On a small island in the middle of Lake Huron in Michigan, sits one of the last of the great, grand dame hotels in America. It has drawn visitors here for over a century and part of the experience of staying there is the effort it takes to get there. It starts with a ferry ride from the Michigan mainland. The ride can take up to 30 minutes, depending upon wind and current, and you’ll pass by the massive bridge that connects Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas and then you’ll see the houses dotting the cliff sides as you approach the island. And as you round the bend in the channel, you can see it, on the hill — it’s the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, a place intentionally stuck in time, a true hotel with a past.

Press play to learn about its historic past!