Located on the tranquil waters of Lake Huron, Mackinac Island is an incredibly popular summer destination – and for good reason. Walk or bike across the peaceful landscape of the island and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time to when life moved just a little bit slower. From the expansive woods to the stately architecture of the Grand Hotel, Mackinac truly encapsulates the beauty of northern Michigan.

While you certainly could spend a week or more exploring the island and relaxing on its quiet streets and shores, most of the highlights can be seen in just a weekend. Here’s a two-day itinerary to help you make the most out of your Mackinac escape.

Day 1

How to Get There

Take Shepler’s Ferry from St. Ignace. The ride is short and is often less crowded than voyages originating in Mackinaw City. Prices are reasonable too and, if you time it just right, you can snag a Mighty Mac Departure at no extra charge. This special ferry adds a few minutes to the trip but provides some amazing views of the Mackinac Bridge as it passes underneath.

Morning

Once you step off the ferry, you’re immediately transported back in time to an era before automobiles. Cars are banned on the island, so your main methods of getting around will be by foot, bike or horse-drawn carriage. But first, breakfast.

🍴Breakfast at Pancake House

Afternoon

As the day starts to heat up, walk the grounds of the Grand Hotel. The lush lawn, including the Secret Garden, is free of charge to non-guests and features a large space for picnics, sunbathing or a casual game of frisbee. Or grab a friend and play a game of giant chess.

If you want to explore the interior of the hotel, which was built in the 1880s, you’ll have to buy an admission pass. For $12, you can relax in the rocking chairs on the world’s longest front porch or soak in the green and pink designs of the hotel’s rooms and hallways. And if you’re looking for a sweet treat to beat the summertime heat, grab a cone at Sadie’s Ice Cream Parlor.

🍴Lunch at Gate House

Also located on the hotel property is the Grand Hotel Stables. There’s a nice little museum here that highlights the history of carriage designs on Mackinac Island, and if you’re lucky, you might get to see the hotel staff hooking up some horses to one of their ornate enclosed carriages.

Right across the way is Wings of Mackinac, a lovely butterfly house that features dozens of different types of these fragile insects. It doesn’t take long to walk through the greenhouse, but it’s a worthwhile excursion if even one butterfly happens to land on you.

Evening

🍴Dinner at Woods Restaurant and Bobby’s Bar

As the sun starts to go down, soak up a sunset over Lake Huron from Sunset Rock. Then, head back to your bed and breakfast and get some shut-eye.

Day 2

Morning

Start your second day off right with a little stroll through the streets of town. Pop into some of the souvenir stores and grab a kitschy magnet or t-shirt to take home. Also be sure to check out Doud’s Market, the self-proclaimed oldest grocery store in the nation.

🍴Breakfast at Good Day Cafe

Afternoon

As more and more ferries arrive, bringing with them throngs of tourists, learn about some of the more historical aspects of the island at Fort Mackinac. Here, there’s a plethora of old buildings to explore, from soldier’s quarters to a bathhouse, and its position on a high bluff affords visitors sweeping panoramic views of the south side of the island. Interactive exhibits tell of the importance of the fort and its influence on the culture of Mackinac Island. There’s even an on-site restaurant.

🍴Lunch at Fort Mackinac Tea Room Restaurant

Next, walk the tree-lined avenues of Mackinac Island State Park – our nation’s second National Park until it was handed over to the state of Michigan in 1895 – to Arch Rock, a unique natural feature that has stood the test of time. This oddly-shaped limestone rock has been a huge draw for decades and was a catalyst for the creation of the original Mackinac National Park. A small bridge also juts out past the rock and provides amazing vistas of Lake Huron and points east.

Then, sadly, it’s time to walk – or ride a horse-drawn carriage – back into town to wrap up your time on the island.

Evening

🍴Dinner at Mighty Mac Hamburgers

Don’t forget to hit up Murdick’s Fudge for a piece of the chocolatey goodness that Mackinac Island is famous for. There’s so many varieties to choose from, you’ll have a hard time deciding what to get!

Take one last stroll through the historic streets before making your way to the docks and catching the ferry back to the mainland. Don’t be sad your time on Mackinac Island is over – be happy it happened!