Come See Mackinac Island To Life Spring

he accolades continue to roll in for Mackinac Island: Most tourist-friendly city, one of the top car-free destinations in the world, the No. 1 Best Island in the Continental U.S. The list goes on. For Michiganders, those honors are beaming points of pride in our little corner of the world. Yet, to many of us, Mackinac Island is so much more than an award or top ranking.

Mackinac Island is our close-to-home island escape. It’s where we can leave work early on a Friday and be enjoying a world-class travel destination before sunset. It’s our excuse for scrapping a weekend honey-do list in favor of exploring one of the country’s best state parks or bumming around town and sampling the world’s most famous fudge.

When does Mackinac Island open?

After a winter of preparation

For nearly half the year, Mackinac Island goes dormant – or so it may seem. For sure, winter is a quieter time.

Yet, winter is also a time of preparation for the new season on the way.

Here are just some of the ways residents, shop owners, innkeepers and others have been getting Mackinac Island ready for your arrival this spring:

Updating Places to Stay

Part of the charm of Mackinac Island is the historic character of its 19th-century Victorian architecture. Of course, buildings that date to the 1800s need regular

INFO maintenance, so each winter brings lengthy to-do lists that often include updates to guest rooms, remodeling of common spaces and lots of painting. Virtually every place to stay has an ongoing list of repairs to preserve and protect the beautiful personality of Mackinac Island’s historic buildings.

Want to be among the first visitors when Mackinac Island opens for the season? Check out the latest ferry schedules at sheplersferry.com and mackinacferry.com to find the first boats from the mainland.

Since Mackinac Island is just a short drive and ferry boat ride away, those of us lucky enough to call Michigan home have the luxury of visiting on a whim, maybe just for a night or two, any time of year. Have you been to Mackinac Island in the spring? You might not think of a nice forecast for a random Tuesday in May as a chance to catch the boat to Mackinac Island. But why not? It’s your privilege as a Michigander to experience the Crown Jewel of the Great Lakes whenever you like.

Not only is Mackinac Island one of the world’s best islands, it’s also our island. In every season. So, make a point of visiting at different times throughout the year. You just might be surprised how much you love Mackinac Island in the spring!

Restocking Shops and Restaurants

Many of the unique shops take time during the winter to move out old inventory and make room for new items. Some are busy shipping gifts all over the world, too. While a couple restaurants typically stay open all year, most close their doors for the winter. It’s during this time that they install new equipment, redo dining room layouts and experiment with new recipes to delight visitors come spring.

Making Fudge

When your fudge is worldfamous, there’s no time for a break – not even in winter.

Mackinac Island’s many fudge shops keep busy making and shipping the delicious treat all over the world. Everyone wants a slice of Mackinac Island during the offseason!

Improving Visitor Attractions

Many visitor attractions are historic, and an interesting thing about history is that there’s always more to explore. Winter gives Mackinac State Historic Parks staff time to update or remodel exhibits and publish new books that offer fresh glimpses into the past. And, of course, general maintenance of historic sites is a never-ending process.

Repairing Bikes

Winter is the time to make any needed repairs on all those bikes you see on the street when you visit. It’s also when shops get the bikes polished and pretty so that they’re ready for you to rent this spring!