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Photo by Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum

Activities & Attractions in Mackinaw City

With Lake Michigan on one side and Lake Huron on the other side, Mackinaw City is a true Great Lake’s spot. The area also boasts many  historical attractions and family-friendly activites.

Here’s a sampling of the many activities and attractions Mackinaw City has to offer:

Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum

The Ice Breaker Maritime Museum was first the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw WAGB-83 and was built in Toledo, Ohio. She was launched in 1944 and served from Cheboygan, Michigan.

The museum offers tours of the engine room, captain’s quarters, ward room, bridge, and mess hall while explaining the history of the ship’s long career. 

Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park

The Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park is the site of the early 1800’s mill that supplied lumber for much of the area’s buildings. Overlooking Lake Huron, the mill, and a grist mill, were used into the mid 1800’s. The park is a National Registered Historic Site and opened to the public as part of the Mackinac State Historic Parks in 1984.

Aside from the nature and historical aspects of the park, there is the Forest Forest Adventure Experience with fun like the Eagles Flight Zip Line.

Activities & Attractions in Mackinaw City
The Forest Canopy Bridge. | Photo by the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Center.

McGulpin Rock

McGulpin Rock, near Mackinaw City in Northern Michigan, has been used as a navigational tool since before the Pilgrims landed. In 1615, French explorers noted the huge rock near the Straits of Mackinaw. It’s nine feet tall and weighs in at 54 tons, and is located down the hillside from McGulpin Point Lighthouse, just outside Mackinaw City. The boulder can be reached by walking down the path behind the lighthouse or driving down the road just outside the entrance to the lighthouse.

Activities & Attractions in Mackinaw City
A muster demonstration at the Fort. | Photo by Mackinac Associates.

Colonial Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City

Fur traders set up shop in the Northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac in the 1600’s and by the 1700’s, the area was a bustling trading center. Colonial Fort Michilimackinac was built by the French in the early 1700’s and it was occupied from 1714-1781 by the French and the British.

The reconstructed fort is a major tourist destination and historical site. Ongoing archaeological work has continued to uncover artifacts and offer insight into life at the Colonial setting. 

More Activities & Attractions in Northern Michigan

Downtown Mackinac Island

Get off the ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace to Mackinac Island and the first thing you’ll see is the historic downtown area.

Harbor Springs History Museum

Harbor Springs History Museum

The Harbor Springs History Museum offers a unique look at the history of the community, starting with the first Catholic missionaries.

Up North Snowmobiling

With miles of scenic trails terrain and local snowmobile clubs, Northern Michigan is the place to bring the snow sleds in the winter.

Northern Michigan Beaches

Summer’s not summer without a day at the beach and Northern Michigan offers some of the best beaches anywhere.

Cheboygan Opera House

Cheboygan Opera House

The elegantly restored Cheboygan Opera House is an acoustically superb, Victorian theatre that presents entertainment of many genres.