The historic Grand Hotel opened in 1887 on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, primarily as a summer retreat for vacationers who arrived by steamer. The hotel boasted 385 guest rooms, each with unique decorations. Six U.S. First Ladies have been involved with decorating the rooms that bear their names: Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Roslyn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Jacqueline Kennedy.
   The front porch, spanning 660 feet (the longest of any hotel in the world), became well-known as a showplace for meetings and promenades. Today, 260 colorful planter boxes line the porch, brightened with some 2500 geraniums. A line of white rocking chairs invite guests to sit and take in great views of the Mackinac Bridge as it spans the Straits of Mackinac and connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Amid the bustle, horse-drawn carriages are always on the go, transporting guests to and from the hotel.
   The Grand Hotel is perhaps best known for the 1980 motion picture Somewhere in Time, starring the late Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer. Since it was filmed in 1979, a movie fan club meets at the hotel for a weekend every October. This National Landmark is open to the public to enjoy a Grand Hotel experience. Along with a variety of dining venues, other highlights include shops on the lower level, the Jewel golf course, the Esther Williams Pool, the gardens, and the view from the Cupola Bar at the top of the building.

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