The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Mackinac Island, Michigan (MI)

Arrowhead Carriages has been taken over by Gough Livery Carriages. New company, same gig! We still offer private, narrated horse-drawn carriage tours of beautiful Mackinac Island.

Kayak and stand up paddle board rentals with 2 locations: one on Mackinac Island, MI and one in Mackinaw City, MI. For beginners we offer basic instruction and guided tours in the calm waters of the marina, and for our more experienced paddlers, we lead tours to Arch Rock, Devil's Kitchen, the Mackinac Bridge, Round Island, and Bois Blanc Island, on the Straits of Mackinac in Lake Huron. Our summer tours are popular, and they book up fast, so reserve on our website now to secure your time!

Step into this blacksmith shop and forge your own knife! Chad Osborne, two-time Forged in Fire competitor will guide you through the process. There are 4 sizes of knives to choose and the price ranges from $25-100 depending on the knife you forge. All knives come with a sheath. This activity is perfect for visitors that would like to Forge a Memory while visiting Mackinac Island.

Memories, stories, and experiences woven together make the fabric of our lives, bring a piece home with you from Threads of Mackinac. Our island apparel was stitched for your enjoyment with cozy t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and items for the entire family —while paying homage to the threads of the island, the stories, and memories that give the secluded destination its charm.

Iconic. The cannon blasts, the rifles fire, the soldiers march and history comes alive. The oldest building in Michigan and 13 other historical structures boast exhibits explaining everything from military training and battles to medical treatments to family life within the fort. More than just a military outpost, Fort Mackinac served as a home for soldiers and their families and eventually the headquarters for Mackinac National Park, where tourists to the island visited the great fortress on the bluff, much like they do today. This is Mackinac.

A Time of Change. Step into the home of Agatha and Edward Biddle, merchants who moved in around 1830. This was a time of change, and the 1830s were critical to the Biddles for another reason: as an Anishnaabek woman, Agatha and other indigenous people witnessed their culture subjected to immense changes. The decade transformed the Anishnaabek, linking old ways with Michigan’s modern indigenous culture. The continuing story of the Anishnaabek of northern Michigan is not always a happy one. It is a story of battles won and lost, promises made and broken, and cultures repressed and resurgent. Most importantly, the story in which the Biddle family played a role is one that continues today. This new exhibit, created in conjunction with tribal partners, explores that story and how it still resonates on Mackinac Island and throughout northern Michigan. This is Mackinac.

Narrated tours of this island that doesn't allow cars.

Experience free-flying exotic butterflies in a lush garden environment.

Natural rock bridge soaring 149 feet above the Straits of Mackinac appears to be suspended in midair.

The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House is the 1st of its kind in Michigan, and the 3rd oldest LIVE butterfly exhibit in the United States. The world-renowned facility has 1800 sq ft of tropical garden filled with hundreds of live butterflies from four continents. After a relaxing visit with the butterflies, take some time to check out Insect World, where you will be amazed at the size of the insects that live in the tropical regions of the world. On display are 14″ walking sticks and 6″ centipedes, along with giant beetles and spiders. The current record setter for the world’s “heaviest bug” is also found here. Regular Season Hours: 10 am – 7 pm Prior to Memorial Day, After Labor Day: 10 am – 6 pm *Last admittance is 30 min prior to close