The fastest, smoothest, easiest way to get to Mackinac Island
Custom group itineraries
With more than 125 years experience crossing the Straits of Mackinac, we know the area like the backs of our hands. We also know how to make people feel like they are individuals, not part of a herd, when traveling to Mackinac Island. So if you want more than a cookie-cutter tour itinerary, talk to us. We will customize a Mackinac Island adventure that will give everyone in your group something to enjoy while staying on our idyllic island.
The reason more individuals compliment our group itineraries is because our group planner, Lora Brown, listens before she maps out the fun days ahead. She finds out whether you want to focus on classic must-see points of interest such as Fort Mackinac or on “I didn’t know you could do that at Mackinac Island” suggestions like parasailing. She’ll help you plan:
• Group rates for wedding, convention or family reunions (must have 20 or more paying people to obtain a group rate)
• Activity-packed days for class trips, scout troops, youth groups and active travelers
• A package with plenty of explore-on-your-own time for motor coach tours.
Special treatment
As soon as your group arrives at the Arnold Dock on Mackinaw City, St. Ignace or Mackinac Island (visit maps page for directions), our staff rolls out our special guest services:
• Fast, efficient dockside baggage handling. Your luggage is loaded and unloaded FREE of charge.
• Exclusive Cruise Guide. Your guide will meet you at the Mackinaw City or St. Ignace docks. This Arnold host or hostess will ride across with you to answer your questions and handle details when you disembark on the island. Even your tour guide can relax and enjoy the ride!
• Priority boarding. Your entire group (even if there are several hundred of you) will be directed to the front of the line so you can travel together. Come aboard! Pick your favorite seats and get comfortable before other passengers join you for the trip across.
• On-board ticketing. Eliminates the wait time so you can board the next boat across.
• Barrier-free access. Makes it easy to find a good view from the main deck and to use our exclusive, on-board restrooms.
• Catch the Cat! Arnold’s catamaran ferries are the largest, most modern and comfortable ferries to Mackinac Island. It's the fastest, smoothest way to travel to and from Mackinac Island in ANY weather! Triple decks give you a choice of sitting on the open-air top deck or in one of the two, comfortably appointed passenger lounges with tinted windows.
• Savor the Straits. While our catamarans streak across the straits in 15 minutes, our classic ferries take a more leisurely approach from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island and back. You’ll enjoy 30-35 minutes on the water, surrounded by spectacular scenery, time to take photos and truly relax.
• Private charters and special events. From wedding receptions at sunset to tours of the Les Cheneaux Island Channels, Arnold private charters & special cruises can make your time together unforgettable.
• Convenient dockside parking. Your motor coach is nearby for fast, easy loading when you return from the Island.
Group favorites
There are so many ways to enjoy your time on Mackinac Island, from bird watching at dawn to tasting a variety of fudges, it’s impossible to fit everything into your Mackinac Island stay. Here are a few popular ideas to consider before making your tour arrangements with Lora Brown.
Mackinac Island Carriage Tour
See the island from a horse-drawn, covered carriage. Your carriage driver will point out historic and geological sites along Mackinac Island’s shoreline and its interior. In approximately one hour and forty-five minutes your group will get a good overview of the many facets of this Lake Huron jewel! Let Lora know if you would like to end your tour at the Grand Hotel or Fort Mackinac for lunch or at the Arnold Ferry Dock in the center of the Mackinac Island shopping and restaurant district. This tour can also include entrance to the "Wings of Mackinac", the Islands new butterfly house.
Horse Drawn Taxi Service
Need to get your group from point A to point B, then have Lora set you up with a horse drawn taxi for your group from the Mackinac Island Carriage Tour Company.
Fort Mackinac Tour
As your Arnold ferry nears the Mackinac Island Harbor you can’t miss seeing the white fortress on the bluff. A military outpost from 1781-1894, Michigan has preserved the fort’s original buildings, and it houses several fascinating exhibits from the culture of the area’s native communities, military life, the War of 1812 and more. Costumed interpretive staff, music concerts, musket/cannon firings and a multi-media orientation program re-enact what life was like hundreds of years ago. No matter how young or old you are this fort will capture your imagination.
Fort Mackinac Tea Room Luncheon
Don’t let “tea room” hold you back from this incredible culinary experience. Located high above the ramparts of Fort Mackinac it offers patio and indoor dining with a sweeping view of the Straits of Mackinac and the Island Harbor. The Grand Hotel operates the Tea Room housed in the original Officers’ Quarters, the oldest building structure in the State of Michigan. You can count on the food and service to be as incredible as the view!
Grand Hotel Buffet Lunch
Impeccable elegance. Unforgettable cuisine. That is what your group will experience when they enter the Grand Hotel’s magnificent dining room overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The lunch buffet, served daily from 12 to 2 p.m. is an elaborate array of delicious hot and cold entrees, salads, vegetables and Grand Hotel specialties. Save room for the dessert table with its 20 luscious pastry choices. Your visit can also include tickets to enjoy the Grand Hotel’s front porch, considered the longest in the world. The view is breathtaking!
Make your reservations now
To ensure you get the dates you want for your May-October visit, please set your itinerary and get your reservations early. We’re ready to help! Contact Lora Brown or call her at (906) 643-0126.
Custom group itinerariesWith more than 125 years experience crossing the Straits of Mackinac, we know the area like the backs of our hands. We also know how to make people feel like they are individuals, not part of a herd, when traveling to Mackinac Island. So if you want more than a cookie-cutter tour itinerary, talk to us. We will customize a Mackinac Island adventure that will give everyone in your group something to enjoy while staying on our idyllic island.
The reason more individuals compliment our group itineraries is because our group planner, Lora Brown, listens before she maps out the fun days ahead. She finds out whether you want to focus on classic must-see points of interest such as Fort Mackinac or on “I didn’t know you could do that at Mackinac Island” suggestions like parasailing. She’ll help you plan:
• Group rates for wedding, convention or family reunions (must have 20 or more paying people to obtain a group rate)
• Activity-packed days for class trips, scout troops, youth groups and active travelers
• A package with plenty of explore-on-your-own time for motor coach tours.
Special treatmentAs soon as your group arrives at the Arnold Dock on Mackinaw City, St. Ignace or Mackinac Island (visit maps page for directions), our staff rolls out our special guest services:
• Fast, efficient dockside baggage handling. Your luggage is loaded and unloaded FREE of charge.
• Exclusive Cruise Guide. Your guide will meet you at the Mackinaw City or St. Ignace docks. This Arnold host or hostess will ride across with you to answer your questions and handle details when you disembark on the island. Even your tour guide can relax and enjoy the ride!
• Priority boarding. Your entire group (even if there are several hundred of you) will be directed to the front of the line so you can travel together. Come aboard! Pick your favorite seats and get comfortable before other passengers join you for the trip across.
• On-board ticketing. Eliminates the wait time so you can board the next boat across.
• Barrier-free access. Makes it easy to find a good view from the main deck and to use our exclusive, on-board restrooms.
• Catch the Cat! Arnold’s catamaran ferries are the largest, most modern and comfortable ferries to Mackinac Island. It's the fastest, smoothest way to travel to and from Mackinac Island in ANY weather! Triple decks give you a choice of sitting on the open-air top deck or in one of the two, comfortably appointed passenger lounges with tinted windows.
• Savor the Straits. While our catamarans streak across the straits in 15 minutes, our classic ferries take a more leisurely approach from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island and back. You’ll enjoy 30-35 minutes on the water, surrounded by spectacular scenery, time to take photos and truly relax.
• Private charters and special events. From wedding receptions at sunset to tours of the Les Cheneaux Island Channels, Arnold private charters & special cruises can make your time together unforgettable.
• Convenient dockside parking. Your motor coach is nearby for fast, easy loading when you return from the Island.
Group favoritesThere are so many ways to enjoy your time on Mackinac Island, from bird watching at dawn to tasting a variety of fudges, it’s impossible to fit everything into your Mackinac Island stay. Here are a few popular ideas to consider before making your tour arrangements with Lora Brown.
Mackinac Island Carriage TourSee the island from a horse-drawn, covered carriage. Your carriage driver will point out historic and geological sites along Mackinac Island’s shoreline and its interior. In approximately one hour and forty-five minutes your group will get a good overview of the many facets of this Lake Huron jewel! Let Lora know if you would like to end your tour at the Grand Hotel or Fort Mackinac for lunch or at the Arnold Ferry Dock in the center of the Mackinac Island shopping and restaurant district. This tour can also include entrance to the "Wings of Mackinac", the Islands new butterfly house.
Horse Drawn Taxi ServiceNeed to get your group from point A to point B, then have Lora set you up with a horse drawn taxi for your group from the Mackinac Island Carriage Tour Company.
Fort Mackinac TourAs your Arnold ferry nears the Mackinac Island Harbor you can’t miss seeing the white fortress on the bluff. A military outpost from 1781-1894, Michigan has preserved the fort’s original buildings, and it houses several fascinating exhibits from the culture of the area’s native communities, military life, the War of 1812 and more. Costumed interpretive staff, music concerts, musket/cannon firings and a multi-media orientation program re-enact what life was like hundreds of years ago. No matter how young or old you are this fort will capture your imagination.
Fort Mackinac Tea Room LuncheonDon’t let “tea room” hold you back from this incredible culinary experience. Located high above the ramparts of Fort Mackinac it offers patio and indoor dining with a sweeping view of the Straits of Mackinac and the Island Harbor. The Grand Hotel operates the Tea Room housed in the original Officers’ Quarters, the oldest building structure in the State of Michigan. You can count on the food and service to be as incredible as the view!
Grand Hotel Buffet LunchImpeccable elegance. Unforgettable cuisine. That is what your group will experience when they enter the Grand Hotel’s magnificent dining room overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The lunch buffet, served daily from 12 to 2 p.m. is an elaborate array of delicious hot and cold entrees, salads, vegetables and Grand Hotel specialties. Save room for the dessert table with its 20 luscious pastry choices. Your visit can also include tickets to enjoy the Grand Hotel’s front porch, considered the longest in the world. The view is breathtaking!
Make your reservations now
To ensure you get the dates you want for your May-October visit, please set your itinerary and get your reservations early. We’re ready to help! Contact Lora Brown or call her at (906) 643-0126.
Group Services