If your into shopping, Mackinaw City is a tourist heaven. Mackinaw Crossings (unique shaped out-door mall) has hi & low priced stuff. The main st is lined with t-shirt, clothing, arts/craft stores. My favorite Mackinaw City restaurant is Scalawags White Fish & Chips. Take bikes & camera, cross the Lake on one of the many ferries to Mackinaw Island, boat departs/returns from either St Ignace or Mackinaw City. Ride bikes 9 miles around the Lake, photo moment after photo moment, 'Somewhere in Time' was filmed there. Contrary to an above thread, tour the Grand Hotel including buffet lunch. Food galore, all tastes. A bit pricey, but well worth it in my opinion! Various pubs and restaurants all downtown Mackinaw Island. Fort Mackinac (Mackinaw City) and Colonial Michilimackinac (Mackinaw Island) are historic must see's. While on the Island, stop and listen to the klomping of horse drawn carriages, watch were you walk however.
There is a ton of things to do and see if you appreciate the visual beauty of the area. Don't forget the fudge! Have fun, we do every year.
Briteskys wrote: We stayed at Mill Creek and would highly recommend this campground.
If you'd like to see last weeks pics of the island - click on our website below.
We spent a week there last June and loved it- loved Mackinaw period.
Some neat day trips to think about are the soo locks and the maritime
museum. Couldn't get enough white fish. We're avid bicyclists so we brought ours to the island. Awesome memories from that trip. Didn't check out the KOA but we were pleased with Mill Creek. We were close to the water with an awesome view of the island.
I also concur that Mill Creek is awesome, just stay out of the bridge view section where they really pack you in. Rest of the park is pretty roomy. Very large pool, arcade, bike/cart rentals and so forth. Lots of things for the kids to do. Here are some pics: Mill Creek Pics
As for the KOA, we drove over to check it out and frankly I thought it was pretty good. Quite wooded but yes it's older and not a ton of the "stuff" you think of for a KOA. But I would stay there as an option if needed.
Both state parks in the area would be first on the list after Mill Creek though. Both Straits and Wilderness are great.
There is another place called the Tee Pee campground, not impressed with that at all. There are a couple private ones north of the bridge and wasn't too impressed either either of those either. I think staying at either state park, Mill Creek or the KOA would be best.
Ditto in Clyde's in the UP for a Clyde Burger. When we visit the kids and grandkids in MI, the one place we stop is Clyde's. It is right next to the Shell Station.
We spent 4 days at the Mackinaw KOA last summer. It's nice and clean, but nothing fancy. As others have said, some of the sites a a little close together. The waterpark is a good way to spend the day and not as expensive as other waterparks we have visited. My favorite place to eat is the Keyhole Bar for all-you-can-eat lake perch on Friday and Saturday nights. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
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My parents live just south of Mackinaw City so I've been there more times than I can count. You have some good advice so far.
While you will be fine at the KOA, one of my favorite campgrounds anywhere is Wilderness SP. The location and scenery in that area is incredible, yet you are just 15 min from Mackinaw City.
In Mackinaw City, as someone mentioned, Scalawags great for fish and chips. Right in that same area, Kilwins is our favorite ice cream spot. Overall I think the food in town leaves a little to be desired, but you'll find something you like.
The water park was a big surprise for us last year...much better than we expected! It's only a couple of years old, so everything is new and in very good shape. Free pop refills all day long is a big bonus, so save your cups.
There are some great day trips you should plan on the the UP. Taq Falls (won't even try to spell it) is something you should not miss, and while there, head up to Whitefish Point for the Great Lakes Shipwreck museum. It's small, but very well done. That combination makes a really good day trip from your base camp.
For another day trip if there are shoppers in your group, go south to Petoskey and then on to Charlevoix. Really nice towns with some equally good food. And their locations on the water makes them scenic enough for the non-shoppers in the group. Charlevoix is really a nice area and one of our favorite "up north" towns. Again, this makes a good day trip.
That entire area is kinda second home for me, so feel free to drop my a note with any other questions.
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