eileyann

Thanks to all who helped make our trip so successful! We stayed in a wonderful B@B - The Gingerbread House - in Bayview (Petoskey) for 3 nights and were right on the beautiful Little Traverse bay. All but one of the rooms in the B@B are suites - with lots of windows out to the bay and little nooks and window seats or porches off the rooms The Inn is immaculate and Breakfast was fresh and yummy each morning . The Innkeeper - Mary - attended to our every need. We joined her for a concert in town on Wednesday night and picked her brain for where to buy the best strawberries, where to find supper, etc. Each night we joined the locals for sunset on the beach (seems like a common ritual on the Bay). That was a wonderful time to meet new people and the sunsets were amazing. Afterward we came back and took pictures of the beautiful sky over the bay from our covered porch off our bedroom. - and then went down and had a slice of pie with Mary and the other guests One day we had a wonderful ride in Petoskey's new Pedicab and the owner/driver, Josh told us the best place to find Petoskey rocks and where to find parking for the Farmers market - etc.He is extremely knowledgeable and made a great tour guide. (Not to mention his powerful legs - he can peddle up to 500 hundred pounds in his little cab) One night we ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant in Charlevoix on the north end of town and had fresh fish the next night at the Northwoods restaurant north of Petoskey. The restaurant "Legs" in Cross Village was not to our liking - the Polish food tasteless and dull. The other bummer - Jim's conference got out at 1:00 every day and that didn't allow us to get to Mac Island in time to take the horse and buggy ride trip - without which there wasn't that much to do. The last buggy leaves at 3:00 and we got to the island at about 3:30. So we shopped and sampled fudge, ate supper and came back- we were pretty disappointed . Next time we will be sure to get to the island in time. We spent our two other days at the Bay Harbor resort - pricy but thankfully the company was sharing that bill. The resort was nice enough but for the price we would have been happier at the Gingerbread house for the whole week. All in all the week was a wonderful retreat from our busy lives and we were really able to reconnect with each other in the beautiful Michigan lake area. We only wish we lived closer and had more time to explore more of your wonderful state. Thanks to everyone, Especially KellieBellie for the wonderful tips. - Eileen

SuzieTrue

Hopefully you had the gorgeous weather from last week
DH, DD and I are planning a quick trip up to Mackinac Island and the UP in July. We plan on being on one of the first ferries of the day to beat the crowds.

kelliebellie

I'm so glad you had a great time! That area is truly unique and beautiful. We are leaving tomorrow for a week and a half. I can't wait! I have to pack...


That is terrible the last horse tour leaves so early! Good to know. It will be interesting to see how the terrible economy of southeastern Michigan affects tourism up there this summer.

Please come back when you can. That area rarely changes. We will be on the lookout for the Pedicab. The kids would love it!

kelliebellie

Oh, and I hope you found some nice Petoskey stones to take home with you. I have a secret spot where I find mine and am hoping to find enough to tile a shower floor with them one day!

eileyann

Wow Kelliebellie -that sure is ambitious. I found a few minor ones - only fossils on one side. They sure weren't as abundant as 30 years ago. But my "source" told me too late to splash water on the rocks to find them easier - but I was on my home by then. I will share (off-line) my spot if you want. [email protected]

eileyann

Oh and the pedicab is www.petoskeypedicab.com and 231-758-0535 is Josh's (the owner's) number. The Italian restuarant we loved in Charlevoix is "Guiseppe's" - YUM. Have a great time!