A Fairy Tale Island, Mackinac Island!

My trip to Mackinac Island over the Labor Day weekend was so exquisite that given a chance, I would go back to the Island and experience it all over again. The Island is located in Michigan and is accessible by a ferry from Mackinaw city that takes a few minutes to get to the Island. It is surrounded by Lake Michigan and Lake Huron which is cut across by the magnificent Mackinaw bridge. The moment I got out of the ferry, I could see tourists touring around the island in bicycles. The Island is just lovely and reminded me of the old days when there were no cars and the means of transport for everything including luggage/posts were carriages. The downtown of this little island was very extraordinary with horse carriages and bikes in both lanes, even the police was riding a bike. I was amazed to see the cute little Island which has a population of just 500 lucky people.

We headed towards the Mackinac Fort to learn more about the historical significance of this old town and enjoyed watching canyon and rifle firing with short description of how people survived during the wars. We then rented a bike to go around the Island that was a stretch of 8 miles surrounded by beautiful turquoise blue water on one end and forest on the other. I rode a tandem bike for the first time in my life and it was such an enjoyable experience. At a distance of about 2 miles, we parked our bikes to climb up and catch a sight of the arch rock. The view of the water from the arch rock was just breath-taking. We then continued to bike along the lake shore for 8 miles, the pleasant breeze and perfect weather made our ride very enjoyable.

We then reached back to downtown and started to explore the Island on foot. I enjoyed looking through shops with souvenir art shops and beautiful flower arrangements along the streets. The houses by the streets resembled farm houses with beautiful flower gardens and stables. We then walked towards the Grand Hotel which is the most famous hotel in the Island. We then made our way back to the market to enjoy some delicacies of the Island, delicious fudge and Mexican food. Over all I just loved my short one day visit to the Mackinac island and I would recommend it to all the travelers who are looking for an offbeat travel destination.

The Windy City ,Chicago!

The windy city Chicago is one of the finest metropolitan cities in the United States with a lovely architecture and design. Summer is definitely the best time to visit Chicago. I love Chicago and it has been my home away from home for the past few years. Here are the five most fun ways to discover the city in and out :

Take a Limo Ride around the city

The Limousine ride in the city takes you around the city and stops at four most prominent spots in the city. It stops by the Giant Bean in the Millennium Park, Buckingham fountain in the Grand Park, Museum campus by Lake Michigan and The Navy pier. Photograph the giant bean to capture yourself inside it. Stroll by the lively Navy Pier by the sailor boats and the cruises to get a perfect skyline view of the city.If you are lucky,you might get a sight of the summer fireworks showcased at the Navy Pier every Wednesday and Saturday.Watch the Buckingham fountain go high up in the sky and enjoy the lights and music that make the fountain even more spectacular.

Bike the trails by the Lake Michigan

Chicago city framework is pretty impressive in terms of biking trails. To explore the city even more closely, go biking by the Lake Michigan starting from the museum campus all the way to Navy pier and reach to the North Avenue Beach at the other end. Make stops in between to enjoy the view of the boats and ships by the harbor and the beaches on the way. Cheap rental Divvy bikes are available in all these spots which makes it very convenient.

View the city from the top

Chicago is just incomplete without its enormous Skyscraper which is a picturesque view especially at night. The Sears tower and the John Hancock tower are the two tall buildings which offer best views of the city from the top. The Signature Lounge at the 94^th floor in the John Hancock tower is one of the very romantic restaurants in the city.

Shop Shop Shop

Downtown Chicago offers both extravagant and economical shopping choices depending on which you like to go with. The Magnificent Mile in downtown is the shopping hub and more economical than the Michigan Avenue which has flashy showrooms and more extravagant choices. The water tower place is another location to shop and is very lively to walk by and watch the busy city.

 Stroll by the River Walk

The city of Chicago has canals and river running in the heart of the city. Stroll by the river walk and take architectural boat rides to indulge into the history of Chicago. Spring season welcomes the Saint Patrick’s Day when the water in the river walk turns green to signify Irish culture. In short the diverse city Chicago has anything and everything that a tourist wishes to explore.