Between the allure of the new “Pure Michigan” ad campaign and the importance of saving money, it seems like more and more families are opting for Michigan vacations this summer.

And when it comes to vacation spots in Michigan, they don’t get much more popular than Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island at the top of the Lower Peninsula.

Take a visit to Northpointe Inn in the city and you’ll see why. The hotel, which opened in 1998 and sits on Lake Huron right near the Mackinac Bridge, offers spectacular views of what is perhaps Michigan’s most famous landmark and the city’s largest indoor water park. Peer off into the distance and you’ll also see the famous Mackinac Island with its majestic Grand Hotel resting on the edge of the shore.

Over 50 waterfront rooms and suites are offered at Northpointe Inn, as the hotel boasts its own private sandy beach with lounge chairs for relaxing. Many of the rooms include balconies for relaxing peacefully while peering out into the natural wonders of Lake Huron and listening to the soothing sound of its waves. Whirlpool rooms and handicap accessible rooms are also available.

The cheerful, family-friendly Mackinaw City downtown with its vast array of souvenir, ice cream, fudge shops and restaurants is also just a few blocks away, as is the popular Arnold Line of ferries to Mackinac Island. The Arnold Line boasts the biggest and fastest catamarans in the area, which take customers on an always-exciting ride to the popular tourist destination. The ride to the island on the Arnold Line is a smooth, fun, and memorable experience, especially for the kids.

Once on Mackinac Island, families can feel what it’s like to live in a simpler time as no automobiles are allowed, just bikes, horses, and horse-drawn carriages. The charm and beauty of the island, with its exquisitely-manicured grass and breathtaking hillside views, must be experienced to be believed, and it’s a great escape from the stress and chaos of everyday life.

Northpointe Inn is also home to the biggest indoor water park in the city, a popular 23,000 square-foot addition to the hotel that was installed last year.

The park has something for everyone with two three-story high waterslides and a lazy river for the adults along with a separate kids’ area with smaller slides, a colorful aquatic playscape, and a 500-gallon hydro storm water tower structure shaped like a totem pole.

There’s also a video arcade room overlooking the water park area and a snack bar on the lower floor to keep the kids full and entertained.

The on-site amenities at Northpointe Inn can also help take as much of the work out of planning and enjoying your vacation as possible.

Free local telephone calls are offered and free wireless high-speed Internet is also available on-site. Cable TV featuring HBO, ESPN, and CNN is standard and each room features coffee makers, hair driers, and irons with ironing boards. Ice makers are offered on each floor of the three-story hotel as well.

At night, the cocktail lounge/bar is open for business and catering and each morning a complimentary hot breakfast featuring various cereals, breads, juices, and even a make-your-own waffle station is served from 7 a.m.-10 a.m.

Northpointe Inn also features a large conference room with a projector screen for meetings and a “family reunion room” for an extra charge where guests can gather for some away time complete with a beautiful view of the Mackinac Bridge outside.

The lobby features pamphlets for various local attractions including Tahquamenon Falls, Castle Rock, and the St. Ignace Mystery Spot among others so guests can branch out and have even more fun.

For more information on how to make your family vacation a memorable one at Northpointe Inn in Mackinaw City, check out www.northpointeinn.com or call 231.426.9812 or 800.576.2842. The hotel is open from mid-May through mid-October and is easily accessible from I-75 North, just ¼ mile off the freeway.

Two three-story high water slides are popular for the older crowd at Northpointe Inn’s Emerald Cove indoor water park.

The Arnold Line of ships offers ferry rides to Mackinac Island daily.

Waterfront rooms at Northpointe Inn offer excellent views of the Mackinac Bridge.