Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island is 3.8 square miles of Lake Huron shoreline where cars have been banned since 1898. Getting around means a rented bike, a horse-drawn carriage, or your own two feet — which is most of the reason the island has the character it does. The Grand Hotel (1887) is the largest summer hotel in the world, with a 660-foot front porch overlooking the Straits of Mackinac; afternoon tea and a day pass to the grounds are accessible to non-guests. The island's geology is dramatic: Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch 50 feet wide and 146 feet above the lake, reachable by trail or the inland road. Fort Mackinac, operated by the state historical commission, has excellent living history programming and the best views of the harbor. The limestone bluffs on the island's interior make for genuinely good road cycling — the 8-mile perimeter road is flat and scenic, and the interior roads add elevation. The fudge shops are not ironic — Murdick's and May's have been operating continuously since the 1880s, and the fudge is very good. The island runs on a mid-19th century aesthetic that's authentic rather than themed: no Starbucks, no chain anything, horse-drawn taxis from the ferry docks. Ferry service runs from Mackinaw City (south side of the bridge) and St. Ignace (north side) through Arnold and Shepler's Lines. The island is best mid-June through August; it goes quiet after Labor Day and closes most lodging by mid-October.