Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry June 2026…read more With friends from Albion and Grand Rapids, the four of us were heading from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island earlier this summer. Parking was smooth - we would be on the island for three days and could leave the SUV in an adjacent parking lot. Short line to the ticket booth, and seamless booking for our ferry, which would leave in about an hour. Time enough for us to cross the parking lot (standard overnight parking - $25 per night; premium dock lot parking - $50/75 per night) and have a light lunch of fries and onion rings at The Dixie Saloon, accompanied by a Kentucky Mule. The ferry was very well organized, from the ticketing to the lining up. The only downside was ferry staff required the 80 or so passengers who were not a part of a local tour group leave the protection of the covered queue: the unfortunates in the line (including my group) had to wait in the cold wind and rain for more than 20 minutes while a ferry boarded the fortunate (in the special tour group) in comfort, sans wind or rain. (Adult basic round trip $39) Once aboard, the trip went great. This is not a slow boat - we were tooling right along for the 20 or so minutes it took to get from the City to the Island. Given the raw weather outside it was great to shelter in the covered seating below the outside seating. Shepler's crew also did their best to help with our luggage: they gathered our stuff when we purchased our tickets, so we were free to wander around Mackinaw City until it was time to board. (Tipping is appropriate.) Offloading was a bit trickier, as we sought to have the luggage gathered by the horse-drawn taxis that would take us to our condo on the island. Took a while but ultimately Shepler's crew got our bags and transferred them to a taxi. Great service, good coordination, slight bumps making us wait in the rain so that the privileged few could board their own ferry ahead of us, but altogether a great experience.

I was ready for my return trip from Mackinac island I grabbed my bike and went into shelters I…read moretried to go onto the dock and a man came up to me and yelled at me I tried showing him my tickets but he kicked us out and yelled at me then as I left a rude worker pushed me to get through with luggage I do not recommend this establishment

If you're not planning to rent bikes, this is a great way to tour the Mackinac Island. You purchase…read moreticket on the island. There are 3 types of tours: sightseeing, combination (which includes sightseeing and Wings of Mackinac), and Mackinac package (which includes combination and Fort Mackinac). We got the Mackinac package. There are no set departure times. You fall in line then once the next carriage for your tour comes, you go on it. Grand Hotel is not included in this tour but at the end, you can be dropped off to a spot that is about a 10-minute walk to the Grand Hotel. The Mackinac package includes the Surrey Hills Museum and the nearby Wings of Mackinac. Before going in the Surrey Hills Museum, the picture of the group in your carriage will be taken and this will be available for a fee inside the Surrey Hills Museum. The doughnuts here are a must try. They're served off the oven hot and fresh. Different shops selling different items (magnets, clothes, and other souvenirs) can be found here. Wings of Mackinac is a butterfly conservatory. It's a little small compared to other butterfly conservatories I've been to but it's still nice. Arch Rock is another stop where you can have your picture taken! Fort Mackinac is another stop but we decided not to go here. You can spend as much time at any stop since the carriages arrive frequently. The guides are assigned a carriage; your guide will be different on your next carriage ride. Our guides were very nice and knowledgeable about island and its history. We had a good time touring.

The cost was a little shocking at first but we were pleasantly surprised by how great the tour was…read more It's a great way to see everything on the island and learn some of the history. The great part about it is you can take your time at the drop spots and get picked up again that's why we did the best value package. We had a great time!

I absolutely love following the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau social media channels throughout the…read moreyear to get a taste of Mackinac! On the island, the Visitors Center is directly across from Marquette Park. The building is part museum/education on the history of the island and part gift shop. There are free public restrooms as well as a water bottle refill station. The staff at the welcome desk are happy to answer any questions you have about the island. On the day I stopped in, the staff member was a longtime year-round resident, and I enjoyed chatting with her about what it's like to winter on the island.

Some T-shirts and gift items are for sale here. There is a woman selling tours. I enjoyed the…read moredisplays of the animals and the history of the island. We walked out onto the back porch. It's a beautiful view of the harbor.

Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience with this company. Jeannete seemed very nice on the…read morephone when I called to schedule a ride from Traverse City to Boyne for a wedding. I called her again 3 days before the trip to re-confirm the details which she did. When we arrived at the airport for a ride, she said she didn't have me on her schedule. She offered to come get us, but she was an hour and a half away - leaving us stranded at the airport looking for another ride. A few days later, I reluctantly called her to confirm our ride back to Traverse City, which we had scheduled for between 10-11am. She seemed to not remember me from stranding me 3 days prior. She said she would come get me at 8am instead of our agreed upon time. When I told her that wouldn't work and that I would book with a different company she became upset. I told her I would probably have to book a back-up ride if I booked with her anyways since she was so unorganized and had already left us stranded once. Another guest at the wedding told me she cancelled on him too and sent him a nasty text message. No way this is a legit business that has insurance. Pay any price to use a different company!

I have never had a worse experience when it comes to customer service in my life. I would be…read moreSHOCKED if this company is a legit insured business. I called Chariot and was immediately told by the woman on the other line to text her our details as she was on the road. I sent all of our details to chariot reserving a 845 am trip from Boyne Mountain resort to Traverse city. I also asked via text if I could get a confirmation as in my past experiences that was something provided in one form or another. I did receive a text confirmation and at that point went on to enjoy celebrating a best friends wedding. After hearing a few stories from other guests about getting stranded by their car service,I reached out to chariot asking for one more confirmation about 845 am pickup...this was the night before the ride. I received one message back stating that "I already excepted a ride with another company." I immediately tried to reach out to chariot to speak on the phone instead of text and my calls or texts no longer went through Which leads me to believe I was blocked. My fiancé and I then were tasked with calling every company we can in every nearby city (with 8 hours to spare) to see if we could still catch the only flight out that day. I was lucky enough to find an amazing company who drove us down . Long story short is NEVER rely on chariot, especially if you are not from around there. Update - adding one more friendly message I received from this "professional business owner"

I've used Star Line as my way to get to and from Mackinac Island every single time over the years…read moreand they have all been 5-star experiences! They are wonderful and always on time, and offer different types of boats to suit all your different needs - they even have a pirate boat! I have yet to try that one because the timing never lines up, but hopefully one day I'll get to! We always book in person, so I am unaware if there is a way to book it online beforehand. I also normally go during the peak season for Mackinac Island, but I think because there are so many companies and ferries to and from the island, it'll never be sold out for long. Perhaps you might show up and the next available departure is sold out, but the following one won't be and you can easily get that one and wait a little longer before departing! Once you're on the island, there is no set time to come back with your roundtrip ticket. You just come back whenever you're ready and get in line to do so, and I appreciate that convenience and flexibility! Every once in a while as well, the Star Line ferry will take a different route, once again just depending on which time you book! The most recent time I took the ferry, which was this past summer, we happened to be on a boat that took a little detour UNDER the Mackinac Bridge!!!!!!! That was so exhilarating and not anything I ever imagined doing, but loved it when I got down there and could be the proper TROLL that I am haha! It was a nice bonus treat at no extra charge and really started our journey over to Mackinac Island nicely! Star Line is also so convenient and you can easily bring your dog on board as well, in addition to bikes and strollers. They have good, organized systems built into place for all of your needs around this and that doesn't go unnoticed by me either. It's much appreciated and always a good time aboard Star Line ferries!

Update, they found the bag. Except they were asking for our credit card information to ship the bag…read moreover to us. How are we gonna pay for something they lost? But fortunately they sent it back to us without charge. So thankful for them finding our items and sending it back.

Sailing with Windy Escapes, aboard the Stampede, was a wonderfully enjoyable cruise…read more Captain Case and first mate (and son) Kai, both experienced sailors, were passionate about sharing their knowledge of Mackinac Island. Incredibly accommodating, they made sure we were comfortable and confident before leaving the marina, and ensured a welcoming atmosphere on board, giving us a safe and authentic smooth sailing experience, and making us feel at home. Captain Case's workmanship and care for his boat and crew were evident in all his actions. The postcard-worthy views of the island from the boat provided a mesmerizing backdrop of natural beauty that truly left me in awe. The weather was perfect, and the Lake Huron waters cool, clear, & clean. We loved every minute aboard Stampede and would definitely consider a repeat trip.

From the owner: Set sail from Mackinac Island State Harbor aboard our stunning Columbia 50 sailboat for a private…read morecharter experience like no other. Operating daily from June 10 through the end of September, 9 AM to sunset, our sailing charters accommodate up to six passengers-perfect for couples, families, or small groups. In addition to standard excursions, we also offer custom charters tailored to your unique interest, whether it’s a romantic sunset sail, a special celebration, or a full-day adventure. Enjoy a personalized and professional sailing experience from one of Michigan’s most iconic destinations. Book your charter today at windyescape.com.

This is a review of the Grand Hotel based on our exploration of it; we did not stay here…read more When you go to Mackinac Island, you'll see this magnificent hotel as the ferry gets closer to the island. After a carriage tour of the island, we went here and explored on our own. If you are not staying here, you have to pay an entrance fee to be able to go in and explore. Its porch is the world's longest and offers a great view. Its interiors are intricate and very beautiful. One would see that the carpet, fixtures, and furniture are well taken care of. The vibrant colors, bold contrasts, and floral patterns are everywhere. They have different restaurants inside (Main Dining Room, Cupola Bar, Geranium Bar, The Jockey Club, etc) as well as an ice cream parlor (Sadie's). They also have some areas showcasing artwork/paintings as well as memorabilia from movies shot here: Somewhere in Time and This Time for Keeps. Do not forget to visit the Secret Garden. It's beautiful! The accommodation can be very pricey. Though we did not stay here, visiting (with the entrance fee) is definitely worth it.

Dont book a room in this hotel. Super 8 motels have better sound proofing. You will not get a…read moregood night's sleep ever! Way Overrated! Staying here right now. Note you will get a room across from parents abusing their kids or people yelling extremely offensive material around midnight or 1am or 2 am or .... Haven't slept in 2 nights. Just started night 3 with the same shit. Do yourself a favor and spend money elsewhere. There has to be way better places on island. Dont waste money's taking here

First off - Katie was THE best guide you could ever ask for. Sheila and Squid were amazing horses…read more Katie was brilliant and so very informative. Not only did we learn so much on our tour but also the variety of horses that are on island.

We took a tour with Nate and his horses Babe and Bill and it was so wonderful. Nate was an awesome…read moretour guide and made us feel like family. My son even got to drive the carriage. May be a bit expensive but WELL worth the cost. Thanks Nate for an awesome tour!!!!