Mackinac Island, Michigan
Mackinac Island is a city of 561 people in Mackinac County, Michigan, founded in 1671.
Why visit Mackinac Island
Townapedia lists 29 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 28 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Round Island Light, Round Island Lighthouse, Fort Mackinac and Grand Hotel.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 76°F; February lows average 10°F.
Weather in Mackinac Island
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is a city in Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 583 in the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Mackinac Island, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Round Island Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Lighthouse in Mackinac County, Michigan, United States
Museums and landmarks29
Fort Mackinac
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic fort on Mackinac Island, Michigan, U.S.A.
Grand Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan
286 Grand Avenue, Mackinac Island
Juntunen Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Archaeological site in Michigan, United States
Mackinac Island
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Island in Michigan
Matthew Geary House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Michigan, United States
Michigan Governor's Summer Residence
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Michigan, United States
Mission House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Mission complex and school building in Mackinac Island, Michigan
Robert Stuart House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Mackinac Island, Michigan, NRHP-listed in Mackinac County
Round Island Passage Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Lighthouse in Michigan, United States
Mackinac Art Museum
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
Museum · 0.8 mi
7070 Main Street, Mackinac Island
10:00-16:30
17 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
Mackinac National Park
Park · 0.6 mi
Former national park in Michigan, United States of America
Mackinac Island Marina
Marina and boat launch · 0.9 mi
Mo-Su 07:30-22:30
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes28
Kingston Kitchen at the Village Inn
Restaurant · Jamaican · 0.9 mi
A Mackinac Island tradition continues on, serving up traditional American fare with Jamaican inspiration.
1384 Hoban Street, Mackinac Island
Mo-Th, Su 11:00-20:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-21:00
Fort Mackinac Tea Room
Restaurant · Sandwich · 0.7 mi
7127 Huron Road, Mackinac Island
May 01-Jun 30 11:00-17:00; Jul 01-Oct 25 10:00-17:00
Lucky Bean Coffeehouse
Cafe · 0.8 mi
7383 Market Street, Mackinac Island
08:00-16:00
Huron Street Pub and Grill
Bar and pub · 0.8 mi
7304 Main Street, Mackinac Island
16 more on the map.
History
Andrew Blackbird was the son of an Ottawa chief and served as an official interpreter for the U.S. government in the late 19th century. According to his 1887 history of the indigenous peoples of Michigan, the people of Mackinac Island had been a small independent tribe known as Mi-shi-ne-macki naw-go. They became affiliated with the larger tribe of Ottawa from Ottawa Island (now Manitoulin Island) situated north of Lake Huron.
One winter the Mi-shi-ne-macki naw-go on Mackinac were nearly annihilated by the Seneca, the westernmost nation of the Iroquois Confederacy, then based in present-day New York and Pennsylvania. Two natives escaped by hiding in one of the natural caves on the island. To commemorate this tribe, the Ottawa and Chippewa (Ojibwe) named the island as Mi-shi-ne-macki-nong, also known as Michilimackinac (meaning "Great Turtle") by the 18th century.
From the History section of Mackinac Island, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
Churches and places of worship6
Mission Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Mission Street, Mackinac Island
Shopping13
Schools, colleges and libraries6
St Ignace Juvenile Detention Facility
School · 5.3 mi
1130 N State St, Saint Ignace
Healthcare2
Alford’s Drug Store
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
7216 Main Street, Mackinac Island
Map of Mackinac Island
131 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 11°F | 2.1 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 10°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 35°F | 18°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 47°F | 29°F | 3.0 in |
| May | 59°F | 40°F | 2.6 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 51°F | 3.3 in |
| Jul | 76°F | 57°F | 3.0 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 56°F | 3.1 in |
| Sep | 68°F | 50°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 39°F | 4.3 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 30°F | 2.7 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 20°F | 2.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for St Ignace (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Mackinac County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2025-07-22: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Mackinac Island Airport (MCD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- St. Ignace 5 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Mackinaw City 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Cheboygan 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Pellston 23 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Indian River 30 mi south, about 48 min by car
- Alanson 30 mi south, about 48 min by car
- Harbor Springs 34 mi southwest, about 55 min by car
- Petoskey 39 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Onaway 40 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Sault Ste. Marie 44 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Mackinac Island's main town, looking west. Transportation on the island is by horse, bike, or foot., n8huckins, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Michigan - Mackinac Island 07, P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0
- Grand Hotel MI From Lake, Dehk, CC BY 3.0
- MackinacIsland GrandHotel, Eli Duke from Seattle, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Governors Summer Cottage Mackinac Island Lawrence Andrew Young Cottage, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mission House Mackinac Island August 2011, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Robert Stuart House Museum Mackinac Island, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MarquetteParkMI, Notorious4life ( talk ), Public domain
- Mission Church Mackinac Island August 2011, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Round Island Lighthouse Michigan, Dale Fisher, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
- Round Island Passage Light, Elizabeth McMillan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Indian Dormitory Mackinac Island August 2011, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Michigan - Mackinac Island 09, P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0
- MackinacIsland School, Drew Saunders from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Wawashkamo Golf Club state historic marker, Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
- Sainte Anne Church (Mackinac Island, MI), Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
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