Thunder clouds are rolling across the U.P. this morning, and along with them, relief from the oppressive heat of the past few days.

The flags in this panorama of Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel seemed to be an appropriate image to unfurl on the eve of remembering last year's attack. Our thanks to new Pasty Cam contributor James Niskanen of Ohio for sharing a glimpse of their U.P. vacation.

God bless America because he already blessed the up!!!

I wonder if they tried to charge James a fee just to take this picture. They tried to charge me $5.00 just to walk on the street in front of the Hotel....in my opinion....no place is worth that!

God Bless America!

In June my husband and I enjoyed browsing about the 1st floor of the historic Grand Hotel, viewed a beautiful art exhibit dating back to the early 1900s and sat on the huge porch enjoying the scenic view - all for $10.00 each and worth every penney.

It probably is worth $10 each to view the art exhibit and interior, but come on,$5 to walk in front of the place, not even enter it? Sounds like "highway robbery" to me! :)

What a beautiful picture! Great shot, James.

Glad to hear things are cooling down in the Keweenaw. Please send the rain this way when you are done with it!

DITTO-ERIN!

I sailed the lakes aboard the SS North American the whole summer of '59. The North sailed from Chicago to Buffalo and back each week so we got to visit Mackinac Island twice a week. Before Labor Day the crews from the North and South put on a show in the Casino Room at the Grand. Sure was a fun summer. We walked all over the porch and hotel but the only thing we were charged for was to swim in their pool. It was a buck! The pool was the shape of Paul Bunyan's footprint.

ps. Let's not forget those families and heroes of 9/11. May HE continue to bless us!

My wife and two young boys visited the Island last month and walked up to the hotel to see it. My oldest boy (7) wanted to walk on the porch because he had read about it in a geography workbook he had on Michigan. We were blocked from the porch steps by a doorman who informed us of the $10 per head charge to view the lobby and porch. I was just as insulted then as I was almost 15 years ago when I wished to look at the famed hotel with my wife and was told we would have to pay. I do not know why there is a charge but can imagine several reasons (some logical, some socially offensive) but as far as my children are aware it is to help preserve the beauty of the building by controlling the number of people who stroll the floors.

Of all the hotel lobbies I've popped into here in Chicago to see what they look like, I've never been hit up with a service charge. Being able to preview the environs for free makes paying the high room rates a little more palatable (and I think management knows that).

Even if we did get a look at the hotel, I think the boys would still have felt the ferry ride was the best part of the trip. I just hope next time the fudge shops haven't started charging to watch them make fudge.

Hey Charlie,
Judging from the bridge-cam, it looks like things are clearing up. May be the makings of a typically beautiful Yooper sunset, heh?

Great Shot, Jim! Are you by chance "cousin Jim" of Barberton, Ohio???

I can't imagine a Hotel in Chicago having the potential draw for spectators as the Grand Hotel does with its panoramic view. How do you control the access to the porch without constantly chasing people off? By charging an access fee, I guess. I would imagine the guests pay a hefty daily rate and should have access to the porch without fighting the crowds. It is only snobbish or socially rude if you make it so. But then being politically correct is all that matters any more.

Sarah from St Clair Shores it is cousin Jim.
This was a vacation with Lauri & Carol last July.

We were on Mackinac 6 or 7 years ago and walked right up on the porch of the hotel and wandered all around the lobby and down halls. I thought there was a charge to go in but nobody hit us up for it. Maybe because it was a Friday afternoon in October?

Spent five days during Labor Day holiday in the UP and Keweenaw. Wish we never had to leave!
To quote "Escanaba in Da Moonlight" - "If you want to find Heaven, it's north of the Bridge."

Here's another photo of the Grand Hotel from our vacation in June. The island is such a beautiful place with scents of fudge and manure, an experience not to be missed!

Perhaps on 9/11, that's today, Grand Hotel
"viewing" fees will be waived, American flags
waved, and we can all be proud to live in a
FREE country.

Gotta be a sucker to pay $10 to stand on that porch.

I should probably never admit this, but a few years ago my partner and I were staying at the Iriquois Hotel on the island and wanted to take a look around the Grand as it had been years since either of us had stayed there. We didn't want to pay the $5.00 price for admission, and since it's my philsophy that there are times when it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission; we went to the far east end where there were no hotel employees, walked in a side door, and proceeded on as if we owned the place. When we went out onto the front porch it was time for high tea. We were promptly seated by hotel staff, ordered coffee and scones, and enjoyed the beautiful view all generously provided by the Grand Hotel.

Way to go John!! My hubby and I did the same thing from the same entrance only we didn't get any tea and scones! :)

John, you should have held out for a pasty.

go ahead and pay the 10.00 next year you will pay 20.00 to go on the porch.

In response to Marks comments from Chicago, I think his city has a similar offender: The Sears Tower.

How much do tickets to the Skydeck cost?*

Adult 12-64 $ 9.50
Senior 65+ $ 7.75
Youth 3-11 $ 6.75
Children Under 3 FREE!
*plus admissions tax

You pay for the view no matter where you are! I worked on Mackinac Island for 4 summers as a carriage/taxi driver. I would rather see the Strait's "skyline" over the Chicago, or Detroit, or /Insert Big City Name here/ any day of the week!

They charged me way more than that when my wife and I stayed there on our 25th anniversary last year!! And we LOVED it!!