Although I travel to the Straits area 3 or 4 times a year, I rarely travel there in winter. Last month I was up there to visit my parents and see some of Winterfest.

We stayed at the Deer Head Inn B&B, which I recomend.

Trip report and photos: http://www.mightymac.org/mackinacitywinter2008.htm

They may make you feel cold

Keith

Thank you Keith for your trip report, we never go here in the winter. Great pictures and will look into the Deer Inn B & B next time we visit!

Hi Keith -

Enjoyed your report and the photos! I remember reading your winter report on Mackinac Island last year.

I really admire folks who live in such cold places all year long, and that guy wearing shorts?!?! My goodness.

Thanks again for sharing with us your wonderful photos and narrative.

My pleasure. Wish I could be there this weekend when all the sled dog teams are competing.

Keith

Very nice! We usually try to get up there in the winter, but haven't so far this year.

Where do you live? I see you make it up north pretty often. We are in the Detroit area, but my mother-in-law has a place in Indian River.

Kansas

I grew up in Mackinaw City and my parents are still there (married 71 years and living in the same house). I still think of Mackinaw as home and the bridge as my bridge.

Thank you, kelliebellie. Do you ever eat at Vivio's in Indian River? I haven't been there in 30 years, but at least back then, their pizza had a unique flavor. Every so often I get a hankering for the taste I remember.

Keith

(that may be the first time I ever used the word "hankering," but it seemed like the right one)

Hankering definitely describes Vivio's!

Yes, we must eat there at least once a trip. The pizza is still delicious and I doubt much else has changed. They are open all winter now and the crowds on a Friday and Saturday night in summer still reach out the door. Next time you are in the area you should make it down there. It is only about 35 min. down the highway?

That is great your parents are still hanging in there! I know what you mean about the bridge. We used to camp up there a lot when I was a kid. In Petoskey too. There used to be a campground on the (very valuable) land just east of the fort. I remember camping there one Labor Day and walking the bridge with my grandparents. I do feel a strong loyalty to the spans.

I'm so thankful that I get to share all of that with my children. We actually got married on Mackinac Island almost ten years ago now. So we get back there at least once a year. I'm glad that special place is even more special to us.

Thanks Keith!

Thanks Keith!

Nice report and great pictures.

When I lived in Chicago I only made it as far as Traverse City, never made it up to Mackinaw. Loved skiing in the Upper Michigan although most of the time it was soooooo cold.

Now that I've lived in Florida for ~14 years I have this need to experience winter and snow at least couple of times a year.

Believe it or not, your report and the pics got me started thinking about a quick trip to Chicago and couple of days somewhere in Wisconsin. I just talked to my wife (She's from Michigan) and we decided to go for it.

Time to get airplane tickets, notify my sister that we'll be her guests for couple of days and then make plans for a nice ski resort for couple of more days somewhere in Wisconsin, probably Devil's Head. It will back many memories. I skied there many Sundays.

It's all your fault Keith..... Thanks again for the report

That is wonderfull, AA. My work here is done.

kelliebellie, where on the Island did you get married?

My parents home is about 2 blocks from where that campground was and I spent quite a bit of time near and around it growing up. I've no idea how many times I circled through that property on a snowmobile.

Keith

We had a three day wedding extravaganza! We were married on Memorial Day weekend, 1999. The weather was gorgeous and warm. I think the next weekend it was 40 degrees up there, but we had 70's. We had 185 people make the trip and they stayed all over the island. I started booking rooms January 1 because we had a lot of college friends that couldn't afford too much.

Friday night we had a barbeque at Brian's on the main street. It was great greeting everyone as they got off the ferry. Then we all ended up at the Pink Pony and never left.

Saturday was a golf outing at the Grand. My mom had bought all these passes at a golf show, so we had about 50 golfers that only had to pay $30 for the round of 18 holes. We really didn't want anyone to have to break the bank to come to our wedding.

Saturday night was the rehearsal dinner at the Grand.

Sunday was the wedding outdoors at the Mission Point gazebo and the reception at the room with the outdoor patio.

Monday we all went home. It was an amazing time!

Sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

Keith

Hi Keith,

Great pictures!

We went through Mackinaw City in mid-December on our way to Houghton for MTU graduation. It is amazing the amount of snow the Straits area receives. DS always mentioned bad road conditions from Grayling to Gaylord each winter.

ST