City Girl Goes Camping

I think I may have mentioned before that I really don't like hate camping. I hate getting dirty, I don't like getting wet, and I really hate bugs! However, this past weekend I went camping in Mackinaw City!

My husband and I decided to take our time on the drive up, and made a quick stop in Frankenmuth. We arrived at the Bavarian Inn just in time to watch the famous Glockenspiel tell the story of the Pied Piper of Hameln. Finding an empty bench under a nice shady tree, we enjoyed the summer breeze and watched the story unfold.

                 

 

The drive up north was long, but the weather was perfect so we mostly drove with the windows down. I was getting anxious as we neared our destination, however all the doubts running through my head about our campground and cabin were quickly relieved when I saw the lovely cabin that would be our home for the next 2 nights.

                               

And the views were nothing less than breathtaking! 

The view right behind our cabin!

Mackinac Bridge from a lookout point at our campgrounds

Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel visible from the beach

The following day I had my very first trip across the Mackinac Bridge and into the Upper Peninsula! I know it might not sound like much, but having been born and raised in Michigan and never getting up this far north, it was a big deal!

The view from the center of the Mackinac Bridge

My first time here! 

We stopped and ate lunch at a pizzeria that allowed us to eat on a patio overlooking the beautiful Great Lakes of Michigan (the Mackinac Straits is the connecting point of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan). We then decided to do something fun and different, and went to the world famous Mystery Spot in St. Ignace.

And being the "Doubting Thomas" that he is, my husband volunteered for all the spectacles to debunk the mystery as just optical illusions.

                           

 

Even if it really is just one big optical illusion, it was a lot of fun that created memories we will share for a lifetime!

On the morning of our departure we decided to drive down to the Michilimackinac State Park, and walk along the sandy/pebble stone beach enjoying the wondrous views one last time.

And because it is a tradition my Grandmother taught me long ago, we took our shoes off and put our feet in the water to enjoy the feel of two Great Lakes at once!

The cabin was cute and extremely clean, the views were more lovely than I even dreamed, and it was a trip that was long overdue in my life. It may not have been technically camping in the traditional sense, but to this city girl it was as close to camping as I like to get!

Have you taken any trips this summer? What is your favorite vacation spot?