Mackinac Island

A car-free island where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan, explored by horse-drawn carriage and bicycle — the Grand Hotel, Fort Mackinac and fudge shops make it a classic Great Lakes getaway.

Mackinac Island lies in the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron. Covering about 11 km² (4 sq mi), it sits between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, which are linked by the Mackinac Bridge to the north. Cars have been banned on the island since 1898, so people get around by horse-drawn carriage, bicycle and on foot; together with its Victorian architecture and century-old businesses, this makes it the quintessential Great Lakes resort. About 80% of the island is part of Mackinac Island State Park. Sightseeing falls into three areas: around the harbor, Main Street and Market Street are home to the ferry docks, fudge shops, hotels and historic buildings, with Fort Mackinac and Marquette Park just above; the legendary Grand Hotel sits on the West Bluff; and in the island's wooded interior and along the M-185 shoreline road you'll find Arch Rock, Sugar Loaf, Fort Holmes and British Landing, best explored by bike or carriage. Across the water in Mackinaw City are Colonial Michilimackinac and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. The best season runs from late May to October: the Lilac Festival is in mid-June, July and August are the busiest months, and fall colors peak from late September to mid-October; in winter the lake freezes, transport is limited to a few flights and snowmobiles, and most shops close. To get there, take a ferry (Shepler's, Star Line, etc.; about 15–20 minutes, roughly $35–40 round trip) from Mackinaw City on the Lower Peninsula or St. Ignace on the Upper Peninsula. Mackinaw City is about a 4.5-hour drive from Detroit and 6.5 hours from Chicago. A day trip covers the main sights, but staying a night lets you enjoy the quiet and evening views after the day-trippers leave. Note: lodging on the island is pricey and should be booked well ahead in peak season; cyclists should keep right and yield to horses; combination tickets cover Fort Mackinac and several other historic sites.

Top sights

• Fort Mackinac – A white stone fort built by the British in 1780 on the cliffs above the harbor. Fourteen original buildings survive, with cannon firings, a…
• Arch Rock – A natural limestone arch rising about 44 m above the lake, through whose opening you can glimpse the deep blue of Lake Huron. It is the mos…
• Grand Hotel – A Victorian-style resort hotel that opened in 1887 and boasts what is reputedly the world's longest porch, about 200 m, a legend among Grea…
• Main Street & Fudge Shops – A car-free shopping street along the harbor, lined with horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, Victorian-style shopfronts and more than a dozen s…
• M-185 Lakeshore Loop – The only state highway in America where motor vehicles are banned. It runs about 13 km around the island along the lakeshore, and a bicycle…
• Mackinac Bridge – An 8-km suspension bridge linking the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. Nicknamed the 'Mighty Mac,' it is a symbol of the Great Lakes…
• Mackinac Island Carriage Tours – Ride a multi-horse sightseeing carriage around the whole island, passing the Grand Hotel, Skull Cave, Arch Rock and Fort Mackinac. It is th…
• Mackinac Island State Park – A state park covering about 80% of the island, with more than a hundred kilometers of hiking and biking trails through the woods, linking r…
• Sugar Loaf – A free-standing limestone pillar about 23 meters high in the island's central forest, which can be viewed from the Point Lookout above.
• Fort Holmes – A reconstructed wooden fort built by British forces on the island's highest point during the War of 1812. It offers a 360-degree view over…
• British Landing – The site where British forces made a surprise landing during the War of 1812. Located on the northwest side of the island road, it offers a…
• Skull Cave – A small limestone cave formed by ancient lake erosion. In 1763, fur trader Alexander Henry hid here and found human bones, which gave the c…
• Marquette Park – A lakeside lawn park at the foot of Fort Mackinac, with lilacs blooming in June, a statue of the missionary Marquette, and a great spot for…
• Market Street Historic Buildings – The old street behind Main Street, preserving historic buildings from the fur trade era, including the Biddle House, a blacksmith shop, the…
• Mission Church – A white wooden church built in New England style in 1829, the oldest surviving church building in Michigan.
• Ste. Anne's Church – A Catholic church completed in 1874 whose parish dates back to 1695. The church has a small history museum inside and stands by the lake.
• Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House – One of the earliest butterfly conservatories in the United States, where hundreds of tropical butterflies flutter freely. It also has an In…
• Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum – An art museum housed in the former 1838 “Indian Dormitory,” showcasing Indigenous art, maps and paintings related to Mackinac.
• Round Island Light – A red-and-white lighthouse built in 1895 on the shore of Round Island, across from Mackinac Island, and the most photogenic sight as ferrie…
• Colonial Michilimackinac – A reconstructed 18th-century French and British fur trade fort at the foot of the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City, with archaeological dig…
• Old Mackinac Point Light – An 1892 castle-like yellow brick lighthouse where you can climb the tower for close-up views of the Mackinac Bridge, located in Mackinaw Ci…

Where to eat

• Carriage House at the Iroquois Hotel – One of the island's best-reviewed restaurants, with a lakeside terrace overlooking the Mackinac Strait and Lake Superio…
• Grand Hotel Main Dining Room – The Victorian-style main dining room of the Grand Hotel, with a live band and a five-course dinner in the evenings; jac…
• Pink Pony – A longtime waterfront pub at the Chippewa Hotel on Main Street; burgers and the whitefish sandwich are most popular, wi…
• Chuck Wagon – The island's smallest restaurant, with just one row of counter seats where you can watch the owner cook breakfast and b…
• Seabiscuit Café – A horse-racing-themed eatery in a 19th-century former bank building on Main Street. The lake whitefish Reuben and white…

Itineraries

• Lake Michigan Circle Tour – A counter-clockwise loop from Chicago featuring Indiana Dunes, Mackinac Island, Pictured Rocks, and Door County.
• Traverse City, Mackinac Island & Upper Peninsula – Depart from the cherry bays of the Lower Peninsula, cross the Mackinac Bridge, and traverse the Upper Peninsula to Lake…