Mackinac Island
Located in northern Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a year-round island community known for its natural beauty, historic character, and vibrant quality of life. The island welcomes visitors from around the world while maintaining a close-knit community supported by local businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions.
Life on Mackinac Island is shaped by its unique geography and transportation systems. With no personal automobiles, residents and visitors rely on ferries, bicycles, horses, and walking to travel throughout the island. This resource guide provides information about transportation, housing, education, utilities, healthcare, infrastructure, community services, and other essentials for those who live on, work on, or are considering becoming part of the Mackinac Island community.
The comprehensive Mackinac Island website is a production of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau and is focused on visitor experiences, hotels, recreation, and calendar events. The Mackinac Island Resource Guide is provided by Mackinac Island Community Foundation and is focused on island life for residents and employees including healthcare, quality of life, infrastructure and other information.
Quick facts
Population: 583 (2020 Census)
Total Area: 4.35 sq mi (11.3 sq km)
Lake: Huron
Distance to mainland: 2.5 mi (4 km)
Country: USA
State: Michigan
County: Mackinac
Municipality: City of Mackinac Island
Transportation
Ferry
Ferry Lines · Two commercial ferry lines serve Mackinac Island. Shepler's Ferry is seasonal April-October. Arnold Transit is year-round, weather permitting.
Public Transit Authority
Marina & Docks
Public Marina · Mackinac Island's public marina is operated by Michigan Department of Natural Resources and can be booked online with their marina booking tool.
Other docks · Additional dockage is largely owned and operated by the ferry companies and can occasionally be reserved by making special arrangements. Contact the ferry companies directly to learn more.
On-island Transportation
Mackinac Island Carriage Tours · Taxi services
Bicycle rentals
Senior Transport
Mackinac Island Police Department offers motor vehicle transit assistance as a courtesy service during winter months to senior island residents. The program is designed to offer transportation assistance to senior citizens age 58 and older, and those residents with disabilities which preclude them from reaching medical appointments, ferry transportation, etc. To find out more about the program, call the Police Department at (906) 847-3300.
Island Life
Tourism Bureau
Tourism Bureau · Comprehensive information about Mackinac Island businesses and more.
Municipal
City Information
Department of Public Works
Community Resources
Community Foundation · Grants for local projects and nonprofit organizations
Housing information
Workforce & Permanent Resident Housing
Traditional Real Estate
Short Term Rentals · For extended stays, houses within Mackinac State Historic Park are available for month-long rentals per a special leasehold agreement with the State of Michigan. Additional listings for condos and other unit types can be found on popular websites such as AirBnB and VRBO.
◆ Indicates a link to a social media page (e.g. Facebook)
Essential Services
Healthcare & Human Services
Hospital & Medical Center
Other human services information
Environment & Conservation
Natural Resources & Organizations
Conservancies, Parks, Etc.
Culture & Lifestyle
Festivals & Events
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau · Provides a calendar of annual and other events
Recreation
Recreation Department
Mackinac Connect · Activities and resources for Mackinac Island Summer Employees
News & Media
Traditional Newspaper Media
Arts & Culture
Library
Public Parks
Other Arts & Culture Organizations, Museums, etc.
COMING SOON
Great Lakes Islands Navigator
The Great Lakes Islands Navigator is a physical print and electronic document publication that provides single-page layout information and graphics on each island in a concise, easy-to-read format. It's a great way to share information about islands. Navigator pages can be easily downloaded to print at home and/or publish online.
See anything that should be added, updated, or corrected? Reach out to us!
Contact Philip Rice, Communications Specialist, to submit changes, corrections, and suggestions for the resource directory. price@stewardshipnetwork.org