Mackinac Island: A summer destination

By Greg Tasker

MACKINAC ISLAND — For a destination seemingly frozen somewhere in time, Mackinac Island always boasts something new each summer.

And this summer is no different.

This season much of the buzz centers around the reopening of the Inn at Stonecliffe after a $40 million renovation. Built in 1904 as a lakeside estate for a Chicago family, the refurbished inn includes new common spaces, renovated guest rooms, new bathrooms and up-to-date comforts. The property also includes the Summer House, a 26,000-square-foot structure built in 2020 and renovated during the past two years. The Summer House has 32 king and queen guest rooms with spacious layouts. Each is equipped with a kitchenette, small dining table and lake or garden views.

The two-year renovation restored many parts of the 18,500-square-foot mansion and property, staying true to its historic charm but adding modern elegance and amenities. For overnight guests, that means an elevated experience with personalized concierge service.

But you don’t have to be an overnight guest to enjoy some of the new amenities; three new dining concepts have been created and are open to the public. They feature products from Michigan and the Great Lakes and from the resort’s orchard and gardens. Dinner at The Straits, a fine dining option, is well worth the trek to the Inn at Stonecliffe, but for a casual option, consider its outdoor eatery, The Backyard, where you can eat and drink while stunning views of the Mackinac Bridge. The menu highlights include brick oven pizzas and a daily special called The Daily Flame. On Mondays, for example, the specials are beef kebab and smoked yogurt or cucumber and tomato salad — dubbed the Mediterranean Mingle.

The inn is home to a chef with Michelin-star credentials — believed to be a first for the island. Executive Chef Joseph Nardo most recently held the same title at the Camden Harbor Inn and Natalie’s Fine Dining in Maine. His Michelin background includes The French Laundry, Lazy Bear and The Dabney.

It’s a bit of an adventure to get to the Inn at Stonecliffe. It’s about two miles from downtown following Cadotte Avenue past the Grand Hotel and then taking Annex Road to the interior of the island. Expect some hills. You can get there by foot, bicycle or horse-drawn taxi.

 

Milliken Nature Center
If you’ve biked the island’s perimeter, you’ve passed or likely stopped by Arch Rock, perhaps Mackinac’s most notable among several natural landmarks. A newly opened  nature center at Arch Rock shares its geological story as well as the island’s. It’s believed Arch Rock is about 4,000 years old, hollowed out by splashing waves when water levels were much higher.

With its stone facade and wood beams, the $7.5 million Milliken Nature Center accentuates the natural beauty of Arch Rock. The main exhibit, “Arch Rock: Unsurpassed in Nature’s Beauty,” celebrates what is often called the “Star Attraction of Mackinac Island State Park.” There are dozens of historic images of Arch Rock on display and a timeline showing how the limestone arch was formed. Kids will enjoy an interactive 3D map of the island.

Arch Rock and the Milliken Nature Center are reachable by bike, foot or horse-drawn carriage. The new nature also features new public restrooms. And you can still climb the  207-step stairway to the Arch Rock viewing platform.

Closer to Mackinac’s downtown is the new Carousel Arcade, a great spot for families. The arcade offers state-of-the-art games and a selection of snacks and drinks — including adult drinks. The arcade is located on Market Street, which runs parallel to Main Street, and is part of the Bicycle Street Inn and Suites properties.

 

Resort additions
On the island’s east side, Mission Point Resort continues to focus on curated experiential offerings for guests and non-guests alike. The headliner this summer is The McCartney Years, a live concert celebrating the life of former Beatles Paul McCartney and his many hits. It’s the first time the resort’s Mission Point Theater has offered a show of this nature. Shows are performed at 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.  Other offerings include bird watching, painting classes, culinary events and cooking workshops.

One of my favorite spots to chill is Mission Point’s Round Island Kitchen. The resort renovated its main lobby and the bar and restaurant last year, creating a more open space with a summer-cottage-like vibe. It’s a relaxing spot to grab a bite to eat or drink and enjoy the panoramic views of the Straits.

Another favorite hangout is the Cupola Bar at the top of the iconic Grand Hotel. The one-of-a-kind bar has been updated and redesigned for the season, paying homage to one of the hotel’s former owners, W. Stewart Woodfill. The redo includes a glass display of Woodfill’s walking stick collection. If you’re a fan of the hotel’s colorful, bright decor, you’ll be pleased to know the Grand has renewed its partnership with the acclaimed design firm Dorothy Draper & Co. and there is now a retail shop on the property — Dorothy Draper Home at Grand Hotel.

Lastly, on the mainland, the first new building constructed at Colonial Michilimackinac — part of Mackinac State Historic Parks — since 2013 will open in early July and tells the seldom-told story of enslaved people at the settlement. Located at the east end of the Southwest Rowhouse, the building hosts the Slavery in the Straits exhibit.

Combining archaeological and archival research, the exhibit shows how slavery was an integral part of the fort community — as well as the rest of Michigan — throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Enslaved Black and Native American men and women worked in all levels of society, doing everything from domestic work to skilled labor.

The role slavery played at Colonial Michilimackinac has been explored in recent years. State park officials introduced a walking tour of the fort describing slavery in 2020 and have kept the tour on the schedule since then.

“Once we knew that we would have a new gallery space at the fort the decision was made to expand on this subject and dedicate an exhibit to the topic,” says Dominick Miller, chief of marketing for the Mackinac parks. “Slavery was an integral part of the community at Michilimackinac, and this allows us to highlight some of these people who were enslaved at the fort.”

Already a hub of the Great Lakes fur trade, Michilimackinac also served as the center of the regional trade in enslaved workers as French and British colonists exploited pre existing systems of Native American enslavement to feed a growing demand for enslaved labor.

For information on the Mackinac State Historic Parks, visit mackinacparks.com. For information on Mackinac Island, visit mackinacisland.org.

Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer.