Last-minute weekend road trips to Michigan have become a pretty common routine for our family! However, one place that has always alluded us until now is Mackinac Island. Year 2017 is quickly becoming the year my family is embracing road trips! An extended 4th of July weekend was exactly the motivation we needed to finally cross the Upper Peninsula’s Mackinac off our list.
Plan
The drive to Upper Peninsula from Chicago is approximately six hours and 30 minutes. We left Chicago at 5 am and arrived at St. Ignace-- where we reserved our hotel-- around noon. We spent Sunday and Monday in St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, then left Monday night and drove overnight back to Chicago for the 4th of July parade.
Accommodations:
- Quality Inn - St. Ignace Michigan
1st Day - Sat
We arrived in St. Ignace, Upper Peninsula and checked-in at our hotel. Afterwards, we stopped at The Gangplank for lunch, then grabbed Original Murdicks Fudge for the weekend.
Next, we visited Bridge View Park for breathtaking views of Mackinac Bridge, which connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas in Michigan. Afterwards, we visited a local deer ranch for kids to feed the deer. Finally, we stopped at American Legion Park on the bay, where the city had planned an outdoor movie.
Last but not least, we ended our day with dinner from BC Pizza
2nd Day - Sun
We grabbed continental breakfast at the hotel. By mid-morning, we arrived by the Shepler's Ferry dock and headed over to Mackinac Island. We started our Mackinac Island tour by walking around the Main Street and getting an understanding of activities that we could do.
Around noon, we grabbed lunch at a horse-themed restaurant, Seabiscuit Cafe, on the Main Street. We made a great choice! Immediately after lunch, we decided to rent bikes from Mackinac Cycle. We rented a double and another adult bike with a burley. In retrospect, we should have rented two doubles. We biked around the Mackinac Island, which is approximately 8.2 miles.
After circling around the Island, we stopped by an ice cream store on the Main Street for a well-deserved treat. Our last activity on Mackinac involved walking and doing an outside tour of the must-see Grand Hotel. Then, we returned to Shepler's Ferry dock around 8 pm for the last ferry and headed back to St. Ignace.
Once we were back, we grabbed dinner at Driftwood in St. Ignace, changed into comfortable clothing, and drove through the night back to Chicago.
Pro Tip(s):
- I highly recommend staying on Mackinac Island. We decided last minute and therefore did not find accommodations. Plan ahead!
- There are multiple ferry companies that go to Mackinac Island, and they are all very similar. We used Shepler's; however, Starline is another company to consider. By booking online, you can save a few bucks.
- The biking trail around the Island is family-friendly and beautiful. You will want to make plenty of stops along the way.
- If you own bicycles, plan on taking them with you as rentals can be a bit pricey. We decided against taking our bikes to avoid hassle, but we will do so on our next trip.
- Food options on St. Ignace are limited. We liked BC Pizza and Driftwood. Food choices on Mackinac are much better, including Seabiscuit Café, where we had lunch.
- There are no motorized cars allowed on Mackinac Island. Plan on doing walking, biking and riding horse carriages to get around.
