With so many coffee shops, breakfast spots, bars and restaurants to choose from on Mackinac Island, it’s easy to overlook the Best Picnic Spot in Michigan. Yet, Marquette Park is a delightful place to spread out a blanket and have something to eat as you soak up the sun and watch all the people, horses, bicycles and boats go by.
Ditto for Fort Holmes and Windermere Point, British Landing and the Mission Point Resort lawn. There are so many gorgeous places for a picnic that you could have one every day of your trip and experience a different side of Mackinac Island’s amazing personality!
Here’s a look at nine of the most picturesque places for a picnic on Mackinac Island:
Picnics at Mackinac Island’s Arch Rock and Tranquil Bluff Trail
Take a horse-drawn carriage tour to Arch Rock or bike or hike there on your own to see perhaps the most photographed landmark on Mackinac Island. There are picnic tables in the nearby plaza where you can also explore the Milliken Nature Center’s fascinating exhibits. Restrooms are available here, too.
For a lakefront picnic, make your way down the 207 steps from Arch Rock to the shoreline where you can set your meal out on one of the large rocks at the water’s edge. Another adventurous option is to hike north on the Tranquil Bluff Trail where you’ll find stunning coastline views from a variety of overlooks high above.
The history of Mackinac Island’s Arch Rock
Picnics at British Landing on Mackinac Island
You can pack a lunch or pick something up from Cannonball Oasis for a picnic at British Landing, about halfway around Mackinac Island from downtown. There are many picnic tables right there as well as a rocky beach where you can eat while skipping stones on the water toward the Mackinac Bridge in the distance.
British Landing is a fine spot for a break on the 8.2-mile bike ride all the way around Mackinac Island. There’s also a nature center there and a trail that will take you to a curious rock formation called Friendship’s Altar.
6 things to do at Mackinac Island’s British Landing
Picnics at Fort Holmes on Mackinac Island
It’s a bit of a trek up to Fort Homes at the highest point on Mackinac Island, but well worth the effort. From the 19th-century stronghold you can take in a panoramic view of the Straits of Mackinac while relaxing at one of the picnic tables there. Fort Holmes is also a spectacular stargazing spot with dessert after dark.
The fort itself is a joy to walk through and relive the history that dates to the War of 1812. Originally built by the British as Fort George, the fort was renamed in honor of Andrew Holmes, a U.S. Army major who was killed in the Battle of Mackinac Island.
Learn more about Mackinac Island’s Fort Holmes
Picnics at Mackinac Island’s Great Turtle Park
Just like many communities, Mackinac Island has a public park for year-round residents to enjoy. Visitors also are welcome to have a picnic at Great Turtle Park and make use of all the amenities including basketball hoops, soccer field, sand volleyball court, disc golf course, skate park and playground. There’s a covered pavilion and bathrooms at Great Turtle Park, too.
The park is located in the Harrisonville area where many full-time Mackinac Island residents live. You can get there from Garrison Road, Cupid’s Pathway or on 6th and 7th streets off Cadotte Avenue.
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Picnics at Mackinac Island’s Marquette Park
Named the No. 1 Picnic Spot in Michigan by Reader’s Digest, Marquette Park checks all the boxes for a lovely meal on the lawn. For one, it’s right in the middle of town, between historic Fort Mackinac on the bluff above and the Mackinac Island marina. You can relax on a blanket amid scores of fragrant lilac bushes and watch all the activity pass by on M-185.
Marquette Park also is close to many Mackinac Island restaurants where you can get take-out. And it’s right across the street from Doud’s Market, the historic Mackinac Island grocery store with lots of grab-and-go picnic options. There’s a playground in the park, too.
Things to know about Mackinac Island’s Marquette Park
Picnics on the Mission Point Lawn on Mackinac Island
An equally impressive greenspace that’s a bit quieter and perhaps even more scenic is the Lawn at Mission Point Resort, east of downtown along M-185 at the southeast corner of Mackinac Island. The waterfront lawn is dotted with charming Adirondack chairs that make the perfect place to sit with a carry-out meal from one of the resort’s restaurants including Bistro on the Greens or Round Island Kitchen, or with grab-and-go options from Boxwood Coffeeshop & Cafe
The resort has equipment available for lawn games including bocce ball and croquet, or you can bring your own soccer ball or frisbee to play with. Right next to the lawn is the Greens of Mackinac, an 18-hole, natural-grass golf putting course that’s fun for the whole family.
Lawn Games on Mackinac Island: How to play bocce ball
Picnics at Mackinac Island’s Sugar Loaf
Located in the heart of the Mackinac Island State Park forest, Sugar Loaf is an iconic limestone stack rising 75 feet out of the ground. While there’s a thrilling sense of discovery when you emerge out of the woods and behold the impressive rock, you’re immediately struck by the quiet stillness of the surroundings. The peaceful scene sets the stage for a pleasant picnic during which you’re unlikely to encounter many other visitors.
Before or after you eat, be sure to make your way to Point Lookout for a view of Sugar Loaf from high above.
Picnics in Surrey Hill on Mackinac Island
Up the hill from downtown past Grand Hotel is Surrey Hill, a quiet neighborhood with lots of picnic spots and things to do. You can explore the Wings of Mackinac butterfly house, team up with a blacksmith to make a souvenir blade at Forge A Memory and browse an antique carriage museum.
The public horse-drawn carriage tours of Mackinac Island stop in Surrey Hill. You also can walk or ride a bike there. If you don’t pick up some food in town, then you can find something to eat at the Feed Bag right there in Surrey Hill.
Things to see and do at Mackinac Island’s Surrey Hill
Picnics at Mackinac Island’s Windermere Point
Right at the west end of downtown Mackinac Island not far from the ferry docks is Windermere Point, which has lots of picnic tables right by the water where you can watch the ferry boats come and go. Windermere Point is also a fine spot for kite flying and stone skipping, as well as killer photos with Round Island Lighthouse in the background.
You can pack a picnic for Windermere Point, of course. Another option is to order up the best hot dogs on Mackinac Island at the Doghouse, right there in the park!
Take a real-time look at Windermere Point with this web cam
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