Category Archives: Upper Penninsula

How to Save Money on Mackinac Island Part 2: 2012 Edition

Posted on by

1

Voluntary and unnecessary cranial exams without anaesthesia will probably become legal before Mackinac Island is a budget destination. Nevertheless, here are a few cheaper ways to visit the island without having to sell a vital organ to fund it.

THE FERRIES.

It’s nearly always cheaper to buy your tickets online. All prices below are online prices only unless stated otherwise. They will increase if purchased on the dock.

Discounts and Coupons.

Arnolds has a $21 adult round trip online special. Sheplers and Star Line are $22.

Shepler’s Facebook and Twitter pages run Fan Friday and other contests to win free tickets and promotions.

Shepler’s and Arnold’s offer AAA and Military discounts at the dock with a card present. (I believe $19 instead of $24)

If staying in Mackinaw City, view the Mackinaw City Chamber of Tourism site, with accommodation you can pre book Shepler’s tickets for $20.45 or Star Line and Arnold for $21.45 per adult round trip at the time of reservation.

You can text ‘sheplers’ to 33938 for specials.

Star Line has $15 round trips if purchased here, they are sold out this season but they are available usually in May and sell out quickly for the two available – Shepler’s and Star Line.

Your hotel can offer discounts. Inn on Mackinac and Murray Hotel patrons discounts are here for example.

Cheapest Ferry for Children: All of them. Children are $11 at all 3 ferries if purchased online. ($12 at dock) All 3 have a ‘child travels free deal’ with 2 full adult fares. Online purchases only. Star Line also offers 2 adults/2 children for $59 saving $11. (At the dock it will be $72) On all ferries – 4 and under travel free and a child is  5-12 years.

Cheapest Round Trip:  Use any of the above coupons for a $21 round trip at the dock. Arnold has a $21 round trip online only. Star Line and Shepler’s offer round trips for $22 online. At the Dock, the price will increase to $24 unless you bring your AAA and military card.

Cheapest Parking: Star Line offers free secured parking for up to 5 nights. Shepler’s and Arnold’s offer free parking in an unfenced open lot. (Fenced is $5 night)

Cheapest for Bikes: All ferries offer bikes and cart transportation for $8.

Best Ferry Package - The best saving packages from the ferries.

Shepler’s Mack 2 Day Tickets. You’ll get 2 round trips within 4 days. An adult will cost $36.50 saving you $7.50 per adult. A child is $19.00 saving $2 (Brought from dock)

Star Line: (Adult Mackinac Island Package Regular) The package will get you a round trip ferry ride, 1.5 hour narrated carriage ride, and entrance to Fort Mackinac. It costs $52.00, saving you $7.50 per adult.

CARRIAGE TOURS Your AAA and military card will get you $2 off the ticket price. (22.50) This coupon will save you $2 off the Carriage Tour with Butterfly House entry. Note: they will not combine discounts.

BIKE RENTALS  You don’t need a mountain bike if you just want to ride around the waterfront of the Island. You will need one however, if you want to explore inland – there’s a hill in the middle of the island, from Market Street past the Grand Hotel and here are hills from downtown to the Cemetery, Governors House and Fort Mackinac and the East Bluff.  Based on a Mountain Bike rental, here are the best bike rentals for your buck.

Mackinac Island Bike Shop. This shop offers some of the best deals – no deposit, free water, basket and bike lock. They also offer $1 off the first hour rental. A Comfort/Mountain (7-21 Speed) is $8 p/h, $28 h/d, $44 f/d.

If you are looking for full day hire try Ryba’s Bike Shop. Click here for $1 off coupon (2nd hour) A full day is $45 with a $50 deposit. The Island House Bike Shop offers this coupon, which will get you $5 off each $8 hour rental.

Orr Kids offer a free helmet, basket and trail map. The manager here is nice, he fixed my bike for free! A mountain bikes will set you back $8 hour or $48.00 daily.

Mackinac Wheels offer free helmet use. A Mountain bike is $8 p/h, 30 h/d, 48 f/d

ACCOMMODATION

Basics: The cheapest rates for accommodation are Monday – Thursday. Avoid weekends. During festivals and public holidays, hotels are the most expensive, sell out quickly, are over crowded and require minimum stays. Try avoiding the below dates and consider the post season in October. The crowds have gone, the sales are on and accommodation can be half price. The main three are:

Lilac Festival: June 8-17, 2012

Bell’s Beer Bay-view to Mackinac: July 14-17

Yacht Races: July 21-24

Bring your AAA, Student and Military cards. Front desk staff are sometimes instructed not to bring them up at all until you mention it. You need to ASK to receive. Advertised hotels accepting AAA are the Grand Hotel, Harbour View Inn, Hotel Iroquois, Island House, Lake-view Hotel, Mission Point Resort and The Inn at Stonecliffe.

Sign up on the hotels webpage for email offers and promotions. I signed up for The Island House and was recently sent 30% of rooms for 2 nights stays on July 11, 12th, 14th and 15th.

Places other than the major hotels/resorts 

Bogan Lane Inn -  $85-125. One of the best value places on the island to Continental breakfast included.

Harbour View Inn -  If you book online you’ll save 10% and access rooms for as little as $99 a night.

Harbour View Bed & Breakfast - Rates: $89-299.

Inn on Mackinac - Rates: $84-359

Main Street Inn & Suites  – The Main Street Inn in low season will cost you about $110

Bay View At Mackinac  - Rates: $95-395

Cottage Inn of Mackinac -  Rates: $95-250

Lilac House -  Rates: $95-125

Cloghaun -  Rates: $100-175. A room can run for $125 and includes breakfast.

Windermere Hotel -  Rates: $100-250

For those wanting a larger hotel try;

The Inn at Stonecliffe –  Rates: $139-504. Has pre and post season rooms for $99. This is a favourite wedding location. They have some enchanted little gardens, a bluff that overlooks Lake Huron and located next to the Woods restaurant.

Lilac Tree Suites & Spa - Rates: $130-360. Lilac Tree is opposite a few of the bike rental places towards Shepler’s.

Mission Point Resort - Rates: $129-1000 Pet-friendly. Mission is about a 5-10 minute bike ride from the centre of Main Street heading towards Arch Rock. It’s a big resort and is away from the bustle of downtown.

Click here for a complete accommodation phone numbers and webpages.

Have you been to Mackinac Island this year? Did you find any good deals?

Eating on a Budget, Mackinac Island Edition.

Posted on by

0

The biggest issue facing Mackinac Island restaurants is the lack of catering to clients with deficiencies (dietary not lack of brain cells) and vegans. The Island’s lack of options piss the guest off, piss you off, the manager is pissed off and I can almost see the faulty interior of your lactose intolerant intestine growing increasingly pissed off that it has developed the disorder and caused this much stress. At some point on your trip it’ll get to the point where you’ll order a huge glass of milk and let your intestine producing the nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and hydrogen sulphide gas concoction do the talking. Your frustration will be clearly felt, and smelt I imagine.

Here is a brief guide to dining on Mackinac Island:

The Must Do

The Woods Restaurant (906) 847-3699

With a unique Bavarian inspired menu, the Woods has long been treasured as a local favourite. About a 20 minute horse carriage trip away from downtown, it’s a quaint and romantic setting. Try the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte or the Veal Osso Bucco. It is not the dearest place on the island but it is expensive. Worth it. The waiters have served there for years and are knowledgable.

Best Fine Dining

The Carriage House at Hotel Iroquois (906) 847-3321 

The Hotel Iroquois is the best fine dining restaurant on the Island and it’s where many Grand Hotel worker employees go for their end of season farewell dinners. It serves lobster as well as one of the most expensive menus on the island. The beautiful location and great food make it an experience.

The Sorority House & Best Dining View

Pink Pony Bar & Grill (906) 847-3341 

Pink Pony is the “it” place for tourists, residents and workers alike. To me, it’s more of a lunch venue to eat out on the deck overlooking Lake Huron. By mid afternoon, it’s packed and not somewhere to take your partner for a quiet conversation. Unless you don’t particularly want to talk to them and they love to chat. It’s always bustling with girls wanting a honey with a yacht and the sailors looking for someone to take to their yacht. The back patio is where it’s at with its jacuzzi, overlooking the lake and a 2 level patio. Try the Rum Runners, late night fajita and the Pink Pony burger.

The Health Conscious

Turtle Soup & Salad (906) 847-3240 Click here for 10% off one item.

One of the few places you can get something healthy. For a large salad, expect around $10. Buy your drink somewhere else though. My Vitamin Water was $3-something. At Douds, it’s half the price. I would not plan on eating here, it lacks tables and is noisy.

Best Burgers:

Chuck Wagon (906) 847-0019 

For Mackinac, its cheap, good portions and I hear rave reviews all the time. Only open Breakfast and Lunch. No dinner.

Best Wings and Street Seating.

Goodfellow’s (906) 847-0260

If your dad or boyfriend goes missing on the island, look here. There are two eating areas, street side and a sports bar. The buffalo wings and pizzas are island favourites. American and Italian; lunch, dinner and late night menus. Plays all the big games and is the place for all major sports games.

Best Dining Experience

Grand Hotel Dining Room (906) 847-3331 

The five course dinner in a Carlton Varney designed room, being waited on by men in tail coats. It’s an experience in itself and the bonus is you can walk around the hotel and visit the Cupola Bar – the best bar in the Grand Hotel which offers great views of the Mackinac and a piano player at 8pm. Formal attire required.

Cheap Mexican/Entertainment

Horn’s Gaslight Bar (906) 847-6154 

Every person I know is obsessed with this place but it’s not my island favourite. It’s family friendly and the portions are good. The place comes alive on Wednesday nights for “Booty Night” and live bands almost nightly. It’s often crowded and filled with island employees by the late afternoon/night. Traditional American & Southwestern cuisine. 

Drunk Munchies

Island Slice (906) 847-8100

A stop in place for the infamous bread sticks. Good, but it’s around $24 a pizza. Dough is made fresh daily.

Gate House (906) 847-3772 

Popular meeting place on the island and party place on Monday and Thursday nights. Gate House is a Grand Hotel Restaurant, and serves mainly American food. 

Somewhere Different

Mary’s Bistro (906) 847-9911 

Mary’s Bistro does a good job of filling a niche market, for those who have money to spend and don’t want to eat crap but don’t want the hassle of getting dressed up. I’ve eaten there twice and would recommend the dinner over the lunch menu. The dinner “special” was almost $40. While delicious, for one $40 special here you can eat a 3 course meal at Gatehouse or Jockey Club for $33/$38. Check out the dinner menu above as they have cheaper options available.

Cheap For Families

Millie’s on Main (906) 847-9901

This is a family friendly restaurant that sells pasties, home-made soups and have daily specials. (Try the Reuben if it’s on special, delicious.) Avoid peak season rush hour or you will be waiting. 

One of My Favourites

Patrick Sinclair’s Irish Pub (906) 847-8255 

This is quite possibly the only or one of the very few places selling oysters on the island. Serves some of my favourite foods like shepherd’s pie, homemade chowder, and oysters. A great draught beer choice. 

Best Take Away

Seabiscuit Cafe (906) 847-3611

You’d find it hard to swing a cat in Seabiscuit, (It’s against regulations anyway but still..) but the lack of room doesn’t take away from some good menu choices. Order ahead and take the food for a quick bite by the lake or in the park, away from the noise and small seating area. Tandoori chicken, green curry and one of my old favourites – Mussels.

Breakfast on Main Street

Diner Style: Chuck Wagon (906) 847-0019 

Serves breakfasts and lunch. For Mackinac, its well priced and filling.

Hearty: Village Inn 906-847-3542 

Breakfast seems scarce on Main Street once you leave your hotel. The VI serves Angus Steaks and its famous Planked Whitefish for lunch, but the breakfast is also one of the best on Main Street. 2012 is the first season the Village Inn is operated and owned by the Grand Hotel and is known as Cawthorne’s Village Inn.

Sweet: Pancake House (906) 847-3829 Click here for 10% off your next meal. 

A stack of pancakes like the special, ‘Peaches and Creme’ will cost around $10. Mine was 2 pancakes, with a dollop of cream and what seemed to be a whole can of peaches.

Buffet: Murray Hotel (906) 847-3360 

$4.95 per guest per day or $7.95 for non-guests. Full breakfast including fresh scrambled eggs, home-style potatoes, sausage, bacon, toast and yogurt.
There are a still plenty of restaurants on Mackinac Island. See here for a Dining Guide.

Have you eaten on Mackinac Island? Let me know what your favourite and least favourite restaurants are.

On The Street Where I Live: Michigan Edition

Posted on by

2

The last street I lived on was in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan. It was a charming, romantic, leafy and historic road full of trade, medical discoveries, a shooting, and a murder. It reminds me of a particular song by Nat King Cole. I especially love when a place can capture not only your imagination but an entire emotion. And I do love an older tune.

The building I lived in was 120 years old and was previously a hotel. It has been converted into modern accommodation and offices. Two doors to my left are two large buildings that saw the trade of over $2 million dollars worth of fur in the 1880′s – when fur cost 10c each.

Metres away in a hotel that still stands today, a murder took place that has never been solved. A woman staying at the hotel was sexually assaulted and strangled with her own lingerie. Further down the street is the site where a man was accidentally shot in the 1870′s and his bullet wound refused to heal correctly. This wound was then observed by a physician into a portion of what we know today about the human digestive system. At one end of the street is a large park overlooking docking yachts and a bustling downtown. The other end, is a blissful Great Lake, where days are spent watching ferries move back and forth across the straits.

 I fall asleep to the sounds of horse shoes hitting the pavement, as the only form of transportation other than walking or riding a bike. The sun seems to always shine on this street and I often sat by my window and watched it go by. I always find something fascinating about the street where I live.

The street where you live is often the place in the world you spend most of your time but know little about. What has happened on the street where you live?

The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island Part 1 – Carlton Varney Interiors

Posted on by

0

As a fan and critic of the fabulous Carlton Varney I find the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to be the shopping addicts equivalent of a black Amex. I could spend weeks inside the hotel discovering new things; feeling trapped in a world that sometimes borders on Mad Hatter meets Queen Elizabeth. Is it chic or is it crazy? Whether you love him or hate him, Carlton Varney is one of America’s most famous interior designers and colourful inspirations.

One step in to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island you’ll instantly see Varney’s aesthetic – imaginative and seemingly impossible colour combinations, stark contrasts of colour and texture, the use of bold prints and wall colours. I have written about Carton before, where I mention his deliberate attempt and personal commitment to rejecting all that is drab, impractical and uncomfortable. He is the King of Fuchsia – I always say I love a good fuchsia bathroom even if it does induce a seizure.

I think what most people misinterpret is Varney’s use of contrasts and colour as ‘tacky.’ Granted sometimes it borders on that to some but we have become used to whites and neutrals. Look at most modern designers, any new home – all neutral. We never paint in the colours we love anymore, we have all become practical and drab. When someone shows us a fuchsia wall, we duck for our sunglasses.

Carlton Varney’s vision for the Grand Hotel was just that – grand and he has modelled it into an almost living and breathing personal portfolio. I have always been a fan of Varney’s opulent use of colour in a time where many designers are all about ‘neutrals’ with a ‘pop’ of colour. Modern minimalism is not Varney’s or my own aesthetic. I love modern eclectic, daring, avant garde designs so for the most part I appreciate Varney’s vision. I find the younger generations are enthralled by his eclectic designs and colours but tend to think it’s tacky (which I guess to them is over the top). The mid twenties and up find it inspiring and beautiful. I think it’s a win if your demographic is 20 to death.

I love that you rarely if ever, get a plain neutral wall. (Other than white) In the Grand you will see yellow and white walls in stripes but this is the most muted Varney tends to get. The interiors of this hotel are breath-taking – whether you love them or not. They inspire something in you to go home and change something – to make your own living space more opulent and colourful and I think that’s what makes Carlton one of the best designers. He stays true to his aesthetic and makes you want it too.

Carlton Varney is the president of Dorothy Draper & Co. Inc. (NY) the oldest established interior design firm in the United States. He is also the author of a biography on Dorothy Draper, The Draper Touch – The High Life and High Style of Dorothy Draper‘ and ‘In The Pink-Dorothy Draper – America’s most fabulous Decorator.’ He also released, “Houses in My Heart.” and ‘Mr Color‘.

*All images are mine

Have you been to the Grand Hotel? What did you think of the interior?

The Official Haunted History Tour of Mackinac Island

Posted on by

1

 

 McNally Cottage – the first stop on the Haunted History Tour

Since I started working on Mackinac Island over a year ago, I’ve always wanted to do the Haunted History Tour of Mackinac Island – especially after seeing Mission Point appear on Ghost Hunters.

So you are aware (I wasn’t) the tour is pretty much fleshed out segments of the book Haunts of Mackinac by Todd Clements. If you’ve read it you have pretty much seen the tour but the Guide added his spin on the information and was able to point out the rooms that are haunted at some hotels. Sometimes history is more interesting looking straight at it, right?

St Annes Church and “Madeline’s Curse” was another stop

 The Downtown Tour started at 9pm in front of the Island Bookstore. There were 40 people in my group (sold out) but the Guide made it manageable by sitting us down to tell stories in front of the hotels. They gave us glow sticks and since my friend and I are not Americans we had no idea we needed to “crack” them to make them work so we walked around in the dark wondering why we couldn’t see each other. The only time I’ve ever seen a glow stick was at rave when I was 21. Americans love them – they’d light up Christmas with them if they could.

Our guide did a good job of bringing the haunted history in the book to life by starting at the McNally Cottage opposite Sheplers which is now used as employee housing for Good Fellows and Sheplers, then down to The Murray Hotel, Harbor View, St Anne’s Church, the corner of the Butterfly Museum, Mission House, Mission Point Theatre, The Island House Hotel, Marquette Park and a few others sprinkled in.

The Island House Hotel – One of the most haunted rooms on the island?

 Some interesting things also thrown in: The son of the murder victim from The Murray Hotel took the tour two years ago and appreciated the fact they were still talking about his mothers murder which remains unsolved. (She was strangled, sexually assaulted and killed) Other tidbits include the bed and bed head in the haunted room at The Island House (built 1852) was bolted to the ground and the wall due unexplainable violent “shaking” in the room a man committed suicide in. There have been (apparently) 7 murders on the island and one of the most notable tidbits (for me anyway) was the rarely heard evidence from a police officer about the ghost “Harvey” at Mission Point. The Legend is he was attending Mackinac College (now Mission Point) and he proposed to his girlfriend who quickly rejected it and him quite cruelly in front of their friends. Supposedly he went up behind Mission Point and committed suicide by jumping off the cliff/or hanging himself. A Police Officer from Mackinac Island took the tour a few years ago and told the guide that story was not true and he had the police report to prove it.

The haunted room of The Island House Hotel is the one directly under the cone top roofing (L)

Harvey never jumped off the cliff nor did he hang himself. According to the police report, he was found with two-gun shots to the head. One entered from his chin, exiting the top of his head and then a secondary shot temple to temple. It is debated whether he committed suicide and was instead murdered as he apparently survived after being shot from under the chin through the top of the head. If he did commit suicide he survived the first gun shot and then shot himself again from a different angle. Or he was murdered by being shot twice. A story (unconfirmed) has circled the island that since his girlfriend said no to his proposal; so cruelly and openly, she may have cheated on him and the “other man” killed him. But it is all speculation other than the gunshots on the police report.

The tour ended at Mission Point ticket Office about an hour and a half later after a short preview of what’s in the midnight tour. The downtown tour is $13. They also have a midnight tour which allows a little more freedom to be left alone in the Theatre Harvey apparently haunts.

Have you ever done the tour? What did you think?

The Grand Hotel’s ‘Woods’ Restaurant: Carlton Varney’s German Inspiration

Posted on by

0

The Woods restaurant is a local favourite, a islander hang out and a tourist’s missed opportunity. This Grand Hotel owned restaurant is located next to the Stonecliffe Inn far enough away from The Grand and downtown to be ‘out of the way’ but still maintaining the same opulent and striking Carlton Varney interiors the Grand Hotel is known for.

The place is a weird mix of yellow, dark woods, greens and reds but it seems to work. I can’t work out if Carlton decided along a traditional german decoration in the woods and then threw in the fuchsia bathroom to confuse or inspire you. I love a good fuchsia bathroom, I always feel like having some type of seizure when I enter, but my god, is it not the most fabulous colour on a wall?

The bar area is small but is next to one of the oldest original wood bowling alleys in the USA. There is a popcorn machine in the bar area as well as a large TV. The government urges you to use it wisely to re-instil the sense of fear you had lost while vacationing on this idyllic little island.

The restaurant menu is Bavarian style and the appetizers start at $9 for a pretzel basket and end at $15 for a Lump Crab and Lobster Cake. The entrees start at $18 for a Three Cheese Tart and end at $38 for a Dijon and Herb Crusted Lamb Chops. All soups are $7/$9 and salads are $10/11. The desserts are all $9 and consist of 6 options including Gingerbread Cake, White Chocolate Espresso Torte and Toffee Crunch Cheesecake.

 The Jamaican bartender who has been popular with the local residents for years is (every second week) mixing up drinks. If there is one thing this bartender likes more than mixing his signature Long Island Iced Tea is women. So if you see Whaldy behind the bar, tell him His Wife sent you! (It’s a joke) He is, for the most part, a local celebrity. Or so he says/likes to think so.

The Woods is open for Dinner 7 nights a week and while part of the Grand Hotel, does not need the $10 entry fee and is casual attire. The bar is open from 11am and dinner is served from 5:30pm to 10pm. A shuttle to The Woods can be caught from the front porch of the Grand Hotel or in front of Arnold Boat Dock. It costs $5.75 per person each way.

Have you been to The Woods? What was your impression?

How to Get Married on Mackinac Island for Less. Part 1.

Posted on by

0

Getting married on the Pink Pony Waterfront Patio…(source: Chippewahotel.com)

Getting married on Mackinac Island is geared towards big groups and the rich but if you are willing to be less traditional, there are some deals. You may not have one of the parents who hire the entire hotel for $1 million, but you really don’t need to. (That seriously happened)

A few people now have asked me how to get married on Mackinac Island without having to sell a few kilogrammes of blood. It is expensive, but there are ways around it.

The Ceremony

The cheapest “traditional” way to get married on Mackinac Island is through Carriage Tours. You can hire a gazebo (min 1 hour) for $150. If you are able to get married during the week, Monday to Friday, they will package together a gazebo and a private horse-drawn carriage for $350. Contact Carriage Tours.

The Carriage that comes with the $350 package (Source: mict.com)

 If you intend on bringing a group of people with you, you may save some money by renting a cottage for 3 nights. McGreevy Cottage caters to 8 people (3 bedrooms) and the $350 night entitles you to the entire cottage. You could get married on the premises in the yard if your into that, and even hold the reception at the same place utilising the private kitchen. Bringing your own Champagne and storing it in the fridge for your private Champagne reception could save you hundreds alone. While Veuve Clicquot is nice, it’s also $100 a bottle if you buy it at The Grand. If you brought and stored your own, you could save hundreds. You can also use the property to get dressed in private and hold the private reception. It books out quickly though. The $350 a night x 3 night minimum = $1050 could be your accommodation, wedding reception and ceremony all in one. If there are three couples, each person could pay the $350 themselves. (One night each)

The reason I got to Mackinac is the water as I am sure most of you do too. So if you want something cheaper, more memorable and intimate do something unusual. Get married on a yacht as it circles the island, ($40 an hour for a private yacht per hour and it holds up to 28 people and comes with a driver.) Get married atop of Sheplers Sunset Cruise as it goes under the bridge. (you can reserve a “group” see Sheplers and get a group discount) You could even be married while parasailing.

(Source: Missionpoint.com)

If your party is larger than 28 people and you need something bigger, try Mission Point. It isn’t in town so offers some extra space and I found that your ceremony, dinner for everyone and arrangements will set you back $2,100.00 for 15 people or less $2,700.00 for 16-20 people $3,200.00 for 21-25 people $3,700.00 for 26-30 people. You still need accommodation but that includes your wedding ceremony in a private gazebo.

Little Stone Church and St Anne’s will set you back around $1500. (Church use only) Here is The Grand, Mission Point Chippewa Hotel/Pink Pony, Iroquois, and the Inn at Stonecliffe Brochures. There are many more hotels on the island but these are some of the most popular.

Accommodation:

As mentioned earlier, McGreevy Cottage is available for rent for $350 night and holds 8 people. There is a 3 night minimum but it is private. You can dress for your big day and celebrate privately with family. Youd be renting the entire 4 bedroom house.

McGreevy Cottage Kitchen (source: McGreevy Cottage)

 If you want to stay in a hotel that’s cheap, most of the hotels are the cheapest outside of June July and August. During these times though, try The Bogan Inn which has rooms starting at around $90. If its you, plus 2 other couples for the weddings for two nights the bill would be roughly $540. If you all stayed one night it would be $370. You could contact the owners here and ask them if its possible to marry on the hotel premises.

If you book in advance, you can get some good deals. Remember that if you are booking for a group of people to ask about group discounts. Use your AAA or military card and scour the net for further mark downs when using the internet to book.

Other Things:

The best thing to do is to buy whatever you can off the island. Whatever is $3 off the island will probably be close to $6 on the island. Bring your wine, champagne, dresses, food. Anything to save some money. Book well in advance, look for packages or group discounts, bring your discount cards and have fun! One last idea, if you have a night or two on the island before you get married, use the post office. Get the stuff you need sent, it might end up being cheaper than buying it on the island. You don’t need a Po Box to get it send, just send it to your hotel or General Delivery at the Post Office and pick it up.

If worse comes to worse, and you can’t afford to stay on the island and get married there try staying at St Ignace and going to the island for the day just to get married and staying at a cheaper hotel. Or get married at home and go to Mackinac for your honeymoon. $800 on Mackinac will hire you a gazebo for one hour to get married, or it can pay for a weeks accommodation at a hotel for your honeymoon.

You could contact the City Hall in Mackinac City, get married there and head over to the Island for a honeymoon. A marriage licence is needed in Michigan if not from here. (Apply in advance).

Whatever you decide to do, have fun! A marriage on the island is always something to remember, but a marriage anywhere is something to remember too. If I had a choice of one day to get married on Mackinac or 6 day honeymoon there for the same price, I’d go the Honeymoon route. Does it really matter where you say, I do as long as you say it and you mean it. Then come to Mackinac and go parasailing to celebrate for 1/10th the price.

The Monopolisation of Mackinac Island. Part II

Posted on by

3

Sheplers: Mackinaw City, MI

After the last year or so of litigation over the merger of Star Line and Arnold Ferry and the supposed attempt to monopolise Mackinac Island, it seems the Council has pushed Sheplers into full gear; if you have seen their boats in the last few weeks (or spoke to any of their staff) Sheplers has been riding capacity shipments of people to the island daily.

It wasn’t too long ago that Arnold Ferry Line had more specials and packages online than Sheplers but now it’s the latter who holds the most variety and social interaction and ticket “add-ons”. Sheplers have increased their online presence through their updated and interactive website, a Twitter account as well as a Facebook page which is updated daily with photos, competitions and videos and a recently added ‘Buy Your Ticket’ button. To show Sheplers increased marketing campaign online and their current success in acquiring and interacting with potential and existing consumers compared to Arnold’s; 877 people ‘like’ Arnolds Facebook page and 4172 people ‘like’ Sheplers. (Many of whom are a veritable cheer squad for the ferry line, minus the napkin sized skirts and defensive tackler fantasy, often declaring Sheplers as the only and best ferry line to get to the island).

Sheplers in the Media. (Source: Sheplersferry)

 Sheplers presence on TV has increased with at least two news appearances on morning TV in Michigan. One featured on Memorial Day on Fox 17 in Grand Rapids featuring Chris Shepler (who I am impartial to since he has spent time in Australia and liked it). Sheplers was more recently featured on Michigan This Morning (9&10 News and Fox 32).

Sheplers is also the most family orientated and commercially branded of the Island’s ferry companies and it’s this  ’branding’ of Sheplers which is the most effective part of the company.  From the instantly recognisable logo, their ‘branded dock’ with blue and white awnings that extend into the crew member uniforms. Sheplers then tops it off with a catering to everyone technique, with military, AAA discounts, disabled access, allowing baby strollers, bike holders, overnight parking, allowing leashed dogs on their boats, a café on their dock, an out in the community campaign for trash clean ups and charity work, family atmosphere stemming from the 65-year-old family company, Captain for a day programmes, group discounts, lighthouse tours, contributing profits to the lighthouse conservation, ticket give aways online and a commitment to hiring within Michigan colleges for its staff members.

One has to ask whether this commercial push is in line with the renewed enthusiasm for the company after the Arnold/Star Line merger  to secure consumer loyalty or if it’s a smart business manoeuvre commercially positioning yourself above the competition so you are, in effect, unable to be “pushed out” of the market because you have effectively become the market. It seems since the incident happened Sheplers has taken steroids and has upped the ante and is emerging not only as the most commercial force on the ferry companies (granted most of its contributions other than a dominant online presence has been in development for years) but one that is the most aggressive in attaining loyalty through interaction and branding. I mentioned this to a resident recently who then asked me, “So, you think Sheplers is now doing to Arnolds what they did to them through smart business and marketing – just without the Mayors help?”

 What I think really doesn’t matter but my answer was, “I think their strategy is to increase their visibility and commercialism, capitalise on the merger situation and the general unease felt by the people opposing it and sympathising with Sheplers. They are re-establishing themselves with these guests, and have effectively increased their interaction online this year, (gaining 4172 fans who are now, I suspect loyal customers since 4000 of them have posted personal photos of them on Sheplers) they have introduced an array of packages and add ons for the island re enforcing their relationship with many of the island hotels and businesses and are using this to not only increase business overall, but to cement their place on the island – attracting not only families and groups but a younger crowd including young parents with a child or those families taking their dogs and own bikes. If you look at Sheplers operations it literally has its finger on every segment of the market. Sheplers recent success and seamless branding has been a proverbial giant middle finger – and it was the most effective way to do it.” Here is a video of Chris Shepler’s thank you video on YouTube.

So here are some of Sheplers packages and I answer the question I get asked a lot, “Does it actually save you money or should I purchase the tickets when I get there?”

Here are the biggest savings on Sheplers website.

Mackinac Island Carriage Tour Deal

$41 gets you return trip plus a carriage tour with Sheplers

$42.50 if you bought a discounted return trip and the carriage tour yourself

Sheplers saves you $1.50 per person (even after comparing it to a discounted $19 per person ticket, so really it can save you $4.50)

 Sheplers 2 Day Ferry pack

If you are travelling to the island for 2 days, don’t buy two lots of return tickets, buy this pack. It will save you $7.60 per person. ($36.50 instead of $44)


Arnolds

Arnolds has used the merger with Star Line to offer a“One Ticket, Two Choices” marketing strategy. While it looks convenient on paper to have a choice of two ferries for your ticket, it’s really no different to how it was before except you can choose to go to Arnold or Star line with the same ticket. (I for one don’t even know what Catamaran means, I had to google it) All that matters to me is if I want to go home at 3 there better be a ferry waiting, catamaran or not.

What surprised me the most was Arnold’s package savings. They only have 2 packages but they are able to save you the most money per person in comparison to Sheplers.

Package One on the Arnold site gets you a 1 adult round trip to Mackinac Island, a carriage tour, entry to Wings of Mackinac and Entry to Fort Mackinac for $44. If you brought each thing individually yourself it would be over $60. Arnold’s is saving you $16.50 with this package.

 The second package entitles you to an adult round trip to the island, Fort Mackinac entry and a carriage toour for $49. If you brought all of this individually it would cost you $55. It is a saving of $6.50 by doing package two.

Conclusion

So while I do write about Sheplers and the monopolization of the ferry services on the island, don’t forget this is the reason we were all against it – the right to choose and to keep up competition and price competitiveness. If you need package savings, go to Arnolds. If you need overall helpful service and family orientated business go to Sheplers but be thankful no matter which company you choose, that you still have the choice.

Do you travel to the island exclusively with one ferry company or do you go with whoever has the lowest price?

How To Save Money On Mackinac Island: Travel Tips for the Budget Conscious.

Posted on by

7

I have updated this blog for the 2012 season. Click here.

Mackinac Island isn’t cheap – ask any parent with children travelling there in July. After working on the island for over a year and having travelled the world on a (very tight!) budget at times, I will dispense some advice for the money conscious and ways to save on the tourist attraction that is Mackinac Island.

Main Street, Mackinac Island

Ferries and Tours

The first step to saving money on anything is to google coupons. I always end up at this site, where I found a current coupon, “facebook” for Sheplers that will get you a round trip for $16 instead of $19. (I tried a “mock” version to see if the coupon worked -it did happily!) Sheplers also has give away competitions for tickets on their facebook page as well as a ‘Fan Friday’ competition that will give away tickets to the fan of the week on the same site. Another way to get discount tickets through Sheplers is to use your AAA card which entitles you to a saving of $3. ($19 instead of $22)

If you know you will travel to the island for 2 days, instead of buying 2x return tickets, buy the Sheplers 2 Day Ferry pack. You will save $7.60 per person. ($36.50 instead of $44). A final way to get discounted tickets? The front desk of the hotel you stay at will probably has some form of association with the company and offer a promotion. Make sure to ask when you check in or make a booking if they do discounts. (I know a few Main Street hotels do discounts for Sheplers so I suggest you ask)

You can buy a return trip on Star Line for $13 with this coupon.

If you would like to go on the Carriage Tour of the Island, they accept AAA and military discounts which will entitle you to $1 off your ticket price. They also have this coupon which saves you $2 off the joint Butterfly/Carriage Tour. Note: they will not combine discounts. But $1 is better than nothing, for a family of 4 that’s $4 off your total! You can also try here, as occasionally they have carriage Tours for $19.

Surprise! Dont stay on the Island.

The Colonial Inn at St Ignace

 A secret I use: stay at the Colonial Inn at St Ignace instead of the Island. While every other hotel in Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island almost triple their prices in peak season, Colonial stays roughly the same. (Depending on your room) One thing to bear in mind when travelling to Mackinac Island is the season is an incredibly short one. I have worked on the Island and most people view the season as June-August as being “peak” and the rest is quite slow in comparison. Having said that, you can now see why business almost triple their costs during peak times – to cover their expenses and make enough profit in those 3 months to make up for the rest of the unpredictable season and winter closure. Three months out of every year to make money isn’t much, but believe me, they do make up for it. I know a bellman from one hotel on Main Street who brags he earns $40,000 in 4 months every year.

A night in peak season at The Grand will run close to $300-400 and the once $45 a night Mackinaw City motels/hotels (which many are in dire need of an upgrade) are now pushing $129-$350. I would suggest you skip them and head to the Colonial Inn. Not only will you save big on accommodation costs, it’s directly across from the Arnold Ferry Line and minutes from Sheplers. If you stay at the Colonial Inn in a Queen room for $69 for 3 nights and booked return tickets to the island for all 3 days for 2 adults it would be $264 which is $486 cheaper than staying on the island for $250 a night. With discounted Sheplers ticket, you could take an extra $15 off that.

The hotel is Victorian style, with its mid 1800′s architecture and furnishings but it’s charming and clean. You can book online at http://www.colonial-house-inn.com . It is also located next to a fairly cheap and decent Diner. And surprise! I have actually stayed there!

You want to stay on the Island?

I would suggest, if you don’t have to, don’t visit during June/July or August. You will be overpaying for the same room someone was in for about 1/3 of what you’re paying only a month earlier. Here is a secret I learnt while at the Grand. The best time to visit the Island is in October. Sure, there are no festivals going on but the tourists have gone for the most part and rooms can be almost 75% off peak season rates. An added bonus? October is when the island starts to commercially shut down for the winter, so all merchandise is also on clearance. Last year I found a $160 North Face Ski jacket for $55. And you can still use your AAA cards for further discounts. The downside is it is starting to get cold here around then. (But the jackets will be 75% off!)

If you were to book online, the hotels that accept AAA on the island are The Grand Hotel, Harbor View Inn, Hotel Iroquois, Island House, Lakeview Hotel, Mission Point Resort and The Inn at Stonecliffe. Always ask about military discounts, most places have them but don’t advertise them. (At one front desk I worked at it was almost 40% off!) Also ask in advance for AARP discounts. The bottom line is discounts mean less money in their pockets so most places will not advertise it.

 The Inn’s on the Island are slightly cheaper than the hotels (though not by a lot) The best tips are to book directly from the hotels websites and stop using the third-party sites, you are paying sometimes triple what the room is worth. My tips:

1. Go directly to the website of the company you want to stay at for discounts and packages 2. Search Google for coupons and discounts 3. Compare your top 3 choices for price, coupons and AAA discounts. One will always end up being a surprise catch. 4. Sign up for the hotels newsletters for promotions if you are booking well in advance

If you know someone who works at a hotel and are a legitimate friend of theirs they often have employee rates. For The Grand it was $100 for a standard room (plus taxes and baggage fees etc at restricted times) The employees can book this special on behalf of their family and close friends. Most employees work at the hotel up to 14 hours a day so I have rarely heard of someone using the deal for themselves.

Bike racks at Stonecliffe.

 Most direct websites have promotions on them under “specials” or it could even be on their homepage. Be smart and if you want to travel here, know what dates will be peak periods (which means the rooms will be the most expensive and some even need a minimum stay during those periods such as The Pink Pony)

If you still want to visit during the heavy times book as early as you can in advance and use your discounts and look for specials. Also bear in mind the island connections – the Lilac Festival will mean pricey rooms, but there is a Lilac Parade which means The Lilac Hotel and Suites will fill up the fastest as they have the best direct views. The yacht races are all about the The Pink Pony. It’s the “it” place during the race which means of course, The Chippewa Hotel will sell out, their rooms will be twice as expensive and they also start minimum stays during peak weekends. The Pink Pony will be full every night of drinkers, yachtsmen and those girls looking for a honey with a yacht.

For hotels, I do recommend going to the hotel website directly but you can also try this reliable site.

Another tip? At the Grand Hotel (daytime only) there is a $10 entrance fee if you are not a staying guest. There are two ways to get around this. The first is go there after 6pm. There is no entrance fee but formal attire is required (or the bars will not serve you) you can walk around freely. Once in, look around and head to The Cupola Bar for a great view and free piano player after 8pm. The second is High Tea if that’s your thing. It is more expensive at $25 but you get tea and finger food and entrance to the hotel all in one. It starts in peak periods at 3pm. You do not need to be in formal attire. Also, one last note on The Grand, if you do stay in October when the rooms are cheaper, the merchandise found in the stores downstairs is also on sale. Glasses that were $25 are now $10 or $15.

Waiting for the fireworks on the 4th of July

 Do the free things, sometimes they are better than those you pay for

The archaeological sites, Arch rock, Skulls Cave and Devils Kitchen are all free and within walking distance from downtown. You can also walk around the island instead of hiring a bike. It takes about 40 minutes to bike so assume around 1.5 hours for walking. The bonus is you’ll burn more calories, you’ll take in more scenery and can easily stop for pictures or experience the beaches. Even pack your own picnic and bring it with you and then sun-bake on the beach. Another idea is to spend an afternoon lazing around at Marquette Park, walking around the docked yachts, or visiting the Island’s Museum (a resident is curator and has an interesting Titanic/Island reference.) The back of the library has a great view, to sit and watch the ferries go by and sometimes….just sometimes you can pick up a decent wi-fi signal there too.

Thirst and Hunger:

While the Grand Hotel itself is no tipping, their outlets stores are tipping places. The Gatehouse, The Jockey Club and The Woods. If you want to experience the Grand and not eat the 5 course $75 dinner, go to the island resident favourite The Woods out by Stonceliffe. Bavarian style menu, one of the oldest wood bowling alleys in the US, a popcorn machine and an elegant out-of-the-way atmosphere.

You  can save 10% on Joanns fudge by heading into Mighty Macs burger place (next to Joanns) for a discount card and for the month of July pick up free Joann fudge for riding with Sheplers. If you purchase your ticket online during July, Sheplers will give you a voucher for free fudge. Most fudge shops have the buy 2 pounds get one free. It works out $7 cheaper than buying 2. Around Lilac festival and the 4th July, they offer other discounts.

Millies on Main, another local favourite has $3 domestic beers during their happy hour and it is a quieter alternative at night than their neighbour – Horns. The food is mostly made from scratch.

If you are bringing your own car, stop at Walmart and bring some food with you. Food on the island is expensive (and gets hard to buy fresh food, and Douds is aways busy) bring some fresh food to put in the fridge, and most of all, if bringing kids buy some sweets or snacks. Otherwise once you hit the island they will want fudge from every fudge shop and to go to Douds every four minutes where you will buy the same thing for twice the price from Walmart.

If you need to buy bottled water on the Island go to Douds instead of stopping in at a restaurant. Most sell a small 300ml bottle of water for $2; at Douds a Smart Water litre bottle will be $1.89. You can buy 1 gallon water bottles for $1.69 at Douds also. Before getting on a tour or biking the island, stop in and buy your stuff from Douds. It’ll end up cheaper.

 The Winners!*

All prices were correct for Saturday, July 8th booked 1 week in advance without any discounts, room type varies

The cheapest hotel on the Island during peak times is; The Murray on Main Street ($149*)

The most expensive hotel on the island during peak times;  The Grand and/or The Iroquois (followed closely by The Lakeview)

Cheapest Inn/B&B on the Island during peak times is: The Harbor View Inn ($160) and The Inn at Mackinac ($160) (I have since been informed thats it’s actually the Bogan Lane Inn, I had never heard of it and it didn’t come up in my Google searches. Find it by googling their name directly. $85-$125)

Cheapest Bike Rentals on the Island: Orr Kids (Near Sheplers, based on hourly adult and day rental one adult) $5 an hour or $30 day with NO deposit. If putting a $30 deposit down doesn’t bother you then try Lakeside Bikes $5 hour and $25 day.

Cheapest place to have lunch on the island: Mustang closely followed by Horns and Millies on Main.(A bit more expensive -the Wings at Goodfellows and the patio seating at The Pink Pony are local favourites. I like the Mussels at Seabiscuit.

Cheapest/best all round ferry service: Sheplers.

If I was to book one of these rooms with discounts and made an effort to look for specials I could have gotten the Harbor View Inn for two nights for $240. Still cheaper than a night at The Grand. Look for Discounts it can save you hundreds – literally.

Is there anything in particular you want to know about Mackinac Island?

Secrets of Hemingway’s Michigan. Petoskey Was Once Cool?

Posted on by

3

While most young Americans are inducing mad quantities of Cocoa Cola and Hot Dogs, I am in Marquette Park on Mackinac Island reading about Ernest Hemingway’s life long love for Northern Michigan.

“I drink to make other people more interesting.” This famous Hemingway quote reminds me of Detroit but as it turns out he wasn’t writing about Detroit at the time. In fact, much like myself, Hemingway’s love of Michigan is almost exclusively dedicated to Northern Michigan. Not only does he have a Nobel Prize but the man has impeccable taste in destinations.

The Michigan Link

Hemingway’s father, Dr Clarence Hemingway had a motto he instilled in his children, “a good life is an active life” which in turn inspired (or forced?) their love of the open spaces, lakes and adventures Northern Michigan affords. Ernest’s parents bought Windermere on Walloon Lake (then Bear Lake) and spent their first family summer at the house in 1900. Windermere itself was designed by Ernest’s mother Grace and totaled $400. The Windermere was left to Ernest and remains in the family. It is not open to the public.

He met and later married his wife in Horton Bay and honeymooned at his childhood summer home, the Windermere. Many of his stories have vivid descriptions of his childhood memories in Northern Michigan. In The Snows of Kilimanjaro gives an elaborate description of adolescent memories of friends, the Bacon’s homestead in Michigan. Horton Bay is described in The End of Something, Three Day Blow and Summer People and Hemingway used Petoskey as a setting for his first published novel, The Torrents of Springs after he resided in Petoskey for a few weeks in 1919. He spoke at Petoskey Public Library to the Ladies Aid Society in 1919 after returning from the War. In 1928, his father committed suicide.

After his 1921 wedding he didn’t return to Michigan until 1947 when he stayed in Petoskey for one night. He was 265 pounds, married to his fourth wife and was a celebrity after The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms was received to acclaim.

Five years after his Petoskey visit he would receive a Nobel Prize for The Old Man and The Sea and fourteen years later he shot himself. This book is delicious.

The Book: Picturing Hemingway’s Michigan

The book, Picturing Hemingway’s Michigan by Michael R Federspiel (Professor of History, CMU) is a 200-page compendium of archival period photographs, captions and commentary compiled, organized, written to capture the imagination of the history buff and the Hemingway novice. The book contains vintage Hemingway family photos with excerpts from Hemingway’s writings and is a fascinating and informed reading for students, scholars, or those interested in Ernest Hemingway’s work.

“Ernest Hemingway never really did leave Northern Michigan. Instead he carried it with him and gifted it to the rest of the world.” p193.

Buy the book here.