A full experience of Mackinac Island's distinctive character requires an overnight stay. Otherwise, your access to the timeless playscape gets stifled by the Mackinac Island ferry schedule. Think of the hours of fun missed if you leave before dark and are unable to return until the ferries start running again the next day. You'd miss Mackinac Island sunsets. You'd miss Mackinac Island nightlife filled with live music and tasty drinks. And, perhaps most of all, you'd miss rising with the sun on incredible Mackinac Island mornings. Mornings on Mackinac Island are special. It's when you can enjoy the quiet calm before downtown teems with people later in the day. Here are seven reasons why you don't want to miss mornings on Mackinac Island: The sun rises into the clouds beyond Marquette Park and the Mackinac Island marina on a beautiful morning on Mackinac Island

  1. Sunrises on Mackinac Island

The scenery is awe-inspiring alone, but pair it with the rising, glowing sun and it's an enchanted moment. To wake with the Island is to awake with magic.

  1. Relaxing Start to Your Day on Mackinac Island

Waking up already here means no rush in prepping yourself and family for the day's itinerary or worrying about getting to the ferry on time. Your transition into the new day is a fluid one. Wake up, enjoy your Mackinac Island coffee and immerse yourself in the tranquility of the quiet morning. A couple paddles through the still, quiet waters off Mackinac Island on a sunrise kayak excursion

  1. Mackinac Island Kayaking at Sunrise

Starting your day with a Sunrise Kayak Tour from Great Turtle Kayak Tours sets the mood for the rest of the day. It's a relaxing trip to Arch Rock and the Rock Maze for full immersion into the sun's newfound presence.

  1. Breakfast on Mackinac Island

Whether directly from your hotel or by means of a walk over to one of the many restaurants, you can sate your hunger pangs with a leisurely Mackinac Island breakfast before the crowds arrive. And just think -- shorter lines for that much-needed coffee. The sun shines above the clubhouse and final hole at Mackinac Island’s Wawashkamo Golf Club on a clear summer day

  1. Morning Tee Times for Mackinac Island Golf

Staying overnight ensures the opportunity to be one of the first to tee off the next morning. Mackinac Island golf is a relaxing day starter, and paired with the incredible natural beauty all around it has the potential to be one of the most serene rounds of golf ever.

  1. Early Morning Bike Ride or Run on Mackinac Island

For those who like beginning their day with some exercise, the 8-mile loop around Mackinac Island is the perfect path for a morning ride or run. Enjoying one of Mackinac Island's most scenic running routes before the ferries start running means less weaving around other visitors. Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein can vouch for Mackinac Island as a great spot for a morning run. Sipping coffee on a Mackinac Island porch is a great way to start the day.

  1. Witnessing Mackinac Island Wake Up

One of the most underrated aspects of staying overnight is witnessing how Mackinac Island all comes together in the morning. From watching horses deliver goods to the restaurants to seeing the approaching ferries in the distance, you'll feel at home by being there before all the bustling truly begins. RELATED MACKINAC ISLAND BLOGS: