WIAW #11: Mackinac Island Eats

Hello, hello! Long time no see (or talk?). We got back from Mackinac Island, Michigan late last night, and this morning I got up early to go to the covered bridge festival (basically a huge craft show) with my friend, so needless to say, I am exhausted! I can’t wait to tell you guys all about my trip, but since today is What I Ate Wednesday, I figured that I’d start with my vacation eats. As always, thank you to Jenn for hosting!

This month’s theme is Healthy Halloween Treats, but health food was not a major concern on this trip — please forgive me .

Breakfast & Brunch

We left for our trip early on Saturday morning, so before hitting the road I had a piece of toast with peanut butter, and I grabbed some Starbucks green tea for the road. On Sunday, our second day there, we ate at the hotel breakfast buffet, and then we ate again two hours later because it was pouring down rain and we were all ready to feed our emotions (just kidding…kind of). It was then that I had a cup of green tea and a custard-filled doughnut from a local Mackinaw City bakery. It was good . On Monday, we opted for a big brunch instead of a separate breakfast and lunch, and I had poached eggs and cinnamon French toast from a Mackinac Island restaurant, Pancake House.

Isn’t their logo cute? On Tuesday, our last day on the island, we decided to wait to eat brunch until we had taken a ferry back into the city. I knew I’d probably be hungry before that, so I woke up early and took a walk around the island before everyone else was up, grabbing some Greek yogurt from the local grocery store along the way, and a cup of coffee from the cutest little coffee shop. I was there right when it opened and the girl working there mistook me for a local. I was so honored .

After a quick breakfast, I went back to the hotel to join the rest of my family. We explored the island a little bit more, and then it was time to get on the ferry and say goodbye. Once back in the city, we stopped for brunch at Pancake Chef, and I had a Greek egg white omelet and chocolate chip pancakes. Everything was so good!

Lunch

As I said above, we normally just ate brunch and dinner, but on Sunday, our first day on the island, it was pouring down rain, we were cold and a little cranky, and we were all craving soup. We stopped for a late lunch of broccoli cheddar soup at Seabiscuit Cafe, and it did not disappoint. I say “we” because, yes, all seven of us ordered the soup. That also happened to be the day that we had two breakfasts — it was just one of those days .

Dinner

On Saturday, we stayed in Mackinaw City because we didn’t want to have to go straight to the island after eight hours of traveling. After settling into our hotel, we went to Mama Mia’s for some pizza and breadsticks. My mom and I split the taco pizza, something my cousin and I always split when we were little. It’s one of those things that you only eat every few years, and it’s surprisingly good! On Sunday (the day that we ate a lot), we didn’t end up eating dinner until almost 9:00, and I stuck to an Asian chicken salad, plus a few unpictured (and oh so good) sweet potato fries that I split with my sister and her friend. On Monday night, we went to The Pink Pony, one of our favorite restaurants on the island.

I had the whitefish sandwich with fries, and I also ordered a fun, fruity cocktail since it was our last night on the island.

Desserts

On Mackinac Island, skipping dessert is not allowed. I’m kidding, kind of. You’d have to have some major willpower to pass up the ice cream and fudge that is surrounding you everywhere you go. Ice cream was enjoyed on two of our nights there, and we each bought half a piece of fudge to enjoy throughout our stay. In that picture, they had just finished making  a fresh batch of salted caramel fudge — it smelled so good!

There is also a Starbucks on the island (I know — Starbucks on an island that’s only 8 miles around? It’s everywhere!), so I enjoyed that twice.

As you can see, healthy eating was not my biggest priority on this trip. I just wanted to enjoy myself. Yes, I am the girl who uses the excuse, “I’m on vacation.” And guess what? My pants still fit .

I can’t wait to tell you more about my trip and fill in some of the details that are missing in this post, but that will have to wait until tomorrow! Have a great night!

Do you try to eat healthy while you’re on vacation?

Have you ever been to Mackinac Island?