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Fly-in Summer Escapes: Pack your beach all, sun screen and towel; we're headed to the shore!
by Jan Gerner
Scenic views are also available from Samoset's three restaurants. From casual to elegant, guests can dine on gourmet delicacies, steaming chowders, hearty New England fare, and lobster right out of the ocean and off the boat.
Grand Hotel Mackinac Island, Michigan
Looking for a very special getaway? Try the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, where you'll be transported back to an era of old-world charm and gracious living.
When you land at the Mackinac Island Airport (KMCD), hire a horse drawn taxi for the short ride to the resort. There are no cars on the island. Transportation is by foot, bike, or horse-drawn carriage.
Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel— which has also been rated as one of Condé Nast Traveller's "World's Best Places to Stay"— is a National Historic Landmark. There are 385 suites and rooms, with no two decorated alike.
Sit and rock awhile in one of the 100 wicker rocking chairs lining the world's largest porch. At 660 feet long, this famous porch is visible to guests approaching from the ferries on Lake Michigan.
Stroll through the manicured gardens, play a game of croquet, listen to jazz, or enjoy a cookout. You can even bowl a game of duckpins in the country's oldest duckpin bowling alley.
Breakfast and dinner are included in your stay. Evening wear is required for dinner (coats and ties for gentlemen, dresses or pant suits for ladies). After dinner, guests are treated to a performance by the Grand Hotel Orchestra. Lunch is served in several of the hotel's restaurants and grills, or you can opt for a box lunch and  picnic as you explore the island‘s historic sites.
Not to be missed: a dessert called the Grand Pecan Ball. With more than 50,000 consumed each season, this is the hotel's most popular dessert.
Madden's on Gull Lake Brainerd, Minnesota
Madden's on Gull Lake is a resort that caters to aviators. Pilots can arrive by land or by sea. Choose from two aiports— East Gull Lake Airport (9Y2) or Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (KBRD). Both have complimentary shuttle service. Seaplanes can land on Steamboat Bay. The resort offers great sand beaches for heeling up on or docks.
The father-and-son owners are both avid seaplane pilots and offer fellow pilots a 10 percent discount on lodging when they fly in.
This is a resort known for hospitality, comfort, luxury accommodations, great dining, picturesque scenery, and lots of activities. It's also known as a kid-friendly resort. Adventure Cove will keep the young ones busy with a variety of fun things to do. Depending on the size of your family, reserve a room, cottage, cabin, villa, or suite overlooking the lake or golf course.
Trapshooting, tennis, croquet, golf, horseshoes, boating, water skiing, and biking are among the many recreational activities available. You can stay as busy as you want here and you can choose activities ranging from rigorous to relaxing. Rent a mountain bike to explore the 100 miles of Northwoods Trails or rent a bicycle built for two for a leisurely ride around the lake.
Madden's has joined forces with Wings Inc. to offer a Seaplane Rating Package. Certification includes six hours of flight time with some of the top seaplane pilots in the Midwest and some of the best lake flying available.
Three fine dining restaurants and four casual eating areas offer hungry guests a variety of dining experiences. Be sure to try the excellent walleye and the Northwoods Buffet. After dinner, stroll out to the bonfire on Mission Point for some sweet s'mores.
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