Mackinac Island — A throng of “Somewhere in Time” enthusiasts will descend upon Mackinac Island for the 35th annual Somewhere in Time Weekend in October. Guests will wear period attire, special film showings will take place, and Jane Seymour may even make an appearance.
You may wonder, if you’ve never seen the film, how an obscure, low-budget picture about romantic time travel could become such a cult classic. Despite its all-star cast, which includes Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer, the film did poorly at the box office when it was released in 1980.
“’Somewhere in Time’ does for time-travel what the Hindenburg did for dirigibles,” wrote one reviewer for the New York Times.
But as is typical of most cult classics, the initial reception didn’t represent the film’s enduring appeal. As the years went on, “Somewhere in Time” became one of the most beloved romantic films of its era—and its name is now nearly synonymous with Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel.
I recently visited the island to see what some of the original shooting locations look like today. No one batted an eye when I told them what I was doing. I was just one among thousands who do the exact same thing every year.
Grand Hotel
The renowned Grand Hotel sets the main backdrop. Although the lobby has since been moved to a lower level, you can still clearly imagine where Christopher Reeve’s character, Richard Collier, enters the hotel for the first time and checks in.
Laura Roberts’s Home
After Richard falls in love with actress Elise McKenna’s portrait from 1912, he seeks more information about her, ending up at the home of her later-in-life caretaker, Laura Roberts.
Baxter’s Coin Shop
Richard’s plan to travel back in time involves erasing all reminders of the current day. As part of this, he visits Baxter’s Coin Shop to replace his modern coins with those from 1912.
This shop is still there—now called Somewhere in Time Gallery & Gifts. They don’t sell coins, nor did they ever. Inside, I spoke with Lana Trayser, who explained that the shop has been in her husband’s family since 1948.
Before filming, the production team approached the Traysers about converting their store into a coin shop for the film. They agreed, and after production, they left the name on the window where it remains to this day.
“Is It You?” Tree
When Richard first encounters Elise in 1912, she is standing by the water next to a gathering of lovely trees. “Is it you?” she famously says as he approaches. A plaque was set in a nearby rock to commemorate this moment. When I visited, several other bikers stopped to admire the spot as well.
Windermere Point & Round Island Lighthouse
As Richard and Elise fall in love, they spend time at Windermere Point, a park near the Mackinac Island Public Library. The park looks out over the Straits of Mackinac, with a gorgeous view of Round Island. Later in the movie, the couple rows out to this island together, sitting near the picturesque Round Lighthouse, which was restored in 1979 just for the film.
At its core, “Somewhere in Time” is a simple film, with a simple boy-meets-girl plot. The inevitable snag in their romance is not a misunderstanding, or overbearing parents, or even geographic distance—but time. The film is not sappy or excessively philosophical. It’s not extravagant or highly technical. Despite featuring time travel, there are no special effects.
Instead of blockbuster glory, the movie seems to hang its hat on one feeling that I think we all share: the longing to go back in time.
It’s a universal sentiment. You read a special book, go to a historic place, or look at a black and white photograph. “What would it take to go back?” your mind idly muses.
“Somewhere in Time” and Mackinac Island are inextricably linked because this feeling is alive here like no other place. You feel it in the air when you step off the ferry to the sound of clip-clopping horse hooves. It’s the first thing you hear and also the first thing Christopher Reeve’s character hears when he arrives back in 1912.
And then, of course, there are the beautiful old buildings. The lovely boardwalk along the lakeshore. The flower gardens in full bloom. The stately homes and rocking boats in the harbor. It’s almost too good to be true.
“What would I have to do to stay here forever?” you muse. You walk around in a glow for a few hours, not even minding the smell of fresh horse manure.
Then suddenly, you hear the ferry whistle. And you are jolted back to reality just as Richard was when he found that fateful coin. Back to the phone in your pocket, to your car parked in Mackinaw City. Back to your home and your job and your modern life.
It’s a heartbreaking departure. But then again, there’s always “Somewhere in Time”—a film that endures, anchored in the past, for whenever you wish to go back.
Faye Root is a writer and a homeschooling mother based in Northern Michigan. Follow her on X @littlebayschool.
Note: The 35th annual Somewhere in Time Weekend will take place at Grand Hotel, from October 3-5. Jane Seymour, who starred as Elise McKenna in the film, may be in attendance. To fully participate in the weekend’s festivities, a package must be purchased through Grand Hotel. More information can be found here.
