Fort Mackinac: Explore, Unwind, And Enjoy Breathtaking Views

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* Disclosure: I received complimentary fort tickets to assist in writing this article. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🙂 *

It’s mid-afternoon on Mackinac Island, the sun is shining, and you’re looking for a place to spend some quality time with your family or significant other. So far, you’ve raided the shops downtown, enjoyed a carriage tour, and even biked up and down Main Street a few times. You’re looking for a place where you and your crew can enjoy an hour or two learning about the island’s history, but you wouldn’t mind a little break (hey—exploring an entire island can wear you out)! Where can you go to enjoy a leisurely time of exploration and sightseeing?

Fort Mackinac is an awesome solution to the “I wanna do something but I wanna take it easy at the same time” quandary. Built by the British during the Revolutionary War, this historical encampment shifted control between British and American soldiers for over a century. While the site is situated atop a tall hill, Fort Mackinac is easily accessible by horse taxi (for those who are unable to climb or feeling a little tired) and is one of several convenient drop-off spots for visitors taking part in Mackinac Island Carriage Tours (click here to learn more)! Upon arrival, you’ll have plenty of room to wander and stretch your legs, but the go-at-your-own-pace design makes this attraction perfect for groups of all abilities and energy levels.

Soldiers’ Barracks (1859)

Inside Fort Mackinac, you’ll see restored Revolutionary War barracks, animatronic storytelling, and costumed men and women reenacting court trials and demonstrating activities from centuries ago. Much of the activity happens on the center lawn, where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! The grounds are gorgeous and extremely peaceful, with the exception of pre-scheduled rifle and cannon demonstrations—but those are cool enough to be worth a little break in the silence, right? 😉 Fort tickets also include admission to several historic buildings in downtown Mackinac Island, so hold on to your passes for additional exploring later in the day!

North Blockhouse (1798)

This reenactment of a disobedient soldier’s trial was a hoot!

Before a more humane prison cell was installed in 1828, this underground “Black Hole” housed rebellious soldiers. Yikes!

Despite happily gawking at all of the exhibits, I have to admit that my favorite part of Fort Mackinac actually lay just outside of the inner fort walls. Brad and I both knew that there was something cool through that mysterious doorway, but it wasn’t until we saw it ourselves that we understood why so many people were interested in what was on the other side.

Who would have thought that an old war fort would provide such amazing views? From our vantage point, we could see so much—downtown Mackinac, gorgeous homes, yachts and sailboats, and the Mackinac Bridge. I’ve never been to Europe, but something about the scenes we saw that day made me feel as though we had traveled across the Atlantic for the day . . . so different from anything else I’ve seen in the U.S.!

Wanting to sit and stay a while, Brad and I opted for pie and lemonade at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room, a Grand Hotel-owned restaurant located in a prime viewing spot on the fort. Because we were there between lunch and dinner, we had the place allllmost to ourselves (I think one other table was occupied), so the Tea Room was really a great place to have a few minutes away from other tourists.

The view from our table at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room

Cherry pie, pretty napkins, and scenic views – love it!

I could have stayed the entire afternoon, but after resting up, we still had a very important to-do to check off our list: Stay tuned for our experience of biking Mackinac Island!

Have you visited Fort Mackinac and the Fort Mackinac Tea Room? What was your favorite part of the experience? Comment below! 🙂

Click below for more Mackinac Island:

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Fort Mackinac: Explore, Unwind, And Enjoy Breathtaking Views

Have you visited Fort Mackinac and the Fort Mackinac Tea Room? What was your favorite part of the experience? Comment below! 🙂

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Fort Mackinac: Explore, Unwind, And Enjoy Breathtaking Views

Have you visited Fort Mackinac and the Fort Mackinac Tea Room? What was your favorite part of the experience? Comment below! 🙂

Hi! I'm Jennifer.

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