Mackinac Island is a world-class vacation place, the Best Summer Travel Destination in the USA and one of the top spots to visit for fall, too. And, guess what? Mackinac Island is the ideal setting for some real-world learning, too.
For starters, the historic charm of Mackinac Island makes it an obvious place to boost your knowledge and appreciation of American history. From re-enactments of soldier life at historic Fort Mackinac to tours of some of Michigan’s oldest houses, Mackinac Island oozes history at every turn. Because Mackinac Island is car free, it even feels like you’re back in the 1800s!
Beyond history, Mackinac Island provides a natural classroom for science lessons. Here are three scientific wonders on Mackinac Island that will wow your senses and get your brain in gear:
Discover Mackinac Island’s Sugar Loaf
Many visitors make a point of seeing Mackinac Island’s Arch Rock and gawking at the incredible formation that has towered above Lake Huron for eons. It’s very impressive! So is the less traveled path to nearby Sugar Loaf, another ancient Mackinac Island rock formation that will give you an even better understanding of the geological forces at play in the Great Lakes.
You see, Mackinac Island gets its name from a Native American word that means “place of the great turtle.” It was called that because from a distance, the limestone bluffs rising out of the water make the island appear kind of like a giant turtle shell. Those limestone bluffs are the same reason the British decided to build Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island, high above the surrounding waters. Well, Sugar Loaf is an interesting example of Mackinac Island rock being worn away by lake water that has since receded. What’s left is a 75-foot-high limestone stack that’s perfect for incredible photographs and a natural science lesson at the same time.
There actually are unique rock formations all over Mackinac Island, from Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf to Skull Cave, Crack-in-the-Island and Friendship’s Altar. It can be quite an adventure hiking into the interior of Mackinac Island to see all the amazing sights!
10 supernatural sights to see in Mackinac Island State Park
Explore Mackinac Island State Park
Lots of people know about world-famous Mackinac Island fudge. But most people don’t know that state parkland makes up more than 80% of Mackinac Island. And the state park’s rock formations aren’t the only places to learn about science. There are beautiful Mackinac Island beaches to find as you walk or bike around Mackinac Island on M-185. And the state park forest offers opportunities for lessons in everything from the identification of Mackinac Island trees and wildflowers to Mackinac Island geocaching to birding on Mackinac Island! There are dozens of types of birds to see (and hear!) on Mackinac Island. There are over 100 geocaches hidden in the woods. And there are more 70 miles of trails to explore on foot, bike or horseback.
Walk Mackinac Island’s Botanical Trail
Spend the Afternoon at Mackinac Island’s Windermere Point
The rocky beach at Mackinac Island’s Windermere Point overlooks the ferry docks and is a fantastic place for a family picnic while watching the ferry boats come and go. It’s also a fun scientific playground of sorts. Maybe you’ve heard that Mackinac Island hosts one of the world’s most prestigious stone-skipping competitions. Well, this is where the contest takes place each Fourth of July. The large, flat stones on the shore are perfect for tossing into the water and getting a first-hand physics lesson in how and why the rocks seem to walk on water. Aside from stones just right for skipping, Windermere Point gets its fair share of wind as it juts out at the edge of the harbor. The wind is ideal for flying kites on Mackinac Island. It’s an exhilarating experience, and one that comes with trial and error just like an experiment in the science lab.
Best spots for stoneskipping on Mackinac Island
More Science Learning Opportunities on Mackinac Island
Of course, there are many other ways to experience hands-on science learning on Mackinac Island. Grand Hotel’s Horse Stable and Carriage Museum is a great place to see how the engineering of horse-drawn carriages has evolved through the decades, for example. And Mackinac Island’s two butterfly conservatories – Wings of Mackinac and The Original Butterfly House & Insect World – give you the chance to get up close and personal with some of the world’s prettiest creatures.
While you’re here, don’t forget to sample some world-famous Mackinac Island fudge. It’s a delicious feast for your senses, for one. It’s also where you can see firsthand the fudge making process, which is both a science and a theatrical art!
Whatever aspect of science you want to emphasize, you can find a place on Mackinac Island to experience it and learn about it. When you’re planning a family vacation, why not make it a family field trip to Mackinac Island? Your kids will be having so much fun that they won’t even know they’re learning!
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