From the scenic lighthouses of Door County, Wisc. to the fine food and wine culture of Traverse City, Mich., the Great Lakes region is full of delightful travel destinations. It’s home to major international cities including Chicago and Toronto, wonders of the world such as Niagara Falls and family-friendly entertainment hubs like the Wisconsin Dells.
The Great Lakes is also where to find the USA’s Best Summer Travel Destination three years running. Mackinac Island not only tops the list of vacation places in the Great Lakes. It’s No. 1 in America. And it routinely ranks as one of the best islands in the world, too!
Here’s a look at three ways Mackinac Island stands apart as the crown jewel of Great Lakes vacation spots:
Mackinac Island Is Timeless
Yes, there are fascinating museums and historical sites on Mackinac Island. It’s where the British built Fort Mackinac during the Revolutionary War. It’s where the Battle of Mackinac Island was fought during the War of 1812. And it’s where fur traders gathered from the pioneering days of Great Lakes exploration until well into the 19th century.
Yet even more than being a place where important things happened in the past, Mackinac Island feels historical today. With car-free streets, horse-drawn carriages still rule the road as they did in the 1800s. Ferry boats from the mainland feel a bit like the steamships of yesteryear. And Victorian architecture throughout town maintains an old-world vibe, too.
While Great Lakes vacation destinations such as Niagara Falls and the Wisconsin Dells have evolved into highly commercialized hot spots for the masses, Mackinac Island has preserved itself as a timeless refuge. Nearly 150 years after the opening of Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island still invites visitors to slow down for a tasteful escape at a clip-clop pace.
Where is Mackinac Island and how to get here?
Mackinac Island Is Authentic
There’s no faking the natural beauty of Mackinac Island. It’s all around! From turquoise water to eye-popping lilacs, it almost looks too good to be true. Yet it’s real.
Arch Rock: Real. Fort Mackinac: Real. Postcard vantage points at every turn: Real.
No wonder the place originally was preserved as America’s second national park!
The fact that majestic Grand Hotel looms on the bluff and the Mackinac Bridge spans the horizon just adds to the mythology of Mackinac Island. But it’s all real!
The way of life on Mackinac Island is just as authentic. Horse-drawn carriage rides aren’t gimmicky. They’re how people really get around! Deliveries really get made by horse-drawn dray. Luggage really gets taken to hotels by dockporters riding bicycles. And Mackinac Island fudge makers really work the marble slab with wooden paddles.
It’s all so incredible and out of this world, yet it’s all real and so down to earth. There aren’t even any chain hotels or restaurants on Mackinac Island (except Starbucks!). It’s all one-of-a-kind. Genuine.
Tips for a first-time visit to Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island Is Unhurried
When was the last time you sat down to a relaxing afternoon tea? Or spent a leisurely evening playing bocce ball?
That sounds almost comical, right? Yet it’s so in tune with the unhurried vibe of Mackinac Island.
Unlike the hustle and bustle of modern cities and other major travel destinations, life on Mackinac Island truly moves at a slower pace. And it’s glorious. There are no lines to hurry up and wait in. No rushing from one thing to the next. No urgency at all.
Instead, there are bicycle rides to enjoy in the soft lake breeze. Gorgeous Victorian porches where you can lounge all day. Twilight strolls perfect for wandering with an ice cream cone or a delicious slice of Mackinac Island fudge. And, for goodness sake, you can watch both the sunrise over the water and the sunset over the water in the same day, and all you have to do is turn your head!
When is the best time to visit the Crown Jewel of the Great Lakes?
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