The adventures of MR5 as she cruises America's Great Loop
Mackinac Island, MI
August 19, 2026
Mackinac Island (pronounced Mackinaw) truly lives up to its reputation as, “The Jewel of the Great Lakes.” While many boaters dock at Mackinaw City on the mainland and then join the throngs of tourists on the ferry to the island, we decided to dock right at Mackinac Island itself. It made exploring much easier.
Mackinac is a magical and mesmerizing place, unlike anywhere else. One of its most charming features is that no motorized vehicles are allowed on the island. That means people, packages, groceries, building supplies — pretty much everything — gets around by horse and buggy, bicycle, or good old-fashioned horsepower. (Yes, there are street sweepers continuously on clean-up duty — pun intended.)
The pristine streets are lined with colorful flowers, beautiful historic buildings, and the unmistakable clip-clop of horses. Everywhere you look, there are breathtaking views of the emerald-green waters of Lake Huron. It’s the kind of place that makes you wonder why you don’t live somewhere this pretty all the time.
And, best of all, Mackinac Island gave us the chance to catch up with our friends Jean and Matt aboard Blue Loon. They had officially become Gold Loopers when they crossed their wake on August 27 — a wonderful milestone and certainly worth celebrating!
So, between the horses, bicycles, flowers, turquoise water, and good friends, Mackinac Island turned out to be a pretty magical stop on our journey. We may have arrived by boat, but we left with full hearts, great memories, and perhaps a newfound appreciation for the efficiency of the humble horse and buggy — especially after having taken it across the island to dinner.
A glimpse of the main street from the boat. The street is lined with magnificent homes with equally magnificent gardens.Beautiful flowers adorn the entire islandMackinac Island Yacht Club. This garden is typical of all the homes in downtown.This is the common scene of horse and buggies and bicyclists sharing the road.This is the typical view from just about any point on the island of crystal clear turquoise water.This is proof that we were actually there.This is the majestic lawn across from the famous Grand Hotel filled with white Adirondack chairs for relaxing.This arch rock is made of limestone breccia. This rock type rarely forms stable natural bridges, making the formation unique in the Great Lakes region.Two happy cyclists enjoying the sights on their 8-mile trek around the island perimeter.Ah! An oasis for ice cream break in the middle of the ride.This was the main street downtown bustling with tourists…probably buying lots of fudge. There seems to be a fudge shop for every 3 gift shops.Taxi! There are approximately 500-600 horses on the Island during the season and only a couple dozen in the off season.Bicycles abound as the second form of transportation. There are more than enough for every tourist.I wonder if the Amazon packages meet the speedy Prime delivery option.A view of Fort Mackinac at the top, a historic military outpost perched high above downtown, and the thatched chapel built by Father Jacques Marquette in 1671.A view of the harbor (can you see Midnight Rambler?)One of the huts from the original settlementIs that the Statue of Liberty? Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?Trinity Episcopal ChurchOur ride to Stonecliffe for dinnerJean and I outside of Stonecliffe after a very long buggy rideIt was a special night as we celebrated Blue Loon’s accomplishment as Gold Loopers.The lawn behind Stonecliffe is spotted with clusters of Adirondack chairs and gas fire pits overlooking a stunning view of Lake Huron.This is the Grand Hotel at night. This luxurious hotel is a historic 19th-century resort famous for featuring the world’s longest porch at 660 feet…and very pricey stays.Here’s a couple of sketchy dudes in their hoodies.
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