A Mackinac Winter
Island ski trails are kept peaceful for Cross Country skiing
and snowshoeing. Since 1991, volunteers from the Mackinac
Island Ski Club, with the support of State Park personnel,
groom what have been called some of the best Nordic ski
trails in the Midwest.
Accommodations
A cozy bed & breakfast, nice downtown apartments and a couple of sweet hotels are here to make sure you enjoy a good winter slumber on Mackinac Island. Please click on the links below.
Winter Horses
Horse drawn taxi service is available during the winter but no sightseeing tours. Reservations are necessary. Call 906-847-3323 before 3pm each day for evening or early morning service and for any airport pick up so our favorite winter teamster George Wellington can plan accordingly.
Restaurants & Shopping
The Village Inn, Patrick Sinclair's Irish Pub, Mustang Lounge and Doud's Market serve our food and the Village Inn is the Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe headquarters for rental gear. Mackinac Outfitters is often open during big weekends and holidays for Northface, Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, Columbia, Merril, Teva and more for quality outdoor clothing & gear.
Attractions
Mackinac Island State Park is open for hiking or cross country skiing once the snow flies.
Getting Here in the winter
Before the ice freezes, we take Arnold Line ferry via St. Ignace or fly over via Great Lakes Air from Mackinac County Airport in St. Ignace.
Once the lake freezes...
After the Arnold Line stops running due to ice, we simply use Great Lakes Air 906-643-7165 to fly back and forth to the Island via St. Ignace in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Tickets average about $45 RT for adults with a reduced rate for children. FYI-furs and feathers...or dogs, cats and birds fly free.
Charter Air Service
American Business Airways
(248) 444-5202
The newest charter air service operating from Pontiac, Michigan, ABA serves Mackinac Island year round. ABA has a flat rate per hour fee for most charter services and generally operates within the 500 mile radius of the Detroit Area.
Great Lakes Air (906) 643-7165 provides service from St. Ignace, Traverse City and Pellston Airports to the Island. Charter flights are also available. Regularly scheduled flights from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island available year 'round.
Ice Bridge
We cannot recommend or comment on Ice Bridge conditions. If you are considering snowmobiling to the Island on the ice bridge. please contact the United States Coast Guard Station in St. Ignace at (906) 643-9191 or the St. Ignace Village Inn Restaurant (906) 643-9511.
Winter Events
December sees the community out and about for the annual Christmas Bazaar, the lighting of the Christmas Tree downtown and Islanders catching up on the season. As the temperatures drop, the strength of community ties grow stronger.
January is a time of snow and solitude. Travelers to the Island enjoy xx-skiing, snowshoeing, loads of relaxing and Superbowl Sunday at the island pubs.
February offers Winterfest hosted by the Mackinac Island Recreation Department for good old fashioned outdoor fun.
Mid-month the Annual
Winter Festival, Valentine’s Day celebrations and
the Village Inn's winter fun weekend over President's Day Weekend with the heralded Chili Cook-Off to warms our hearts and bellies.
The Mustang Lounge is the place to be for Fat Tuesday on February 24th with real paczki's and a great party to kick off the season of lent in Mardi Gras meets Mackinac style.
During March, island pubs kick out great yet quaint St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
Come April, Islanders reflect and
prepare for the new season, Grand Hotel opens for the late winter season offering excellent rates and the boats start running.
Mackinac Island Public Library
With a great inventory of books to enjoy and a great winter art exhibition, our library is the go to spot during the winter. The cheery interior was created by designer Carleton Varney who now manages Dorothy Draper & Co., in New York City and is the interior designer for Grand Hotel. The library's decor was specially designed to reflect the rich history of Mackinac and the traditional role of public library reading rooms. Daguerreotypes of 19th century American Literary Figures (Holmes, Longfellow, Bryant, Emerson, Lowell and Whittier) hang near the custom designed maple circulation desk.
