The Stonecliffe Adventure Continues – Day 3 6/10/15

On Earth there is no Heaven, but there are pieces of it.  Jules Renard

I’ve used that quote before when speaking of Mackinac, because – to me – there are more “pieces of Heaven” within the shorelines of this small island than anywhere else on earth.

And this week I discovered another one.

The Inn at Stonecliffe and the Summer House Suites are both beautiful in their own unique ways.  Stonecliffe – the mansion – is full of history.  To walk the halls of this 112-year-old building brings up images of ladies in long and elegant Edwardian-era gowns, broad hats, and Gibson-girl hairstyles.  Just around the corner – in the Summer House Suites – history takes a backstage to pastel colors and a distinctly summer cottage vibe. Whichever one you choose, you will be welcomed with enthusiasm and treated like royalty.

But it’s not just the physical facilities that equal “piece of Heaven” in my book.

When your taxi or shuttle pulls through the stone gates, and you get your first glimpse of the the venue where Stonecliffe stands, I’m betting a little gasp escapes your throat. Photographs on the internet and in brochures (and on this blog page) don’t do it justice. You have to be here to get the full impact.

Viewed from the front door, the grounds are expansive and perfectly manicured.  When we biked up here years ago with our grandchildren, we took some beautiful photographs of them standing beside some of these gorgeous old trees.

From the back of the property you get a good vision of how much fun children would have romping around on a beautiful summer day (that white tent is used for wedding receptions).

The backyard of the Summer House Suites is a garden of birch trees and lilacs.  I’ve walked out there too many times to count this week, just to photograph the lilacs.

On a clear day, you can see forever . . .

. . . or concentrate on just one – impossibly beautiful – flower.

For an added special experience, stroll down to the back of the property and out past the apple orchard.

Hang a right at the end of the trail and walk along the cliff.

After a less-than-five-minute walk, you’ll come to these stairs. Climb them to Sunset Rock.  And once again . . .

. . . you can see forever.  Sunset Rock is a much-loved spot (lots of marriage proposals happen here).  Many island visitors (and locals) will hike up to watch the sun go down – but if you’re staying at Stonecliffe, it’s only a very short walk away!

If you really want to be adventurous, you can try and find the Grotto.  Located on the grounds of Stonecliffe, it’s another romantic spot where proposals and weddings take place on a regular basis.  You have to find the hidden pathway to the Grotto . . .

. . . but that’s up to you!

I can’t believe our time here is coming to a close.  We’ll eat dinner downstairs tonight, and tomorrow morning we’ll be on the 9:30 ferry back to the real world.  It will be after dark before we make it home to Florida, but that’s ok.

These few days at Stonecliffe have refreshed my batteries.  The weather has been cool (in the 60’s), we’ve hiked and biked all over the island, and we’ve been pampered by an excellent staff.  What a way to celebrate a birthday . . . or any day!

P.S.  I’ll take a little break from the laptop when I get home, but stay tuned in the next few days for one or two more posts about Stonecliffe.  There was just too much to cover for the time we were here, and I don’t want you to miss anything about this special place.

AND – there’ll be a post or two about what was happening on the “rest of the island” while we’ve been visiting!

God bless.