Mackinac Island Michigan to Charlevoix MI

Here are some photos from the last few days, click on any of the photos to enlarge them

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Mackinac Island MI downtown

Taxi anyone?

The side entrance to the Grand Hotel

Front entrance

Ahh this is the life,  as long as we don't have to pay for a room

Mackinaw Bridge we will be going under it in a couple of days

The Grand Hotel is massive!  The largest old time resort hotel in the country and expensive, cheapest room is $279/person double occupancy,  the cottages are $19,000/week

shopping area in Mackinaw City

Sunset in Mackinaw City at the Straits State Marina, beautiful marina 2 years old about 75 slips, there were only 15 boats there when we were.  No waiting for showers!

Going under the Mac Bridge the water was like glass

I doubt it could of been any calmer

yup it got foggy

The entrance to Charlevoix is a canal with a draw bridge opens on the hour and half hour.

August 12-14
We have really been enjoying the Island and it is beautiful here,  there are NO motorized vehicles allowed on the island and all traveling is by bikes, foot, horse drawn carriages or horseback.  The only exception to the rule is snowmobiles, golf carts (for use on the course only) tractors and emergency vehicles. The population of the island on off season is about 500 people but, it is a huge vacation destination.

August 15th

We moved over to Mackinaw City after fueling up at St Ignace,  we thought we would be here for 2 or 3 days as Ashley was flying out of Traverse City on the 17th, however there is no car rentals in the area so we moved to Charlevoix where they have a Budget office.  Charlevoix was a planned stop for us anyway so it all worked out in the end. 

August 16th

Charlevoix MI we are here now and will remain here until the 18th,  Ashley flew out of Traverse City today on a 6:33am flight so we were up at 3am,  ugh! 
Charlevoix is a very nice resort community with all the restaurants and shops,  there is a bandstand right next to the marina which is downtown and a band was playing last night and a trio there this afternoon. Today is clean and put the boat back together day.  Having a 3rd person onboard  has its advantages especially through all the locks but the boat gets real small with 3 people.  We have enjoyed having our daughter with us for a month so she could experience what daily life is like on SweetPea I think she enjoyed it.  We are planning that next time she visits we should be in the Keys. 
On the way into Charlevoix WE as well as Ashley got to experience what its like to navigate the boat in dense fog, all I will say about that is so glad for the chartplotter as there was only a 1/4 mile visibility at best. 

Here are some photos from the last few days, click on any of the photos to enlarge them....................