Mackinac Island is simply magical. It’s like stepping back in time where cars are replaced with horses and bicycles. Located in Lake Huron between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, Mackinac Island is a destination unlike any other. We love it so much that we’ve visited four times! And yes, if you haven’t gathered, Mackinac Island is totally family friendly. In fact, here are a few of our favorite things to do on Mackinac Island. Whatever you may choose to do, take it slow, breathe, and relax. After all, you are on island time!
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Take a walk Downtown
After stepping off the ferry, Main Street, the hub of activity on Mackinac Island, greets you. Looking for a Mackinac Island souvenir? I absolutely fell in love with Little Luxuries of Mackinac, a cute boutique shop with unique Mackinac Island goodies such as handmade candles, cute artwork, and even souvenirs for your favorite pooch. My favorite souvenir was from The Island Bookstore—a signed copy of “The Dock Porter: A Mackinac Island Novel,” a story set on Mackinac Island, written by one of the co-authors who worked as a dockporter on the island. My only regret is not buying the entire series! Tip: Ask them to stamp the book.
Sample Fudge
While on Main Street, follow the sweet smell to any of the fudge shops for a sample. After all, you are at the Fudge Capital of America. You cannot visit Mackinac Island without having fudge! A couple of our favorites were Ryba’s and Joann’s.
Bike Around the Island
As an island with no cars, one of the most popular ways to explore the island is by bicycle. Visitors have the option of riding the relatively flat 8-mile bicycle trail circling the island or can challenge themselves with biking the island’s hilly interior paths. Since most of the island is covered by Mackinac Island State Park, the entire island is waiting to be explored. Just watch out for the poison ivy! Bike rentals can be found everywhere, including many of the popular hotels.
Dip your toes in Lake Huron
With Lake Huron on one side of the entire path around the island, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop and dip your toes in the water. The water is so unbelievably clear!
Tip: Next time, I’m going to make sure we’re all in our swimsuits so we can take a dip each time. Make sure to have water shoes since it’s so rocky!
Fried Pickles and Ice Cream
When biking around the island, British Landing is an essential rest stop. Not only does it offer restroom facilities, but it’s also perfect for a quick meal at Cannonball Oasis. I heard great things about the fried pickles and it did not disappoint! And of course, you can’t go wrong with ice cream. Ever.
Forge your own knife
For a most unique souvenir ever, go to Forge A Memory, a blacksmith shop, where you can actually forge your own knife or necklace. It was an amazing experience and a memory and souvenir we won’t forget.
Tip: Make sure to make an appointment ahead of time. Forge A Memory is located at Surrey Hill, which is quite a bike ride up from downtown. Allow yourself extra time to get there!
Dine at Pink Pony
There are plenty of places to in Mackinac, but Pink Pony has our heart. Especially if you snag a table outdoors underneath the pink umbrellas overlooking the water. The service is excellent as well as the food. My husband claimed his white fish tacos had the perfect ratio of kale, fish, and sauce. The white fish sandwich and housemade chips were wonderful as well. The rum runner was a must. (Splurge for the souvenir cup which you can also find at the Pink Pony store.)
Tip: There is usually a wait at Pink Pony, so go ahead and put your name down. While you’re waiting go shopping and they will text when a table is available. Just head to Chippewa Hotel where the hostess stand is located.
Ice Cream at Sadie’s
Want to see the Grand Hotel up close but don’t want to pay the entrance fee? Settle for the next best thing – grab a scoop of ice cream from the on-site ice cream parlor, Sadie’s (named after the original owner’s dog). Super cute inside with plenty of seating. Delicious flavors like Mackinac Island Fudge and Mackinac Lilac.
Tip: If you’d like to explore the rest of the Grand Hotel, you’ll have to pay a fee of $12/person. Sit back on the rocking chair on the world’s longest porch and watch horses clip-clop their way to the hotel is an iconic experience if you’ve never been.
Relax
One of the best things about Mackinac Island is the ability to relax. Grab yourself a picnic blanket and sit on Marquette Park‘s hilly lawn. Conveniently located in front of Fort Mackinac and east of the busy downtown area, the park provides a quiet oasis to watch bicyclists and horses pass by and the ideal place to enjoy your ice cream and fudge. Kids can then burn off their sugar high at the park’s playground, throw around the frisbee, or run to their heart’s content. Another great place to relax is at Windermere Point located right by the shores which provide ideal kite-flying conditions. We also love sitting at Mission Point’s green lawn.
See Arch Rock
While you can view Arch Rock from below, it is best to go up the 207 steps up the stairs to see it from the top. You’ll also see the view of Lake Huron from the top.
Tip: They have a brand new nature center, Milliken Nature Center, (closed when we went) but also have bathrooms open 24/7 as well as a water bottle filler.
Enjoy the sunset
A great spot for sunset is Sunset Rock. The trail access is close to The Inn at The Stonecliffe.
Enjoy S’mores
Without a doubt, the best place to have S’mores has to be the Inn at the Stonecliffe. Overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, the Straits Lawn has tons of lawn space, plenty of firepits and Adirondack chairs, and a spectacular view of sunsets.
Tip: S’mores are complimentary to hotel guests only.
Enjoy the sunrise
Epic sunrises can be found by Mission Point Resort.
Stay on the Island
To capture the essence of Mackinac Island, I always recommend staying on the island. We’ve stayed at Mission Point Resort a couple times, The Grand Hotel, and now the newly renovated The Inn at Stonecliffe. All wonderful properties!
Read all about our stay at The Inn at Stonecliffe here.
Tips to Enjoy Mackinac Island
- Stray away from Main Street and explore the rest of Mackinac Island. There’s cute cottages, a playground, butterfly conservatories, churches, and so much more.
- Looking for a little quiet? Head to the back of the Mackinac Public Library for an awesome view of the water.
- Book your stay way in advance
- Have a picnic downtown. Visit Doud’s Market, Michigan’s oldest family-owned grocery store, for items perfect for a picnic lunch, or even regional wines and beers, then take it a few steps down to Marquette Park.
- Pick up a postcard and drop it off at the post office.
