“If only the walls could talk,” goes the saying. Well, inside the McGulpin House on Mackinac Island, they can! What is perhaps the oldest house in all of Michigan has been restored in such a way that its walls reveal layers of use over the years. Visitors get a glimpse of what the typical…
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Mackinac Island’s summer events calendar is full of cherished traditions such as the Lilac Festival, Fourth of July celebration and yacht races from Chicago and Port Huron. In addition to those time-honored hallmarks of the visitor season, there also are some newer activities on the schedule for…
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When President Gerald R. Ford landed in a helicopter near the Scout Barracks behind Fort Mackinac in July 1975, among the dignitaries to greet him and the First Lady was Margaret Doud. Three months earlier, Doud had been sworn into office as mayor of Mackinac Island. Now, a half-century later, she…
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The Crown Jewel of the Great Lakes has done it again! For the third year in a row, USA Today readers have voted Mackinac Island the Best Summer Travel Destination in the country. An expert panel nominated a list of 20 must-see vacation spots, and people chose Mackinac Island No. 1 ahead of other…
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For some Mackinac Island visitors, the name Benjamin is synonymous with the Market Street blacksmith shop that still today gives demonstrations of the old craft. Yet, the family name that has been part of Mackinac Island since the 1880s has been a fixture on Main Street for a long time, too…
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You can take an 8-mile day hike on Mackinac Island, if you want. Or you can spend a couple hours exploring the East Bluff, gawking at summer cottages and soaking up the mind-blowing view from Robinson’s Folly – then still have time to enjoy an afternoon at the pool or your watering hole of choice…
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Common questions about visiting car-free Mackinac Island have to do with where to park your vehicle during your trip and where to board the ferry boat. How to get your luggage to your Mackinac Island hotel or arrange a horse-drawn taxi are other common concerns. For detailed answers to these and…
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For a place that’s lovingly renowned for being the same year after year, Mackinac Island sure has a lot of new things going on in 2025. To give you a glimpse of what’s changing, here’s a quick rundown of 25 things to notice when you visit this year: 1) Two ferry companies once again are operating…
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Not only is spring when the new visitor season begins on Mackinac Island, but it’s also peak migration for raptors headed north. Did you know that upwards of 70,000 hawks, eagles, falcons and other birds of prey fly through the Straits of Mackinac from March through early June? That number includes…
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Part of you wants to check another experience off your bucket list this year. But most of you just wants to unwind and relax. Hey, it’s okay to embrace the “Joy of Missing Out!” And when it comes to traveling, there’s even a term for it: The calmcation. What’s a calmcation, you ask? It’s the kind of…
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