The Upper Peninsula, Michigan 07/12-07/15 2019

We drove from Oconto, Wisconsin which is just north of Green Bay along the coast of Lake Michigan all the way to the tip of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  We stayed there at Straits State Park for a few days.  It is a really beautiful park with 50 amp service at most sites, but no water or sewer.

The view on the drive along Lake Michigan

Our camp site at Straits State Park

We discovered that the local food to try was the pastie.  Pronounced with a short "a" as in "last", not as in pasty white.  We both ordered the traditional beef served hot with gravy.  We also tried the local soft drink of choice, "Vernors".  It was kind of like ginger ale but with a stronger and sweeter taste.  The pasties were good but kind of dry so the gravy was a good thing.  Makes sense, since these are the traditional food for miners which they carried in their pockets when they went to work in the mines.  You wouldn't want anything too juicy!

We also took the ferry out to Mackinac Island which included a ride under the Mackinac Bridge on the way.  By the way - it is pronounced "Mackinaw" regardless of whether it is spelled ending with "w" or "c".  Here are some photos of that excursion:

View of the Mackinaw Bridge from the State Park where we camped

The bridge from the ferry

The bridge from the ferry

Docking at the island.  There were two ferry boats.  The one we are on which went out to the bridge first, and the one in the picture.

Harbor at the island

No cars allowed on the island - only horses and bicycles

A view down main street

Making fudge!  There are at least a dozen fudge stores in this very small main street.  Of course, Linda got some to take home...

The white walls are the perimeter of Fort Mackinac

The Chippewa Hotel and the Pink Pony restaurant where we had lunch.  Delicious apple, honey and nut flatbread.

The fancy taxi to the Grand Hotel

Lots of quaint little hotels like this.

Another hotel

Still another hotel.  They all look very cool!

Waiting to get in the ferry to go home.  We hit it at the right time - only waited about 2 minutes and then boarded.

On the ferry, ready for the ride back to St Ignace.