If you like history one item to put on your list for your Mackinac trip is the Colonial Michilimackinac . It’s a fort that was originally built in 1715 by the French and taken over by the British in 1761 after the French’s defeat in the French and Indian War.

Once on the Island you step back in time. Options for transportation are limited to walking (which is what we did), bicycles (ebikes are restricted!), and horse and buggy. It’s really a different world! We walked around the island a bit for a couple hours and enjoyed Kilwin’s Ice Cream to help alleviate the heat and get off our tired feet for a few minutes.

☕Happy International Coffee Day ☕ Regardless of what kind of coffee you like, today’s the day to drink up and pay homage to the bean that keeps us going.

📸 Photo of my (Kate) delicious cappuccino with gorgeous foam art from Seeds Coffee Co . in Birmingham, AL.

We will absolutely return to visit some of the things we didn’t get to in the three days we were in Mackinaw City . We stayed at the Mackinaw City KOA which is not too far from town and provides a free shuttle to the dock if you are planning to ferry over to Mackinac Island . We took one day to just walk the town and see what it had to offer. There are lots of lovely shops and interesting places to eat (including a Kilwins!).

Travel life is awesome, but sometimes it can be lonely. 🙁 How do you keep loneliness at bay on the road? 🛣 We make it a priority to meet up with friends on a regular basis. Whether they are traveling with us for a few states, meeting us at a single location, or even if they live near an area we’re visiting, we find ways to meet up, break bread, share stories, and build our friendships.

We’re almost always are either in a full hook up (power, water, and sewer) or partial hook up (usually power and water) spot. But every once in a while, we completely boondock! Boondocking is where you go without any external services, relying only on what your RV has onboard. While we currently only do this for a night or two, we (should) have the ability to go for about a week “off grid”.

What type of rally is your favorite? Do you normally attend only those with your brand of camper, a specific group of people, or (are you like us) and go to a variety every year?

Rallies are a great way to meet people, see a new area, learn about new products or services, and even get some work done on your RV. What’s your favorite thing about rallies?

Do you have a National Parks Pass ? We bought one this year since we plan to see several over the next 12 months. While in Buffalo, we visited the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Historic Site . It was pretty neat!

Do you like history? Seeing history in action is one of our favorite things! Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, NY is a really neat preservation of the history of the fort. Originally built by the French to protect their stake in the new world, Fort Niagara was built in 1678 and abandoned a few years later until 1726 when it was put into use again by the French and expanded over the next few decades.