A Couple’s Guide to Michigan

HELLO PLANE AND CHEESY READERS!

I’ve just always wanted to say that.

Road tripping to Michigan was about 4.5 hours from the Windy City area, because of the time difference. Illinois runs on central time, while Michigan on eastern time. Jet lag wasn’t part of the package, but it felt a little confusing because a huge majority of my family lives on eastern time.

Before I get into the whole Mackinac Island aspect of the guide, I want to drop the foodie adventures we had along the way.

Let’s talk foodie style

We visited two of the cutest coffee shops in Mount Pleasant, where my friends are staying. The town was the size of probably two or three blocks, but it’s one of those towns you can imagine in a Hallmark movie in the fall. Check it out!!

Walking around the area felt so safe. It reminds me of a family type of town, with a ton of mom and pop shops. It is the cutest mini college town I’ve seen.

Our first coffee shop is Ponder Coffee. It has such a warm feel to it because of the way it looks and the small environment. I got an iced apple cider tea and a fancy avocado toast- highly recommend!

We also stopped by Pleasant City Coffee and they had a little window to order from. Due to covid regulations, we couldn’t eat inside. There were designated picnic tables to hang out with friends. We wiped them down before sitting and made the best of our fall outing!

We explored actual restaurants too though

The Summit Smokehouse and Tap Room had such GOOD comfort food. The atmosphere was also great because we could choose from indoors or outdoors, and everything was spaced out accordingly. They sat us by the bar area because it was easy to double dip on the serving aspect.

My boyfriend recommended the brisket because apparently all bbq places have them, but they were TO DIE FOR. I think we could have ordered two because I highly recommend!

Of course, we entered in masks, because of covid. But first, selfie! I had not seen my friends in over two years, but we have managed to stay in touch. I absolutely appreciate these types of friendships.

Between Mount Pleasant and Mackinaw City, we stopped at Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse based on google reviews. Side note: I live off google reviews because I think they always have all the information necessary and they have accurate reviews most of the time. It’s also helpful because I don’t have to download third party applications to get reviews on nearby areas.

It brought me back to memories from my home away from home because of the cabin feel. The foods were SO good, but I think the appetizer was my absolute favorite and very filling! I would also recommend the flight of beer!!! Look at that aesthetic! Fun fact: The antler decor was handmade by the owner’s son. Incredible, right?!

Crossing the Bridge

Doing some research before heading to Mackinac Island definitely helped! I chose Star Line Ferry because it was $15 to leave the car for the day in their specified lot. Some things to look out for:

Checking out the Mackinac Island sites for the best ferry that fits your needs
Choosing a ferry lot that had parking for our car, since we were about two and a half hours away
Affordability of leaving the car for a day
Best area based on restaurants, gas stations, etc nearby after a day well spent
Covid friendly, specific capacity, masks on type of ride
Keeping a log of when the ferry is running, so you don’t miss the last one

I am extremely careful with all the covid guidelines because I want to follow the rules as much as possible. It made the trip extremely safe!

Here’s a fun fact on how the city/island got its name: Native Americans used a word meaning “great turtle” to name the area around Mackinac Island, which looks like a turtle shell out of the water. When the French built a fort along the Straits they adopted the Native American word, spelling it “Michilimackinac” and pronouncing it with an “aw” at the end. Over the years, Michilimackinac was shortened to Mackinac, but the pronunciation has remained “Mackinaw.” Mackinaw City, at the foot of the Mackinac Bridge, is spelled with a “w” because the British who controlled the area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries decided to spell the name of the city like it sounds.

The views of Mackinac Island were getting closer and I was so excited to walk around this island. Let me introduce you to some facts, so you know you can live through the excitement with me:

The island is only about eight miles around and lies between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas
They have a lilac festival, famous fudge shops, highly known ice cream shop, and more
Learn the history at Fort Mackinac
Plenty of outdoor and water related activities; like trails, hiking, kayaking, biking, and others
Cars are not allowed on the island, so they have horse carriages to get around

My friends and I walked along the island, up the trails and took photos in these views. Absolutely breathtaking!

We wandered around the island, exploring and sightseeing. There are a few places of worship, inns, hotels, and homes. Reminds me of Fisher Island back home, but you can actually tour this area and see it first hand. I loved all the colors and aesthetically pleasing buildings.

The island is very clean, which I very much appreciated.

A must do was the fudge! Everyone recommended Joann’s Fudge specifically, so it was worth the try.

NO REGRETS

The fudge was rich in flavor and filled all my chocolate desires. I would buy a few to last a while in your home, especially if you’re a chocolate lover like me. I purchased the double chocolate fudge.

Another must do on this island is Moomer’s. It is a known ice cream shop in the Midwest because of its dairy farms and how everything is run. The shop was so cute, and the ice cream hit the spot!

I always have to get the cup, because I’m a mess with ice cream every time! Who couldn’t resist the cup though!?

I think Mackinac Island could definitely be more of a day trip, like we did. We walked so much, which I basically did my steps for the month; we snacked and truly got to know each other.

The island has so much to offer. If we had arrived earlier, I could see myself spending the whole day and truly enjoying every activity they offer. It’s truly a special place and so beautiful.

Side note: We didn’t bring as many snacks as we should have to the island, so I would recommend if you get hungry quickly!

I loved our road trip to Michigan and spending time with friends I had not seen in a while. It was nice to have a little escape and explore another state.

Shoutout to Victoria and Joey for their amazing hospitality! Loved seeing you both and lil Chloe.

Until next time…