Mackinac Island is a lot of different things to a lot of different people:
- Mackinac Island is a romantic destination for couples
- Mackinac Island is a paradise for outdoor adventurers
- Mackinac Island is the perfect vacation place for families
Because Mackinac Island is so popular for weddings, it’s a hot spot for bachelor and bachelorette parties, too. But you don’t have to be in a bridal party to get the guys together and hang out in the USA’s Best Summer Travel Destination. Mackinac Island is ideal for the gang to spend a few nights, whether one of you is getting married or not.
Here are just six of the ways to have a blast on a guys’ weekend to Mackinac Island (with price range of the activities in parentheses):
Outdoor Exploring on Mackinac Island
While there’s lots of activity in downtown Mackinac Island, most of the island is wilderness. You and the guys can go horseback riding ($$) through Mackinac Island State Park. Or hiking. Or biking ($). There are more than 70 miles of trails through the state park and bicycling all the way around the outer rim of Mackinac Island is another popular activity. A kayak tour ($$) around Mackinac Island is a great group activity, as are charter fishing trips ($$$) off Mackinac Island. From geocaching to bocce ball, there’s lots of other things to do outdoors on Mackinac Island, too.
- Geocaching on Mackinac Island: An Exhilarating State Park Treasure Hunt
- Lawn games on Mackinac Island: How to play bocce ball
Golf on Mackinac Island
Yes, you can find a golf course closer to home. But only on Mackinac Island can you strike a tee shot from the spot where British cannons fired in the Battle of Mackinac Island during the War of 1812. Built atop the old battlefield, Wawashkamo Golf Club ($$) is the oldest course in all of Michigan. It offers fascinating design features from the 1800s, and you can even play it with traditional hickory sticks! For a more luxurious round, play The Jewel ($$$), Grand Hotel’s immaculate and uber-scenic resort course that has something no other course offers – a horse-drawn shuttle between nines. After your round, go double or nothing on The Greens of Mackinac ($), a natural-grass putting course on the grounds of the beautiful Mission Point Resort. Grab some drinks right there at Bistro on the Greens. You can even play Glo Golf after dark.
- Mackinac Island’s one-of-a-kind golf courses
- 6 fascinating historical facts about Mackinac Island’s Wawashkamo Golf Club
Mackinac Island Nightlife and Entertainment
Speaking of after dark, that’s when Mackinac Island really comes alive. Main Street is full of bars and restaurants ($-$$$) serving up Mackinac Island’s signature cocktails, with live music on stage at many venues. And on Mackinac Island, there’s no need for a designated driver because there are no cars! It’s easy to undertake a Mackinac Island pub crawl on foot, or to order up a horse-drawn taxi ($) to get from one watering hole to the next.
Get Out on the Water Around Mackinac Island
You can get out on the water – and rise high above it! – with Mackinaw Parasailing ($$$). The thrilling experience takes you up to 600 feet high on a solo or tandem flight for a bird’s eye view of the island called The Great Turtle. If you wake up early, take advantage of the 9 a.m. “Morning Eye Opener” deal ($$). For a more relaxed water excursion, book a Mackinac Island boat tour. Options include a ride around Mackinac Island aboard the Ugly Anne ($$), an authentic North Atlantic lobster boat that will take you right under the Mackinac Bridge. Other options for getting out on the water include a Mackinac Island kayak tour and a Mackinac Island Sip ‘n Sail Cruise ($$), which takes you under the bridge at sunset to start your night the way that only Mackinac Island can
Explore Mackinac Island History
From cannon booms and rifle demonstrations to exciting reenactments, Fort Mackinac ($) gives you a fascinating glimpse of what it was like to be a 19th-century soldier stationed on Mackinac Island. The fort features 14 original structures including the oldest surviving building in all of Michigan. Your ticket also gets you in to the cool attractions in Historic Downtown Mackinac ($) including the Biddle House Mackinac Island Native American Museum, Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, American Fur Co. Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum and more.
- Things to do on Mackinac Island for history buffs
- A look at Mackinac Island history through the centuries
Leave With a Mackinac Island Souvenir
At Forge A Memory, a Mackinac Island blacksmith shop at Surrey Hill, you can use traditional blacksmithing techniques to create your own custom knife ($-$$$). Mackinac Island is also home to many unique shops, boutiques and galleries ($-$$$) where you can find a special gift or souvenir. And, of course, perhaps the most popular thing to take home from Mackinac Island is world-famous Mackinac Island fudge($)!
- Downtown Mackinac Island: Something for every visitor
- Things to see and do at Mackinac Island’s Surrey Hill
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