Showing posts with label resort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resort. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Welcome Return to Mackinac Island


I was enjoying my time in the UP of Michigan and it got even better when my friend, Lynn, joined me. We have known each other for 30 years and have done many trips together in the last 10.

We woke up at the Alger Falls Motel in Munising and got ready to hit the road. Our final stop was one of my favorite places in the world, Mackinac Island.

Along the way, we veered off to a few places that had scenic overlooks. I couldn’t get enough of the beauty of the lake and the landscapes, which includes waterfalls everywhere.

We stopped for lunch in Grand Marais, once again overlooking the water. It’s a quaint town, home of the Pickle Barrell Museum, I’d like to visit again someday.

From there we drove to Ferry from St. Ignace to take the ferry to Mackinac Island. This was my second trip to the Island I had so greatly loved a few years ago.

It’s hard to describe Mackinac Island to someone who hasn’t been, though you can get a good idea by watching the Christopher Reeve movie Somewhere in Time. It’s a place that has remained back in time, with no motorized vehicles allowed.


Mackinac Island is in the middle of Lake Huron and surrounded by natural beauty. You can only get there by boat. There are ferries from Mackinaw City in addition to the one we took from St. Ignace. The ride is only about 15 minutes.

I had made arrangements for us to stay at The Grand Hotel and its name says it all. It’s on the list of Historic Hotels of America and certainly deserves to be there.

There was a horse and buggy waiting at the pier when we arrived. We climbed inside and they put our luggage on another horse drawn cart to take us to the hotel.

We were immediately mesmerized by the longest porch in the world, sparkling white and adorned with flags. You can also see the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge from the hotel.

Inside, we were greeted and taken to our room, which was beautifully decorated. Each of the 397 rooms has its own personality. There was a box of Mackinac Island Fudge waiting for us, a reminder of the dozen different fudge shops on the island. We also had a beautiful view from our balcony.

After a rest, we dressed for dinner, which is a must at the Grand. Most of those in the dining room adhered to a semi-formal attire for the white glove service.

The waiters were very attentive and we had a spectacular five-course dinner. It started with a grilled pineapple and ham appetizer, continued with salads, had cream of mushroom and gazpacho soups, included Beef Medalions and Spinach Asiago Ravioli, and ended with a delicious Marshmallow Nutella Bread Pudding for Lynn and cheesecake for me.

The menu changes every night, with choices in every section. It reminded me a bit of staying at the Catskills when I was younger. This was a lot more formal and I didn’t mind at all. It’s nice to dress up and be waited on once in a while!

After dinner, we went outside to see the sunset. It was too cloudy, but it was a warm night and we sat on the porch and listened to the music played in the parlor inside.

It was the perfect way to end our first day back on Mackinac Island.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Gurnee Fun: Great Wolf Lodge to Six Flags


It was the end of the trip to the new Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee,Illinois, but it was far from the end of fun for the weekend.

The day started with a farewell breakfast for the journalists and their families. In my case, it was with Brittany, Shaun, and Kyler.

The buffet filled with delicious food was in one of the resort’s convention rooms. In addition to the writers, the public relations staff, and the hotel’s management, we were greeted by Wiley the Wolf, who took the time to visit with all the kids.

After breakfast, we had a chance to enjoy one of the cabana’s (which guests can rent) as we did our last round in the waterpark. (I stuck with the lazy river.)

Then we headed around Great Wolf Lodge to see if there were any spots we missed.

We never did make it to Ten Paw Alley. With just two lanes of bowling, there was always a wait and there seemed like so much else to do without waiting.

We walked through the Build-A-Bear Workshop without a purchase but couldn’t resist picking up some goodies at Candy & Company (the dipped marshmallows were delicious).

Great Wolf Lodge also has its own Ben & Jerry’s and Dunkin Donuts, where we grabbed some coffee for the road. 

We never did make it in to Freshwoods Market, which sells all types of snacks.

I have to say that I definitely recommend the Paw Passes at Great Wolf Lodge Illinois. There are a couple different ones to choose from, depending on your family. 

They can save you a lot of money on the attractions, and even food and drinks.

We checked out and said goodbye to the staff for hosting us on such a fun trip. I also said goodbye to my friends as we were heading in different directions.

I was going up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for some exploration of that area, while they were heading down the road to Six Flags Great America.

It’s almost always a great time to go to Six Flags (and an even better family vacation combined with Great Wolf Lodge).

The amusement park is open weekends all year. Summer fun includes its waterparks.

This year Six Flags Great America started something new, Holidays in the Park, weekends November 23-December 23, and daily from December 26-31. It includes rides, light displays, shows, and activities such as arts and crafts in Santa’s Workshop.

Monday, August 6, 2018

Welcome to Great Wolf Lodge Illinois

When I received an invitation to bring my family to the opening of the first Great Wolf Lodge in Illinois, I was excited. I had never been to one of the chain’s properties and I’m always anxious for a press trip that keeps me in one place for food, lodging, and activities.

The Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee was actually not a new structure, but the brand updated the resort to be similar to their others-a family-friendly hotel with non-stop fun for everyone in the family.

There was a check-in desk set up near the entrance for the press group, about a dozen of us with families. In my case, my “family” for the weekend was Brittany, Shaun, and Kyler.

Since Great Wolf Lodge is meant for family groups, they have 13 different types of suites. The largest suite can sleep 12.

Our had more than enough room for the four of us, with two queen size beds and a pull-out couch in the living room area.  

We explored the property and found there was more to keep us busy the entire weekend than we imagined.

Great Wolf encompasses a combination of games and activities, such as story time, yoga and character appearances, with attractions.

This Gurnee location also has nine different food venues, which range from a Ben & Jerry's to the Barnwood, where you can feast on steak, seafood, and craft cocktails.

The group was meeting for the first time at the bar in the back of the Indoor Water Park, so we decided to go early and check out the facilities.

There are three large slides within the waterpark, along with a lazy river (my favorite), and areas for younger children.

I was most impressed with the machine which brought the rafts (which are large enough for the whole family) up to the top, so you didn’t have to carry that heavy piece of equipment to the top.

We sampled some of the delicious food and cocktails at the bar and got to know each other a bit. Management from Great Wolf, as well as their public relations company, Agency h5, were on hand to great us and answer any questions we had about our stay.

When the group broke up, Brittany and I headed outside to the heated outdoor pool and whirlpool. In the summer, the bar opens its windows out there, so you don’t have to go inside if you want to get something to drink.

Everyone in the press group was given an all-inclusive bracelet so that we could experience everything Great Wolf Gurnee had to offer.

You do not need to purchase one of these packages to take advantage of the water park and daily activities, but it can save you a lot of money if you have kids who want to go to all the attractions.

The package included tickets to use in the arcade, so we headed there before going back to the suite.

It was a lot of fun, but we were pretty worn out from the drive and evening in the water.

There would be plenty of time the next day to explore and enjoy Great Wolf Lodge Illinois.

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Luxuriating in Bay Harbor

It didn’t take me long to feel relaxed and comfortable at the Inn at Bay Harbor, a hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection. 

My suite was perfect, and I had slept well. I was ready to take the relaxation to another level.

My day was wide open with the exception of the start of it -- at The Spa.
I arrived a few minutes before my appointment for the Ginger Glow treatment. 

I changed into my luxurious robe and sat down with a cup of tea in the quiet waiting area.




The Ginger Glow is one of the signature offerings at the Inn at Bay Harbor, and I can certainly understand why its so popular. I could easily rename it “Heaven on Earth.”

It began with a scrub made of ginger, with a hint of eucalyptus, to get rid of the dead cells on my skin. 



After that was rinsed off, I had a full body massaged with a ginger oil and hot stones.

The next part was probably my favorite as arthritis always has me seeking warmth: my whole body was wrapped in a warm robe-like cocoon while I received a scalp massage.
When the spa experience was done, I was ready to take a nap, but I was too hungry to do so. It was late for breakfast at the resort and 

I asked one of the drivers to take me to the Marina.

It's a free perk if you are looking to go around Bay Harbor and don’t want to walk or bike along the beach path. 

I saw a sign in front of the Original Pancake House for their famous Apple Pancake. 
I decided to go inside and, with a side of eggs for some protein. 


I managed to get through less than half of the scrumptious treat. (Of course, I brought the rest back to my room.)


I asked the driver to give me a little tour on the way back to my hotel suite.


In addition to the main lodge, there are also 35 cottages on the property. 

They are two and three-bedrooms each, and popular for family reunions, girlfriend getaways, and golf weekends.

Guests have the option of playing at the Bay Harbor Golf Club, an award winner with 27 holes along the shoreline, or the 18-hole championship course at Crooked Tree.

Golf is available in three seasons.

 In the winter, guests can do cross-country skiing and snow shoeing, or arrange to head to the sister properties, Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain, for downhill skiing.

In the afternoon, I took a drive to Charlevoix (about 20 minutes away). I stopped at one of their beautiful beaches before heading to the quaint downtown to visit one of my favorite Michigan stores, Cherry Republic. 






I picked up two bags of cherry goodies (especially the Cherry Fudge Sauce my daughter loves).

Brittany and Jamie came back to the hotel to join me for our final night in Michigan. 

We decided to stay on property and relax with s’mores by the fire pit in front of the beach. (I also decided to stick with some leftover cheese for dinner as I had enough snacking.) 
It’s just one of the free activities the Inn at Bay Harbor offers its guests.

Before leaving the next day, I had a delicious breakfast of Blueberry Pancakes and conversation with Erin Ernst, Director of Communications for the Boyne properties.

Then it was time to head south, back to Illinois. It was good to be going home, but I was also happy that I’d be going back to beautiful Michigan in just a few short weeks.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Sault Ste Marie to Bay Harbor

I had really enjoyed my time in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, with Brittany and Jamie. We had seen a lot and learned quite a bit about this important basin that borders the U.S. and Canada.

We packed up our things at Superior Place and got ready to head south a bit to our next Michigan stop, but first we had one more Sault Ste Marie restaurant to try.

Antlers Restaurant gets its current name from the taxidermy display on the countertops and walls. It was previously known as the Bucket-of-Blood Saloon, a favorite in this area during Prohibition.

The original restaurant goes back four generations and we could see why it was so popular.

The Poutine (a French dish of fries in gravy) is very popular here.

Brittany and Jamie agreed it was one of the best they ever had since it had Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds mixed in.

For their main courses, they chose the Whitefish Po’boy and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, both of which were very good.

I wasn’t quite as hungry, so I nibbled on the fries with a cup of tasty cream of chicken soup and saved my appetite for dessert.

I had their famous apple strudel, with a side of ice cream, while they shared the Moose Track Sundae.


Before leaving Sault Ste Marie, we went downtown once more to pick up some souvenirs.

The trip across the Mackinaw Bridge and down to Petoskey didn’t take very long.

I dropped Brittany and Jamie off to visit relatives and I headed to my retreat for the next few days, the Inn at Bay Harbor, just a couple miles from Petoskey.


The Inn at Bay Harbor is part of the same resort family as Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain, both of which I visited during ski seasons.

This resort is very different than the two others were. 
First, it’s overlooking a beautiful beach instead of a mountain.

Then, it’s in the middle of a great complex, that includes restaurants and a theater.



One thing it does have in common with the Boyne properties is that it’s a resort for all seasons.  

Whether you want to enjoy the beach and pool, and local activities (like borrowing a bike to the nearby town) or take a drive and use the winter sports facilities at their sister hotels, the Inn at Bay Harbor is ready for you.


This resort also has a big assortment of accommodations so it’s especially friendly to families, even extended ones. 

All of the rooms, suites, apartments have been recently remodeled too.

I was given one of the Master Suites, which had a living room with a cozy fireplace and pull-out couch, a kitchen and dining area, and a separate bedroom.

There were two bathrooms, with a jacuzzi in the master one.


I also had a balcony overlooking the front of the resort. I sat out there and enjoyed the breeze, while nibbling on the Kilwin’s chocolates and cheese and charcuterie plate that was waiting for me.

While that was a special gift from the management, all guests at the Inn at Bay Harbor do receive a special nightly treat. On this evening it was a box of chocolates and a small bottle of Kahlua.

I took a walk around the property before heading back to my room. After the (fun, but) hectic few days in the Upper Peninsula, I decided I would take the night to just stay in and relax. My biggest appointment on the next day’s schedule was at the spa.

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Learning More About Eaglewood Resort & Spa


My friend, Joan, and I were enjoying a quick girls’ getaway to the Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca, just outside of Chicago, Illinois

We had breakfast in the Burnham restaurant, where there are buffets for breakfast and lunch.

This buffet had a lot of healthy options. I was especially impressed with all of the fruit for yogurt and oatmeal. 

They also had an omelet station where you could fill your eggs with just about anything you wanted, and plenty of warm baked goods.

I had a delicious veggie filled omelet, some yogurt covered in homemade granola, a freshly made Danish, and some fruit. Joan also took an assortment from the buffet.

After we ate, we took a tour of the rest of the property we hadn’t seen before we left.


I loved the design of the lobby but hadn’t realized it was Frank Lloyd Wright inspired.

The business center at Eaglewood Resort includes a convenient up-to-the-minute list of flights departing at nearby O’Hare Airport. 

The patio outside the Prairie River Restaurant, where we had eaten the night before, overlooks the golf course and is a good place to sit by day or night, with a fire pit in the middle for cooler nights.

The course is open to guests and the public, giving the Eaglewood another reason to be a popular spot for visitors and locals.

We also took a look at the banquet and wedding facilities. Eaglewood Resort & Spa offers many different options for brides and grooms who are looking for destination weddings.

Before we finished the tour, we were able to see a few of the suites. 

They were set up for families who want the comforts of home, including refrigerators, living rooms, and dining tables.

I also found out more about all the terrific packages and activities available at Eaglewood Resort for family vacations. 


They add to the fun of their bowling alley and Olympic-sized swimming pool with things such as a bouncy house, an escape room, bocce ball and glow-in-the-dark night golf.

The resort also often has multi-generational family vacations since there are so many different activities.

I can personally attest to the attraction for spa getaways at Eaglewood Resort. Check out the latest deals at TripAdvisor.