Day Trip Mackinac Island
By Maggie Peterson
Graphic editor
By horse:
Touring Mackinac Island by horse is one of the most popular ways to see the area. Mackinac Island Carriage Tours offer rides around the island every 5 to 10 minutes from their station near the Arnold Line Transit. Other options to see the island are by horseback riding through Jacks Livery Stable and Cindys Riding Stable and Jacks also offers rent-your-own buggy by the hour, which is ideal for families. For more information, visit mict.com, jacksliverystable.com or cindysridingstable.com.
By bike:
With no automobiles, bikes are one of the quickest and most maneuverable ways to travel Mackinac Island. If youre not interested in bringing over your own bike via ferry, they are available to rent on the island hourly, by the half day or by the full day — even bicycles built for two. For a complete listing of rental places, visit mackinacisland.org/bikerentals.html.
The eats:
Mackinac Island Visitors Bureau executive director Mary McGuire Slevin said its hard to pick a favorite spot to eat, but suggested the following for different crowds:
Family: Three Brothers Sarducci or Horns Bar, both on Main (Huron) Street
On the cheap: Douds Market, Main (Huron) Street — subs, sandwiches and soft drinks
Young adult crowd: The Pink Pony at the Chippewa Hotel, Main (Huron) Street — drinks are served on the expansive deck
Upscale: Hotel Iroquois — try out the luncheon buffet
Fudge: Cant forget this island staple. Murdicks on Main (Huron) Street was the first to set up shop on the island.
Other attractions:
Haunting experience
The Haunted Theatre on Main (Huron) Street is a wax monster museum that dates back to 1974. Many of the legendary monsters in Mackinac history were crafted by Dale Kuipers, who went on to create works for Hollywood.
Towering museum
The Tower Museum offers five floors of history, culminating with a view of the Straits of Mackinac. The first floor talks of the Moral Rearmament, the second is devoted to maritime history on the Straits, the third to shipwrecks, the fourth to the Mackinac Bridge and the fifth talks of lighthouses. There is no air conditioning or elevator, so keep that in mind before starting out.
Butterflies galore
There are two places to view butterflies on the island — The Butterfly House and Wings of Mackinac. The first space is inside a yellow building, and offers many educational points ideal for adults and children. In addition to the butterflies, theres Insect World, an exhibit on insects with interactive displays.
The Wings of Mackinac has an exotic feel to it, and its greenhouse offers clear views of the area surrounding it. It also features an Atlas moth, which can grow to the size of a dinner plate. Both it and The Butterfly House have 800 to 1,000 butterflies on display at a time from areas throughout the world.
Mackinac Island State Park
This state park covers 80 percent — about 1,800 acres — of the island and is free to the public.
Within the borders lie 70 miles of roads, trails and footpaths, which are popular for hiking, biking, horseback riding and carriage tours, as well as historic sites.
Some of the attractions are Arch Rock and Sugar Loaf rock formations, as well three cemeteries
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Music courtesy:
Artist: Ruban Kaplan
Song: Inner Peace Time
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Song: Wednesday
~~~~~Sources~~~~~~
Mackinac Island Town Crier
MSU Libraries
US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
New York City Department of Transportation
Dom's Plan B Blog
Detroit Metro Times
Popular Science Monthly Volume 57 [Public domain]
Jack's Livery Stable
MARVAC
MackinacIsland.org
Other images courtesy Google Maps