Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

The Mackinac Point Lighthouse served as a navigational beacon to boats traveling through the Straights of Mackinac from 1890 until it was replaced by instrumentation on the new Mackinac Bridge in 1957. Today, the restored lighthouse is open to the public.

Admission includes a guided tour of the lighthouse tower (as space is available), viewing of the keepers' quarters, a movie about shipwrecks in the straights, and a shipwreck museum to complement the movie.

Fresnel Lens

Mackinac Bridge

The Mackinac Bridge spans 26,372 feet across the Straights of Mackinac to connect Michigan's Upper and Downer peninsulas. That's about 1 RV short of 5 miles. The suspension part of the bridge is 8,614 feet; currently making it the 5th longest suspension bridge in the world.

Live Bridge Cams

A memorial to the 5 men who lost their lives building the bridge

$4 per car to cross the bridge

The Gangplank

We stopped for lunch at The Gangplank restaurant, across the street from the city marina in Saint Ignace, Michigan. Good food. Good views.

Castle Rock

Castle Rock is a stack of limestone that rises nearly 200 feet above the waters of Lake Huron, just a few miles north of Saint Ignace, Michigan. For $1 visitors can climb the stairs to the rock and enjoy the views of the surrounding area.

Tower of History

The Tower of History rises 210 feet above Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, giving visitors an great view of the area. We visited the tower on our way out of town.

I thought for a moment that it might have been better to have visited the tower at the start in order to see from above before our time in Sault Sainte Marie. However, I would not have recognized what I was looking at had we not first spent a few days in the town. Maybe the tower would be a good place to visit in the middle of one's stay in the area. That way you can both see what you've already discovered and discover new things to explore.

The Tower of History

It looks even taller from up close

We take the elevator, and I resist the urge to ring the bell

Looking down, I'm kind of glad I didn't take the stairs

Now, this is an amazing view

I can see Canada from here

I'm feeling a bit high

The power plant

A freighter that just crossed through the Soo Locks

Looking up

The Valley Camp -- a freighter docked and transformed into a museum

There's our motel

A bridge to Canada

A passage to an observation deck on the other side of the tower

I see Sophia