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Summertime is the perfect time for a road trip
Road trips are a fun and easy way to wander somewhere new. The trick is to pick a destination within driving distance, invite someone fun to travel with, grab some snacks, then start exploring!
It’s been on my sister-in-law’s bucket list to visit Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan. So, finally, we hopped in the car and headed north.
Along the way, we stopped to explore Saugatuck, Traverse City and Holland – all three quaint little towns along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.
Saugatuck
We took off in rain and thunderstorms early in the morning and drove into pretty blue skies. Saugatuck is midway between Indianapolis and Traverse City, where we had a hotel room waiting, so it was a great destination for a planned lunch and a stretch break.
Michigan is known for cherries, and being the end of June, we were just ahead of prime cherry time. So… Cherries became the theme of our road trip.
Road Trip Tip: Find out what is unique about the area you’ll be visiting and seek out ways to celebrate that uniqueness along the way.
Things to do in Saugatuck
[Click on images to enlarge]
- Park on Culver Street and head into downtown. Browse in and out of the cute little shops.
- Start your cherry affair by purchasing some of the local offerings: cherry salsa, cherry sauces, cherry sweets
- Take a ride on the historic Saugatuck Chain Ferry to make your way across the Kalamazoo River to explore Oval Beach and the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area.
- Stop for lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the water.
We asked around for the “best place to eat lunch.” We definitely were not disappointed with the recommendation of The Butler. Good food, good service and nice outdoor seating on a patio overlooking the river.
Traverse City
We made it to Traverse City that night, but not without a little adventure… Not long after our lunch stop, we started getting tornado watch weather alerts from home. Being a California girl, I still get really nervous at the mention of tornadoes and still struggle to remember which is worse – “watch” or “warning.” [warning is definitely worse]
We got checked into a room at The Baywatch Resort and immediately opened the door leading onto a patio overlooking the beach. I absolutely recommend paying the little bit extra for a water view! The hotel had been recently renovated and is lovely, with wonderful staff ready to make our stay special.
Thankfully, the worst of the storm for our road trip was some heavy rain that made for a good story later in the night when we drove across the street from our hotel to the Red Mesa Grill for dinner. We thought driving the VERY short distance would be safer and drier, but after a downpour during dinner, I managed to step in a puddle, getting wet halfway up to my knees. On our girls’ trip, that just inspired more laughing and good memories in the making.
Moral of this story: Don’t let a little Midwest weather spoil your road trip. It’s true what they say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes and it will change.”
Cherries, shopping and beach days
Traverse City is the heart of cherry country, growing nearly 40% of the cherries produced in the U.S. At the beginning of every July, they celebrate with an annual Cherry Festival. No matter what time of year you visit though, you can easily continue your cherry-themed adventure in Traverse City with cherry cider, cherry coffee, cherry pie, cherry Kentucky mule… Cherry yum!
Cherry Republic is a great place to sample all things cherry in one place, in addition to doing a little wine tasting.
For an after noon lunch, Pangea’s Pizza offers a cute rooftop dining area. (NOTE: Pangea’s is undergoing renovations starting in September 2025.)
If you’re staying at the Baywatch Resort – or any of the other lakefront hotels in Traverse City – make time for a beach day (or two). Even though you’re on the shores of Lake Michigan, it feels like a day at the ocean with the vastness of the Great Lake and the sound of the waves.
Bucket list day on Mackinac Island
From Traverse City, drive up to Mackinaw City, then hop on the Mighty Mac ferry to Mackinac Island. The island is even more lovely, quaint and historically interesting than you might imagine.
You can explore by foot, horse-drawn carriage, or bicycle; but not by car!
Fun facts about Mackinac Island
- Taking the Mighty Mac ferry to the island, you get to travel on TWO Great Lakes, separated under the Mackinac Bridge – Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
- The Mackinac Bridge, opened in 1957, is the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world (5 miles).
- “Mackinac” vs. “Mackinaw”… Both are pronounced MACK-in-awe, but the two spellings reflect the French and British influences in the island’s history.
- State Highway M-185 is the ONLY state highway that doesn’t allow motorized vehicles. For more than 125 years, transportation on Mackinac Island has been restricted to foot, bike and horse carriages.
- The Grand Hotel was built in 93 days in 1887 and features the world’s longest covered porch (668 feet).
- Mackinac Island State Park, covering 80% of the island, was originally the United State’s 2nd National Park, opened just three years after Yellowstone National Park.
The Grand Hotel
You might recognize the Grand Hotel from the 1980 movie Somewhere in Time starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. Stepping into the hotel is like stepping back in time to how it appeared in 1912 when the movie took place.
Visitors to Mackinac Island are invited to explore the hotel and grounds for a small fee.
If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, plan on lunch in the Main Dining Room where you can share in the pageantry of the Grand Lunch Experience. It’s pricey, but you’re paying for the experience more than just the food.
The buffet included salads, traditional English tea sandwiches, assorted seafood and a carving station, plus a beautiful dessert buffet. Everything is served on pretty china dinnerware with silver place settings adding to the experience.
After lunch, sit and rock for a bit on the world’s longest covered porch or sip a cocktail in the Cupola Bar while enjoying panoramic views of Lake Michigan. Then wander down the path past the Esther Williams Swimming Pool and head back toward Main Street to start exploring the island.
Horse-drawn carriage tour
As soon as you land on Mackinac Island – before walking up to the Grand Hotel for lunch – buy tickets for an afternoon horse-drawn carriage tour. Tickets sell fast, so it’s best to get them early.
The nearly two-hour narrated tour will take you around the island and through part of Mackinac Island State Park. Stops along the way include:
- Surrey Hills Museum
- Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory
- Arch Rock
- Fort Mackinac
The driver and tour guide shares factual (and comical) details of the island’s history along the way, bringing even more wonder and awe to your visit.
More to explore on Mackinac Island
- The Pink Pony Cocktail Lounge is a fun place to sit and sip a cocktail while listening to live music
- Enjoying beer cheese bisque soup paired with No Cars Allowed Cream Ale on the patio at Great Turtle Brewery & Distillery is a perfect light summer dinner
- High-quality reproductions of paintings from the Detroit Institute of Arts are on display around Mackinac Island as part of their Inside|Out program
- Turtle references found around the island stem from the native origins of Mackinac Island, once called “Michilimackinac,” meaning “great turtle”
- Flowers bloom and brighten the island everywhere you look. Among them are the lilacs inspiring the annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival each summer
- There are more than a dozen fudge shops on the island, and around Traverse City, making fudge tasting a must-do activity for visitors.
Holland
One last stop on your Western Michigan road trip adventure should be Holland, Michigan… the land of tulips, wooden clogs, Dutch windmills and more things cherry. From their Tulip Festival in May to snow-free, warmed downtown streets in the middle of winter, Holland is ready to welcome visitors year-round.