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| Arch Rock - Mackinaw Island |
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| Sunset - Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds |
Michigan is one of the beautiful states in the USA. Michigan's Upper Peninsula is beautiful at any time of the year and there is no better place than Michigan to spend a relaxing summer. Fall is even more impressive with hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. This was our first time RVing ever and we stayed at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds. The campgrounds were beautiful with quick access to the beach and upper peninsula. Since this was the first time with our RV, we had to work out a few kinks.
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| Bridge Views - Mackinaw Cruise |
Bridge View Park:
A great park for beautiful views of the bridge. A quick stop at bridge view park to capture beautiful pictures would be a great start for your trip.
Mackinaw Island:
A trip to Michigan will never be complete without visiting Mackinaw island. Numerous boat companies provide transportation to and from Mackinaw Island. Boat tours start from both sides of the Mackinaw bridge. Generally, a short tour under the bridge is included in the tour. A day trip to the island would be sufficient. But if one would want to stay overnight, there are plenty of cottages on the island. No outside vehicles are allowed on the island. No golf carts are available for rental either. The only way to get around the island is by bicycle, horse carriage, or on foot. Horse carriage guided tours are available. But, due to COVID, we decided to keep our distance from other people and opted for the bike rides.
There is no better way to see the island than a trip on a bike around the island. If you like to explore the island at your own pace, a bicycle is by far the best means of transport. There are many points of interest along the way. Fort Mackinaw, Skull Cave. The famous of all is Arch rock, a limestone arch overlooking the lake.
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| Ice cream from Joann's Fudge |
All the biking around the island needs a sweet ending. Mackinaw island is also known for its tasty fudge and there are numerous fudge shops to visit. We visited Joann's Fudge. It was enjoyable to watch them making fudge on the marble slab. Keeping up with the expectations, they had delectable flavor choices and the fudge was undoubtedly delicious.
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| The Raft on Kitch-iti-kipi |
Kitch-iti-kipi: A true hidden gem of Michigan. With increasing popularity, there is a huge influx of visitors recently. The park is open throughout the year. Visit during the winter months if you crave a one-of-a-kind experience. Kitch-iti-kipi is the largest freshwater spring in Michigan. The pool is 40 feet deep and the water is at 45 F throughout the year. The fissure at the bottom feeds the pool with 1000 Gallons/min of spring water. Ride the raft to get a good view of the lake. The fish and the bottom of the lake are clearly visible from the raft. Go the extra mile and visit Kitch-iti-kipi.
Pictured Rock National Lakeshore and Twelvemile Beach: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the crown jewel of the Upper Peninsula. The national lakeshore stretches from Grand Marais to Munising. There are plenty of walking trails, waterfalls, and beaches to explore. The longest of all beaches is the Twelvemile beach. The beaches are filled with colorful stones unique to this area.
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| Twelvemile Beach |
Pictured Rock Cruises: The best way to see Pictured Rocks are from Lake Superior. Pictured Rock Cruises is a popular choice. However, few other options like Kayaking, SUP, boat rentals are also available. There are no bounds to how much I regret not prebooking the cruise tickets for Pictured Rocks. Little did I expect that cruise cancellations were possible due to water levels.
Tahquamenon Falls: Michigan's UP has numerous beautiful waterfalls. If time permits, take a trip to Tahquamenon Falls (both upper and lower falls). The upper and lower falls are connected by a 10-mile walking trail. Both upper and lower falls are accessible by road too.
Visit the upper peninsular to enjoy Michigan's rugged beauty.
