We started our journey on the lower side of the peninsula viwing the Mackinac Lighthouse and the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City. (Mackinac is spelled different on each side of the bridge. North side=Mackinac, South side =Mackinaw. It's done this way because before the existence of zip codes they needed to keep the 2 areas seperated.)
Once we crossed the 5 mile long Mackinac Bridge, (What a site!) we arrived in what would be our next destination, St Ignace. St Igance is a quaint little town with lots of character. Wayne and I soon discovered that we had picked the right time of year to visit. We didn't have to fight other tourist to get anywhere and everything was peaceful.
In St Ignace we stayed at the Colonial House. While talking with the owners, we discovered that they had come to own the bed and breakfast 2 years ago due to the automotive industry woes in the Detroit area. They were both factory workers and had lost their jobs. They said that this past summer was the best one they had yet and maybe that the inn had ever had. Out of curiosity the owners have a habit of checking license plates to see where visitor have come from. This year they have noticed alot more coming from adjoining states and the majority coming from Michigan itself. It turns out the economy has been good for the tourist industry of the Upper Peninsula due to the many families who have decided to stay local to save money on vacations. Let me see if I can find a picture of the Colonial Inn.
