Nettie

Has anybody stayed at, or know of, The Haans 1830 Inn at Mackinac Island, Michigan? My family (husband and two children 11 and 6)like the look of this resort for a few days in the summer. Is there enough for children to do and would this be a suitable place to stay? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. How long would it take to drive from Lansing, Michigan?
Thank you

sjk

Drive time to Mackinaw City from Lansing is about 4 hours +/- depending on traffic. From Mackinaw City, or across the bridge from St. Ignace you would need to take a ferry to the island. If I remember correctly you have to pay for parking if you park at Mackniaw City, but not at St. Ignace. I'm not sure about the place you want to stay at, but the island is very walkable. There are a ton of activities, from renting a bike to going on a little horse& buggy ride, horeseback riding, golf. And lots of trails to hike/bike/walk. A couple of museums, and lots of fudge. Mackinaw City itself is also a neat place to stop in at. And there are the Taquahmenon Falls about 45 minutes drive from Mackinaw City, with a pretty neat park & picnic area. You might want to spend a night off the island and explore some of the smaller towns around. Also, the locks at Sault Sainte Marie are pretty cool to observe, and Whitefish Point on Lake SUperior is very relaxing.

swalter518

We really liked tecuamenen falls and Whitefish Point. On the island we stayed at the Iroquios Inn which we could only afford because it was closing weekend and dirt cheap. The island would be great for kids-swimming, bike riding, horseback riding, etc.

Keith

The parking policies are the same from both Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Free for a day, a fee if longer.

I would base all but one or two nights in Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. I think your children would do all they wanted in 3 days or less on Mackinac Island.

In addition to the day trips that sjk already mentioned, I would suggest a drive to Cross Village and along the shore to Harbor Springs. The road goes along a bluff with a tunnel of trees.

Mackinaw City has two new water parks under construction. I believe one of them will be open this summer. The kids will probably like the live entertainment on the shoreline, and other free entertainment and laser show in the Mackinaw Crossings. Mackinaw also has has Fort Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek and Wilderness State Parks.

Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island each have several festivals or similar events in the summer. You may wish to check the community web sites to see if one of them would interest you.

http://www.mackinawcity.com/ is a good place for online comparison shopping and booking of accommodations. It also has coupons you can print off.

Keith

Nettie

Thank you for your advice all ! Most useful. I think we will definitely try and get there this summer it sounds a great place and if the kids are happy...we're happy !