We made it back home. That’s a total of 1,522 miles which roughly estimates to 236 reaches to the back seat to fetch milk from the cooler or pass out a cheese stick. That’s a lot of reaching.Last year, we tacked Mackinac Island on to our Michigan trip–the first time I had been there since I was a little girl–and I knew I wanted to take the kids back again this year. There are no cars on the island, just horses and bikes. That means no reaching to the back seat to fetch milk from the cooler or pass out a cheese stick.When we’re on Mackinac Island, we walk. We walk and we walk and we walk–down Main Street, past pubs and markets and fudge shops, popping in when lured by window displays for sea salt dark chocolate, glossy Petoskey stones, tiny replicas of lighthouses, framed portraits of Elise McKenna…and tentacle hats. Fudge couldn’t compare with the tentacle hat that won Nella over–my friend Laura ran back in the store to buy it after she left crying without it.…and we smiled the rest of the day for how happy it made her. She flipped her head back and forth many times, admiring the way her tentacles swayed. When my girls admire anything about their hair and the way it swings/braids/brushes/curls/lays on their shoulders, they attribute it to one girl and one girl only: Elsa.Back to Elise McKenna…if you don’t know who she is, watch the movie Somewhere in Time, filmed on Mackinac Island. I made my friends watch it the night before we arrived on the island, and when it was over, they hated me. Richard! RICHARD!!! The houses on Mackinac Island are beautiful. For every one we walked past, I liked pointing out where I’d have my morning coffee if I lived there.This one? Top balcony on weekdays. Upstairs in the turret on rainy days. Front porch rocking chair on Saturdays and Sundays so I could sip and watch, watch and sip, and holler to all the fun neighbors who walked by to come join me for a cuppa. And a cherry scone. Because cherries are all the rage in Michigan. “Etta! Etta! Put down that paper and git yer ass up here and have some coffee with me! I have SCONES!”We stayed at the Island House again. It’s my favorite, close enough to Main Street so we can run up to Doud’s Market to get another milk for Dash but far enough away to feel private and cozy. Plus–giant front lawn overlooking Lake Huron and little stoves for marshmallow roasting. Perfection? Check.Good times in our family often involve a bag of Rold Gold pretzels.After leaving Mackinac, I searched my Sleep Sounds app for horse hooves. Got nothin’. Boo. Torrential downpours will have to do.Nella loved the horses.Main Street Pancake House. Order the blueberry silver dollars. By silver dollar, they mean “as big as your head.”Croquet on the front lawn? Why, thank you.This is when we pretend we’re Kennedys but immediately laugh at the mention because we swing more towards the Griswolds. So we coined a new phrase: we are the Grennedys. Kinda classy on the outside, but dragging phone cords, losing phones, forgetting diapers, spilling bottles–okay, we are not even classy on the outside. But look! Sailor Suit! Jon Jon has a sailor suit! It’s from a thrift shop and I cut the sleeves off and never bothered to hem them, but hey! Grennedy Power!No matter how much church did me wrong in the past, when I travel, I find the steeples. I’ll be forever intrigued and inspired by the beauty of steeple against sky and the structure of what I hope serves its purpose.Fun game in Mackinac? Name a Horse. Any horse you see–you have five seconds to name it. Almost as fun as naming nail polish colors except instead of The Thrill of Brazil and Red Hot Rio, you have, as seen below, Hooves, Lord Pistachio and Harold.The return of the red phone booth, located on the Grand Hotel lawn. The Grand Hotel is pretty fancy and pricey for a stay, but it’s such a beautiful place to visit. Headed to Mackinac? Tuck a lawn blanket in your tote–you’ll find many places to lay it out, one being the Grand Hotel lawn. Make a call from the red phone booth. Order a drink at the lawn bar and sit under the striped umbrellas. Listen to the horses, watch the people.Grennedy kids love playing with the flags.Walk down the hill back towards town and stop at the elementary school playground and the Mackinac Island Public Library. If I taught at the little island elementary school overlooking Lake Huron, I’m afraid I’d be too distracted by how quaint everything was to actually get anything done. The classroom windows look out at a lighthouse. I mean, come on.At the end of our entire trip–at an Outback two hours north of Naples–we played the “favorite moment” game. Top contender: this one. Last night on the island, a few hours to kill before taking one of the last ferries back. The lawn outside Fort Mackinac started filling up for a concert. Good folksy music, lattes, a quilt on the ground and happy kids who were set free to make their way among the maze of blankets.As we were packing up to leave and catch the ferry, we turned around and saw, kid you not, a rainbow. And then we boarded the ferry, turned a corner and there, just past the lighthouse, was a pink sun tucked in the cotton candy sky, whispering goodnight to it all with us. A much better ending than Elise McKenna’s.Give me rough hems of thrift shop sailor suits. Give me Rold Gold bags and tentacle hats, dragging phone cords, spilling bottles and suitcases with zippers that don’t stay closed. Grennedys will always find their steeples and rainbows and pink sunsets. You can be sure of that.
Tiffany says
That all looks so beautiful. The horse naming thing gets me giggling because in our family big road trips involve multiple vehicles and those of us who aren’t driving may or may not text back and forth between those vehicles using spy names such as Moldy Tangerine, Goldilocks, and Green Buffalo. I think we missed a good one by somehow not thinking of Lord Pistachio.
Comfypjs says
Every time you post about Mackinac Island I want to jump on a plane and go!
Lissa says
I always love your posts about my home state. We just returned from the island a few weeks ago and the kids insisted we stay over night next year. We had a fabulous birthday dinner for my 5 yr old at the Pink Pony overlooking the marina – so beautiful and perfect! I highly recommend it!
Jen says
We leave for Mackinac on Thursday! Excited!!
Heather Rodriguez says
xoxo long live the Grennedy’s
Beverly says
I’m not sure if seeing it would be better than ‘seeing it’ through your eyes!
Jensamom23 says
Love the Grennedy’s vacation!
Argyrie says
Beautiful post and gorgeous photos! Richard, RICHARD…now that really got me! (lump in throat).
Averyl Minori says
Your pictures are beautiful!! Now I want to go there!!
Katie_B says
From a Michigander, so happy your family was able to enjoy one of the best parts of our states. Come back anytime!
Rachael says
I’m chuckling about this post because we’re near Mackinac but headed to Florida in a few weeks. The grass is always greener, right?
I love Mackinac–thanks for the Island House recommendation! I’ve stayed at the Grand Hotel a few times (pre-kids) and I’ve always wanted to go back with them, but five children does not exactly a fun Grand Hotel experience make. I will definitely be checking out the Island House!
Loved reading about this magical trip. It’s such a wonderful place!
World of Waxes says
So beautiful. My parents walked across the Macinak bridge when I was a baby. Thats the last time I had been there. I dream of going back. My parents are retired in Michigan. So someday soon we will make the trip across. Until then, I will live vicariously through you and your pictures. Thank you,
Renee
Jennifer says
You brought a smile to my face. Thank you.
Kathleen Tremblay says
Gorgeous Photos!
You+Me=Family says
Um, “Somewhere in Time” is ridiculously awesome. I watched that when I was a kid because it had Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman in it. It did not disappoint my overly romantic teenage self. Glad you had such a fun and picturesque vacation!
Diane says
That picture of your three littles walking in a row is breathtaking. I don’t want to rush my littlest into walking, but I would really love a picture like that! Ha ha. Sounds like an amazing place. I’d love to go someday.
Sabrina Steyling says
Heaven help me, I need to get my butt to Mackinac Island! I am IN LOVE! It’s beautiful. The no-car thing is cool. I also adore Nella’s overalls – and that tentacle hat! I totally need one of those just because they’re so awesome.
That house is just divine! It reminds me of the houses in Ocean Grove, NJ. Very cute! Tons of places to write, although I’d probably end up in the turret most, just daydreaming out the window!
Last but not least, that red phone booth! It’s not an old fashioned blue British police telephone box, but heck it’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to a TARDIS so if I go there I’m definitely having my picture taken inside that thing. 🙂
Kim says
I live in Michigan and my husband and I have been trying to get to the island once a year. The last few years we decided to start spending the night on the island itself (one year we chose to stay at the Island House as well), and it is one of the highlights of getting to go there. The quiet morning vibe is beyond anything else. Anyway, we are heading there for our annual trip next week, and looking through your photos got me even more excited. Can. Not. Wait!!
Jessica says
Love it!!! Your pictures, your words. Looks like you had an amazing trip.
And by the way, the Griswalds are loved much more than the Kennedy’s!!!
Amanda says
You just took me to my happy place. I live just outside Grand Rapids and haven’t made the trek Up North to the island for years. Gotta get that trip on the books. Thanks for this!
"Cottage By The Sea" says
Y’all make Naples look FUN!
Mandy Boles says
I love Nella’s overalls! I think I would just live in the turret of that house! I’m a sucker for a turret!
We’re a Grennedy family too. lol The photos in this post are so beautiful and sounds like y’all had an awesome time.:) Adding it to my list of vacation destinations.
Sarah says
My parents lived in St. Ignace for a few years after they were married. My dad was a morning show DJ for WIDG radio station, and my mom often substitute taught at the school on Mackinac Island. We go back almost every summer for vacation there. It is a magical place, and you capture that so well in this post. I couldn’t make it this summer, so thank you for posting all of this. It makes me feel like I was there.
Haley says
I love this! We used to travel to Mackinac Island whenever we were visiting our grandparents in Michigan. Reading your posts about Mackinac bring back wonderful memories.
Tammie says
LOVE LOVE LOVE = JEALOUS
Thanks for sharing Kelly and never feel like you share to many pictures, I always get to the bottom of your post and want MORE!
Sheri says
Best post ever (to me) Kelle. I love this sweet Island, and seeing your beautiful children, and beautiful you enjoying it the way it is meant to be enjoyed was so much fun. The last time I stayed there, I walked down the streets dreaming of what it would be like if I lived there, and how I would sit on the porch and sip from my martini glass with my fancy neighbors. So much fun. I could honestly sit out on a rock and just listen to the waves for hours. Love it! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. It brought back some wonderful memories for me.
Kimmy says
Beautiful pictures.
Stacey says
Beautiful vacation Kelle, and what a beautiful picture of you with your precious little girl!!!