Course Detail: 35LILAC - 35 Mackinac Island Lilac Festival & Historic Walking Tour

The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival, which began as a one-day event in 1949, has now grown to a 10-day festival celebrating the island's lilac collection and much more. OLLI participants will leave SVSU bright and early via motorcoach and take a Shepler's ferry over to the island. A horse-drawn taxi will meet us at the dock and transport us to the Grand Hotel where we'll enjoy the legendary Grand Luncheon Buffet, which features hot and cold entrees, seafood, salad, pastries, and more. Following lunch, we'll join Kyle Bagnall, Parks Naturalist for Mackinac State Historic Parks, who will take us for a stroll along Mackinac Island's historic West Bluff. During this three-quarter mile outing, you'll learn about the island's early cottages, built near the Grand Hotel from 1886-1893. Our walk includes spectacular views from Pontiac Trail, a hidden 1,000-foot pathway, once popular with Victorian tourists. You will have the balance of the day to explore on your own. This trip package includes Shepler's ferry ride, narrative, horse-drawn taxi to Grand Hotel, Grand Hotel buffet luncheon, history talk with Kyle Bagnall, free time on the island and transportation from SVSU. *Due to the nature of this trip, it is not recommended for those with mobility concerns.

Available Sessions

This course contains no sessions