Mackinac Island

If you want to take a horse drawn carriage from the airport, call the
airport (122.7) from about 10 minutes out and they'll call for one for you.
Otherwise you may wait a while.

Howard Neff
Cherokee Six N1BQ

"Jon Kraus" wrote in message
. ..
The wife and I are contemplating a trip up to Mackinac Island, Michigan
the last weekend in August. Have any of you been there (flown or
otherwise)? If so any recommendations for lodging , eats, etc...

I looks like it will be a really neat flight up there and it is kinda like
stepping back in time.

I lived in Michigan for 18 years and never made it out of the Lower
Peninsula. Thanks!!

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
'79 Mooney 201
4443H @ TYQ

I fly to Mackinac Island all the time.

The landing fee is $10.

You land at the top of the island; it's a nice 1/2 hour downhill walk
to the town. You will walk through forest and see horses (and horse
poo) and bicycles. It's not hot (the forest keeps things things cool).

The town is fun, small, pretty, and has a great marina. Read the
island website to learn more. I recomend the horse drawn carriage
tour. The tour guides give a nice talk and the tour shows almost
everything except the inside of the fort.

The walk back to the airport is 1/2 hour uphill, or the horse-drawn
taxi is cheap. I always walk.

Fuel can be had at St. Ignace (right across the channel, cheap, nice).

The bridge is close and amazing.

All in all, a nice flight. And you will often see some amazing planes
parked on the island.

All in all, a nice flight. And you will often see some amazing planes
parked on the island.


Last time we were there we saw a turbine Maule on amphib floats sitting next
to a beautiful Cessna 195 next to a King Air, an MU2, and 2 Robinson R22
helicopters.
Pretty cool line up for a little bitty airport.
Jim

Jon Kraus wrote:
The wife and I are contemplating a trip up to Mackinac Island, Michigan
the last weekend in August. Have any of you been there (flown or
otherwise)? If so any recommendations for lodging , eats, etc...

I looks like it will be a really neat flight up there and it is kinda
like stepping back in time.

I lived in Michigan for 18 years and never made it out of the Lower
Peninsula. Thanks!!

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
'79 Mooney 201
4443H @ TYQ

I've flown in there a half dozen times or more but not in at least 10
yrs. I've spent the night various times, including the Grand Hotel. I
enjoyed the B&Bs the most (there must be a web site for these). My
memory is that in July and Aug the island is very busy and reservations
would make sense. After Labor Day it was relatively quiet. If you have a
half decent set of legs, you can walk nearly everywhere, or rent a
horse, though they are true stable beasts if you know what I mean.
Interesting place, including the history, but I have to admit that,
after the first two trips, I only went there because it was a fun
flight. I got fed up with the touristy part after awhile, but the
fudge is good.

Interesting place, including the history, but I have to admit that, after
the first two trips, I only went there because it was a fun flight. I
got fed up with the touristy part after awhile, but the fudge is good.

There is a fudge shop every 200 yards or so, the entire length of the town.
How in the WORLD they can all survive, making that much fudge, in some of
the most expensive real estate in the Midwest, only being open six months a
year, is a complete mystery to me.

The flight really IS the attraction for me, too, I must admit -- but eating
lunch at the Grand Hotel is really an experience worth having. There just
aren't very many places like it left in the world...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:


How in the WORLD they can all survive, making that much fudge, in some of
the most expensive real estate in the Midwest, only being open six months a
year, is a complete mystery to me.


Yes, but it attests to the HUGE number of tourists that pass through
there during the summer, some staying awhile but many, many coming over
for the day on the boats. It's the very reason that the place becomes
unappealing after awhile IMHO. But I agree that it's one of a kind.

Can I land my Seaplane in the harbor?

"Nobody goes to Mackinac Island anymore, it's too crowded!"