We went to Mackinac Island for our 10 year anniversary. This was our first time away from the kids. Mackinac Island is located about 7 hours North-East from Chicago having to drive basically around Lake Michigan to the far opposite side of the lake.  Motor vehicles are not allowed on the island.  Modes of transportation consist of horse-drawn carriages and bicycles.  It is therefore very quiet and relaxing.  The air is very clean and pristine.

Mackinac Island was long home to an Odawa settlement and previous indigenous cultures before European colonization began in the 17th century. It was a strategic center of the fur trade around the Great Lakes. Based on a former trading post, Fort Mackinac was constructed on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the site of two battles during the War of 1812 before the northern border was settled and the US gained this island in its territory.

In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Many of the structures on the island have undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration. Because of its historic significance, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for numerous cultural events; a wide variety of architectural styles, including the Victorian Grand Hotel. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.