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1852
Island House Hotel
Mackinac Island, Michigan
6966 Main Street, Mackinac Island, Michigan 49757
Original Property Opened in 1852
Historic Hotels of America member since 2005
gardens
Island House Hotel delivers an impeccable balance of class & comfort with beautiful waterfront views. The Callewaert family has continued to add contemporary conveniences while preserving the historic ambiance of Mackinac Island's oldest operating hotel & award-winning state landmark since rescuing the estate from pending demolition in 1969. Whether lunch in the garden, an afternoon rocking on the porch listening to the clip-clop of passing horses as sailboats glide into the harbor, dinner in the elegant dining room, or evenings stargazing over the harbor, this is the place to experience an authentic Mackinac Island retreat.
Discover
- Discover the Island House Hotel, welcoming guests to car-free Mackinac Island's beautiful beachfront since 1852. It's the island's most historic operating hotel, and the only one within the boundaries of Mackinac Island State Park.
- Admire the authentic architectural grandeur of this Michigan Historic Landmark, specifically its beautifully restored Victorian and Queen Anne exterior.
- Stroll through The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum just beyond the hotel's front door. This quaint cultural institution features a collection of decorative arts that encapsulates the local cultural of Mackinac Island.
Explore
- Admire the varied architecture when strolling around the island. Some buildings, such as the working-class McGulpin House, made of squared-off logs in the French Canadian style, date back to the French fur-trading days of the 1780s. It's now a museum restored to its condition in the 1820s, as is the merchant-class Biddle House, which provides its visitors with an educational and entertaining living museum experience.
- Visit the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, built in 1889, with its Keepers' Quarters restored to their 1910 appearance. Explore the interactive exhibits or take a Tower Tour.
- Hike to Sugar Loaf, a 75-foot-tall limestone remnant of post-glacial erosion, the largest in the Straits of Mackinac.
Experience
- Visit Fort Mackinac, which dates back to the American Revolution and served as an active fort until 1895. There are 14 carefully restored buildings within the fort, exhibits, and demonstrations. For a fee of $50 and a reservation, help clean, load, prime, and fire the cannon at 9:15 a.m. during the summer.
- See where medical history was made at the American Fur Company Store and Dr. Beaumont Museum. When Alexis St. Martin was accidentally shot in the stomach at the store, he allowed Dr. William Beaumont to study his digestive system through the opening. The wound never fully closed, allowing Dr. Beaumont to study his intestinal tract and advance medical science.
- Admire the diverse Mackinac-related art—historic paintings, maps, and photos; Native American art and beaded garments; contemporary art and photographs— at the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum.
Taste
- Dine in the Island House Hotel's 1852 Grill Room dining room or on the terrace, and feast on Lake Superior planked whitefish, Michigan-harvested rainbow trout or sautéed Michigan perch while enjoying the waterfront view.
- Eat a hearty pasty (pronounced with a short a). Brought to Michigan by Cornish copper miners, these lunch pies consist of meat, potato, onion, and rutabaga.
- Enjoy a decadent piece of Mackinac Island fudge, a local treat dating back to the 1800s. Various flavors are available, such as maple walnut, black cherry, and the original chocolate.
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