Mission Point Resort
Mackinac Island, Michigan
For people from Michigan or farther afield, Mackinac Island represents a way of going back in time. Stepping away from the technological underpinnings of modern life, guests on Mackinac Island are transported by horse-drawn carriages to grand 19th-century and Victorian hotels.
Aside from its history, one of the main things that draws visitors to Mackinac is its rugged landscape, and there is no place on the island to experience it better than at Mission Point Resort. “Most hotels are in town on the harbor or up on the bluffs,” said W. Bradley McCallum, the resort’s general manager. “Mission Point is a unique experience in Mackinac in that it’s 18 acres on the waterfront. You can walk to the beach and skip stones or go to the state park that abuts the property and have the quietude.”
To help guests take advantage of its location, Mission Point offers guided sunrise walks every morning either to a viewing platform over the lake or into the ancient Native American paths along the shoreline. For groups, staff work with other operators on the island to arrange ghost tours, horseback riding and experiences at Fort Mackinac, which dates to 1780.
From the harbor, groups can arrive at Mission Point by way of prearranged carriages, each seating up to 16 people, or by taking a short walk up the hill while the hotel staff porters the group’s luggage.
Gervasi Vineyard
Canton, Ohio
When driving around Napa Valley, it’s not all that uncommon to pull up to a castle, a Tuscan villa or a French country manor, either shipped piece by piece from Europe or re-created in impeccable detail. In Ohio, it’s a different story.
When Gervasi Vineyard set out to do just that with its Tuscan-inspired winery, the reaction was contagious.
“We’re really a Tuscan getaway, which sounds silly in Ohio; but we have created an elegant escape that makes you feel like you’ve escaped somewhere special,” said general manager Scott Swaldo. “We’re providing a Napa Valley-quality experience in northeast Ohio. That’s what our customers tell us.”
At the new winery built last year, the Crush House, groups can experience the vineyard’s wine and food programs through tours, tastings and hands-on cooking courses.
“The hands-on course is really ideal for 16, but for bigger groups, we do a demo-style course in the ballroom on how to make three or four appetizers; and then they’re served at lunch after,” Swaldo said.
Although some groups come just for the winery and associated culinary experiences, 24 rooms, including the original farmhouse and Tuscan villas, with four suites each, are available for overnight stays.
“Small groups can book one or multiple villas on the lake, which can sleep from four couples to 14 people per villa,” said Swaldo.
