129 - Helpful Area Information
General advice. Mackinac Island requires more advance planning than a normal, auto-based vacation. From July through the third week of August, the throngs on Main Street, exciting to some visitors, can feel claustrophobic to others. Crowds can be avoided by getting out early in the morning to see sights before ferries bring the crowds; by taking alternate downtown routes like Market Street; by choosing less obvious activities away from crowds; and by visiting early or late in the season, when the pace is more relaxed. Mackinac's historic fur-trade buildings on Market Street are only open from June 9 through August 26, however. Before June, spring weather on the island can be raw. Jackets and windblock layers are advised year-round, here and anywhere on the Great Lakes in northern Michigan.
Plan ahead so you're not surprised about how much you have to spend. Costs can really add up, starting with the round-trip ferry fee ($18 for adults, $9 for ages 5 to 12, under 5 free) and typical island room rates of well over $100 a night. (You can stay for less at B&Bs with shared baths, but they tend to fill up early.) Tourists on a budget have often spent the night in Mackinaw City hotels, but they are now often as expensive as the island. You can do Mackinac on a tight budget if you stay or camp in St. Ignace.
Staying on the island is more relaxed and more fun, however. Twilight is a special time. Being downtown on the island early and late is much more pleasant than summer daytimes. Island nightlife, outlined in a useful Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau planner, includes many kinds of music. Mackinac Island room availability is limited, especially at the most unusual and less expensive places.
So one-time visitors from far away have lots of decisions to make. The lack of a vehicle makes planning all the more important. One can easily forget how much we typically depend on autos to take us wherever we please.
Full accommodations listings, including small, personal lodgings that don't need to advertise, can be found on these sites:
♦ For Mackinaw City, http//Xwww.mackinawchamber.com/
♦ For St. Ignace, http://www.stignace.com/
♦ For Mackinac Island, www.mackinacisland.org. Download the maps of the island and town, and print some extras. Request the excellent free planners for St. Ignace and Mackinac Island. They pull a lot of information together in one handy magazine to carry with you.
Ferries to the island.Taking one of the ferries is a fun adventure in itself. It's 18 minutes from either St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula or Mackinaw City in Lower Michigan. In summer ferries leave the mainland from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., later on weekends. The last ferry leaves the island at 9 p.m., or at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday from June through August.
Which ferry to take? All three have docks at St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. The three ferry companies compete not by price (there are some slight differences) but with equipment and service. The catamarans of the ARNOLD TRANSIT LINE (www.arnoldline.com) are slightly faster than other ferries. (Arnold also has a slow boat from St. Ignace, enjoyed by people who like to draw out the ferry ride. It moves more freight and lets visitors see how freight was transported in the age of the horse. Arnold also has a freight-only dock.) Arnold's St. Ignace ferries operate from early April, right after the ice breaks up, into November. It's the St. Ignace docks that are used by summer and year-round islanders and for all the island's food and supplies, so that's where to get a fuller view of the logistics of island life.
At SHEPLER'S (www.sheplersferry.com) owner Bill Shepler has emphasized service to the point of holding Disney service seminars for interested hospitality businesses in the area. Bill Shepler was a partner in developing Mackinaw Crossings with its Branson-style shops and entertainment. Shepler's now offers print-your-own ticketing for ferry and Mackinac State Historic Parks from home.
The STAR LINE (www.mackinacferry.com), founded by former Arnold employees, has hydrojets with spectacular water roostertails in back, over 20' high.
Proximity to your hotel is another factor in choosing a ferry, since you either need to carry your luggage or take it in a carriage unless your hotel includes luggage transfer service. Shepler and Star docks are on the west end of downtown, Arnold on the east. For daytrippers (called "fudgies"), the Arnold Line deposits visitors in the most central location, close to Marquette Park and the steep climb to the fort, and right in front of City Park, the little covered plaza with seating near the chamber of commerce information kiosk where the carriage rides start.
What to take to the island. Without a car, be sure to outfit yourself for the trip. You will probably be walking a lot. Don't forget to bring:
♦ sun lotion, sun hat, and sunglasses
♦ comfortable walking shoes or sandals. Wearing waterproof walking sandals like Tevas allow you to wade in Lake Huron..
♦ water bottle and big satchel or backpack for any purchases
♦ wind breaker and umbrella or raincoat. Sweatshirt or sweater.
♦ insect spray just in case.
♦ food if you plan to save money and picnic. There's one island grocery, O'Doud's by the Arnold dock, but prices are on the high side and crowds can be thick. Grand Hotel offers box lunches for its guests.
♦ groundcloth or blanket, preferably thick, for picnics and sitting on grass. (There are few picnic tables on the island.)
♦ Disposable plates, etc. for picnics.
You could decide to pack a lot into a day on the island and take the late ferry back. In June and July it stays light until past 10 p.m., and you could take a 9 or 10 p.m. ferry back, depending on the line and the destination (Mackinaw or St. Ignace). This would give you more flexibility to pick your day if some days are rainouts, though you could see a lot on the island without getting wet at Fort Mackinac, Grand Hotel, and the highly recommended carriage tour.
Once on the island, first-time visitors will surely want to take the two-hour carriage tour ($18/adult, $9 ages 5 to 12) as an entertaining Mackinac introduction.
A bike ride around the island is another favorite thing to do. Spend $25 to $35 and get a bike for the whole day. (An alternative, taking bikes on the ferry, is $6.50 per bike or bike trailer.) A visit to the Grand Hotel's grounds is $10/adult, $5 per child. That's not as outrageous as it might seem if the visit is extended by relaxing on the famous porch, looking around the hotel's public rooms and beautiful grounds. The fee serves to limit sightseers.
Far and away the best deal for visiting Fort Mackinac is to spend $59 for an annual family pass. It gives admission for a year for two adults and all dependent children to all Mackinac State Historic Park attractions: the fort and historic Main Street on the island and, in Mackinaw City, the outstanding Colonial Michilimackinac French-Canadian palisade fort, plus the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse (just restored and open for 2004, with a tower to climb), and Mill Creek with its nature center and 18th century replica sawmill. The family pass also gives a 15% discount on MSHP gift shop purchases.
The cost so far for a family of four: $197 to get onto the island, see the forts and Grand Hotel, and take the carriage tour. And that doesn't count meals, bike rentals, or overnights. But it's still possible to enjoy an economy-style Mackinac trip. In fact, the simple way might even be more enjoyable than some kinds of expensive trips.
Economy overnights in the Straits area are not unpleasant. The ST. IGNACE AREA is cheaper and more relaxed in many ways, without the traffic of Mackinaw City. It also has a big Glen's Market for provisioning. St. Ignace has some good independent motels, a historic B&B, and a pleasant early 20th century hotel right in town, where you can stroll along its harborfront boardwalk and walk to restaurants and the Museum of Ojibwa Culture. West of the Mackinac Bridge on U.S. 2, near the beautiful sand beaches between Point aux Chenes and Brevort, St. Ignace-area rooms are even less, often with a vintage appeal kids seem to enjoy. A couple of older resorts even come with a beach. The retro Melody Motel east of St. Ignace offers a private beach and an appealing introduction to first-generation Polish-American culture. Note: staying at brand-name lodgings means you pay more to cover the owner's franchise fee. Some of the best lodgings don't need the name recognition a brand name confers.
Camping around St. Ignace is cheaper still, with good last-minute availability in a few places. Expect to go rustic (no showers - get clean by swimming in Lake Michigan or Lake Huron) if you don't get a spot at Straits State Park or Castle Rock campground. Foley Creek and Carp River campgrounds, just $10 a night, are seldom full. They are two charmingly woodsy Hiawatha National Forest campgrounds close to town on water.
A small, subtle advantage to St. Ignace is that the ferry ride provides a more complex view of Mackinac Island: the long side of the island, then the grand Victorian "cottages" on West Bluff and a side view of the Grand Hotel before passing the Round Island lighthouse and entering the harbor.
MACKINAW CITY is the other point of departure to Mackinac Island. It's never been a year-round town like St, Ignace, but more of a collection of motels around a small village. Originally Mackinaw City centered around fishing and the ferries to Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula - first railroad carferries, then auto ferries.
Most of Mackinaw City's historic points of interest (Colonial Michilimackinac, the lighthouse, downtown shops) are within a few blocks of Mackinaw Point and the bridge. The park at the point is a beautiful place to stroll at twilight. If you do stay in Mackinaw City, we strongly recommend choosing from the mostly older lodgings north of Central Avenue for a pleasant pedestrian experience. A row of big nouveau Victorian hotels extends south along the waterfront and inland from Central. From them it can be quite a hike in the sun to downtown and attractions on Mackinac Point - yet parking for shops and historical attractions in summer isn't a cinch. The only reason to stay in these large, expensive lakefront hotels might be that your children want a beach right by your hotel (not a very good beach, at that) and that your family wants a large indoor pool - perhaps a whole water park—inside the hotel. Will you really spend that much time in your room? A room on the island might be a better choice for the same money.
Mackinaw City has more entertainment than St. Ignace. However, Mackinac Island's varied music and nightlife with dancing are some of Michigan's best. Mackinaw City has a crowd scene which some people really enjoy. It has become a destination in its own right. The scene is centered on Mackinaw Crossings, a Branson-style festival marketplace with a dinner theater, movie multiplex, and free light show at 10 p.m. in summer. The Crossings is one of the fruits of ferry owner Bill Shepler's campaign to make Mackinaw a destination and to ratchet up service standards, once lackadaisical, to a Disney level. Shepler-sponsored Disney Institute service seminars have improved service in town and in much of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
Mackinaw City is not in the Upper Peninsula in fact or in spirit. As a service to readers in the area, we will include a very short list of recommended restaurants and detailed descriptions of distinctive sights at the end of our St. Ignace web site section.
Staying two nights on Mackinac Island is nice if you can afford it. In the evening it's delightful to stroll by the picture-perfect harbor with lights reflected in the water. Also memorable is the view of the setting sun and illuminated Mackinac Bridge from the tucked-away boardwalk beyond the town library. You can get out early in the fresh morning before the ferry delivers crowds to downtown and the fort. Based on her guests' experiences, one innkeeper feels that three days and two nights gives ample time for visitors to see most of what the island has to offer. A stay at a resort or in a vacation home or apartment rented by the week is a whole different thing, where you can really unwind and settle in to a slow, relaxing pace.
Mackinac Island wheelchair accessibility is tricky. Some historic buildings have no ramps. Crowds on downtown Main Street sidewalks in summer would not be easy to negotiate, and stores may be tight. Otherwise, a wheelchair could work for many places. There are wheelchair-accessible carriages to take you to the fort's festive rear entrance and pick you up. Call (906) 847-3307 to arrange. There's a real hill on the way to the Grand Hotel, which is itself entirely accessible, as are many larger hotels. For an accessibility guide to the fort and other Mackinac State Historic Parks properties, call (231) 436-4100 or fax (231) 436-4210.
Pets.The island is can be quite dog-friendly IF owners plan carefully, pick the right accommodations, and carry plastic bags to pick up poop. Mission Point Resort, Sunset Condos, Harbor Place Studio Suites, and Mackinac Island Home Rentals offer pet-friendly accommodations. Of course, it's not possible to use your vehicle as a rolling kennel while you shop or dine. But the island has many pet-friendly shops and restaurants, which now have Mackinac Island Dog & Pony Club stickers on their windows. Dogs are welcome to sit by their owners' tables at these restaurants and eat. Island kids in the Dog and Pony Club will walk your dog if you prefer to eat out without your pet. "While it takes about a half hour for dogs to acclimate to the island, all the fresh air and hiking trails make it a great place. . . to tak your pooch," says Mary Slavin, director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. She points out that Mackinac was included among the top 10 dog-friendly resorts by www.dogfriendly.com.
Bikes. Bicycle rentals on the island vary a bit from place to place. Locations are throughout downtown. A complete www.mackinacisland.org ">list is under "Services" and, on an indispensable downloadable downtown map, under "bicycle rentals." You need gears to get up into the island's interior. Lakeside bikes by the Arnold Docks charges by the hour but the clock stops at five hours, so an all-day rental would be five times the hourly rate. Its hourly rates: $4 for single speed, $5 for three speed, $7 for mountain bikes, tandems, and bike carts for babies over 9 months and for one or two children up to 90 pounds. For no extra charge you can get a child's seat or a big delivery-style basket on single-speed bikes. Lakeside also owns Streetside bikes a half block down Main by the taxi stand.
Chamber guide. The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau's www.mackinacisland.org"> visitor guide is pretty much the same as its printed visitor guide, which can be requested on the site under "contact us." Both are unusually well written and informative—the work of chamber director Mary McGuire Slevin, also a singer-songwriter and year-round island resident. It's a good idea to print off extra copies of the site's downloadable maps, one of downtown and the island's south end, another of the entire island's road system and sights. Don't ignore the useful locator coordinates (R16 for Horn's Gaslight Bar, for instance) and phone lumbers by each listed business name. The "great outdoors" is a complete guide to natural features of the island's perimeter and interior. The Tourism Bureau is open business hours the year round and in season every day from 9 to 5, possibly longer, at the kiosk by City Park and the Arnold Dock. For questions not answered in the planner or web site, call the extremely knowledgeable staffers at (800) 454-5227.
Island events. On the Tourism Bureau site and in the planner, the excellent events calendar under "events" is well annotated and extensive. The web calendar is updated with new events as the season goes on. Read up before planning your trip if you want to catch, say, the Zoo-De Mackinac Bike Ride (from Harbor Springs to the island) and fun party weekend on May 21, or the starting dates of the important Port Huron to Mackinac or Chicago to Mackinac sailboat races, or the full array of events for the Annual Lilac Festival or artists' workshops at the Murray Hotel, or the Powwow of the Mackinac Band of Ojibwa and Odawa (made up of Mackinac year-round residents and kin from Les Cheneaux and the Straits area), special Victorian games and 1880s baseball at Fort Mackinac, or 4-H/Mackinac Horsemen Association riding lessons from June 8-15, or Jeff Daniels Onstage and Unplugged at the Grand Hotel July 16-17, or The Wheelmen biannual celebration of antique bicycling August 11-14.
Pronunciation advisory: "Mackinac" is perhaps the most widely mispronounced of any Midwestern place name. Get it right by remembering this simple fact: no matter how it's spelled, "Mackinac" and "Mackinaw" are always pronounced the same way—the "Mackinaw" way. The "c" in "Mackinac" is silent, so the last syllable is "naw." The French spelled the Indian word "Mackinac," the English spelled it "Mackinaw." Mackinaw City, at the north tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, is spelled the English way.
The meanings of "Mackinac" (as in the island) and "Michilimackinac (as in the mainland fort just below the bridge) are widely thought to come from the island's turtle-like shape and wonderful old Native American legends about its formation.
Tip. Look up from UNDER the Mackinac Bridge on your trip to Mackinac Island: arrange to take the 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Shepler ferries. They take a scenic detour to go under the bridge. It makes the trip a bit longer — 25 minutes — but many people love it.
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