Mackinac Island doesn’t need a special event to make it worth visiting. It’s a destination that’s great any time of the year! However, if you’re looking for a little something extra during your stay, why not visit during one of our annual Mackinac Island events? Click on the links below for specific…
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Spending the night on Mackinac Island is something special. There's truly nothing like it. Watching the sun go down over the Mackinac Bridge, a night out on the town, and waking up to the sound of horses in the early morning make for an experience you won’t forget. With over 40 properties, 1,600…
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Being a May to October destination, Mackinac Island comes to life in May. The flowers start to pop, the guests begin to arrive, and the horses are ready for a summer of work. Because every place is a little different, many businesses will begin to open their doors at the start of May, with even more…
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From the time the Mackinac Island ferries resume a regular schedule of passenger shuttles from the mainland in late April, it's usually about five weeks until Memorial Day and the start of the peak tourist season. That means each year you have about five weeks to experience Mackinac Island in a way…
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Three decades before Travel + Leisure named Mackinac Island the No. 1 Best Island in the Continental U.S., another magazine already had identified the Crown Jewel of the Great Lakes as one of the country’s most picturesque destinations. Back in 1993, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue featured…
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Out of more than 4 million miles of public streets in the United States, there’s an 8.2-mile stretch of road on Mackinac Island that stands apart. M-185 is the only state highway in the country where motor vehicles are not allowed. Instead, the traffic on Mackinac Island consists of pedestrians…
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There are 15,000 golf courses in the United States. Yet, only one involves a scenic mile-and-a-half, horse-drawn carriage ride between nines. And only one is laid out on a battlefield where American soldiers died in a failed attempt to wrest control of the Great Lakes from the British. Both of those…
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Ten thousand pounds! That’s how much world-famous Mackinac Island fudge gets handcrafted daily during peak tourism season. Five tons of fudge every day! All that fudge begs the question: How did little ole Mackinac Island become such a huge producer of the sweet treat? The History of World-Famous…
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Most Mackinac Island visitors arrive by boat because cars aren't allowed (and, besides, there’s no bridge to get to Mackinac Island anyway). While many people board a commercial ferry to Mackinac Island from the mainland in either St. Ignace or Mackinaw City, some visitors take their own personal…
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Swimming and Mackinac Island have gone hand in hand for more than 75 years, since a national champion swimmer starred in a Hollywood movie shot on location at Grand Hotel. In fact, the pool at Grand Hotel still bears the name of that swimmer-turned-actress, Esther Williams. Just as tourists came to…
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