Forty miles northeast of Petoskey, MACKINAW CITY has long enjoyed a steady tourist trade as the major embarkation point for Mackinac Island (the other is the sleepier town of St Ignace just across the bridge).

Mackinaw City was once little more than a bland colony of cheap motels and fudge shops looking for business from those who couldn't get a place to stay on the island. The city was once a terminus for freight trains; the oil and other detritus they dumped put the city's sewer system under strain and for a decade or so there was a moratorium on new development. Now, the streets have been landscaped with trees that are lit up at night, and visitors flock to the new Mackinaw Crossings on South Huron Street. This mall-cum-entertainment zone has given the town a lift, offering vacationers several dozen niche retail stores, a food court, a multiscreen cinema and an amphitheater that hosts nightly live acts and a laser show at 10pm during the summer.

Several mid-priced motels have been built alongside the shore, among them the Ramada Limited Waterfront , 723 S Huron St (tel 231/436-5055; $100-130), and the Best Western Dockside Waterfront (tel 231/436-5001; $100-250). A couple blocks north at 111 Langlade St, the Welcome Inn (tel 231/436-5525; $50-75) offers simple, clean rooms for a much better rate. A good meal can be had outdoors at the Depo , 250 S Huron St (tel 231/436-7060), a refurbished train station in the Courtyards of Mackinaw City; enjoy the tasty grill food and seafood dips with a good view of the entertainment in the adjacent amphitheater.