Discover 9 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Mackinaw City (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Fort Michilimackinac, and Mackinac Bridge. Also, be sure to include Fort Michilimackinac State Park in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Mackinaw City (Michigan).
Table of Contents
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Light station in Mackinaw City, Michigan. Mackinaw Point marks the junction of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Founded in 1889, the Old Mackinac Point Light Station was in operation from 1890 until 1957.[1]
Address: 526 N Huron Ave, 49701-9727 Mackinaw City
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th-century French, and later British, fort and trading post at the Straits of Mackinac; it was built on the northern tip of the lower peninsula of the present-day state of Michigan in the United States. Built around 1715, and abandoned in 1783, it was located along the Straits, which connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan of the Great Lakes of North America. Present-day Mackinaw City developed around the site of the fort, which has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. It is preserved as an open-air historical museum, with several reconstructed wooden buildings and palisade.[2]
Address: 102 Straits Ave, 49701-9400 Mackinaw City
Mackinac Bridge
Massive suspension bridge for vehicles. The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot-long bridge is the world's 26th-longest main span and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. The Mackinac Bridge is part of Interstate 75 and the Lake Michigan and Huron components of the Great Lakes Circle Tour across the straits; it is also a segment of the U.S. North Country National Scenic Trail. The bridge connects the city of St. Ignace on the north end with the village of Mackinaw City on the south.
Envisioned since the 1880s, the bridge was designed by the engineer David B. Steinman and completed in 1957 only after many decades of struggles to begin construction.[3]
Fort Michilimackinac State Park
State park. Fort Michilimackinac State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Mackinaw City along the Straits of Mackinac. The park contains Fort Michilimackinac, which itself is dedicated a National Historic Landmark and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse as well as the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Signal Tower which contains a foghorn.[4]
Address: Mackinaw City, MI 49701, 49701 Mackinaw City
USCGC Mackinaw
Museum in Cheboygan County, Michigan. USCGC Mackinaw is a 290-foot former Coast Guard icebreaker on exhibit as a museum ship at the Ice Breaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum in Mackinaw City, Michigan. The vessel has been known as the "Queen of the Great Lakes" and "The Largest Icebreaker on the Great Lakes"; the site states that "she was built.. during World War II to meet the heavy demands of war materials and transportation during the winter months".
Mackinaw was both commissioned and homeported during active service in Cheboygan, Michigan. Due to her age and expensive upkeep, she was decommissioned and replaced with a smaller multipurpose vessel, USCGC Mackinaw (WLBB-30), which was commissioned in Cheboygan the same day.
The old Mackinaw, LR number 6119534, moved under its own power on 21 June 2006 Cheboygan to a permanent berth at the SS Chief Wawatam dock on the eastern end of the old railroad dock; entry to the area is just south of the Shepler's Marine Service.[5]
Address: 131 S Huron Ave, 49701 Mackinaw City
McGulpin Point Lighthouse
Lighthouse in Mackinaw City, Michigan. McGulpin Point Light was constructed as a navigational aid through the Straits of Mackinac. The light began operation in 1869, making it one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the Straits. Only in operation until 1906, the light is located on McGulpin Point, approximately 3 miles west of Fort Michilimackinac.
McGulpin Point Lighthouse & Historic Site has been owned by Emmet County since 2008 and the facility has been an official private Aid to Navigation on the NOAA chart map since 2009. Tours were available during the 2019 season for a small fee.[6]
Address: 500 Headlands Rd, 49701-8611 Mackinaw City
Mackinaw City Marina
Sailing, Park, Marina
Address: 107 S Huron Ave, 49701-9677 Mackinaw City
Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum
Museum, Specialty museum, Tours
Address: 131 S Huron Ave, 49701-9677 Mackinaw City
Forrest J. Stimpson House
The Forrest J. Stimpson House, also known as the Mackinaw City Marine Recording Station, is a private house that was located at 516 N. Huron Boulevard in Mackinaw City, Michigan; it has been moved from its listed location on Trails End Road. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1978 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[7]