore.
We do not visit the island on each of our trips.  It's one of those places that we feel once you have seen it, you don't need to see it again for a few years, but you may feel differently about it.

This is the car ferry

This is the clipper

This is the viking train

 We would suggest a stop at Nelson's Hall for a bite to eat or just a drink.  It is full of history!  There is also the K.K. Fiske Restaurant and Granary which serves "lawyers", a fish named because its heart is located at its backside.  And it's very delicious.

 An historic Norwegian church on the island

These two photos are from the lavender farm on the island.

 This is School House Beach with all its smooth stones.

There is so much to explore in this beautiful area.
We haven't even begun to scratch the surface here in our post, but we hope it gives you an idea of some of our favorite places, all very Senior friendly.
There are wineries with tastings and tours, there is a distillery with tasting, there are breweries, so many wonderful shops, lots of artists and hands on art that one can do, more state and county parks, so many great eateries, beaches in every little town, confectioneries full of candy, ice cream shops, mini golf courses, and regular golf courses.
So much to do, so little time.
At times, I toy with the idea of retiring up there, but then it wouldn't be one of my favorite places to visit.

In closing, be sure and check out the goats at Al Johnson's in Sister Bay.
They eat the grass on the roof!

And, as we said, this blog is for Seniors and as Seniors, we need to know where the bathrooms are.
Well, we are happy to report that there are many public bathrooms located in all the popular areas.
Please share in a comment, the things that you love about Door County.
Travel safe and have fun on the journey!