Mackinac Island - Tom-ay-to or Tom-ah-to? Oh Fudge!

 A feeling of stepping back in time while you ponder life's greatest debates. Is it Pee-can or Puh-con? Is it Tom-ay-to or -Tom-ah-to? Is it Mackinack or Mackin -awe? For the record, the official pronunciation of this no car island town at the top of Michigan is Mackin-awe. Though if you ask Dad he'll say we went to Mackinack and then swear he pronounced it as Mackin-awe if you correct him. Also, he'll probably not even remember we went there until you describe it as the town where he got ice cream and fudge. 

Our day started early with a spotting of our sister expedition ship, Viking Polaris. Polaris was in the middle of the itinerary that went further north and embarked in Thunder Bay. This was their port day for Mackinac Island as well. Didn't think you'd end up having more than one ship in port during an itinerary like this, did you? I snapped some photos of their ship anchored across the water and posted them with a friendly hello message to the Facebook group for the Viking Great Lakes itinerary. Several Polaris passengers replied with hellos back and their own photo view of Octantis. It was like the Caribbean ports where you often see other ships docked across from you but close enough to wave and yell back and forth.

Our view of Viking Polaris taken from our cabin window on this foggy morning in Mackinac:

While Mackinac by Horse-Drawn Carriage is the only included tour for this port, it was beat out in popularity by the Mackinac by Foot option for our sailing. It certainly felt though like the bulk of the passengers went for the two main options, the included Horse-Drawn Carriage or the extra cost Mackinac Island & the Grand Hotel. Mackinac by Foot lasts two hours and is listed as moderate. This is a guided tour and what guided tour would be complete without leading you to a gift shop at the end, in this case a fudge shop. This is the only tour today that required use of the QuietVox. 

This was another tender port so anyone with a tour in the afternoon had to budget their time for the tender ride to meet their tour on the pier. The streets and sidewalks were packed with two ships visiting in the middle of tourist season on a decent weather day so except for the narration, I felt like we did that tour too just trying to find our way back to the tender pier. 

There was one session of Mackinac Island Natural Wonders by Bike which lasts two hours and 30 minutes and is listed as demanding. The bike ride covers the eight mile Lake Shore Drive that encircles the island with guided narration and occasional stops at viewpoints. There was also only one session of Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel which lasts two hours and 45 minutes and is listed as moderate. The main difference between this excursion and the included Mackinac by Horse-Drawn Carriage is that you get lunch after the carriage ride at the Grand Hotel versus a "drive-by." The moderate activity level comes from the fact that they leave you to walk back into town after lunch or get your own horse drawn taxi. This is also one of the pricier excursions and we couldn't see spending the extra just to get a buffet lunch.

Mackinac by Horse-Drawn Carriage lasts two hours and 30 minutes and is listed as easy. Everything we read about the tour beforehand described the first carriage ride from downtown to the Surrey Hills Museum as a narrated taxi ride. You would get some history during the scenic ride and then time to browse the museum boarding the next larger carriage when you were ready. There were carriage employees there helping people into the higher carriage but I had trouble being able to lift my legs and twist to get into the row over a wheel well that they directed me to. Their intent was to fit four people per row so it's not very fluffy friendly. Finally, the employee saw my continued struggles and allowed me to move to the next row beyond the wheel well and eventually brought over a small step so I didn't have to lift my leg as high. 

Other than being sandwiched in and bounced around, the ride was enjoyable with a funny and charismatic carriage driver. We did intentionally ride along the front of the Grand Hotel to give a very brief glimpse of the outside before moving on. One of my favorite sights was a beautiful personal flower garden with a sign out front that said "Gardener wanted. You must look good bent over!"

The infamous garage door where the only motorized vehicles (emergency services) are allowed and housed at the police station.

What our carriage driver joked was "rush hour traffic"

Once our group arrived at the Surrey Hills Museum we were helped off the high carriage and set off for bathroom breaks and time to browse. We had just barely started browsing when we hear a woman yelling from the opposite exit for the Viking group to come to the exit as our next carriage was about to leave. We walked over to ask about what carriage ride she meant and the expectation that this would be more like a hop on/hop off system to grab at our leisure. She was very adamant that as part of the Viking group that this was the only carriage and the only chance we had to catch the rest of the promised tour. I don't know if it was a matter of only allowing one carriage that didn't require purchasing like any public visitor or that they had something else to offer on the tour that the general public wasn't getting. We were really disappointed to miss out on exploring the museum grounds and barely got a seat in the last row of the carriage. Thankfully this carriage was lower to the ground and more like a trolley. There was also room to spread out so we could seat four to five comfortably versus having to really get to know your neighbor.

While this carriage had a different driver, he was just as funny and charismatic. He was enamored by dogs and would routinely stop mid story to point out a dog being walked by someone as we passed. After a leisurely ride through a wooded area, we reached Arch Rock and were given time to hop out and walk up a handful of steps to the viewing platform.

The last stop on this portion of the tour was Fort Mackinac. As passengers on the Viking tour, our fee to view the fort was waived. Those who didn't want to go in could stay on the trolley to be taken back to town. Dad was interested in seeing the fort so we chose to stick around. I found it funny that after letting in several of our group who had just hopped off the same supposedly Viking only trolley, the ladies manning the gate entrance stopped me to be sure I was really part of the Viking group. Thankfully a simple yes ma'am was all it took to be allowed through but I would have gladly produced my Viking seapass for them.

There is a good bit of walking to do at this fort with minimal exhibits but we had all the time in the world to go at our own pace. There were some catwalk style bridges with a few steps up and down but also easy ways to go around on the grass. Several uniformed Boy Scouts were stationed throughout the fort to help direct people and answer questions. 

While officers on the Viking Octantis bridge may have preferred Coke and Fanta, it appears that Fort Mackinac soldiers, guides, and reenactors prefer blue Gatorade:

Once we asked a Boy Scout how to get back to town, he directed us to this long steep sidewalk that takes you from the top of the fort to the downtown area. While we did get passed by a few people picking this uphill climb to get into the fort from town, I was glad our entire stretch was downhill. The higher vantage point looking out at the water from the fort made for some great views:

Once back in town, Dad rewarded himself for our walk around the fort with some ice cream from the Good Day Cafe. I love not only how proud of his treat he looks in this photo but also how that random photo makes it look like the lady on the bench behind him has an ice cream cone for a head.

Momentarily appeased like a toddler with a snack, Dad was willing to follow me around as I popped in and out of the gift shops. After passing several fudge shops, we settled on picking up a three slice variety pack from Ryba's Fudge Shop. We chose the flavors of vanilla, chocolate peanut butter, and sea salt caramel. Once back on board, we stowed the box in our cabin fridge and ended up bringing it all home in our checked luggage. Held up well and we enjoyed it for weeks after stored in our home fridge. One thing to watch out for when you're ready to head back to the tender pier is to take note of which Ryba's Fudge Shop you were standing by when they tell you to use the shop as your landmark to find the pier again. Turns out the one we bought our fudge from was several blocks down the road from the one we where we boarded the tall carriage. We walked back and forth so much repeatedly asking shop owners and local police before we finally found the pier that I'm convinced we worked off all the calories we replaced while eating that fudge. 

One of the nice touches I enjoyed about our port days on Viking Octantis is that the video screens in each elevator changed the message to fit whatever port we were in that day. On that one screen as you rode the elevator down to your meeting point, you could learn the name of the port, where the gangway was located, what documentation you needed to get on/off the ship, and what time you needed to be back on board.

After evening turndown service tonight, each cabin was gifted with a one hour back time change notice and a small block (about 1/2 the size we bought from the fudge shop and just perfect for two people to indulge) of chocolate fudge from the other popular chain, Murdick's Fudge Shop. 

Time for a tender moment in Alpena

Our next port stop was to a town called Alpena located along the right side of the upper peninsula, continuing our visits around the state of Michigan. Visiting Alpena requires the use of a tender which in our case meant using the ship's own life boats to ferry groups of passengers back and forth to shore. Those booked on the morning tour sessions were to report to Manfredi's before being called by tour number to board the next available tender. Those booked on the afternoon tour sessions were required to plan their time accordingly so that they got themselves on the tender at least 30 minutes before their scheduled time to meet on the pier. Every tour today except the Thunder Bay Catch and Cook required the use of the QuietVox.

The tender/lifeboats were some of the roomiest I've seen on a cruise ship. We had some decent room to spread out and the crew was always ready to lend a hand getting in and out. 

When we were looking at the options in order to plan out which excursions we wanted once they were open for booking, I fell in love with the Lighthouses of Michigan tour especially when I confirmed that you can climb them both. The options beforehand did not list this tour as included but I was ready to book it regardless. When it came to book excursions, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this one was listed as included as well as the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage tour. The other three tour options that were an extra cost only had one time slot each - Thunder Bay Catch and Cook (as it took 7 hours), Flora & Fauna of North Point (3.5 hours), and Cheers to Alpena (3.5 hours). The Flora & Fauna of North Point tour was only in the morning and Cheers to Alpena was only in the afternoon. I guess they didn't want anyone drinking for breakfast.

Dad was not as excited about climbing all the stairs involved in a lighthouse so he spent the morning on the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage tour. The tour is listed as easy and lasting three hours. The small Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center is located right by the pier where the tender boats dock. While Dad's tour included a guided escort through the museum, my tour group was not only paraded through to get to the bus at street level but we also had the option of browsing on our own after our tour returned. The rest of his tour featured a glass bottom boat ride to view shipwrecks. Dad said it was "nice for an included tour" but wouldn't have felt like it was worth the money if he'd had to pay for it. I did take the time to browse the museum after my tour and was very tempted to join the many people who were purchasing hot fresh popped popcorn from the gift shop. 

My Lighthouses of Michigan tour lasted three hours and was listed as moderate. There is nothing saying you have to climb the lighthouses. Looking at them from the outside and exploring the surrounding grounds reading the information can still be entertaining. We first visited the older and smaller of the two lighthouses, the Old Presque Isle lighthouse at a height of 30 feet, and met the manager who gave us a little bit of history before we climbed. Since the platform at the top is so small, the manager only allowed about five to eight people at a time to climb. I joined the group that made a beeline for the lighthouse versus exploring the grounds and was the last one allowed in that first group to climb. We could hear our fellow tour members urging us to come back down so they could have a turn. There is normally a fee of $5 for adults to climb but that fee was waived for us on the Viking tour. 

This bronze bell was moved here when the old city hall was torn down. Our guide joked that there's always somebody on a tour who goes over and chooses to test out the bell. No one did until I was back on solid ground. I can only imagine what it sounded like to the people currently climbing.

Our bus pulled up to the first lighthouse right in front of the statue of Patrick Garrity, Sr. that sits in front of the lightkeeper's house as a tribute to all Presque Isle Township lighthouse keepers.

Our second stop via bus was the New Presque Isle Lighthouse built in 1870 at a new location more inland so that its light could be seen from further away and around all sides of the coastline. This newer lighthouse reaches a height of 113 feet. We also were allowed to climb this lighthouse which was a notably more taxing effort. Our bus driving guide stood watch at the base of this lighthouse to help keep the groups going in at one time to a minimum for comfort sake. This lighthouse had little platforms the width of the windows as you climbed so anyone who needed a break could step off and out of the way of other climbers. There was also a little lightkeeper's house on the property that you could tour but it didn't open right away due to lighthouse staff not being able to come in as planned. The manager of both lighthouses had to rush over from the first lighthouse and man the lightkeeper's home rather than give us a tour of the grounds. A new roof was being put on the lightkeeper's home but it did not inconvenience climbing and exploring the grounds. Unfortunately, being historic lighthouse structures, there is no handicapped accessibility in place. While most of us in the group did make the climb, a few opted to just walk the grounds outside. 

This lighthouse had metal spiral steps and a handrail but was still tight quarters until you reached one of these platforms.

Thank you lighthouse for the words of encouragement!

The steps themselves were narrow about the width of one of my feet on the wall side

One of the window alcoves you could step off into to rest and/or enjoy the view

The exit/entrance to the outside platform at the top

The view from the top

Back down on solid footing I took the time to walk around the grounds.

My joints certainly felt these climbs for the next day or so but I love the challenge and the aerial views. I'm glad I took the time to walk at home routinely leading up to this trip. It was important to me to accomplish this goal and I'm proud of having "stepped" up and succeeded.

Returning to the USA to start the remainder of our Great Lakes tour stops

Our fourth day of the cruise meant we had finished all of our Canadian port stops and would now visit towns solely in the USA. Our first USA stop was the city of Detroit, Michigan and as a result of arriving from outside the country, everyone was required to visit the local customs office. If you weren't going on a Viking tour today, you were assigned the "independent group" which met at 9:15AM on the pier for a 9:20AM departure via shuttle bus to the US CBP office. Those who did book tours had the time built in to their excursion so that the same tour bus being used on the tour could take your group to the customs office first before heading straight on with the normal tour. This is one instance then in which you would need to carry your passport with you on the tour. 

For those who did not wish to book a tour, Viking Cruises also offered a complimentary shuttle bus service from the port to the Campus Martius Park and back again. The shuttle service ran from 9:15AM to 12:30PM as we had a 1PM ship departure. 

The two included tour options for today were The Henry Ford Museum of Innovation and The Ford Rouge Factory. We lamented about not being able to visit both since it was such a short port time. If you are visiting the city without being limited to a port schedule, you can check out the package option of booking both with a museum provided shuttle to get back and forth. The Henry Ford Museum of Innovation is listed as moderate and lasts four hours. The Ford Rouge Factory is also labeled as moderate and lasts three hours and thirty minutes. The paid options were Iridescent Art of Detroit's Landmarks and Edsel & Eleanor Ford House. The Henry Ford Museum of Innovation was definitely the most popular choice with 6 of today's 11 tour groups/buses allocated for it. All tours required the use of the QuietVox boxes. 

We chose to book The Henry Ford Museum of Innovation and had an 8:50AM meet up time. The customs process was very efficient with dedicated parking for tour buses and personnel keeping the flow of people organized preventing delays at the counters and only allowing small groups in at a time to keep people from standing in line too long. I was back on the bus waiting for the rest of our tour group to finish by 9:15AM. Now if only they could teach their wisdom and efficiency to the grocery checkout lines. 

Admission to the museum was included with the tour. Our tour guide was very informative, funny, and engaging with the group. She had tons of stories as we drove past some Detroit landmarks. Then she played a medley of her favorite motown hits for everyone to sing along. Our time in the museum under her guidance gave us a lot of great knowledge and stories as she escorted us to various exhibits. After covering much of the museum, she gave us the option to stick with her or explore on our own. We really appreciated having the choice when on excursions because there is always something that we are sad to have missed or wish to spend more time checking out. Several of the group chose to go off on their own so she gave us a time to meet back at the entrance. I was impressed with how I could still hear her commentary through the QuietVox even as we moved further from her to explore. This also came in handy when she encouraged everyone to stop and use the restrooms before she started our tour of the museum and I ended up hearing the first 10 minutes of the tour while waiting to clear the women's restroom line!

While at first thought, you might be inclined to pass on visiting The Henry Ford Museum of Innovation because you are not interested in cars, I highly suggest you visit the museum anyway. While a small portion is dedicated to the history of Ford and the progression to the cars you see on the road today, you could spend hours touring the various exhibits. While educational, it is also engaging and entertaining so your kids will be just as enthralled as you. There are several hands on exhibits to hold attention spans of all lengths and ages.

With our guide we viewed historic presidential limos, the evolution of steam engines, innovations in the use of electricity and more. On our own, we browsed the limited time exhibit dedicated to Julia Child's life and career (fascinating for any foodie like myself), the exhibit through the decades, and the room full of Hallmark Christmas ornaments.

The Sunshine Special presidential limo used by Franklin Roosevelt named because he liked to ride in it with the top down. It also featured a back that opened up so they could push in his wheelchair yet conceal it once in public.

Dad! Act like you're a superhero stopping a speeding train!

The origin of the "What in the Sam Hill?!" phrase:

What first class looked like on that first flight to Hawaii:

While our visit to Kitty Hawk, NC in 2019 enabled us to walk the true distance and location of the Wright Brothers' first flight, this museum had a line and plaque along the floor to show the same distance. 

The chair President Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated. Our guide told us that fibers were tested from the dark spot at the top to confirm that it is a blood stain.

My bologna has a first name:

I have a couple friends who love collecting the Hallmark ornaments every year. This was just one set of display cases. They were organized some by decades of release and others by category like all TV show themed or all toys themed.

The Julia Child: A Recipe For Life exhibit was great to walk through with many pictures, quotes, video clips, and an interactive TV set where you could pose and pretend like you were hosting a cooking show. The real video cameras displayed your image on the TV in front of the counter. A museum employee was on hand there to take pictures for everyone and encouraged us to get involved in using the props provided.

If you stood in front of this giant replica of Julia's cookbook long enough, the graphics would make it look like the pages were being flipped.

The cooking show set:

Any moment now The Food Network will be calling to offer us our own show. Our plastic fish was so fresh it flew out of the pan while we were pretending to cook it!

We discovered a simulator where you could mimic driving a racecar. It was a small extra cost but unfortunately the next available time slot was for 15 minutes after our meeting time. If this is something you'd like to try, bypass everything else and get signed up first before taking the time to browse the other exhibits.