A four car cable ferry that crosses Lake Charlevoix and began operating in 1876, when the operator…read moretook passengers across the lake in a rowboat. The ferry is a unique experience and you can't beat the view on a beautiful fall day. The cost is $3.00, takes about 10 minutes, and runs April through November. Check out the original fares on the sign from 1884

The guy running the ferry was exceptional. A great ride. We arrived early, car 1 of 4. Boarded…read morefirst, un boarded 1st. Cost $5.

Staff is very accommodating helping us sort out a stand by vehicle transfer. Everyone was extremely…read morefriendly!

Get tickets to Beaver island out of charlevoix, Michigan…read more Round trip tickets to and from. You will have to check their website for departure times, amount of baggages you can take and Freight that you can send. Were able to find parking for vehicle and shuttle service back to the boat dock in time to board the ferry. We departed at 2:30 p.m.,arrived around 5:30 pm and desembarked.

Super nice people. The cruise was so nice and relaxing. I got a can cozy when I got a drink on…read moreboard.

Cancelled our Mackinac Bridge tour 2 hours before hand. They " tried to call " but when I answered…read morethe line was dead. When we arrived at our time we were told there wasn't enough booked so they had to cancel and she " tried calling me". So frustrating when celebrating our 30th Anniversary, we did get a full refund but would not recommend and poor customer service. At this point it was too late to make different arrangements for our night.

There are only 2 ferry companies that go to the island (and 2 ports). This is the bigger and more…read morepopular one. They have their operation down to a science which is exactly what one looks for. Their setup is literally right at the end of the main drag in Mackinaw City which is super convenient. They also run shuttles to the local hotels and tk their giant free parking lot at the far end of the drag.

Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry June 2026…read more With friends from Albion and Grand Rapids, the four of us were heading from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island earlier this summer. Parking was smooth - we would be on the island for three days and could leave the SUV in an adjacent parking lot. Short line to the ticket booth, and seamless booking for our ferry, which would leave in about an hour. Time enough for us to cross the parking lot (standard overnight parking - $25 per night; premium dock lot parking - $50/75 per night) and have a light lunch of fries and onion rings at The Dixie Saloon, accompanied by a Kentucky Mule. The ferry was very well organized, from the ticketing to the lining up. The only downside was ferry staff required the 80 or so passengers who were not a part of a local tour group leave the protection of the covered queue: the unfortunates in the line (including my group) had to wait in the cold wind and rain for more than 20 minutes while a ferry boarded the fortunate (in the special tour group) in comfort, sans wind or rain. (Adult basic round trip $39) Once aboard, the trip went great. This is not a slow boat - we were tooling right along for the 20 or so minutes it took to get from the City to the Island. Given the raw weather outside it was great to shelter in the covered seating below the outside seating. Shepler's crew also did their best to help with our luggage: they gathered our stuff when we purchased our tickets, so we were free to wander around Mackinaw City until it was time to board. (Tipping is appropriate.) Offloading was a bit trickier, as we sought to have the luggage gathered by the horse-drawn taxis that would take us to our condo on the island. Took a while but ultimately Shepler's crew got our bags and transferred them to a taxi. Great service, good coordination, slight bumps making us wait in the rain so that the privileged few could board their own ferry ahead of us, but altogether a great experience.

If you're visiting Door County, put a day trip to Washington Island on your list -- and the…read moreadventure starts with the ferry! We visited during the last week of August and got in line about 15-20 minutes before departure, paid and drove right onto the ferry. The crew was incredibly friendly and made the whole process so easy. The ride across is about 30 minutes, and it's part of the fun! Get out of your car, walk around the ferry, enjoy the views and take some pictures. We had relatively calm water, although I'm sure Lake Michigan can make the ride a little more adventurous on other days! TIP: Pick up a Washington Island visitor guide before you board. It's the perfect time to look over the map, restaurants, shops and attractions and decide what you want to see once you arrive. Also, keep an eye on the return ferry schedule -- you definitely don't want to miss your ride back to the mainland! We first visited Washington Island back in the early 1980s, and it was so much fun returning and seeing how the island has grown. The ferry ride is part of the whole Washington Island experience and absolutely worth doing!

We had a great experience loading our car and traveling to Washington island. The staff is helpful…read morewith directing the cars. The price is reasonable. Takes about 20-30 minutes to cross to the island. They unload the ferry quickly. It runs every 30 minutes during the summer.

Happy helpful staff on both trips. On our return from the island, someone mistakenly took my…read moresuitcase from the luggage barn. The luggage team at Shepler's found her, chatted with us while we waited for over an hour for her to return with my bag, and reimbursed our parking fee. They made the most of an unfortunate situation. Also - double check to make sure you have the correct bag before you leave the luggage barn so you don't mess up someone's vacation!

This is a ferry transfer to Mackinac Island. The ferry leave every half hour. Very convenient. They…read morehave secure parking lot for your vehicle with a parking fees. The ferry is by person. They have a small waiting room and restroom while waiting for your scheduled time. The ride takes 25 minutes. The check in is easy. Once you on the ship, you can enjoy the view or take a nap. I brought my beer with be while riding on the ship. The trip is smooth during clear weather. The return trip also easy to board.

This is the ferry you take to Washington Island, whether you're on foot, bike, or some sort of…read morewheeled vehicle. The crew does a great job of packing as many vehicles on the ferry as possible, without making it feel unsafe, and they are very efficient at it. There are restrooms on board, and viewing decks. You can stay in your vehicle, stand at the sides of the boat, go up to an inside viewing deck complete with benches, or go up to the top of the boat on an uncovered deck (the best views). You can bring your pets, but they either have to stay in your ride, or are only allowed on the same deck as the cars. Unless you have your own boat, this is the only way to get to the island from the mainland, so hop on and enjoy the ride! 5/2024

Ferry ride was fine. They made me parallel park in a small…read morespace at the end of the line. The guy guiding me was supposed to be watching to make sure I was clear of the wall. Ended up hitting the side of the car on the steel rail. Ask the guy if there was any damage. He said no we have nets. Scratched the side of the car and busted blinker Lense. Their attitude was o well. It happens. Do not let them make you parallel park. They accept no responsibility for damages.

When we asked our kids their favorite part of our day trip to Mackinaw Island- the ferry stood out…read more They saddled up next to the window and watched with excitement as we bumped along the waves to and fro the island. Ordering tickets online was easy peasy, as was parking, boarding, etc. The company was a well oiled machine that seemed to be quite dependable. They offer bike space for an additional fee. Would recommend!

We took the Arnold ferry from Mackinaw City to the island and it was a great experience. Buying…read moretickets online ahead of time was easy (just be sure you have the correct departure city as they also have a ferry from St. Ignace). The tickets are round-trip and are not for any specific date or time, which was really helpful for us as we were traveling with family and it made it easier to coordinate and be flexible. The ferries leave every 1/2 hour or so from Mackinaw City and every 30-45 minutes from the island during the month of June. The schedules are easy to find and read on their website. The ferry was so fun and quick, and I loved seeing the bridge and other boats on the trip. Tip, for the best bridge views on the way to the island, sit on the port (left) side and opposite on the way back. We were able to check our bags on the return trip which was helpful as we had acquired souvenirs (mostly fudge, of course). Everything was packed carefully onto a luggage cart, then unloaded quickly at the Mackinaw City dock when we arrived. There is a parking lot right at the dock, and additional parking lots across the street from the dock. Parking was about $20 per night and payable via a QR code. They even have a shuttle that will take you across the street. Next time I really want to go on the ferry that goes under the bridge. It's a longer trip but seems like it would be such a cool experience.

"Cause I'm free to decide, I'm free to decide"…read more(The Cranberries) You can decide on a few ferry services to get you to and off Mackinac Island, but for us, our decision to travel with the Mackinac Island Ferry Company's ships from St. Ignace to Mackinac Island was a good one. We bought our tickets on the website, and that was super easy to do. Our two fastPASS Round Trip adult tickets were $31 each plus a $2 convenience fee. Our tickets directed us to park at Dock #3 in St. Ignace, and that location is well marked with big signs. Parking is free, and the dock was well staffed with plenty of folks to answer questions and keep the traffic flowing. There are no arrangements available to book a ferry for a specific time, you just go and wait on line for the next one. The ferry company steps up departures during heavy tourist season. It was quite a sight to see the deck hands hustling when our ship arrived from St. Ignace to get us off the island. We must have seen them unload 100 bicycles and scores of luggage carts for those spending some time on the island. Expect your ride to take 15-20 minutes.

I've used Star Line as my way to get to and from Mackinac Island every single time over the years…read moreand they have all been 5-star experiences! They are wonderful and always on time, and offer different types of boats to suit all your different needs - they even have a pirate boat! I have yet to try that one because the timing never lines up, but hopefully one day I'll get to! We always book in person, so I am unaware if there is a way to book it online beforehand. I also normally go during the peak season for Mackinac Island, but I think because there are so many companies and ferries to and from the island, it'll never be sold out for long. Perhaps you might show up and the next available departure is sold out, but the following one won't be and you can easily get that one and wait a little longer before departing! Once you're on the island, there is no set time to come back with your roundtrip ticket. You just come back whenever you're ready and get in line to do so, and I appreciate that convenience and flexibility! Every once in a while as well, the Star Line ferry will take a different route, once again just depending on which time you book! The most recent time I took the ferry, which was this past summer, we happened to be on a boat that took a little detour UNDER the Mackinac Bridge!!!!!!! That was so exhilarating and not anything I ever imagined doing, but loved it when I got down there and could be the proper TROLL that I am haha! It was a nice bonus treat at no extra charge and really started our journey over to Mackinac Island nicely! Star Line is also so convenient and you can easily bring your dog on board as well, in addition to bikes and strollers. They have good, organized systems built into place for all of your needs around this and that doesn't go unnoticed by me either. It's much appreciated and always a good time aboard Star Line ferries!