Discovering YOU Magazine July 2023 Issue | Page 22

VACATION AND TRAVEL

are the 2 most popular of many attractions outside of Mackinaw City.

Now, inside Mackinaw City is a nice attraction I have been to and that is the 1779 Colonial Fort Michilimackinac, which is near the bridge. This 18th-century fort was a fur trading village, reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 60 years of archaeological excavations. (My fifth great-grandfather on my mother’s side from France and then later Montreal lived in this fort in the 1700s where he had a house inside and outside this fort, and traded fur there.) See the website for prices and other info!

Also, nearby with a view of the bridge is the 1889 Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Museum with a walking park around it with a great view of the bridge, having restored quarters and exhibits shown, including the original lens, a chance to explore the second floor of the house, tours of the lighthouse tower, a movie, “Shipwrecks of the Straits,” and the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum make this “Castle of the Straits” a true gem of the Great Lakes. Also, if you are staying in the city, they have a Sunset Cruise and a Mackinaw Bridge History Cruise by Ugly Anne Boat Cruises. Both cruises are one hour each!

Horse & Buggy Ride

which is only 55 miles from this attraction. The park is a hiker’s paradise with 25 miles of forest trails that wind through its 40,000 acres of wilderness.

Aerial View of Mackinac Island

A postcard of Fort Mackinac

Then there is the Soo Locks, where the Soo Locks has an information center with many exhibits detailing the history of the Soo Locks, with a movie theater that shows a film about the history and construction of the locks system, as well as a viewing platform where you can get a bird’s eye view of the freighters passing through. Plus, for an informational experience take a Soo Locks Boat Tour. Ride through the locks with Lake Freighters and ocean vessels. The tour is approximately two hours in length. They also have a nightly dinner cruise. These