The Most Beautiful Islands In Michigan
Islands have inspired Hollywood films, award-winning novels, and timeless ballads. Think of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe — or Dolly Parton’s Island In the Stream. The far-away feel of a pristine island, its quiet beauty, and magnetic charm are features that do not just appeal to passionate lovers. A beautiful island will attract the artist, the wanderlust adventurer, and the harassed soul — in almost equal measure. Fortunately, Michigan has its fair share of beautiful islands, some of which can capture the attention of a seasoned Holywood film director. Starting with Mackinac Island, discover the most beautiful islands in the Mitten State below.
Mackinac Island
Lakes hide many things, and Lake Huron, unknown to many Americans, hides one of the most swoon-worthy islands in the Midwest. This charming island, known for sweet things, especially fudge, is not more than four square miles. But size does not distract it, especially considering its penchant for turning first-time visitors into multiple-time repeat ones. The island tips its hat to bygone days via an 18th-century fort as well as a lesser-known one; an earthen redoubt on the highest point of the island. Aside from Fort Mackinac, home to Michigan’s oldest building — and Fort Holmes — Mackinac Island boasts a handsomely preserved town center, complete with car-free streets. The Grand Hotel, known to have the longest front porch in the world, is a big name in the town’s accommodation landscape. Do not miss Doud's Market as well, which styles itself as the oldest family-operated grocery store in the entire country. It is centrally located on Main Street.
Belle Isle
Nothing in your experience can possibly prepare you for Belle Isle, a 982-acre island in the Detroit River that looks plucked out of a fairy tale. While almost every spot here will draw the attention of a first-time visitor, three attractions stand out. There is the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, which is home to one of the largest municipally owned orchid collections in the United States. That said, the conservancy is currently closed because of a major renovation of its main dome structure. It is expected to reopen in early 2025. There is also the small but well-maintained Belle Isle Aquarium, the oldest public aquarium in the continental United States. Oudolf Garden Detroit, which encircles the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon, is a nice spot to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of daffodils and tulips — and mingle with Monarch butterflies. It was designed by renowned Dutch landscape artist Piet Oudolf, the mind behind New York City's High Line Park.
Beaver Island
Time slows at Beaver Island — but it does not stop, thanks to its small population and a slew of heart-ravishing attractions. Beaver Island has long been known as America's Emerald Isle, ostensibly because of the island’s strong historical ties to Ireland. A sandy shoreline surrounds swathes of dense woodland, a space best explored via Beaver Island Boat Company guided tours, which typically take about 90 minutes. The guided tours take visitors through Beaver Island’s intriguing history, beautiful scenery, and several notable spots. The Beaver Head Lighthouse, one of two on the island, has a winding stairway ideal for viewing the northern waters of Lake Michigan. You will enjoy the old-timey feel of the Mormon Print Shop Museum, which once served as the home of the Northern Islander, the first newspaper in Northern Michigan. Taking the cue, Beaver Island’s Marine Museum has lots of information, especially on the area’s shipping history. Do not miss the lifeboat from the SS Carl D. Bradley, and the heart-rending story of one of the greatest shipwrecks in Michigan’s maritime history.
South Manitou Island
Although both North and South Manitou islands are worth exploring, partly for being part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — the latter, with its pebble beaches, white cedars, and steep bluffs — is the most beautiful. A tractor-pulled wagon tour, one of the various ways of exploring the island, will see visitors exploring an old, one-room schoolhouse; the Beck farmhouse, once the abode of a German immigrant who came to the island as a teenager in 1860; and the cemetery, where several descendants of the island's earliest settlers now lie buried. If you love climbing the stairs of historic lighthouses, the South Manitou Island Light, with its 117 steps, beckons. The trick is to start with the visitor center, especially if you are looking for an informative introduction to the island.
Grand Island
The largely uninhabited Grand Island is on Lake Superior, just off the north shore of the Mitten State's Upper Peninsula. A comfortable ferry drops visitors to the shores of Grand Island — after which one can opt to tour the island on foot — or via the Grand Island Bus Tour, which comes with exceptional views of forests and lakes. If you want to break a sweat and push yourself a bit, the stairs at the Swallow Cliff Trail will come in handy. But if you are looking for something light and easy, canoeing the waterways on the island will do the trick. To reel in some bass or catfish, Echo Lake Creek provides a hard-to-beat experience. And that is not to mention its beautiful surrounding landscape, a mix of high bluffs and bald mountains. Other attractions a visitor should look at include the East Channel Lighthouse and the privately owned Grand Island North Lighthouse.
Isle Royale
Not many islands dabble up as national parks, a singularity that makes Isle Royale on Lake Superior one of the most special in Michigan. Think of a rugged, isolated space where peace and serenity occupy every square inch. You can start at the beautiful Rock Harbor Lighthouse, whose history predates the Civil War — or the Rock Harbor amphitheater, where park rangers present a range of programs, helping visitors learn more about the island and the critters who call it home. That said, one of the most fun ways of exploring Isle Royal is by taking the Keweenaw Waterway Cruise on Lake Superior, a relaxing three-hour odyssey that sails on scheduled Thursdays in summer — rain or shine. Want to spend the night in some rustic cabin close to the water? Rock Harbor Lodge has no competitors.
The Takeaway
At more than 3,200 miles, Michigan boasts the longest freshwater coastline in the United States. Aside from Houghton Lake, the state’s largest inland lake, the Mitten State is home to over 1,100 lakes — each of which spans more than 100 acres. With these features, anyone would expect Michigan to have a long list of beautiful islands. True to expectations, Michigan is home to hundreds of islands. If there were a beauty contest, however, where each island is viewed as a slide on a screen, Mackinac Island — and the rest of the islands highlighted here — easily take the palm.
