The Grand Hotel opened in 1887, funded by railroad and steamship companies who needed a destination grand enough to justify the journey to this remote island. Its front porch stretches 660 feet — claimed to be the longest in the world — and overlooks the Straits of Mackinac in the direction of the mainland. The hotel is seasonal, open from May to October, and has never allowed motor vehicles on the approach road; guests arrive by horse-drawn carriage.
Non-guests can visit and walk the famous porch, but there is an admission fee. The interior is worth a quick look: the hotel has been continuously updated in Victorian style since the 19th century, and the result is a particular kind of American grand hotel aesthetic that is hard to find elsewhere. The grounds include a pool and formal gardens. The hotel appears prominently in the island's skyline as you approach by ferry.