So, you’re going to Mackinac Island for the first time! Whatever you do during your stay, you’ll enjoy being here – even if your idea of the perfect vacation is just to sit on a Mackinac Island porch and breathe in the fresh, island air.
But if you’re looking for activity, there’s so much to do on Mackinac Island that it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. Or deciding which of Mackinac Island’s many incredible sights and attractions are must-see, must-do on your first trip.
Well, here you go, ya first-time Mackinac Island “fudgie.” Let this be your guide. Start with these five things to do and then add to the list or pare it back based on the vacation pace you prefer. And if you’ve been to Mackinac Island before and didn’t do all of these things, then come on back because you’re missing out!
Enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride on Mackinac Island
See Mackinac Island from the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage by going on a narrated tour that stops by notable sites including Arch Rock, Fort Mackinac and Grand Hotel. Public tours depart throughout the day, or you can reserve an intimate, private tour as well.
Been to Mackinac Island before? Get behind the wheel, er, reins, of your own horse-drawn carriage and drive one yourself! You can rent a Mackinac Island buggy by the hour and tour Mackinac Island on your own. Or, ditch the carriage and ride horseback into the middle of Mackinac Island on a guided or unguided trail ride.
Bike around Mackinac Island
How many people can say they’ve biked ALL THE WAY around an island? Mackinac Island offers exactly that opportunity. Here’s what to expect on the 8.2-mile trek around Mackinac Island.
You can rent a bike on Mackinac Island – or bring your own bike on the Mackinac Island ferry – and pedal safely around the outer rim of Mackinac Island on M-185, which is the only state highway in the country that doesn’t allow motor vehicles. If 8.2 miles sounds like a lot, keep in mind that the typical speed of a leisurely bike ride is about 8 miles per hour. So, you can make it all the way around Mackinac Island in about 60 minutes. And if you want, you can take breaks along the way for breathtaking views and even grab a bite to eat halfway ‘round Mackinac Island at the Cannonball Oasis.
Been to Mackinac Island before? If you’ve already biked around the island, try heading into Mackinac Island’s interior where there are more than 70 miles of paved and dirt trails to explore in Mackinac Island State Park. You can find many cool sites in the heart of Mackinac Island, away from town. Pedal to Sugarloaf, Anne’s Tablet and other incredible Mackinac Island landmarks.
Visit Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel
Looming large atop Mackinac Island’s limestone bluffs as you approach on a ferry boat is Mackinac Island’s historic Grand Hotel. Built in 1887, the iconic hotel has nearly 400 rooms that are virtually 100%-occupied May through October. But even if you’re not staying there, Grand Hotel is still worth a visit. For a small fee you can walk through the hotel and grounds including the world’s longest porch. At 660 feet from end to end, it’s more than two football fields across! The porch includes 147 planting boxes with 12 yards of potting soil and nearly 1,500 geraniums, the hotel’s trademark flower.
While you’re near the hotel, stop by Sadie’s Ice Cream Parlor for a sweet Mackinac Island treat such as the famous Grand Hotel Pecan Balls.
Been to Mackinac Island before? There’s quite a lot more for non-hotel guests to do at Grand Hotel (fees apply). Enjoy lunch or dinner in the hotel’s beautiful Main Dining Room, afternoon tea in the parlor or a cocktail in the Cupola Bar on the top floor where there are panoramic views of Mackinac Island. Plus, Grand Hotel features several one-of-a-kind boutique shops with clothing, jewelry, fine art, toys, souvenirs and more.
Sample fudge on Mackinac Island
Where else in the world can you visit 13 fudge shops – yes, 13! – all within a short walk of each other? Nowhere. Mackinac Island fudge makers churn out five tons of the tasty treat each day during peak tourism season. And it’s not just the fudge that’s a draw. Watching the actual fudge-making has been ingrained in the Mackinac Island experience for generations. Shops put the process on display for all to see – marble slabs, wooden paddles and all. Plus, Mackinac Island fudge shops all offer free samples to help you settle on your favorite.
Been to Mackinac Island before? Sample more fudge. It’s still delicious!
Explore Mackinac Island’s Historic Fort Mackinac
With the clip-clop of horse hooves rather than the roar of motor vehicles, Mackinac Island naturally takes on a historic charm. But Mackinac Island really is full of history. Fort Mackinac dates to 1780 when the British moved it across the ice from the mainland, where it was originally built by the French. The redcoats still held the fort as late as 1815, nearly 40 years after the Americans declared independence! The fort has been restored to how it looked in the late 1800s, and you can tour it and see demonstrations of life as it was on Mackinac Island back then.
Been to Mackinac Island before? In addition to Fort Mackinac, there are many other historic attractions on Mackinac Island including an old blacksmith shop, the early 19th-century Biddle and McGulpin houses, an antique carriage museum, historic fur company store and a museum that tells the story of Dr. William Beaumont, a Fort Mackinac surgeon who became known as the “father of gastric physiology” for his experiments on a Mackinac Island man with a window to his stomach.
So, there’s five things to do on your first trip to Mackinac Island. And we haven’t even mentioned having lunch at Michigan’s Best Picnic Spot on Mackinac Island, stargazing from Mackinac Island’s highest point, taking a selfie at Arch Rock, surviving the Haunted Theater, playing golf on a Mackinac Island battlefield or browsing Mackinac Island’s unique shops. And, of course, you’ll want to find a favorite Mackinac Island restaurant, too.
For more help, sort through all there is to eat, see and do on Mackinac Island and start getting even more excited for your trip.
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