Exploring Mackinac Island, Michigan: Unraveling the Surprising Side of a Disappointing Adventure

Exploring Mackinac Island, Michigan: Unraveling the Surprising Side of a Disappointing Adventure.
This actually took us by surprise and we may not be back, but we never say never. We may have went during the wrong time of the year to Mackinac Island
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[@denisedicks9342]

I am so sorry that you did not enjoy our beautiful island. I wish you had learned of all of the military activity, visited the Grand Hotel and their exquisite grounds, biked the perimeter, and talked about some of the most glorious examples of intact Victorian homes and some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. There are clean up crews that regularly clean up after the horses and the streets are regularly hosed down early in the morning. Having no vehicles is part of the charm of the island. You also visited Starbucks....a chain. There are a couple of incredible LOCAL coffee houses on the island. Maybe if you had done some research prior to visiting, you would have seen the magic of Mackinac Island.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, the island was beautiful but we’ve had several wonderful recommendations that we should come back in the fall. We have had a couple people volunteer to give us a proper tour 💝

[@scottish785]

@@VenturesomeCouple Yeah and definitely Grand Hotel needs to be in the next video if so. So surprised it didn't make this video as it's so iconic especially so with the Movie that was filmed there. We had lunch there when we visited!

[@wendyfleckenstein6865]

Amen to all of what you said. I have been coming to the Island since I was a child. My favorite time to come is in May, about a week before the opening. Lilacs are just starting to come alive and the pace of the Island is much slower. It's fun to walk around early in the morning and watch the downtown come to life... ferry crews getting ready, the drays making deliveries to the restaurants and Doud's Market. Biking, the carriage tour, and I don't remember hearing them say anything about fudge, one of the things the Island is most known for. They also missed Poppies (homemade pop tarts from the Watercolor Cafe) and the Secret Garden by the Grand Hotel which is to die for. If they're more tropical Island people I am not sure why they would go to an island in the Great Lakes to begin with, but I highly recommend they make a return trip and actually stay on the Island so that they can maximize their time and do some research beforehand so they can see all of the things there are to do to better shape their review. Also, the horse poop is just part of the charm of the Island. Is it gross? Yep! But it certainly is not a turn-off and wouldn't stop me from coming back. The Island is hands down my favorite place to travel to in Michigan.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

We will add it to our next video, we have a brave couple that want to show us around the island 🏝️

[@VenturesomeCouple]

We do have a brave couple that want to show us around the island properly, so we are coordinating a next trip there. What is the best time of year to go?

[@thegroovetube7712]

It isn’t The Bahamas and it isn’t Disney…but that is why we come here every year. We also grew up in Michigan so summers on the island are treasured family memories 💕

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Mackinac Island is definitely very beautiful, we’re from Alaska, so we understand that Michigan is going to be way different than the Bahamas and Florida. Thank you for watching our video and have a wonderful day.

[@aeconsulting1]

Love Mackinaw Island. We always go in fall, best time of the year for us.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and supporting our efforts. I bet the colors are gorgeous with all those trees.

[@bobwaldron420]

Oh you city slickers. LOL. I'd rather smell the horses than the car exhaust of the big cities. The horses are part of the charm of Mackinaw Island. The best time to go is after Labor Day. The kids are back in school & most vacations are done. There's a lot less people. Glad that you enjoyed your time in Michigan. Come back again when we can camp with you. 😀

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Bob your hilarious! I have shoveled more crap than I care to remember. Contrary to some people beliefs,!Martha and I both grew up very country. Not quite our family tree doesn’t branch country….. but my family is from the back woods of Kentucky and Martha grew up near the swamps of Georgia. Then there was Alaska; that’s a story for another day.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Actually, we had some delicious local fudge there first. We were in the moment and forgot to record it. Starbucks happened to be there when we were walking by and needed some caffeine.

[@andreas_adventures]

wow. I've never seen anybody not like Mackinac Island before. I love it so much! There is usually somebody cleaning up the poo in the streets. Was there nobody doing that? It's a fairly remote island that pretty much sustains itself on tourism so of course it's expensive.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video of our experience at Mackinac island. We both feel that it was very beautiful, but no one was cleaning up after the horses and the smell was overwhelming. When we went to Mackinac Island, it was in June of this year. We got a lot of advice in our comments that we went at the wrong time here, and should reconsider coming back in the fall, which we both feel would be great to see the fall leaves change. Unfortunately, we can’t come this fall because we already have plans. We think we would’ve had a better experience if we would’ve came the right time of year and with a small group of friends that have been there before to show us around. If, and when we do come back for a visit, we will make sure we bring our bicycles with us. Two days was not enough to explore the island.

[@darylkalbach4600]

The poo doesn't bother me. We are from the Amish area. 10 dollars to walk on the porch that a joke. It was nice to see but it's one place where we don't have to go to again .

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, we appreciate the feedback.

[@jimmyv1753]

@@VenturesomeCouple if you go that far in the fall idk if you’re traveling through the lower peninsula or across the upper peninsula. Munising in the upper peninsula in mid October is one of the most spectacular visions you can find. If you’re into nature. There are like 50 waterfalls within a few miles. It’s one of the most impressive places I’ve seen in the fall. The colors are unbelievable. It’s like a very large bowl where all the way around is beautiful massive trees for miles in every direction. The island is fun but it’s a tourist trap. Michigan has so much more to offer

[@imjeanmarieb]

We camped there once and thought it was very nice. We've gone to the islands 4 years in a row. There's nothing like it. I really recommend staying a night on the island, to experience it once the ferries are done running for the day.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our Mackinac Island video. We heard that we should come back in the fall, where it's not so hot out, as we went in June when the sun was the strongest. We may come back to stay a night or two, but we'll have to leave our fur baby at home for that trip, she's almost 8 and we wouldn't want to walk her long.

[@calebgaddi1428]

Glad you visited. Mackinac Island is not for everyone. I can understand being bothered by the poop and urine of horses. Must have been a day when the street cleaners were not out in force. I’ve been to Mackinac Island many times, for the most part, the horse poop and urine are well managed. I hardly notice them. I’ll have to disagree on the tourist trap comment. Upon arriving on the island, no other purchase is required. I’ve seen plenty of people bring their own lunch/dinner on the island. Fort visit is not required. Disney visitors are not allowed to bring food inside the parks except for medical reasons. I’ve been to the Bahamas. There are more potential tourist traps in the Bahamas than Mackinac Island. I’m still glad you visited Mackinac Island.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our experience on Mackinac Island. We have some local friends who have graciously offered to give us a proper tour/experience of the island, now it's just a matter of coordinating the time we can all meet up. We agree, no need to purchase other things on the island, but we did also purchased fudge from a local shop and ate a one of the restaurants, as we love to support local businesses. We like to experience things, yes we could have packed a lunch or dinner, but we didn't. FYI, you can bring your own food to Disney, they as that you keep it in the lockers just outside of the gates in a cooler in one of their lockers and they have a huge picnic table area for you to enjoy your own food there too, or you can eat it before you enter the park (unless for medical reasons). We've done this many times too, packed our own sandwiches in a cooler and put them in the lockers just outside the gate of the Disney Parks and we would have picnics with our daughter. You can also bring your own snacks inside the Disney parks too. We bring pre packaged snacks, such as RXbars with us and they do search everyone's bags upon entering, both Disneyland and the Disney World parks. Any cruise port is a tourist trap, we've been on several cruises and each port, such as at the Bahamas, which we've been to too, has the tourist areas, which is why we all go right?!? For the experience to pick and choose what you would like to experience and buy. We did enjoy Mackinac Island and did say how beautiful it was and loved seeing the lilacs in bloom. I, Martha am originally from Alaska, Chris was stationed there in the late 90's, we love nature and all kinds of places. I grew up in Juneau, AK, it's very small, you can only get there by boat or plane at most of Alaska thrives off tourism in the summer months, so please don't think when we say tourist traps is a negative thing, it's more like please prepare if you want to spend money. We were also told that we went during a hot month and that's why the horse wastes were so fragrant and we were also told that they usually do a better job at keeping it clean. We decided not to pay to enter the Fort, but that was because of the time we went up to the Fort, we would not have had enough time to properly explore to Fort for the price to enter. Our next visit we will go earlier in the day to the Fort, what happened was we walked around & toured every shop. Once again, thank you for watching our video, for your comment and feedback. Have a wonderful day.

[@airstreamer]

We're Michigan natives. Been to Mackinac Island quite a few times. Fudge, salt water taffy, horses, bicycles. It is what it is, and can be very busy! Autumn is our favorite season to visit. WAY less busy when school is in session. There's lots of great sites to see in the Upper Peninsula. Hope to see more of you in Michigan.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching your video and supporting our channel. See this is why we needed a local to give us a tour around the island, show us the ropes, when to go & what to do. We did try the fudge and it was delicious. I’m gonna have to take notes from all these comments. Have a wonderful day.

[@karenwood9966]

As a Michigander, I was super bummed with this video. Certainly understand not liking the horse poop and pee on the island as well as the expenses. But the island is just a piece of what northern Michigan has to offer. Nope...it isnt the Caribbean but there is so much to see and experience. Come on back and we'll take our 340's and show you all you missed.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Hey Karen, we will take you up on that offer if you’re serious? We would love to better understand the island. We lived in East Lansing Michigan when I (Chris) was in the Air Force and love the state. The natural beauty and the people are wonderful. Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel.

[@beitgorski7296]

I’m sorry if it’s insulting to ask but I’m so curious why you wouldn’t use the sidewalks?

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@beitgorski7296 We did use sidewalks, either way not everyone was on the sidewalks, but you do have to cross the street to explore the other side to get to the stores/shops. Not everyone walked all the way to the end to cross the street to go back down the sidewalk to get into a store.

[@campinwiththeconfers]

We were just there last week. While the horse smell is bad, I feel like I kind of got use to it! Lol. We biked the perimeter which was my favorite thing we did. Getting away from the crowds and enjoying the natural beauty was great. We also enjoyed the carriage tour because we learned a lot of history. If I would happen to be in the area again I would be fine with going, but I don’t feel like I need to go out of my way to go again. Thanks for sharing your experience! - Mike and Shelley

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video Mike and Shelly! We appreciate the support of our channel. We think you summed it up best; we would go back if our travels brought us there but not as a main destination. Safe travels

[@andie_P]

my mom and i have been taking girls trips to makinac island for years. we always have a blast. we normally go in spring because the hotels are a whole lot cheaper then. its always nice to spend the night, the atmosphere is totally different once most tourist are gone for the night.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and for your comment about your experience on the island. Sounds like a wonderful time on a girls trip with your mom. We do have a brave couple that has offered to take us on a proper tour around the island. The reason why we didn’t stay on the island is that we have an older dog, who would not farewell with all the walking on there. Plus we stayed in our RV just off the island. Thank you for your insight and hope you enjoy your next trip out there. We’re looking forward to our next trip there since we will be supervised. Have a great day.

[@wrtpbd]

well the road is not the sidewalk. youre not suppose to walk down the street

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video & for your comments. Even in the crosswalk there may be horse poo. When we went in June it was really hot, other folks that have commented on here said that the fall time is the best time to go. We’re happy that you had a great time. Have a wonderful day.

[@evalynnchristiansen9430]

I just got back from Mackinac Island 2 days ago. I loved it. Of course, I'm not an RV'er. I stayed 2 nights in The Grand Hotel and it was marvelous. I've traveled the world and would never publicly post anything negative about a place so many people enjoy. Not saying It was my favorite destination, but I did enjoy it very much.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video of our first experience of Machina Island. With all due respect, our Tribe knows that we share our honest opinion and we won't lie about our experiences. We refuse to lie and just say that the world is perfect, so this is our opinion, we did say that it was beautiful there and the lilacs were in bloom, but others have respectfully shared that we went in the wrong time of year and we have offers from friends from the area to take us on a proper tour, now it's just a matter of time before we can have our schedules align. It's ok if people don't have the same opinion as us, or have the same experience as us, we aren't upset about that, we enjoyed our time together on the island and we will be back again.

[@victorialee1239]

While I definitely like some of your footage I recommend trying the local coffee houses on the island. They are top tier and promotes the local economy. As for the smell, I grew up in Texas and going to rodeos. It’s no different. Mackinac Island is really best if you have saved money to do all the things you want to do. I wouldn’t go there expecting an affordable outing. But then again you don’t go to a 5 star restaurant to buy cheap food. The same came be said for much of what Mackinac has to offer. Also they are only open for part of the year so this is why everything costs money because they only make their money a few months of the year. I recommend going just do more research.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, we definitely don’t spend enough time on the island, we know we shouldn’t have gone unsupervised 😂 What we have learned by other comments is that we should have gone in the fall, because the smell would die down and the leaves would be changing. I’m from Alaska, so we know high prices & nature. While RVing, a lot of folks love a great deal to save money, but for us it’s about the experiences we go through together. We have offers from friends who know the island way better than us offer to give us a personal tour. Thank you for watching & for your comment. Have a wonderful day.

[@gailroderick4608]

Use the sidewalks. The lilacs are amazing. It sounds like you two are just not into the laid back, historic vibe of the Island. It’s only $16 for a bike, $22 for the ferry. Are all the other places you go free? How much was your Key West booze cruise?

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and yes, the lilacs were amazing, beautiful and smelled wonderful. Even the sidewalks were covered in horse, droppings, and we were not the only ones that walked in the streets too. We shared our experience of what we saw, obviously the ferry ride was not putting us out moneywise. We travel on the RV we do own a home and our Key West booze cruise was not that expensive and we only had one drink plus our ticket included dinner. We’re not big heavy drinkers. We both work so the cost was not an issue. This was merely sharing our experience so others could see because not everyone has the same budget. It was more of awareness. We went on the 5 o’clock somewhere cruise while we were on the island. That’s actually the picture you see on the front of our video.

[@TerryDosenberry]

Next time you go, stay a couple of nights on the Island, check out the nightly live entertainment at Horn's and the Pink Pony, which also has a picturesque outdoor waterfront bar and dining area. Bike the 8 miles around the coastline of the island. On a sunny day with a little breeze, the water looks similar to the Caribbean; crystal clear, blue, green with white capped waves. Walk around the grounds of the Grand Hotel. It's beautiful! I don't like the fact you have to pay to go inside the hotel, but after 6:30 you can enter free with a coat and tie and can dance in the ballroom to the excellent orchestra if that appeals to you. Walking main street is suppose to be a trip back in time, horse smells and all, and the smell of fudge wafting through the air from the 13 fudge shops mixes pretty well.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@TerryDosenberry thank you for watching our video, we want to stay on the island next time. We have an older big doggy, she wouldn’t fair well walking so much due to her hips, she’s had two ACL surgeries when she was younger. Those are great suggestions that we’ll add to our list. We did forgot to film us going to one of the delicious local fudge shops and we did buy fudge too. We were definitely in the moment enjoying the fudge.

[@njstan8188]

How many times have you taken your rv to the carribbean? I live near the island and disney - disney way more expensive. 2 totally different experiences.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching one of our videos & we have many other adventure videos on our channel.

[@PittsWithAPurpose]

We are in Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground. It's wonderful here.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Sounds like we chose the wrong campsite. Thank you for watching the video.

[@jodygirl]

I just went to Mackinac Island. Spent the entire time at the fort. I also recommend the butterfly house. My friend from Norway loved it.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and we didn’t know there was a butterfly house, that’s awesome. We bet to a butterfly house in Key West and at Epcot in Disney World.

[@JillianSiobhanMal]

Hey just letting you know the island is soon to be more heavily invested in. Grand Hotel is getting a big reno & redecorating as are many places. I’m sure there will be some plans for the more efficient horse cleanup at the top of the list. So definitely go back after that. I’m really excited as I know some of the big plans 🤗

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@JillianSiobhanMal Thank you for watching our video and for the updates, that’s exciting! It’s been over a year since we visited, we do want to go back, but promise to be supervised 😂 We have some local friends that volunteered to give us a proper tour. We will wait for the updates and thank you for letting us know, have a wonderful day.

[@009FireHawk]

Yall glamping 😂

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. We are living the dream, we RV from boondocking/off grid to everything inbetween to RV resorts.

[@Cleo_and_Mark]

Mackinaw Island is definitely not a 'budget' destination. First you have to get over having to pay money (on the ferry) to go to a place to spend money (the shopping, especially the fudge). For some people the horses are a large part of the charm, but for those with dogs or people that really dislike the smell it would probably be a better place without the horses. We have been there a number of times, on our most recent trip we rented bikes to go around the island (Mark's brother went with us and he brought his dog for bikejorring). It was a very nice bike ride but certainly not cheap. More expensive than Disney? That is difficult to believe. Especially since a single ticket for a single person for a single day at Disney costs from $109 to $200. An adult ticket on Sheppler's Ferry is currently $32. There are many other Michigan destinations that offer more value for the money, however, depending on what a person is looking for.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. We do know that visiting anywhere will have costs, we travel quite often. The smell of the horse droppings took us by surprise as the weekend we visited the island there was no one there to pick up after the horses and we went while it was super hot outside so it was extra fragrant, it's not the end of the world. This video is just us sharing our experience at the island, as all of the other videos we've seen just say that Mackinac Island is magical, so this is why we wanted to see it and experience it for ourselves. We felt that we should share all of the experiences we had and not hold back or lie. For us, Disney is different, we know it's horribly overpriced, but we own a house near Disney World so we pay for our annual pass monthly and not all at once, we visit when we want and get free parking as part of our pass, plus other discounts. So for us, Disney is really cheap, we know that wont be the case for others. Being from Alaska, most of our family and friends back home haven't traveled much, so we wanted to share what we experienced. We did buy some fudge from one of the many local shops, it was delicious. We have a dog, if you've seen us on our other social media platforms, you'll see her, she is a 8 year old rottweiler. She wouldn't fair going up on the hills of the island, so she was in the RV close by, so we didn't stay the night, she had two ACL surgeries when she was 1 & 1 1/2, so this would be hard for her to walk all day. We have other RV friends from Michigan who have seen our video and have offered to take us on a proper tour but in a different time of year, so we'll be back, when our schedule permits it. Thank you once again for watching our video, have a wonderful day.

[@Cleo_and_Mark]

@@VenturesomeCouple Most dogs can't handle being around the horses (unless they are already used to horses).

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@Cleo_and_Mark Very true, our neighbor in Alaska had three horses, so our Cali girl (doggy) is used to them and used to watch them from our backyard.

[@John-xi6ps]

@@Cleo_and_Mark if you can't afford it don't go. It's an amazing place we continue to return to year after year. Sorry they don't take food stamps

[@VenturesomeCouple]

That is a rude comment about the food stamps and totally unnecessary. Everyone has their own perspective about what is reasonable for them. When we do our video’s we try and give a balanced perspective because we know we don’t RV on a tight budget although some people do. Either way, have a wonderful day.

[@ivanvarykino8202]

I took my family there on 4th of July 2018 I think it was and also via RV (C class motorhome). The only thing I was disappointed by was the actual poorly maintained RV park. But hey, not a big deal. We got a spot and enjoyed our surroundings. Regarding the island itself, we loved it and I can't wait to go back. We took a horse drawn tour led by an international student. Amazing history in this park. And the idea of a horse wearing a diaper is comical. Then again, I grew up in Wisconsin and worked on farms. Yet I also have lived a very urban life for decades. Never noticed any odors. Next time I will stay in one of the beautiful B&B's with a big quaint porch on an off the beaten path street. I want to read a good book and have a lemonaide. I think the island needs to be appreciated by slowing our pace and not being in any kind of rush.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, the island was definitely beautiful and we share our first reactions to the island. We have traveled so many places in the USA & abroad. We are going back to the island but with friends from there.

[@CraigNiesenPhotography]

Shelley and I will probably go at least and stay on the island when we do. Thank you for sharing. Peace and Safe Travels.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video Craig. We feel like we should’ve had a tour guide friend show us around the island. I told Chris I would go back with a small group of friends and stay on the island and go a different time of year when the smells aren’t so fragrant in the heat. Have a wonderful day and tell Shelley hello for us.

[@susandavidson6494]

@VenturesomeCouple You two seem like you enjoy partying a bit. Mackinac Island definitely has that aspect. My husband and I stayed overnight at a B&B and basically partied with the island staff that were off the clock. The bars were lets say, very active. When that last tourist boat leaves the party begins lol. Super friendly people and we had a great time!

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. Actually we don’t drink alcohol much, Martha’s mom died of alcoholism after her dad passed of a heart attack, but 9 years later. One of the reasons why we try to travel and live life. We didn’t stay overnight on the island because we traveled there in our RV and our doggy is almost 8 years old. She wouldn’t do well with all of the walking as she has had two ACL surgeries. We do have a brave couple that want to give us a proper tour of the island, so we are working on dates for our next time back.

[@shannonromo3836]

What do you recommend for biking in the fall at the island?

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, we haven’t been in the fall, so we don’t know the answer to that one. We went in the heat of June. We did hear that it’s super beautiful there in the fall 🍂

[@aaroncox8006]

As someone from Michigan and been here multiple times i can agree, the island is a tourist trap, the better vacation places in my opinion are all north of the bridge, as well as Sleeping Bear Dunes. Hope the trap that is Mackinac island scare yall away Pictured Rocks Mid Summer, is the Best.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, it’s definitely very beautiful in Michigan and we lived in East Lansing for a short time years ago when Chris was still in the Air Force. Well, at the other items to our list for places to go. Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful day.

[@wrtpbd]

I just got back from there and absolutely loved it !

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@wrtpbd that’s great.

[@EmbraceHappiness1]

Lilac festival is the best time to go. We love the island.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, the island was beautiful and the lilac's were breathtaking, we'll be back, but we have some brave souls, we mean friends that are from Michigan that offered to take us on a proper and much longer tour.

[@gailroderick4608]

I go twice a year, stay on the Island, usually go for a race. Really?? More expensive than Disney World?? The only place the smell of the horse urine & poop is noticeable is right downtown. They have employees who scoop the streets non-stop. We arrive, hop on our bikes and head out around the island. The views are breathtaking, the relaxed vibe & history is magic. The only season I have not been is winter. Fall is my favorite. It’s 8 miles around the island and there are lots of interior trails and roads. Doud’s Market is the oldest grocery store in the USA. You missed the vast majority of the island, the museums and great food selection.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video of our experience there. Disney World is not that expensive for us as we have a house a half hour nearby and we have annual passes we pay monthly for so all of our stuff is discounted and free parking. Our daughter worked for Disney for over three years. The weekend we went was one of the hottest weekends there which is what others told us why we smelled the horses more than normal. We did think the island was beautiful, but we have some friends who are from the area and have offered to take us on a proper tour. we stayed in the RV park off the island as we have a senior dog who we don’t leave for hours on in. She would not do well on the island with lots of walking as she’s had two ACL surgeries when she was younger. So she doesn’t go on very long walks or up hills.

[@RVCruisin]

We were there on Tuesday and it was so packed I just wanted to go home. We tried to go into the grand hotel for the $79 per person buffet and they wanted to charge us $10 JUST to get in! The horse carriage tour was very cool though. DO NOT GO when schools is out. 😢

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Oh my, thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We appreciate the advice on the time when school is out. We do not plan on going back after our experience due to the high cost and far travel to get there. We have too many items on our “To do” list.

[@RVCruisin]

@VenturesomeCouple ya we will not be going back either.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@RVCruisin we can’t see us going back either. Have a wonderful day.

[@5ringsaudits]

That is a scam. There are crazy people that stand outside and try to charge people that $10. Total crazy, mostly innocent looking old ladies, that do that.

[@marthapeters8113]

@@5ringsaudits wow that sucks that they scam people. Unfortunately it is everywhere I guess.

[@5ringsaudits]

Awe, you missed the Grand Hotel, the true landmark of that Island. For a date night movie, see Somewhere in Time with Jane Seymour. It was the only time an automobile was allowed on the Island and just an all around great movie. Shot there 💯%.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We’re going to have to watch that movie now, that’s so cool that they allowed an automobile onto us for the movie. See this is why I told Chris we needed someone to give us a tour around the island and what to do. That’s what we get for going unsupervised without asking ahead of time, what to do and when to go to the island. Have a wonderful day.

[@5ringsaudits]

@@VenturesomeCouple yeah, I’m a Michigan native. That hotel is every woman’s dream to get married at and the season is so short, marriages at the Grand Hotel are booked for like the next 40 years or something crazy like that! It’s wild. Did you at least make it to the butterfly garden?

[@marthapeters8113]

@@5ringsaudits we did not make it too the butterfly garden. We are getting a lot of great advice and will have to go back in the fall and give it a second go.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

We are thinking of going again, but in the fall, not this year though.

[@peggys7484]

There have been other times autos have been allowed.

[@rhondacady7120]

It's disappointing to see corporate stores on the island though

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, we agree, we stopped at Starbucks because we really needed some caffeine, we just came from a huge event, but we’d rather support small businesses 💖

[@TheMyersAdventure]

80 sights isn’t small 😂 we were in one that had like 10, good thing you had all of those blocks.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

10 is really small! I flubbed the small statement, I meant the size of the spots and not the actual park. Thank you for watching our video, we appreciate you!

[@TheMyersAdventure]

@@VenturesomeCouple oh gotcha! Upper Michigan is expensive in small towns too. We are use to the cheap prices in Texas. I think Florida is a money pit when it comes to the cost of RV parks, not sure about food etc.

[@bobwaldron420]

Yup, go I to the UP & you find many campgrounds with 20 or less sites.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@TheMyersAdventure Food isn’t too bad in Florida, lots of farmers markets, fresh food stands everywhere. When we lived in Alaska, food was more expensive because they had to ship most items.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@bobwaldron420 now that’s small, but I’m sure charming. As long as we can get our RV up there.

[@grayfox9911]

Nice video. Thanks!

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video.

[@rickgriffith1]

I’ve seen several videos about Mackinac Island, but I’ve never heard anything about the foul smell. That is a major issue for us and we appreciate that information immensely. There’s no way we could enjoy the money spent experiencing that island with that kind of distraction the entire time. Thank you very much for the heads up. Safe travels.👍🏼😎

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Hey Rick, thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We love the feedback and greatly appreciate the support.

[@rickgriffith1]

@@VenturesomeCouple Well said. Thanks again for the informative video. I’m learning a lot here about the area.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@rickgriffith1 thank you Rick!

[@rickgriffith1]

@@VenturesomeCouple No worries. There’s usually one knuckle draggin’ mouth breather in every bunch. Take care.👍🏼😎

[@KillingAddiction]

I've been there several times. The smell isn't bad at all. There are people cleaning up constantly to keep it under control, and the horses really mostly travel on main street. You don't smell anything once you're further inside the island, but most people don't venture beyond the main street.

[@nanciepluto7149]

I always come back. Love it there.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and we were told the best time to come back as in the fall. What are your thoughts?

[@WestsontheMove]

You guys convinced me. We won’t be going just based on the excessive expense. It is funny because we were recently talking about going there sometime. Not now! Thanks guys.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Hey WestsontheMove, we bought into the hype and went. We tried to not bash the island because a lot of people love it. For us it was not worth it and we won’t be going back.

[@wrtpbd]

I just got back from there and loved it! I will be back

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@wrtpbd that’s fantastic, we read on other comments on here that fall time is the best time to go.

[@WestsontheMove]

@@wrtpbd I am sure it is awesome but weighing the cost, let alone the fact that they appear to nickel and dime everyone who visits there, is not appealing when you are a full-time RVer and the costs involved.

[@bethfranklin2545]

We go to the island every year we do everything but the main dragon there is so much more to the island you just need to look and ask the locals

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We really appreciate your feedback. We are definitely going back. We want to see more of the island.

[@kimmgarbler1744]

Was doing a little research to see if Mackinac Island was worth a visit. We watched four videos before this one where the couples gave nothing but glowing reviews, sharing some of the historical sites, wandering through the Grand Hotel, biking to several attractions and sampling tons of free fudge, etc. I guess it just goes to illustrate the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" theory. I agree that Disney is overrated and way overpriced, btw. Being a country girl from Tennessee, I don't find the smell of horse manure offensive though. To me, it just smells like nature and simpler times. You guys might want to steer clear of New Orleans though. Nothing worse than the smell of the French Quarter streets being hosed down first thing in the morning! Not even the fresh beignets at the Cafe Du Monde are worth walking through that for. Yuck.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video from last summer. We did visit the fudge shop & bought some delicious fudge, we didn’t get that on camera, we wish we did. We also ate dinner a couple of nights on the island, same place both nights, that was delicious too. We honestly just shared our experience on the island; we have been asked to come back with friends from Michigan that want to give us a proper tour. We wished we could have stayed a few nights on the island, but we were traveling with our older doggy, she wouldn’t do to well on the island and we were staying at one of the RV parks nearby, when she goes over the rainbow bridge we’ll plan a longer trip back. Bring from Alaska, I’m used to only getting “home” by boat or plane to Juneau. The horse poop was extra fragrant when we went during the hottest month is what others told us. We were also told to come back in the fall, that is what others say is the best time with the leaves changing colors. Disney is over priced, we have annual passes that we pay monthly for, so it makes it cost effective for us to go, plus our house is only 1/2 hour away. We visit the parks a lot over the holiday season with family and friends, but as long as we visit 5-6 times a year the Disney annual passes are not wasted. We’ll be back to the island, supervised and we have a list of must do when we come back. We’ll hope you have a great time when you visit, we are sure that our next visit will be a better experience for us.

[@darylkalbach4600]

We would not go back. We took our bikes on the ferry and cost 102.00 dollars. We walked the first day and tried to get on the buggy ride but the wait had be 4hrs.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. It is nice to hear we are not the only ones who feel that we were duped by videos that make it out to be something it was not, at least for us.

[@KillingAddiction]

Sounds like you had a group of people? Because it doesn't cost $102 to take a bike to the island. It's $34 roundtrip per adult and $21 per bike.

[@darylkalbach4600]

@@KillingAddiction Me and the wife cost 102$ for the ferry.

[@darylkalbach4600]

@KillingAddiction 34+21×2=110 da. We purchased tickets at the campground so it was 102.00$

[@KillingAddiction]

@@darylkalbach4600 Which one did you take? I've only ever used Shepler's and never paid that much.

[@Double_Deez]

It is also an island. Of course it will be expensive. And considering the way you’re traveling and how far your travel is… assuming you live near Florida or California with your Disney would be less expensive for you comment….. (it wouldn’t if you’re actually experiencing it)… if you’re just buying a ticket just to get in and walk around and do nothing then maybe but still. Idk man you need to actually experience it without a camera

[@VenturesomeCouple]

We understand that the cost of travel can vary depending on location and type of experience, and we are grateful for your perspective. One of us is from Alaska, where you can only get there by boat or plane, the other is military and we both have traveled all over international too. We just shared our experience, others will not have the same experience as we have, also the time of year we visited the island was not a good one for first time visitors of what we were told by locals due to the heat. We'll be back, we had kind folks reach out to offer to give us a proper tour, now to try to get all of our schedules to align.

[@lenab9686]

The point of the island is to take you back in time. Not give you modern day comforts/convince. Lol. I will agree with you on the horse poop thing though. They could have better clean up process

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video, and absolutely we agree. The island did have the modern day Starbucks, but for us, any coffee shop would do, we love to support small businesses, but we agree about a better process for cleaning after the horses.

[@dugger80]

Too bad you didn’t like Mackinac Island- I loved it so much I spent every summer there and eventually moved there! You don’t have to eat at the restaurants- bring a cooler of food and drinks! You say it’s expensive, how much do you spend at Disney? Michigan is the best state but I guess I’m biased as I was born here,

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Actually, we said Mackinac Island was very beautiful, we’re just giving our perspective for the couple days that we visited. And honestly, we didn’t go to the island to bring our own food in a cooler, we wanted to experience it. This was more of an FYI for those folks who’ve never been to prepare that it will be expensive. Honestly, life is expensive so it’s always great to know before you go. As for Disney, we’re actually annual passholders and live not too far from the parks so it’s more cost-effective for us to go and spend time there. Our passes have already more than paid for themselves with the discounts, free parking and there’s so much to do in four different parks. We understand why you think Michigan is the best state because you live there. I’m originally from Alaska so to me Alaska is the best state. But this is just our opinion, thank you for watching our video and have a wonderful day.

[@PracticalKen]

Look up Chad's Wonderful Walking Tours the next time you are going back to the island. He will be able to give you interesting history and info about the island on the tour.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and we will definitely look up Chad’s Wonderful Walking Tours, that sounds perfect! We do both want to go back. Do you have recommendations on what time of the year is best to visit?

[@jenniferdonovan7766]

Wow, sorry you guys are getting dogged for your opinions. I’m a native Michigander who loves our state and the outdoors. I too, am generally unimpressed by Mackinac Island. It’s pricey and run down. I’ve stayed at the Grand Hotel for several nights, and again, thought it was quite run down. I don’t automatically associate old with charming the way some do, unless it’s well maintained (see: Boston, love that place for historic charm). I don’t need to drop $10 on a Hall of mirrors, I’m not entranced by watching someone for a cannon. And the movie? It’s an average movie that’s 40 years old. Movies are shot everywhere, I don’t get that at all. There are cool books and crannies, and beautiful spots and views on the island, but after visiting twice, I’m good. Anyhow, thanks for your honest review, despite the unpopular opinions.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We appreciate your feedback! Being honest and authentic has its downsides on the internet.

[@Double_Deez]

Try spending time there without a video camera in your hand digging for views and likes. You’ll have a much more fun experience anywhere you go. Especially here. People that go there know already what they’re getting into for starters. Which only takes a 5 minute Wikipedia read. I’m sure you did a little more there than what the video actually shows but don’t knock it unless you actually stay and experience the experience for what it is rather than just making it your own experience with and through a camera. I get like… that’s what you do.. but pretty incredible the video shows yall really doing nothing…. (While going to a Starbucks of all places there…..) once you stepped on the island and the first place yall decided to go to was Starbucks….. go to a local coffee or fudge shop….. there are horses everywhere yes it will smell bad. Obviously.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

I appreciate your perspective! It's true that experiencing a place without a camera can lead to a different kind of fun. We didn't film our dinners on the island or our visit to the fudge shop and we did buy some fudge too, it was delicious, so not 100% of everything was documented, we do live in the moment too. As far as buying Starbucks, that was the first coffee shop we saw when we needed some caffeine and we won't apologize for buying some, they are business on the island and we supported the employes that work that and we did tip generously. Starbucks was not the first place we went to, but it was great to have some caffeine, when you get our age, you'll need it. We understand there are horses everywhere, they were beautiful, we were told that the time of year we went was more "fragrant" outside than normal and that normally they are cleaned up after better than what we saw on our trip. Thank you for taking the time to write your comments to us and have a wonderful day.

[@peggys7484]

Strange. I have never been to the island when I HAVEN'T seen horse poo being cleaned up.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Hey Peggy, thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel. We are going to go back in the fall and see what we think. We have heard a lot that our experience was not normal.

[@goneflying140]

The best time to go to Mackinaw Island is in January.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and several folks said the best time was in the fall. What’s going on in January that we should know about. Is there snow? We’re from Alaska so we’re not afraid of snow.

[@erynmavourneen1496]

@@VenturesomeCouple I spent 1½ years on Mackinac Island, when I was in college. Mission Point Resort used to be Mackinac College. It was mandatory for all students to learn cross-country skiing. XC skis were considered a potential survival tool. There was a bike rack outside the dormitory, and I recall that the first snow buried it. LOL I was shocked, being from Tennessee. It would be great if one or a group of the hotels would stay open and get together and create and maintain a groomed, cross-country trail. We would sometimes get a group together and ski through the woods to the Stonecliffe Estate at the other end of the island and enjoy hot cocoa. The elderly couple that were the caretakers were always kind to us.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@erynmavourneen1496 thank you for sharing your story with us. That sounds amazing. Being from Alaska we get a lot of snow as well. We are going to go back to the island, but we will be supervised next time with locals and we’re excited about getting a proper tour.

[@marylepeterson9768]

Fall, less visitors and fall colors

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. We have heard that we need to come back in the fall 🍂 We will try to come back, but in the fall & when our schedules will allow 💝

[@lisastovall7116]

Were you on the island by any chance on Aug 26th? My friend got engaged at a fort there but didn't get any pictures. Middle aged couple. He got down on one knee and then sang to her.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video and congratulations to your friend who is newly engaged 🎊 We were visiting the island this past June.

[@thinkingsurvival]

It doesn't cost anything to walk around the island itself. You can bring bikes, picnic, hike see gorgeous natural beauty, vitorian buildings, , etc at no significant expense. The boat ride over is transportation and the island isn't making that money, the ferrys do... it's transportation to get there. I find it surprising that you think spending 80 dollars a day at Disney per person just to walk in makes sense before buying drinks, lunch, tshirts ,and souviniers, yet you felt nickle and dimed they charge for bike rentals, horse drawn rides, or the fort. There was No Admission cost. It is also supposed to give you the feel of a victorian city . If you are going to have horse drawn carriges and buckboards delivering supplies without cars you should expect a bit of a mess on occasion. When I go to a farm or petting zoo, the smells come with the visit. I kind of feel like maybe you just had different expectations of what you were going to experience. In general though, I suspect on a vacation day , most people expectto spend a hundred dollars aperson or more to experience all a tourist attraction has to offer. It is a luxury experience. I personally liked it alot better than Disney. I guess we all like different things.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. As we do understand all of what you said, we merely shared our experience visit g the island, we travel all over the world and just gave what how our visit went. This may be your first and only video you’ve watched of ours, but we do travel all over, we take cruises, fly and travel by RV. We have annual passes for Disney because we are Florida residents, RV life brought us there from Alaska. We aren’t city folks either, just a married couple traveling with our senior dog and we have a beautiful 23 year old year old daughter who used to RV with us.

[@MidwestheartontheMove]

Definitely don’t go in May, the midge flys are horrible! If you can get a spot in the Straits State park. The Tee Pee campground is more for Families. Definitely riding your bike is nice, since the island is small. I love the island but in the middle of Summer it can be hot and stinky. You need to check out the Hotel though and the Fort at least once. The entertainment is worth it I think. But then I am bias since it’s my home state 😉

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for the advice! We don’t like those annoying little bugs. Martha is a magnet for anything that bites. She must be sweet.

[@KillingAddiction]

Went in May and didn't have any problems with the flies.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@KillingAddiction We heard about those flies coming out in May, you must have just missed them, which makes you lucky. We went mid June and no flies.

[@Max-mz8oo]

Now I'm worried, I wish I'd seen this video before agreeing to a senior bus trip in September. I'm in reasonably good shape, but not sure I can handle that much walking up those hills, definitely not up the stairs to the fort. I definitely cannot ride a bike 8 miles. My wife uses a cane or walker and this much walking will be impossible for her. I have money but don't appreciate being bled for it. It all sounds ridiculously overpriced and not hospitable to people with ambulation disabilities. Looks like it might be a bummer of a trip. Looks like it's only for the you and athletic types.

[@VenturesomeCouple]

@@Max-mz8oo thank you for watching our video, there are plenty of ways to get around the island, we did a quick google search and this is what we found. We wouldn’t discourage anyone from going, plan out better than we did and we hear that September is a fantastic time to visit the island. We went in the hottest month of June last year. We will visit again, but the fall is the best time to go from what we have been told. Have a great time and know they have other methods of getting around the island. Mackinac Island is car-free, so visitors can get around in a variety of ways, including: Walking The island is only 3.8 square miles, so many attractions are within walking distance of most places to stay. You can even walk around the entire island in a couple of hours. Biking You can rent bikes on the island or bring your own on the ferry. Biking is a popular way to get around, especially in Mackinac Island State Park, which covers 80% of the island. Horse-drawn carriage Horse-drawn carriage rides are a popular way to get around town and learn about the island's history. Mackinac Island Carriage Tours offers taxi service, but you need to call to request a ride. Horseback riding Liveries on the island offer guided and unguided trail rides through the park. Other options You can also get around by wheelchair, electric mobility scooter, or in-line skates (except downtown).

[@MikeyMK-ct7jr]

Was it really that cool outside? I noticed the sweatshirts. Never been there. Not sure I have a desire to go. Seeing all the horse stuff and having to pay for everything. Doesn't entice me to make the journey. 🤷‍♂

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Hey MikeyMK-ct7jr, the weather was really bad during that trip. It rained almost everyday and it was really windy. The sweatshirts were a must for this trip. Thank you for watching our video and supporting our channel.

[@MulligansBlog]

😂 Not a great tourist video 😂 That why people hate Amish country in Ohio… poop covered cars! 😂😂😂

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching. We just wanted to be honest of our experience, from the other comments here we went to the island at the wrong time, we’ve now heard that fall time is best. This is what happens when we’re not supervised 😂 but it was real & honest of our experience last month.

[@beammeupscotty6516]

Is it bad for them to ask for something to catch the horse poo trash folks relax

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video for supporting our channel with your view and comment. Just an FYI, we are not upset about them not having a catcher for the horse poop. It would be a great suggestion and keep the streets cleaner, but that’s just our thoughts. Have a wonderful day.

[@RobWisemanDeezFit]

Michigan is a great place..Unfortunatly curraannntttlllyyy Scumbags run it...

[@VenturesomeCouple]

Thank you for watching our video. We have a soft spot for Michigan, we lived in East Lansing quite a few years ago for a short time when Chris was in the Air Force & our daughter was 5 years old (she’s 22 years old now). Have a great day.