12B -The Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - - Thbrsday, November 19, 1998 0 0 Thursday, Novemt Nov. 19: Isle of View. / What: Mackinac Island / Where: The Straits of Mackinac, where Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas meet. / How: Take 1-75 north to Mackinaw City. From there, board a ferry to the island. / How Long 4 1/2 hours / What's there: Mackinac Island is well-known for its horse-drawn carriages, fudge and historical bull ings. In the winter, when most tourists leave, its trails are used for cross-country skiing. Road-Trip of the Week Mackinac Island is More than just a summer destination From Theodore Cardman's L'ackyarl .... to over 450,0( aroun JEFFREY KOSSEFF/Dadiy Mackinac island does not allow cars, but its natural limestone formations and bluffs overlooking the Straits of Mackinac are accessible by foot, bike or horse. I U LSA Student Government Elections TnuavEI 1 mN o I Polling Sites. Pierpont Commons: 10 - 3pm Angell Hall (Fishbowl): 10 - 4pm By Jeffrey Kosseff Daily News Editor One of the most unique road trip destinations in Michigan does not per- mit cars. Mackinac Island, the historic little city between Michigan's Lower -and Upper Peninsulas, has become one of the state's top fall and winter tourism destinations. Shedding its image as a summer tourist trap that provides cheap plastic souvenirs, fudge and horse manure- covered streets, the eight-mile, round island offers fall color tours and cross- country skiing throughout the early winter months. During the summer, Mackinac Island attracts close to one million tourists who come to escape the hustle of everyday life and experience the island's historical and natural beauty. The island has a 100-year ban on "horseless carriages, or automobiles, so more than 500 horses can be found roaming the streets and dirt paths in the summer. Local marketing efforts and public- ity over the past decade have length- ened the tourism season on the island from three months to a majority of the year. Hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and restaurants are staying open later into the fall and winter, and a few busi- nesses are open year-round. "People come to cross-country ski, and just to see what it's like up here in the winter," said former University Regent Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Arnold Transit, one of the island's three ferry lines and the only one that stays open into the winter months. For more than 120 years, Brown said, Arnold Transit has run boats from St. Ignace to the island until early January, when the Straits of Mackinac begin to freeze over. Unlike the fast catamarans that carry passen- gers to the island in the summer months, Arnold Transit only offers slower, half-hour ferry boat rides in the winter. When the straits are frozen, there are two ways to travel to Mackinac Island - by plane or by snowmobile. Airplanes run from St. Ignace to the Island regularly year-round, and a round-trip ticket costs $28. Margaret Doud, who has been mayor of Mackinac Island for 24 years, said the tourism season "has definitely lengthened." "In the fall, people come to see our wonderful fall colors," Doud said. The extended tourism season, Doud said, has improved the island's unem- ployment rate, which skyrockets in the colder months. The state of Michigan owns about 80 percent of the island and uses the land as a state park. In the winter, the park's bicycle trails and roads are used for cross-country skiing, and a few hotels and bed and breakfasts stay open to accommodate skiers. This year, for the first time, Mission Point Resort - the island's second largest hotel with more than 250 rooms - will keep some rooms open all year. During the week between Christmas andNew Year's Day, many Mackinac Island hotels and bars re- open so tourists can celebrate the hol- idays. Doud said she expects a large end- of-the-millennium celebration during the last week of December in 1999. Mackinac Island's beauty is its top attraction. Boasting . spectacular views of the Mackinac Bridge, the world's largest suspension bridge, clean air and roads undisturbed by automobiles, it gives people the rare opportunity to escape the daily grind without spending an exorbitant amount of money on air fare. The island offers tourist attractions such as historical museum exhibits, shopping and horse carriage tours in the summer, but it's atmosphere in the winter is much more relaxing and laid back. 5ankatripe The ENHANCED /04 A IU Mcarrd Debit arnd the change is aut Michigan Union: Basement 10 - 4pm f BankStripe is now + Use Mcard Debit anywhere you see the - ,Can Six-String Coffee House I- The Folk/Acoustic Singers/Songwriters Open Mic Extravaganza with special guest Lisa Hunter, folk singer/songwriter Including: Kmart it A.i U jco f Oi U.S. PosOfis Friday December 4 Spin League Underground . Michrgan League 911 L University (across from Barton Tower) -- ......Ra " All participants will receive giveaway prizes. " The extravaganza is open to all folk/acoustic singer/songwriters from Ann Arbor and neighboring cities. . All participantsmust register at least one hour (7 pm) before the event at 8 pm in order to determine the participants' order of appearance. " Show up on time...limited spots are avallabiel Sponsored by Michigan League Programming: A Division of Student Affairs, Michigan League, 911 N. University (across from Burton Tower). For more information, please call 7634652. = =' ROLLED SANDWICHES 1220 South University * Ann Arbor, MI (734) 769.2877 $1.00 off #9.- The Thanksgiving Monday-Saturday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday 12:00 to 8:00 pm For more information visit the Mcard home University of Michigan Mcard Center Student Activities uiIding, Room 1000 515 E. Jefferson 93 - Mcard (936-2273) www.mcard.umic h.ed u page, Mcard Center, or any Nat " Requires Mcard to be linked to a National City checking account. National City 0 Member FDIC www.n