Explore by Foot on Mackinac Island MI - Do

On Mackinac Island, it’s encouraged to get out and about the old-fashioned way – on foot. Hike up to Fort Holmes, the highest point on the Island, walk through the hustle and bustle of downtown or seek out a solitary place to soak in the natural beauty. Each and every extraordinary attraction on Mackinac Island is within walking distance. Find them on a guided tour with a resident islander or head off the beaten path on your own for an experience of Mackinac Island that’s uniquely you.

EXPLORE MACKINAC

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Anne’s Tablet

A favorite find, a world class vista a great story. These are the things that make Anne's Tablet a favorite Mackinac Island find. Anne's Tablet is an Art Nouveau sculptural…

Arch Rock

The most famous of the rock formations on the island, this arch towers above the water and is more than fifty feet wide. It attracts the vast majority of the…

Area Playgrounds

There are several playgrounds to while away the hours in at Mackinac State Park. Behind the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Island Art Museum is a cute playground with a…

Benjamin Blacksmith Shop

Originally built in the 1880s, Robert Benjamin and later his son, Herbert, ran a blacksmith shop into the 1960s. The contents of the shop were moved to the reconstructed building…

Crack In The Island

Geological formations are aplenty on the Island, and while this one might not be an A-Lister like Arch Rock, it’s still worthy of discovery. Traversing through the crack or pretending…

Downtown

Filled with unique shopping destinations, great dining, and the bustling activity of a waterfront town, Mackinac’s downtown is a flurry of horses, bicycles and shoppers. Go in and out of…

Fort Holmes

After the British and their allies captured Fort Mackinac during the War of 1812, they quickly built a small outpost and called it Fort George. When the Americans regained the…

Fort Mackinac

Founded during the American Revolution, the British captured the Fort in the very first engagement on American soil in the War of 1812. Inside, 14 original buildings, cannon salutes, bugle…

Grand Hotel Horse Stable/Carriage Museum

Located next to Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory, this working facility is home to Grand Hotel's 12 horses and is open to the public. It is a great way to…

Great Turtle Park

Great Turtle Park is located in Harrisonville and can be accessed via 6th or 7th Street off Cadotte Avenue or Cupids Pathway. Great Turtle Park currently houses a soccer field,…

Great Turtle Park Playground

Great Turtle Park is located in Harrisonville and can be accessed via 6th or 7th Street off Cadotte Avenue or Cupids Pathway. Great Turtle Park currently houses a soccer field,…

Horse in History Museum

Mackinac Horsemen’s Association is excited to showcase this compilation of photographs at the entrance of the Mackinac Community Equestrian Center (MCEC) showing Mackinac Island’s unique horse culture. From photos selected…

Kite Flying at Windermere Point

Let's go fly a kite or watch others fly kites at Windermere Point. Nearly every day you will see people taking advantage of the incredible Straits of Mackinac breezes with…

Little Stone Church

Little Stone Church, a Congregational Church located on Mackinac Island, Michigan, welcomes both residents and visitors to Sunday worship services. Although it is known as Little Stone Church, the official…

Mackinac Revealed

Mackinac Revealed: Experience True Mackinac with A Genuine Islander offering A Bluffs & Victorian Neighborhood Tour, a Forest Bike Ride to Natural Wonders, a Hidden Sights and a Specialized Insider…

Mackinac State Historic Parks

Mackinac Island State Park was the second established National Park before becoming Michigan's first State Park. Today, over eighty percent of Mackinac Island is State Park property, and most of…

Marquette Park

Marquette Park is a beautiful greens cape located at the foot of Fort Mackinac. It is part of Mackinac Island State Park and stands on the edge of Mackinac Island's harbor…

McGulpin House

This house has been opened to the public as a barebones restoration that shows how it would have appeared around 1820. The McGulpins were a working-class family who would not…

Original Butterfly House & Insect World

This 1800 sq ft tropical garden is filled with hundreds of live butterflies from four continents and is the 3rd oldest live butterfly exhibit in the United States.

Picnicking at Fort Holmes

A picnic at the highest point on Mackinac Island is a visual treat. Incredible views of the Mackinac Bridge, Light Houses and Round Island serve up the perfect venue.

Skull Cave

Believed to have been the hiding place for English fur trader Alexander Henry during Pontiac’s Rebellion in 1763, Skull Cave is a small and shallow cave on the central heights…

Somewhere In Time Gazebo

The Island’s Famous movie featuring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve featured a Gazebo, formerly on the grounds of the Grand Hotel. It’s since been moved, but you can see the…

Stone Skipping at Windermere Point

Windermere Point is a green scape where the art of stone skipping is practiced every day. You will find some perfect skipping rocks there or you be like the professionals…

Sugar Loaf

A massive rock nearly 75 feet above ground is locate at the center of the island, and is a great site to take in along with Fort Holmes and the…

The Forest

For sheer, intense beauty and grandeur, the Mackinac State Park is one of Mother Nature’s most awe-inspiring treasures. Encompassing over 80% of Mackinac Island, the park offers the following attractions.…

Top of Rock Views

Mackinac Island is a big limestone rock formation and getting to the many high points will be rewarded with world class views. Popular locations include Sunset Rock, Fort Holmes, Fort…

Walk the Island

The eight mile walk around the island will offer gorgeous views of the water, surrounding islands, the Mackinac Bridge, and offers a number of stops along the walk describing historic…

Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory

All ages can enjoy seeing hundreds of tropical and native butterflies beautifully dancing among lush plants, water fountains while sitting and taking in the gorgeous scenery around you and witnessing…