In the 1979 film, “Somewhere in Time,” a mysterious elderly woman shows up at the premiere of a play and passionately implores the show’s young playwright to come back to her. It is a request that through the means of hypnotically-induced time travel allows the writer to journey back to the early-1900s where he encounters his true love at a breathtakingly beautiful hotel.

Today, by means of a more conventional mode of transportation, a grand getaway awaits visitors at that same hotel – The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Located at the top of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, in the middle of the Straits of Mackinac, you will find Mackinac Island. Steeped in history, the island played an important role in trade history. In the 18th Century the French built a fort on the island to control ships passing from one Great Lake to the other. In 1982 Michigan Senator Frances Stockbridge conceived the notion of building a hotel on the island. Five years later, his dream became a reality.

Open in 1887, the Grand Hotel became a magnet for attracting society’s elite. Beginning with Grover Cleveland, many U.S. Presidents including Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, George Bush and Bill Clinton have spent time at “The Grand” as locals call it.

In 1947, all Americans had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Mackinac’s magnificence with the release of the musical “This Time for Keeps” starring Jimmy Durante and Ester Williams that was filmed in and around the Grand Hotel. During the making of the film Williams became so enchanted with Mackinac that she returned on numerous occasions and even left an indelible mark on The Grand by having the resort’s pool named in her honor.

In 1978, another Hollywood crew took over the hotel to film the aforementioned time travel romance starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. The hotel played as important a role in “Somewhere in Time” as its two stars, and today, as the hotel celebrates the 30th anniversary of the cult classic’s release, loyal fans still make the pilgrimage to the hotel for their “Somewhere in Time” packages. These events included an October weekend when the hotel hosts the film’s cast and crew who join fans for panel discussions, lectures and to show off props, costumes and memorabilia from the film.

GETTING TO THE GRAND

Connecting flights from Los Angeles to the Pellston Airport near Mackinaw City, Michigan are available from all five of Southern California’s airports. From Pellston, Mackinaw Shuttle and Wolverine Stages offer taxi service to the ferry docks where passage to Mackinac Island is provided by several boat lines including Arnold Transit (800) 542-8528. The boats operate from early morning until early evening, with frequent crossings throughout the day. Luggage transfer is simple and convenient, with assistance provided on both the mainland and on Mackinac Island. A 20-minute ferry ride brings visitors from the mainland. As you approach the island the magnificent white-columned Grand Hotel rises up from a foundation of lush greenery. From the moment you step off the ferry you will feel you have truly stepped back in time. No motorized vehicles are permitted on Mackinac so bicycles and horse-drawn surreys are the mode of transportation that will take you through the quaint Victorian villages and shops that make up the island.

A GRAND LIFESTYLE AWAITS

The Grand Hotel is a magical place offering the charm and grandeur of a bygone era. As you arrive the world’s longest porch welcomes you to a world of exceptional service and accommodations that include a daily full breakfast and five-course gourmet dinner. Once inside, The Grand features 385 uniquely decorated guest suites including those named after first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Roselyn Cater, Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush.

To accompany its magnificent gourmet fare, the hotel offers an abundantly-stocked wine caller that boasts domestic and imported wines of the noblest vintage. Following dinner it is customary to partake of an after-dinner drink in the hotel’s parlor adjacent to the Terrace Room where guests can continue to sip their favorite potions and dance to big band standards until the wee hours of the morning. Another popular libation location at the hotel is the Cupola Bar. Located on the top floor, the Cupola offers panoramic views of the Straits of Mackinaw along with an exotic choice of some of the world’s premium spirits.

Adjacent to the hotel, overlooking the golf course is the Jockey Club where guests can sip coktailic concoctions in a more causal setting. In the hotel’s Audubon Bar, 18th Century furnishings evoke the flavor of an English gentleman’s club where antique duck decoys, Audubon prints, Queen Anne and Georgian furnishings create the perfect mood for Brandy sipping. For serious connoisseurs, the final week in June sees the finest of wines, liquors and cordials poured during a Friday evening cocktail reception. From Friday on through a Sunday afternoon picnic and “Silver Service Dinner, the god’s offer libations suited for the most discriminating of palates. The hotel also hosts an annual two-week long Grand Hotel birthday celebration from June 25 through July 10, a lilac festival, an arts weekend, an old fashioned Fourth of July celebration, a murderer mystery weekend, and a Labor Day jazz festival.

For further information on planning your unforgettable stay at The Grand that will have you wanting to “come back to her” time and time again, visit the hotel’s web site at grandhotel.com or call 1-800-33-GRAND.