[sheena12]

"Pure Michigan" commercials have been running in PA for some time. They are beautiful! And Michigan looks beautiful too!

Makinack Island looks incredibly inviting. Is this a destination for the wealthy or can a middle class family of five enjoy a week there?

Please tell us more.

Thanks in advance!

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by sheena12

"Pure Michigan" commercials have been running in PA for some time. They are beautiful! And Michigan looks beautiful too!
Makinack Island looks incredibly inviting. Is this a destination for the wealthy or can a middle class family of five enjoy a week there?
Please tell us more.
Thanks in advance!

Most average-income visitors do day trips there and stay in Mackinaw City or St Ignace. I'm not totally up on island accommodations, but as a kid visiting there I didn't see much. There is more now. You've made me curious about it. I don't recall any beaches on the island, but Wilderness and Fort Michilimackinac State Parks have them.
Activities | Tours, Parks, Attractions | Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island Hotels: Read Mackinac Island Hotel Reviews and Compare Prices

Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry

I think Arnold operated the car ferries before the bridge was built.
Arnold Transit | Mackinac Island ferry service

[detwahDJ]

Here is the beach at Michilimackinac state park. It has changed a lot since I was there. On the left is the historic fort.
Mackinaw City, MI - Google Maps

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by sheena12

"Pure Michigan" commercials have been running in PA for some time. They are beautiful! And Michigan looks beautiful too!

Makinack Island looks incredibly inviting. Is this a destination for the wealthy or can a middle class family of five enjoy a week there?

Please tell us more.

Thanks in advance!

Middle Class can have a ball in the Mackinaw area. I personally wouldn't spend a week on Mackinac Island because while it IS beautiful, it would get old fast for me and my family. I would do just what DetwahDJ mentioned: Stay in either St. Ignace or Mackinaw City and do a couple day trips to the Island and day trips to other areas on both sides of the Mackinac Bridge. More economical (Island prices tend to be on the higher side for accommodations.)

Originally Posted by detwahDJ

I think Arnold operated the car ferries before the bridge was built.

Arnold is the oldest ferry service in the area serving Mackinac Island, but the State of Michigan ran the ferry service that ran between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. They did that for 34 years ending in 1957 when the bridge opened... before that the only reliable way between the two cities (5 miles apart by water) was a 850+ mile drive around Lake Michigan or a 900+ mile drive around Lake Huron.

[allbusiness]

I agree. Staying ON the Island can be pricy, although some of the hotels are not bad if you don't need a view of the water, etc.

In case you don't know, the Island just outside the Straits of Mackinac, which is spanned by the Mackinac Bridge. (pronounced: Mack-eh-naw) Mackinac City is on the mainland on the south end of the bridge and St. Ignace is on the north end of the bridge in michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Mackinaw City, in my humble opinion, has become very kitchy as far as shopping, etc. Just a few too mny t-shirt and fudge shops for me. But the Fort and the lighthouse are great historic sites.

St. ignace still has some of that old "up north" grittiness to it and I like to stay there better. The dosntown is a bit more funky, although fudge and t-shirts abound!

Ferry rides to the Island from either city are about $18- 20 I believe (roundtrip, I think).

Have a great time! The bridge alone is worth the trip!

[Coldjensens]

Two days is good for the island. Be sure to visit the fort when they are doing a reenactment, rend bikes and/or horses and tour around the island. We like Arch rock. There are lots of neat places to just sit a spell and enjoy views. Bring a book aand read it in the most pleasant atmosphere you can find. It is not an exciting place, it is pretty, pleasant quaint neat, but not exciting. You can camp just outside Mackinaw City and it makes a good base for day trips. You might want to stay on the island for a night. I woudl suggest arrive and camp, take the morning ferry, spend the day and night and the next day in the island. Take the next ferry back and camp again.

From there you can move to lots of neat areas.

Taquamenon falls wear swim wear and wading shoes and bring a picnic luch that you can eat sitting on a little waterfall if you want. Bring hiking clothes and hike the trial to upper falls with your kids, but have someone drive up and meet you there so you do nto have to hike back. It is a long and strenuous hike, but beautiful.

Michigan Adventure - a theme park with roller coaster etc. Not as dramatic as Cedar point, but better with younger kids and cheaper too.

Traverse City. You may want to move your cam over to this side of the state instead of day tripping. Visit the Dunes, enjoy the town, swim at one of the beautiful Lake Michigan beaches. Walk to a lighthouse. I think there is nice camping near boyne.

Somewhere in there maybe take a day (or longer) canoe/Kayak trip. There are a lot of fabulous rivers to chose from. Beautiful wilderness canoeing. Make sure water levels are not too low to allow good passage.

On your way through Detroit, you may want to stop and visit Greenfield villiage if you have not been there.

That is probably too much to squeeze in for one visit. May have to come back again. Other people will add more fun options.

[PosterExtraordinaire]

Originally Posted by sheena12

"Pure Michigan" commercials have been running in PA for some time. They are beautiful! And Michigan looks beautiful too!

really? they **** me off

[detwahDJ]

A week on the island would be boring for me. Coldjensens summed it up - it is quaint and scenic but zero action, at least as I recall it. The vacation focus is the little "town" at the south end, pretty much doable in a day or two. It's a place for relaxing. You may be into this laid-back, sleepy environment, but kids will probably get antsy imo.
It might be similar to spending a week at something like a historic site.
I see a road around the periphery of the island, but don't know if those beaches are usable.

[notdeconcentrate]

If you're into camping, that's another option. I stayed at a campground in Mackinaw City that was right on the water, with a big group. I don't remember the name, but it had to be either Tee Pee or Mackinaw Mill Creek. We had a car to drive wherever (we drove there in an RV) for other activities.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by detwahDJ

I see a road around the periphery of the island, but don't know if those beaches are usable.

The beaches are rocky, not really for swimming. There are some places you can swim. It has always been a bit cold for swimming when we were there.