Mackinac Island a Dream Come True in August of 1999
"That which you think becomes your world."
Duane and I were drawn to Mackinac Island by seeing the movie "Somewhere in Time." I never would have dreamed that I would be taking my Second Honeymoon to celebrate 20 years of marriage on Mackinac Island . It truly was a dream come true. As I reflect on those days spent on the island I want to share with you about our exciting experience.
Our Wedding took place on June 29, 1979. So this past June we celebrated our 20th Anniversary. Duane and I were on opposite sides of the world with his job taking him toSaudi Arabia Mackinac Island . It has been 18 years since we were last able to get away for a whole week. Our last "long" vacation was in 1981 taking a two week whirlwind tour of the U.S.A.
Our Wedding took place on June 29, 1979. So this past June we celebrated our 20th Anniversary. Duane and I were on opposite sides of the world with his job taking him to
The Dream...
Back in 1980 after seeing "Somewhere In Time" we watched the credits to see where the filming took place. We thought, "wouldn't that be a wonderful place to go to someday?" Well?...that "someday" took place on Monday, August 23, 1999. Stepping off Shepler's Ferry onto Mackinac Island I felt like I was in a dream. I soaked in the sites...my breathe was taken away as I looked down Main Street Aspen Colorado
We had a bit of a walk to get to our room but the grounds of that hotel were absolutely beautiful! Brick walkways lined with flowers and trees. We found our room and not too long after our luggage arrived. After exploring our room and taking a look at the hot tub we unpacked and made ourselves at home. We looked at our brochures and the hotel information. While reading some of the history of the hotel we were staying in I came to discover that it was made into a hotel back in 1977. That was the year Duane and I met. I couldn't help but think that this hotel has been waiting for our arrival all these years! We decided first thing Tuesday we would take the Carriage Tour to see the sites. Our first evening we had dinner at our hotel on the terrace overlooking the water. After dinner we took a walk over to the gazebo and sat on the wicker couch and took in deep breaths and told ourselves..."we're really here!" It was a romantic setting with the moon shining above us. We walked back to our room and settled in for the night.
Back in Time
I awoke to the sound of horses clip-clopping along the road above us. It was like in the movie when Richard Collier makes his trip back in time. The first sounds he hears are the whinny and clip-clopping of the horses. We walked into town going to the Visitors Center
Later we went back to our room and rested for a bit. We dressed for dinner and walked to the Carriage House Inn. We dined out on their patio and listened to the pianist that was playing inside. While dining the pianist played the "Somewhere in Time" Theme song. I had thought that would be a wonderful way to end the evening hearing that theme played. A moonlit night with my husband sitting out by the lake eating delicious food with the music playing in the background, I was in heaven. We "strolled" back to our hotel room, then soaked in the hot tub and called it a night.
It was GRAND!!!
Wednesday morning I put on the elegant chiffon dress my friend, Lesley, had set aside for me where she worked and said it would fit the turn of the century style. She was right. I put my hair up in a "gibson girl style" with ringlets framing my face. This was the day we were spending at the Grand Hotel. We walked into town then rode the Grand Hotel Carriage up to the Grand Hotel. It took us to the foot of the stairs and I felt like a princess walking up the steps. I stepped into the lobby and looked around and couldn't believe my eyes. I was finally here! THE GRAND HOTEL! We looked around the parlor area and picked up a paper on the days events. For the evening movie they were showing "Somewhere In Time." I would have loved to have come back and seen it but there was still so much to do. We were there for the "Grand Luncheon Buffet"...and it was GRAND!!!
Rebecca's Place a little shop in the Grand Hotel
A Grand Time!
They had food set up on tables in four or five sections in the center of the dining room serving everything from salads, sandwiches, vegetables, main courses to desserts! Once again we sat at a table where we could see the view of the water. Granted the water was a ways away but spectacular nonetheless.
After lunch we walked around the inside of the hotel. Downstairs we found a few pictures on the walls about the filming of "Somewhere In Time." We looked in their gift shop to see what items they may be selling from the movie. They had a replica of the music box from the movie of the "Grand Hotel" but it played the theme song music instead of Paganini's Rhapsody music. I did get the plain music box of the theme song that was sold separately. Duane said he would try and make a box to put it in to. We walked to the end of the hotel and went out the door that lead us to the street where the historic Victorian houses were. They were massive compared to Victorian houses back home. Some had up to 5 floors with 10 to 20 rooms. To say they were beautiful doesn't even do them justice.
After lunch we walked around the inside of the hotel. Downstairs we found a few pictures on the walls about the filming of "Somewhere In Time." We looked in their gift shop to see what items they may be selling from the movie. They had a replica of the music box from the movie of the "Grand Hotel" but it played the theme song music instead of Paganini's Rhapsody music. I did get the plain music box of the theme song that was sold separately. Duane said he would try and make a box to put it in to. We walked to the end of the hotel and went out the door that lead us to the street where the historic Victorian houses were. They were massive compared to Victorian houses back home. Some had up to 5 floors with 10 to 20 rooms. To say they were beautiful doesn't even do them justice.
Picturing the Movie...
Afterwards we went back to the Grand Hotel and I stood at the end of the Hotel porch. It holds the World Record for being the longest porch ever built at 880 feet. I stood at the end of the porch where part of the movie had been filmed. I sat down for a bit on the white rocking chair overlooking the lake. We then went on down to the garden area where more of the filming took place. The side where Richard runs down to greet Elise towards the end of the movie was being repaired but it was equally as exciting walking down the other side of the steps. We sat on a white garden bench then moved over to another bench towards the center of the garden and sat where I could imagine different scenes from the movie were filmed.
"Is It You?"
We continued to take a walk towards the water. I was hoping I might find the spot where Richard and Elise first met each other. I was more focused on seeing the water at this point. Duane and I both removed our shoes to put our feet in the water. I later walked toward the trees that lined the street near the lake. I was so excited when I found the marker that had been dedicated to the film. I had found the exact spot where Richard and Elise had met for the first time! It would have been nice to have had a third person around to film me and Duane or to even get a picture of the two of us standing in that spot. We managed to somewhat get a picture by placing the camera on the marker and getting us standing in the general area. Duane also filmed me coming from the back side of the tree saying "Is it you?"...the famous line of Elise seeing Richard for the first time. It always makes you wonder what she meant by it. I could say this was the most exciting spot to see but really it all of it was.
Link to:
The GRAND HotelFort Mackinac
A Look Back In Time
There was a boardwalk that started from this spot and it took us towards the town. At the end of the boardwalk we found the town library. I felt just like Richard Collier when he went looking for information on Elise McKenna. I went into the "Rose Room ," named for the first librarian of Mackinac Island , and found old newspaper files of the "Town Crier." I eagerly looked for the newspapers dated from June of 1979. There they were! Articles about the filming going on of "Somewhere in Time!" I read article after article and felt like I had been there myself. That was another highlight of my day. I showed Duane what I had found after he had been looking around for me. I wished I would have thought of taking pictures of those articles. The library was closing for the day so it was time to leave. We continued our walk into town then back to our hotel room. As much as I would have loved to have gone back to the Grand Hotel that night to see the movie of "Somewhere in Time," I was just as happy knowing that they were showing it the day we decided to visit there. We did take a peek at the theater where it would be shown.
"Come Back To Me"
We ordered room service that evening and dined in our living room. They brought our dinner to us in a picnic basket. That made me happy since we weren't able to fit in a picnic lunch and bike ride by the lake. There were still a few things we could have done but we decided we would leave a day early so we could do some more things on the mainland. We took one last ride on the horse drawn carriage to the docks. We left on the noon ferry and were pleased with the ease of picking up our luggage and locating the rental car. It was sad to be leaving not knowing if we would ever return. I could hear the island calling "Come Back To Me." Who knows... maybe we will... "Somewhere In Time."
Favorite lines in "Somewhere In Time"
"Come Back To Me."
"That which you dream becomes your world."
"Excess Within Control."
"Is It You?"
"Somewhere in Time" starring Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour was filmed on location in Chicago , Illinois and Mackinac Island , Michigan Mackinac Island is the same hotel where the actors and film crew stayed in...The Mission Point Resort Hotel. On the mainland in Mackinaw City my husband bought me a T-shirt of the "Somewhere in Time" Anniversary edition...that is where I found out there was a website dedicated to this movie and have since joined INSITE...International Network of Somewhere In Time Enthusiasts. Visit the website and find out about the 20th Anniversary Celebrations happened in 2000! I hope you enjoyed my story. ^i^
