Editor’s Note: Mackinac Island is currently in the running for Best Fall Travel Destination in the USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards! Voting is open now through September 17, 2025. The island ranked #2 last year, #3 in 2023, and has proudly claimed #1 Summer Travel Destination for the past three years in a row.
Will you help us spread the word — and the love — by casting your vote and sharing this with friends, family, and fellow fall enthusiasts?
And now, to get you in the spirit… here’s one traveler’s personal story from a recent visit that captures exactly why Mackinac deserves your vote.
Island hopping might be a bit of a stretch to describe my travels — unless I mention I just returned from Key West. This time, I didn’t need to pass through TSA. Instead, I hit the open road and boarded a friendly ferry. That’s where the fun begins.
Each month holds its own hidden gems on Michigan’s own Mackinac Island. The Grand Hotel opens its doors in early May and continues to surprise and delight guests through Halloween. I love to see the flowers being placed and arranged — marking the beginning of the season — and feel a strong pull to “check on their progress” by mid-summer.
The daily events pages are teeming with offerings for every girl and boy of every age. No matter how many times I stay at the Grand Hotel, I still check the daily events page.
July is a standout with the Chicago-Mac race and all that it brings — as it has for over a century. But this trip, I deliberately decided on a quieter time. I gently awoke to the melodic hoofbeats of the first team of draft horses — I dubbed them the morning crew. Soon after, the first ferry blew her horn, welcoming new guests to the island. The sky was a soft layer of sherbet hues laid gently over calm seas. The golf greens looked like fine woolen carpets. I could see it all from my vantage point on the fourth floor.
I was so relaxed, I could feel my own breath slowing. I needed this. What a way to start the day.
This trip was a little different. I was flying solo, and it was the third week of August. I booked the Celebration Package, timing it with my mother’s birthday — a subtle, sacred tribute.
The heavens quite literally shone down on me during my storybook round of golf at The Woods, the back nine that complements The Jewel, which sits prominently across from the hotel. If you want to play The Woods, it requires a bit of a hike or a gentle taxi ride with two equally matched steeds who happily carry you off to Disneyland — for the golf enthusiast, at least.
I was greeted by the starter, Frances — who could easily double as my groom at equestrian competitions. He has a winning smile and a knowing way of inviting golfers to enjoy his course. And I did.
I hiked up a short flight of stairs into The Woods Restaurant, where I was greeted by a longtime favorite bartender, Jonesey. He loves that my dog’s name is Bobby Jones, and his smile should be measured in wattage. I’ve followed him across various restaurants, bars, and lounges at the Grand for over a decade.
I watched him concoct a special potion for a woman engaged in a family game of duckpin bowling. Her eyes danced as we discussed golf — her husband an even match. Meanwhile, Jonesey made my pre-golf beverage just right — a little different than my new friend’s. He has that ability.
The children were happily sipping strawberry milkshakes while the chef prepared a turkey club for my jaunt through the woods. I stepped on the pedal of that four-wheeled chariot like I knew exactly where I was going — because I did. It’s my favorite place to golf. And it’s not a secret.
The vistas, the views, the water, the woods, the maple syrup, and that God-awful hole number 13 — it makes you wake up and smell the coffee. It’s encumbered with gnarly rocks sandwiched between sand and craggy grass.
But today was the day. I was determined.
My drive gave promise — if only I could smash that red ball out and up… and ohhh boy, did I. I was on in two. I had to call my daughter and tell my best friend who played that same hole in May. Storybook golf was afoot in the Woods.
It was all perfect… until it wasn’t. But it still stands out — and makes me feel more prepared for Pebble Beach this September.
I circled back to The Woods for a recap with longtime manager Neil Cargill, a gentleman among men. He’s smart, soothing, and runs a tight ship — so the rest of us can spread our wings and truly relax. He knows me well, and suggested the shrimp bisque as a midafternoon pick-me-up. He probably suspected I was skipping Afternoon Tea in favor of another tour of duty in the dress shop with my new friend, Terry.
She is so delightful I wrote a poem about her! She had selected several new pieces for me — straight from Sweden. “Obviously, they were made for me,” she said, as her braids bounced and her eyes danced.
Next on the menu was the iconic Esther Williams Pool plunge. Name something more inviting after a round of golf than a dip in the brand-spanking-new, adults-only infinity pool. Esther herself would be proud — and she may have enjoyed the hot tub, too.
Of course, there’s also a children’s pool. That’s just the way they do things here.
The Grand Hotel has maintained its dress code through the change of guard over the past three years, since the Musser family parted with their family jewel. They didn’t have to remind me — it’s one of the many things I love about her. And she is Grand. And stately.
How many presidents, notables, and movie stars have graced her doorsteps? And better yet — her world-famous porch. It’s a rite of passage, in my opinion.
The new owners have maintained the honored traditions steeped in history and elegance. I had the pleasure of speaking with GM David Jurczak, a man so well-liked even the locals brag about him. He’s approachable and inclusive, with a boyish grin that makes him both guest- and employee-friendly.
He spearheaded a company-wide picnic, which I overheard staff brimming about — from The Woods to the Pontiac Room, a semi-private, quaint enclave at the very end of the hotel.
I could see The Jewel’s clubhouse while enjoying coffee and juice from my friend Kirk. I don’t have to remind him — he remembers everything, and makes me feel safe and happy to be there. He served me the breakfast of champions — and even snuck me a slice of ham from the carving station. Power food! Balanced out with a healthy smoothie… or so I told myself.
A lovely couple next to me summed it up with their collective smiles. They returned after forty years and described the Grand as a fairytale. They appreciated the timeless elegance and ambience.
When the new guard took over, one of the first employee-friendly changes was removing that giant NO TIPPING sign at the front desk. Tsk tsk. It’s now history. Some people actually obeyed it. My advice? Tip, tip, tip — and round up when confused.
As a decades-long veteran of the hospitality industry, I can say with certainty: tips are how we fine-feathered friends survive.
Just a hop, skip, and a jump out the front doors lies my favorite restaurant: The Jockey Club.
Is my giddy-up because of the obvious theme, or a myriad of memories etched in my heart? A standout moment was sitting adjacent to singer Gotye (yes — the one behind “Somebody That I Used to Know”) or the lively conversations that erupt every time I’m there. The crackling fire, the smiling guests — and the dinner fare, notwithstanding.
Did somebody say oysters? Sometimes delivered atop the waiter’s head!
His name is Alvin, and he is engrossing, with serving talents and an electric smile. He was brimming with excitement about the upcoming Jazz Festival. Courtney, his soft-spoken boss, was dressed to the nines and recommended the perfect wine pairing for each dish.
The French Onion soup was so delectable, I found myself chipping away at the cheesy crusted crock. I’m smitten!
Couples who were once strangers united throughout the evening in conversation — usually starting with hometown geography or a wedding anniversary — and later dancing in the gorgeous Terrace Room, where the Grand Hotel Orchestra fills the air with big band music.
I even danced with an adorable two-year-old and her mother.
America’s family place has certainly earned her stripes.
It’s all about family, friends, and memories. Just before I left the Jockey Club, another little girl caught my eye as she turned cartwheels — reminding me of me and my mother, in a place where old traditions are safely carried out and everyone leaves with a song in their heart.
