I enjoyed the windmill tour, which takes you through the entire process from grain to flour. The windmill still operates and high-quality flour is available for sale.
This well-maintained set of buildings preserves the critical operations of first responders to open water rescue. A knowledgeable guide describes the use of a breeches buoy to pull survivors along a line fired by a gun from land. Other exhibits describe the daily training schedule for the crew.
There is an observation deck overlooking the locks, two flights up, covered, and quite close. if you spend just a little time reading a plaque or two and watching a ship pass through you'll have a pretty good understanding of how these locks work.
This is a great way to see the island's highlights.
This ferry is well-run. Luggage and overnight parking are handled conveniently. I purchased tickets on line, went to the ticket area upon arrival, and boarded my ferry. Luggage was taken directly to my hotel on the island without a hitch.
This is a perfect add-on to Fort Michilimackinac. If you take the tour you get to climb to to the top of the lighthouse,.
Traditional diner with soda fountain and Coke advertisement exhibit. I had the Reuben with fries and enjoyed the memorable ad campaigns.
A series of exhibits in restored buildings from the period describe the day-to-day life and the work performed by these crews. One can easily walk from building to building along a hiking trail - the buildings are close together and next to a parking lot.
Thanks to this Roadtrippers prompt I stopped DeKlomp by while passing through Holland. I mean, a wooden shoe factory?! This, I had to see!
A gentleman working there explained all about the shoes they manufacture on site and about the delft items they mold, fire, and hand paint on site. Behind protective glass you can see both production lines - the shoes and the delft.
The delft patterns can be quite intricate. A display describes how some of the more complex sets are assembled. Molds are fired multiple times at 2,000 degrees!
While I was in the store a man arrived to be fitted for shoes. I gathered that the shoe sales are for ceremonial reasons, to be worn at festivals and such, but apparently these shoe are suitable for soil, especially wet soil, and are still used on a limited basis in the Netherlands.
The gentleman told me that if I had arrived during the tulip festival I would have needed a pair. They had my size, too!
Extremely limited weekend hours only