I have a fondness for islands. Perhaps, it’s the idea of a small community with its encapsulated lifestyle and a slower pace of life that instantly transports you into vacation mode. If you’ve never seen “Somewhere in Time”, definitely rent it before you go – young Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve are amazing in this one of the early time travel movies set on Mackinac island, at the Grand Hotel. This is perhaps why the Grand Hotel is basically a symbol of the island. Since this is one of my husband’s all-time favorite movies, I’ve never doubted where we would stay at Mackinac island. Since Mackinac island maintains the old-fashioned pace of life, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the island, so your main transportation is by horse buggy, bike or on your own two feet. It’s really incredible how much more relaxed you will feel in this kind of environment. In fact, you will feel like you are being transported back in time when people walked and biked more. Biking around the island, you can take in the scenery with lush trees, two lakes, the bridge, two peninsulas and a clear blue sky on most summer days. Mackinac island is a perfect setting for a wedding (many are held here), but this is a perfect family getaway, and we’ll tell you why.
When to Visit Mackinac Island
This is northern Michigan, so the best time to visit the island is between Memorial Day and mid-September. It’s definitely a summer destination but it peaks with travelers in July and is slightly less crowded in May and September. There are lots of things to do on Mackinac island, aside from the obvious hiking, biking and relaxing. A number of stand-out festivals take place from Spring through late Fall and, while there is a flux of people to the island, there are plenty of interesting activities then. Lilac festival in early spring just fills the air with the mesmerizing scent of lilac, especially at the Mission Point resort. No wonder, so many weddings take place here in the Spring. The island is world known for its sweet fudge concoctions, so the August fudge festival will be a sweet treat for both kids and adults. Music festival in August draws excellent artists and Labor Day Jazz festival at the Grand Hotel is a pleasure to see.
How do you get there?
While the island has a small airport, it’s mostly for small charter flights or select northern Michigan flights by Northwest. So the easiest way to get there is to drive down I-75 to Mackinaw City, park your car and take the ferry. The island has a number of ferry boat options, with Sheplers and Arnold Line being the most popular. If you are in a hurry, take the high speed catamaran (tickets will cost you a little more). If you want to take in the view and Mackinac bay and bridge, take a slower ferry.
Family Friendly Lodging
There are a few complete resorts on the island – Mission Point Resort, The Chippewa/Lilac Hotel, and the Grand Hotel. They are pricier than a simple hotel room but you get a lot in addition to the room – many full service restaurants, kids activities, bikes and even dances (at the Grand Hotel).
One friend made Mission Point resort their family vacation destination. “All along the way to and from this area there were many beautiful displays of flowers. The thing that struck me the most besides the flowers were the number of weddings taking place at Mission Point. It seemed to me that there was a wedding almost every 10-15 minutes because there were brides everywhere. We viewed all of this from the lovely grounds of the miniature golf course in Mission Park. It was not your typical miniature course but one designed in natures’ background befitting of Mackinac Island.” In fact, there are over 200 weddings hosted annually on the island.
The Grand Hotel is the Grand Dame of the island and kids stay and eat free. “For us”, says another friend, “they also had families in a separate dining area so we weren’t as worried about disturbing other diners. It is pricey, though, I wouldn’t stay anywhere else.” It’s a unique environment – the luxury of the building and rooms, the beautiful ballroom with its spectacular dances, all coexist with the roaming kids, giant chess kids love to move, lots of other kids activities and a yummy buffet with lots of options for the little ones. In fact, the Grand Hotel should be one of the sights to see if you are not staying there.
The Chippewa/Lilac Hotel is known for its wonderful lilac which is the most prevalent flower on Mackinac island. When it’s in season, and especially during the Lilac festival, the air has that amazing spring aroma. Stu Stuart has been doing stand up comedy here for a decade – check it out.
Mackinac Island sights
The great outdoors
Majority of the island is within the Mackinac Island State park – the first park in the US to be called that (state park). So, not surprisingly, exploring the island is the best activity. It can be done on foot or on a bike, buggy or horse. There are plenty of places to rent a bike and there are horse carriages all around. You can get pretty much anywhere on the island by buggy. If you are feeling adventurous, you can not only rent a horse, you can also rent the entire buggy, although this reminds me too much of a scene from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation”. It may be entertaining for the whole family to get a full narrated tour of the island with a carriage tour. After all, there is a lot of history on Mackinac island and there is a lot to see – beautiful natural forests full of cedar, pine, maple, oak, surrounded by rocks and water. You can stop for a picnic any time or pick up some caramel apples or cotton candy at one of the Main street shops. The architecture has its own style – white houses, white porches with white wicker furniture. Take in the views and enjoy everything the island has to offer!
Fort Mackinac
There is a lot of interesting history on the island and Fort Mackinac is one of the best ways to experience it. It’s fun for both kids and history buffs. There are military re-enactments and presentations – cannon ball firing, music, drills, and soldiers put on quiet a show to engage the audience. There are lots of hands-on activities, like morse code kids can try. The fee is $10 for adults, $6 for kids 5-17, free for those 4 and under, though I don’t think they will enjoy it here as much. You can also buy a combination ticket letting you into the lighthouse, art museum and discovery park in addition to Fort Mackinac, but we liked the flexibility of doing what we wanted and not planning far in advance, so we didn’t get one. I also think that this may not be the best place for kids under 5 and it’s definitely not as stroller friendly. However, kids can play with a lot of victorian children’s games and stroll through the many buildings of the fort. The best part of the fort is the amazing sweeping views of the island and the marina. The climb up is steep, so be prepared for the hike, but it’s definitely worth it. Buy your lunch at the restaurant or bring your own and enjoy the spectacular views from above. There is more going on during the summer but this place is definitely like stepping back in time.
Butterfly House
Located right behind behind Ste. Anne’s church on Main street, this little yellow Butterfly house is a marvel. There is another butterfly house behind the Grand Hotel, but that one features butterflies from North America only as opposed to the international habitat in the one we went to. It will probably take you 30 minutes or less to tour this place (depending on how much your kids would like to spend here), and the admission may get a bit pricey (adults are $8, kids are $4 and kids 3 and under are free). A nice bonus is that you can return as often as you like before you leave the island – for free with your receipt – which is perfect for antsy kids. You can bring the stroller as you cross through the garden. Come earlier in the day (they open at 10 a.m.) when butterflies are more active and there is more to see, and if you like, return when it’s less crowded.
The first thing you will see is the cocoon room where the little butterflies are about to hatch. Then, proceed to the beautiful indoor garden – the main butterfly area with little wings everywhere. Watch your step and look everywhere; butterflies are likely to land on you! Your little ones will probably be in awe of the variety and colors of these butterflies – there are hundreds of them. When you are done, stop at the Insect World exhibit to look at the turtles in the turtle pond, spiders and other insects. The Butterfly House will probably appeal more to girls, as well as science lovers and photographers, but it is a nice place to relax after a long days outdoors and take in the simple beauty. Here’s a butterfly house coupon you may find useful:
Fudge Shops
What trip to Mackinac island is complete without fudge tasting? There are homemade fudge shops on every corner. The island becomes chocolate paraside during the famous fudge festival at the end of August. You can smell the sweet scent of fudge throughout the island. We get the delicious fudge from Mackinac island in Chicago and I hear from a friend as far as San Francisco, you can buy Mackinac island fudge there. It’s rich, it’s delicious and a nice memory of the island. Here you can certainly ask the local vendors about their favorite fudge and each will probably have their own opinion. There are plenty of fudge shops lining up the Main street. Avoid the hotel fudge shops, I just don’t think they are as authentic as the stand-alone ones. Try samples where you can and pick your favorite. This beautiful FlickR photo by John Gronberg shows one of the many varieties you can try. I’ve always been trying a little scrumptiously sweet bite of Ryba’s fudge here in Chicago on Navy Pier, and so I was pleasantly surprised the original store on Mackinac island is just as good.
