How to Get to Mackinac Island: Ferry, Cost & Full Trip Guide

Getting to Mackinac Island requires a little extra planning, as it’s a car-free island only reachable by ferry, small plane, or private boat. We visited a few weeks ago as part of our Lake Michigan road trip and it was one of our absolute favorite stops. That said, the logistics can catch people off guard if you’re not prepared. Here’s our full guide on how to get to Mackinac Island, plus everything you need to know about what to do, where to stay, and where to eat once you’re there.

How to Get to Mackinac Island

The primary way to reach the island is by ferry. You can also take a short commuter flight (the only option in winter) or dock your own boat, but for most visitors, the ferry is the move.

There are two main ferry companies: Sheplers and Arnold Transit Company. They both run boats throughout the day from 8AM to 8PM, depending on the time of year that you visit. In the fall, the ferry runs every hour but in the summer it runs every half hour. Confirm the schedule on their site when planning your visit! Ferries depart from one of two ports: Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. Which port makes more sense depends on where you’re driving from.

If you’re coming from most of the US or anywhere in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Mackinaw City is the closer option. We drove up from Traverse City and Mackinaw City was a straight shot north. If you’re coming from the Upper Peninsula (UP) then St. Ignace makes more sense.

The ferry itself takes about 25 minutes and is a nice scenic ride across the bay. The best seats are the ones upstairs and we definitely recommend those if it’s a nice sunny day out.

Parking: There are a few tiers. Valet parking at the terminal runs $60/night, but we parked in a lot a short walk away for $10/night and it only took us 5 minutes to walk to the terminal after parking. If you don’t want to pay the higher price for a close parking spot, you can still pull up to the terminal to drop your bags before moving your car. That’s what we did and it was very convenient

Bags: This is one of the best parts of the ferry experience. When you arrive at the terminal, just let them know where you’re staying overnight and they’ll load your luggage onto the ferry. Your hotel picks it up on the island side, so you’re completely hands-free on arrival.

Tickets: Round-trip fare on Arnold Transit Company is $37/person. We bought ours on the spot at the terminal. There’s no need to book ahead, and it’s recommended to show up about 45 minutes before your boat departs to get a spot, though we were only 15 minutes early and were fine.

Things to Do in Mackinac Island

Our favorite activity on the island was renting bikes and doing the full 8-mile loop around the perimeter. The ride hugs the shoreline almost the entire way and has plenty of spots to pull off, relax by the water, and take in the views. It’s a must-do. Bike rentals cost us $17 per hour per person and it took us about 3 hours to get around the island with plenty of stops.

Arch Rock is worth a stop on the loop, it’s a naturally formed limestone arch about 150 feet above Lake Huron and one of the more iconic landmarks on the island. It’s a great photo stop and it’s free!

Fort Mackinac requires a ticket for entry and is perched at the top of a hill overlooking the main downtown area. The hill to get in is pretty steep, so be prepared if you have mobility issues. Tickets were $17.50 for adults, and the fort itself is a very well preserved living museum showing what life used to be like in the early 1900s for soldiers on the island. This was a great afternoon activity and way to spend a few hours. Get your tickets here if you want to book before you arrive!

Best Hotels on Mackinac Island

We stayed at the Island House Hotel and loved it. It’s close enough to downtown to walk everywhere, but the block it sits on is calm and residential-feeling, you don’t get the chaos of the main strip right outside your door. The service was excellent: they handled our luggage seamlessly from ferry to room, and they have bike rentals right on the property, which is a huge perk. The rooms lean on the smaller side (it’s an older building), but for two people over two nights it was more than comfortable.

For peak summer pricing, which we had because we were there in late August, rooms were around $400 per night, so be prepared for that. If you book further out and in shoulder season (spring or fall), prices are closer to $250.

Other hotels we considered:

• Harbour View Inn: Great location near downtown but not in the center of everything. Great summer cottage vibe, bike rentals also available on property
• Bicycle Street Inn: Central location downtown. Balconies overlook the downtown strip, lots of restaurants and shops right outside their doors.
• Inn at Stonecliffe: This is further away from downtown but provides a nice secluded cottage resort atmosphere.

We also looked at staying on the mainland as a way to save money but decided to splurge and stay on the island. Staying on the mainland would be a great budget friendly way to still see the island and the ferry doesn’t take long!

Note: Mackinac Island hotels book up fast in summer, we’d recommend reserving as early as possible.

Mackinac Island Restaurants & Bars

Fair warning: dining on the island skews toward the pricier side. That said, the quality is generally solid, and there are a few hidden gems that make it worth it.

Breakfast: We started our mornings at Watercolor Cafe, a cute waterfront cafe right across from our hotel. There was already a line on a summer weekday but it moved fast, grab a coffee and a breakfast sandwich and grab a seat by the water if you can. This was an artsy quirky breakfast cafe sitting tucked away on the water.

Lunch: We stopped at the sandwich shop Good Day Cafe and had a nice sandwich before venturing out in the afternoon. They have breakfast and lunch options depending on when you make it there. If you wanted to keep it simpler and pick up deli meat and cheese from the island grocery store, that would be a great way to keep prices down for a larger family. Grocery prices were surprisingly reasonable and the grocery store on the island is the oldest grocery store in America!

Drinks: Pink Pony was one of our favorite atmospheres on the whole island. We highly recommend it for an afternoon drink. It’s an open-air bar right on the water, consistently recommended as the best outdoor spot on the island, and they have a signature frozen drink (Island Rum Runner) that you have to get!

Drinks: Hotel Iroquois also had a great atmosphere. We grabbed sunset cocktails here and would definitely recommend going out on the dock with a drink from the bar inside to watch the sunset. This was one of the most expensive drinks we had and it was $17 for a glass of wine, to give some perspective on island pricing.

Dinner: Kingston Kitchen was one of the more unexpected finds on the island. It’s a Jamaican restaurant. Not exactly what you picture when you think Mackinac, but it was one of our favorite meals of the trip. The pork was great and they had a handful of vegetarian options.

Dinner: Mary’s Bistro and Drafthouse A little more dive bar-y with solid prices and great food. We spent a few hours here and really enjoyed it. One heads-up: like most places on the island, it closes on the earlier side, make sure to plan accordingly.

Cost Breakdown

Category	Cost
Accommodation	$400/night (depending on season)
Food & Dining	$30-50 / person for dinner
Bike Rental	$15-20/hr per person
Ferry	$37 roundtrip
Ferry Parking	$10/night

A great way to save money here would be to stay on the mainland and then take the ferry out to the island in the morning and back at night!

Final Thoughts

Mackinac island is a truly magical place and somewhere that has been on our midwest bucket list for a long time. We think that the ideal amount of time on the island is 1-3 days, but you could definitely spend longer if you wanted to relax more. Although it is a process to get to, we definitely think that it is worth it. It was amazing in the summer time but we could see if being nice in spring or fall too, might be a little cold in the winter!

Planning Other Midwest US Adventures?

Check out our loop around Lake Michigan road trip or if you’re looking for other great Midwest destinations, check out our New Buffalo, Michigan travel guide and our Chicago, Illinois travel guide.