Mountain Run at Boyne

The resort’s location worked really well for all the places we visited during the week. We stayed in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with our two families, including an almost-four-year-old and a 16-year-old. The little one slept beside his parents on a “camper bed” made from couch cushions, while our older kid used the pull-out sofa. We left the sofa bed open all week, and the living and dining room still had plenty of space. The balconies were nice for enjoying the cooler evening temperatures. We brought paddle boards to Lake Charlevoix via Elm Point Park in South Haven, MI. The water was incredibly clear, and a local barista had recommended it because it was clean. Reviews and locals say Lake Walloon is known for swimmers itch, and we didn’t want to bring that kind of souvenir home. We also went to the 6th annual Balloons over Bay Harbor festival, which was neat, and spent a day on Mackinac Island. The horse carriage tour and Fort were fun. The Grand Hotel was beautiful, and we learned it was built in just 93 days. Our tour guide Alex was from Romania and had the cutest laugh. It reminded us of Janet’s laugh from friends, but Alex’s was cute and not annoying. Castle Farms was a beautiful place too. The owner, Linda, was there and takes pride in her garden creations and helping maintain the grounds. We got groceries at Aldi’s in Petoskey and ate out for some lunches and dinners. Chandler’s was okay, and the food was good, but the place was tiny. I don’t think it was worth the cost, especially with the cramped seating and constantly having to move chairs. Delivery workers had to get my husband to stand up so they could wheel the dolly past him.