Morning View of the Mackinac Bridge
To attend my nephew’s wedding in Minnesota we chose to drive up the state of Michigan, using US 23 and onto I-75. We stopped overnight in Mackinaw City that lies on the tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. A cold front blew in that afternoon we arrived, and it was a cold wind blowing off the nearby lakes as we walked into town in search of a restaurant. The Village of Mackinaw City was almost deserted, as it was September and the off-season; but I could imagine it being very crowded in the tourist season with all the available parking spots; and the many gift and fudge shops. It reminded me of an empty, New Hope, Pennsylvania, though seldom is New Hope “empty.” From the shops, people can walk to the ferries that take them to Mackinac Island and other offshore islands.
Not finding any place to eat, we shivered as we hurried back to Darrow’s, a small restaurant across from our Holiday Inn Express. We did not stop there previously because it was packed with people from a bus tour group who were also staying at our motel. The restaurant was still busy; but when you are cold and hungry, you wait, and we did. We were surprised, though, that their service was fast, professional, and the fish I had was delicious. After our meal, we took a walk in the early evening along the shores of Lakes Michigan and Huron (one on each side of the Mackinac Bridge).
After the bus crowd had eaten and departed the next morning, we enjoyed our motel’s extensive complimentary breakfast. Afterwards, we took a walk in the 40 mph winds under the Mackinac Bridge and past the entrance to a historic fort. The lakes had large, rolling waves with white caps beneath the clear blue sky. In nicer weather you can take the stroll along the lakes using the Mackinaw City Historical Pathway Map and Guide. After leaving our motel, we drove onto I-75 North, over the Mackinac Bridge that opened to traffic in 1957. It only cost us a $1.75. Every Labor Day, traffic is closed on two lanes of the bridge for people to walk across for the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk across its five mile length! Currently, the Mackinac Bridge is the third longest suspension bridge in the world.
Our motel staff said sometimes the bridge is closed if the winds are too strong or the weather too bad; but the bridge was open for us, despite the weather. We followed a truck with a trailer, going only about 20 mph. That gave us time to enjoy the beautiful view of the bridge’s tower, the islands in the distance, and the shore line of the Upper Michigan Peninsula ahead that we would drive across its entire width to reach Wisconsin and eventually into Minnesota. We definitely will return again to Mackinaw City** to stay longer so we can further explore its attractions and the nearby islands.
**FYI, Mackinac and Mackinaw are both pronounced as Mackin”aw”.
For more information: http://mackinawcity.org/; http://www.mackinacbridge.org/
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