Mission Point Mackinaw Michigan
My kids were about 7 and 10 years old, when we decided to take a holiday up north. We chose Mackinaw’s Mission Point, because they had an all inclusive vacation. Included in the package was the ferry from Mackinaw City on the Mainland to the Island, a ride from the ferry to Mission Point, and all baggage handling. Once we got there, we had two rooms adjoining with a door in between. All the meals were included, as well as activities, and bike rental. It was great to not have to keep dragging out our wallets all the time.
Mission Point has a great room and I will never forget how the huge beams of rough hewn logs impressed me. It reminded me of a gigantic cabin. Every view was wonderful. You could look out on the lake, and see huge barges passing, and the sunsets were to die for. Of course our children could care less about all that. They wanted to head for the pool. Up north in Michigan is in the 60’s to 80’s all summer. This particular summer it was kind of chilly. My son however, still wanted to swim, so he went in the kiddy pool which was heated. Each night they had games that all the residents, as we were called, could play. Most of them were lawn games, and it was a great way to associate with the others on the grounds. The tennis courts, basket ball courts, and shuffleboard courts were always busy in the evening after dinner. After the sunset, we could attend the bonfire, or walk into town.
Mackinaw is an island where no gas powered cars, or bikes, are allowed. Biking, walking, and horse drawn carriages are the only mode of transportation. Mackinaw downtown is a bunch of shops that are very touristy. Of course we went down there, and ended up spending a lot of money on stuff we didn’t need, but we were on vacation. The beautiful rock formations, rock covered beaches, and blue waters made it a great place to relax, rock hunt, and wade. The waters around Mackinaw are very cold most of the year, so wading is about all I could stand. We spent one whole day on the bikes the hotel provided. There is a paved path all the way around the island. Families of all ages spent the day riding around the island. It’s a very hilly path so we made sure to take a lot of rest stops, and drink a lot of water. The kids loved the bike riding day. My ten year old son, kept getting way ahead, and then coming back to us because we were slower with the seven year old. He probably in doing this, rode twice as far as the rest of us.
Exhausted but relaxed and satisfied we rode back to the hotel. The hot tub was a welcome sight for my husband and I, as we soaked our aching muscles, the children played in the pool. At about six or so we wandered to the dinning room, and had what I considered a very sumptuous meal. The fish was fresh from the lake, and my husbands steak, was done to perfection. The kids ate their usual burgers without complaint.
Mackinaw is a four to six hour drive from our home, and this five days will never be forgotten. My kids slept most of the way home. Thank goodness, because we didn’t have what they have now in vans, so if they are awake they are noisy. We arrived home, happy, and tucked another bunch of pictures in our memory book. Looking for an all inclusive place? Mackinaw Michigan is a truly unique experience.
