Background: This was a solo trip; I am a single man without kids. I went to Mackinac Island on the day of my 42nd birthday.

On Friday, May 23, after work I drove to Tri-Terrace motel in West Branch, Michigan. The motel is about 148 miles driving distance from my apartment. I started driving on I-75 north. I knew there was supposed to be some kind or construction on I-75. My plan was to just follow I-75 or the detour signs if there were detour signs unless traffic was too slow and then I would try going off the freeway and going on the back roads. Normally it would make the most sense to drive on I-75 for almost the whole distance. In Northern Oakland county, I saw stopped cars ahead and an exit a few feet away. I drove onto the exit off the freeway onto Holly road, stopped at a gas station, checked the map, and then drove on the back roads the rest of the way to the motel. The motel was well cleaned and in good condition. I only briefly heard the muffled sound of dogs.

On Saturday, May 24th, I drove the rest of the way to Court Plaza Motel in Mackinaw City on I-75. The motel is 275 miles driving distance from my apartment. I didn’t know there would be a parade, and on a Saturday instead of the Monday I thought Memorial day was observed on. I had time for the parade. Then I had time for Fort Michilimackinac. The fort was originally built by French Canadians in 1715, remodeled and expanded 4 times, taken over by British; in 1781 the British moved to a new fort on Mackinac Island and burned this Fort down. It has been rebuilt. After the fort I had time to see the lakeshore and park just east of the Mackinac Bridge. I didn’t buy any souvenirs, not in Mackinaw city, not on Mackinac Island. I bought an advance ticket for Sheplers Ferry at the check-in desk of the motel. It cost $32 in cash instead of $38 as mentioned on the ferry’s website.

Sunday, May 25th: The place the ferry leaves and arrives in Mackinaw city was just point four mile from the motel. I took the 8:30 ferry to Mackinac Island. First hiked to Fort Mackinac. It occupied me for about 2 hours. There is a good amount of plaques to read at both forts. Then I went to the small art museum. It just has 2 small floors – at least 6 old maps – you can see how inaccurate they are, a very few Ojibwa artifacts, some photographs and paintings of local scenery, and a case with old souvenir dishes with scenes from Mackinac Island. From the art museum, I hiked around the left side of the fort when facing it with my back to the shore, past the part service area with the gas pumps for the few service vehicles allowed on the Island, along the Botanic Trail, and to Milliken nature center. Then I went a few feet further to the viewing place by Arch rock. It was crowded. The nature is a new-looking modern building with nice bathrooms and an exhibit rom. a new looking modern building with bathrooms and an exhibit room. Then I hiked to Fort Holms, which is rather small, but I went on a narrow path that I wish I had not walked on because I kept having to step off the pavement onto the soft and rough forest floor every 5 minutes when horses carrying carts full of people on carriage tours were coming towards me. The stairs leading to Fort Holms were closed, maybe for repairs. I was able to hike up a hill on a different path and reach it. It’s the highest point on the Island. Almost nobody goes there. I sat on a bench there. From there I passed a huge rock called Sugar Loaf. There is a plaque describing it. Almost nobody goes there. Then I went on some random trails through the woods until I got out of the park into the town part of the Island, far east and slightly north of where the ferries arrive and leave from. I saw that I had time to rent a bicycle. I wasn’t sure whether it would be safe enough. I had not ridden a bicycle since I about 18. That was over 23 years previous. I managed to ride along the road along the perimeter of the island, without coming close to falling off the bicycle or having any mishap. The path around the Island is just over 8 miles. Also while hiking to Fort Holmes the new shoes I was using got broken in and started fitting too loose and my left shoe started slipping up and down and hurting my left ankle. After returning the bicycle, I hobbled to the place the ferry leaves and arrives. I got on the 7:30 ferry back to Mackinac City.

Monday, May 26th: I didn’t do anything except gather up my stuff, put it in my car, drop my hotel key off and drive south. I drove on I-75 south until I ran into slow traffic due to closed portions of the freeway and barrels clocking the parts that are supposed to be reconstructed soon, near Saginaw. Unlike my trip to West Branch, I wasn’t able to get off the freeway right away when I first encountered the slow traffic. I spent at least 45 minutes in traffic stopping and then going forward a few feet and stopping again, and so on. Then I was able to get off I-75. I stayed off I-75 and drove on the back roads and surface streets, for the rest of my return trip.

Additional observations: The day I arrived in Mackinaw City, it was about 55ºF. On Sunday, May 26th, it was about 47º when I got on the ferry. The hi temperature was supposed to be 63º. It was 45º when I left Mackinaw City at 8:45am Monday, May 26th. On Mackinac Island, the sky varied between partly and mostly cloudy. There was no rain for most of the day except for a brief period of light misty rain after I left the art museum. The shopping district on Mackinac Island is a tourist trap. I am happy to say I didn’t go into any of the stores. I didn’t buy any junk food or restaurant food. But I looked in more than two souvenir stores in Mackinaw City. The State park part of the Island worth the trip. The drive-by unsophisticated travelers probably spend all or most of their time in the Shopping district on Mackinac Island.

I am largely perplexed as to why you chose Mackinac Island for a getaway?

Yes, I-75 sucks (we were on parts of it last week), but what was your mission? I'm sorry you did not have a great time, but your report reads like someone who did not plan well.

...and no GPS. Could have alternatively taken US-131 back south

My trip worked out ok even though I didn't add much emotional phrases to my description. The worst part was only when my left shoe got broken in and started feeling looser than in the store and started slipping up and down and hurting my ankle. I put tongue pads in the shoe yesterday. I actually did look up what is in Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island in advance.

Driving south from Mackinaw City on US-131 would have been too far out of my way to the west considering I live in Oakland County in South East MI. Maybe I could have driven I-75 south to M-25 east (Lake Huron circle tour and Mckinley ave in Bay City) to M-15 south to Dixie highway south to US-24 Business south (Cass ave) to Woodward south to M-59 east to I-75 south again.

Or maybe I could have gone M-15 south to M-46 east to M-24 (not US-24) south to I-75 south again.

Or maybe I-75 south to US-127 south to M-46 east to M-24 south...