This lighthouse and surrounding grounds are one of the best lighthouse experiences we ever had. We are lighthouse fans and have visited many lighthouses, but OMP Lighthouse was the best experience we've ever had. We toured and climbed the lighthouse with tour guide Lawson who was simply terrific--knowledgable, engaging and dressed in full lighthouse keeper uniform. He also demonstrated the fog signal whistle, and we learned a lot about that. The museum was the best lighthouse museum we've ever toured. But the real surprising thing was the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum on the property. With top-notch audiovisual displays and actual remnants, I learned a lot and was very interested (and I didn't really want to tour it originally--I am so glad I changed my mind.) This is in a wonderful location right by the Mackinac Bridge, very picturesque. I encourage you to stop in, take the tour, climb the lighthouse if you're able, and tour the museum and shipwreck museum--you will not be disappointed! read more

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Mackinaw City, Michigan

Great lighthouse tour and museum. You can climb to the top....51 steps and a narrow ladder Original light for the macinac straits before the macinac bridge was built. Located near the fort. Fee to enter, and then they ask for donations to stamp your lighthouse passport. No extra fee to climb, though they are timed and guided, so not everyone visiting lighthouse can climb Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable Small giftshop too read more

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The point where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet is a critically important point in the navigation of the Great Lakes. As I've seen from the Duluth end of Lake Superior https://www.yelp.com/biz/wisconsin-point-superior?hrid=You-fkV3QptQctYLDFQzVw and https://www.yelp.com/biz/agate-bay-beach-two-harbors?hrid=F4BN1HC5v8YQjei3xaSr3Q, this is where raw iron ore passes on its was to cities like Pittsburgh where it is turned into steel. The historical marker nearby points out the history. It reads, "This light is opposite the turning point for ships making the difficult passage through the Straits of Mackinac, one of the busiest crossroads of the Great Lakes. McGulpin's Point light, two miles to the west, had been established in 1856, but it was not visible from all directions. In 1889 Congress appropriated funds for the construction of a steam-powered fog signal here, which went into operation on November 5, 1890. Construction of the light tower and attached lightkeeper's dwelling began, and the light was first displayed on October 25, 1892. Heavy iron and brass castings were used throughout the structure, and the light was visible to ships sixteen miles away. In operation until 1958, the lighthouse is now a maritime museum." The lighthouse is only open during limited hours but the property is open to the public and worth visiting any time of day. There is free parking. Maybe you'll luck out and a ship will be passing by. [Review 17933 overall - 336 in Michigan - 1454 of 2022.] read more

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Lovely lighthouse in Mackinaw City, Michigan. Wish we had the time to take a tour of the lighthouse for a nominal fee. Unfortunately, the relatives wanted to head to Mackinac Island right away so the tour will have to wait til next time. From the outside, the lighthouse looks terrific. The grounds are also well kept and picture perfect. Location is wonderful with awesome views of the Mackinac Bridge and lake. read more

This lighthouse is in a beautiful property on the beach. Of course it's a historical landmark. The lighthouse is no longer in service, it was taken out of service because of the mackinaw bridge. We did the lighthouse tour so we could go to the top. Sadly views weren't that good because it was raining and the windows were covering in the rain. It's a little pricey but was cool to go to the top. Also got to catch a fog siren demonstration. read more

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Mackinaw City, Michigan

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This was a very nice tourist attraction with a excellent view of the Mackinac Bridge. The staff was very friendly and the tour of the lower lighthouse was excellent. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the lighthouse, and the grounds was well maintained. It was very easy to navigate this attraction with the use of a GPS device or Google maps. There is a parking lot on site that can accommodate small and large vehicles, so there is no issues with parking. read more

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I stopped by September 7th and don't recall if if was closed for the season or not. It's located within Michilimackinac state park. The outside is well kept and very photogenic. There are picnic areas, grills, benches, a gazebo and restrooms. Great views of the bridge just a little noisy due to it's proximity. I would definitely stop by if you're in the area. read more

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Such a fun tour! We loved going up into the lighthouse to see such a great view of the lake. We also enjoyed the shipwreck museum, super interesting! Highly recommend! P.s. the stairs to the top of the lighthouse are pretty steep, so just be careful! read more

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The lighthouse is a legitimate attraction when you're looking for something to actually "do" in town rather than just eat fudge and window shop. For eight bucks you get a solid history lesson and a great view. The history lesson is twofold: first the lighthouse itself, with living quarters mocked up to resemble 1909, and another series of museum rooms covering topics such as the construction history of the facilities, the men and women who served here, and the technology of lighthouses. The second aspect is the shipwreck museum, which covers several wrecks from the vicinity. Somber but fascinating. For the view, you must climb. It is not high (actually this is a very short lighthouse), but the spiral staircase is very narrow and ends in a short portion which one must duck sharply or risk a stoved skull. Then you climb a short ladder and soak in the vista. You have to go up with a tour guide, and I believe they kick off each session every fifteen or twenty minutes. The tour guide solicits questions at the top of the tower and seems to have quite a bit of local trivia stored up. He also gave a foghorn demonstration. He reminded me a lot of my high school physics teacher, but that is neither here nor there. Plan to spend about an hour, maybe ninety minutes if you're leisurely. Bonus points to the gift shop for educating us on the local fauna: those relentless swarms of insects are harmless midges, not mosquitoes. Seriously, that was a real relief for the last two days of our trip because I could stop worrying about Zika and West Nile. read more

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - Mackinac Bridge from the top of the lighthouse - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Mackinaw City, Michigan

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A beautiful lighthouse with a wonderful scenic park attached. Pre pandemic, it was open for visitors. It is a beautiful lighthouse for picture taking and relaxing. read more

Definitely go up in the lighthouse. Lawson was an excellent guide. Informative and entertaining.

Great little museum. We spent about 2-2.5 hours here. The museum has a beautiful landscape of the Straits of Mackinac and plenty of history to soak up. Admission was $8.00, no student discount and tickets you purchase in the gift shop area. You can also buy your ticket for the Fort. You are also asked if you have the appropriate shoes to climb the lighthouse - so leave your flip flops at home. Lighthouse: The museum has the lighthouse, a smaller building that has a 15 minute or so video of the history of shipwrecks, and then the shipwreck museum. The lighthouse is very interesting, especially half of the lighthouse on the main floor is set up to be the keeper's quarters with his family. You see the kitchen, dining area, and living room as it would be set up back in the day. There is a worker who is dressed as the lighthouse keeper who is within the house to answer any questions. I wish he offered to just share information because I honestly did not know what to particularly ask? The second floor area is roped off and I was told that they are working on re-doing the upper area (or close to getting funded to restore it), as the lighthouse was a duplex for the keeper and then his assistance. We were then summoned by the worker and whoever wants to go up the lighthouse itself to meet inside the house. There was about 7-9 of us that were going to go up and I did not know what to expect. We were given some ground rules about climbing up the original spiral staircase. It is a bit claustrophobic especially with people in front of you and behind you going up the tight quarters. The climb is not bad, I climbed the spiral staircase within the Elliott Tower located at Oakland University (151 feet), so the lighthouse steps were not bad at all. The top of the staircase is worth the beautiful view, especially if you are there on a clear day. The worker gave us some history of the lighthouse and other lighthouses on the straits. Lots of awkward silences when the group did not have questions - again I wished the worker/keeper just threw out information to all of us. We then went back down the stairs and when back on our way to explore the rest of the lighthouse. The rest of the lighthouse had more of the history and some artifacts of the lighthouse and keepers. The actual light for the lighthouse was there on loan and it was gorgeous. The historical background section of the house took about 30 minutes - however, I read pretty much everything while my husband breezed through it. Shipwreck short video building: This building is set up like a school house with not much in it except some benches for people to watch the short video. The video is on a loop and goes into the history of people who dare to sail on the straits - starts with the American Indians and goes up until the most recent tragedy of a freighter that collided with another vessel and sank in the '60's. Hearing about the shipwrecks is a bit somber and emotional as you realize the beautiful water you see on the shore is a grave site for many. I suggest watching the video before going into the shipwreck museum because you can make the connections when you are in the museum of the ships you just learned about. Shipwreck museum: The museum was nice and cool on a hot summer's day and decently sized. The museum is a big room full of historical information and lots of interesting information to read and look at. There was an interactive piece of all the shipwrecks in the straits that you can explore and learn about. The museum is a must see and I learned a lot. We were told that your admission is good all day. This was good to know because we did need to make a pit stop to the restrooms. Restrooms are within the park and not within the museum area. Good little place to visit full of history, especially architectural history of the lighthouse which has kept its glory. The museum also gave me a great respect of the Straits of Mackinac and the brave souls who travel it and the lighthouses that have tried to keep those safe on the water. read more

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - Inside the shipwreck museum. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Mackinaw City, Michigan

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A little glimpse back in time... As a lover of all things "Pure Michigan," I try to get up north to the Mackinac area at least once a year. In fact, my family has been making its annual pilgrimage up north to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island as far back as I can remember. For years now, I've admired and visited the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. It doesn't hurt that my husband is fond of all lighthouses, so a tour of Old Mackinac Point is a must during every trip. For the relative bargain of only $7.50 (per adult), I can absorb a bit of culture and history at the same time and see how a lighthouse keeper and his family used to live years ago. From the furnishings and tiny reminders of daily life for these folks from another time to the informative (and usually entertaining) local guides, the tour is well worth its $7.50 fee. A tour of the lighthouse is a must for any history lover (particularly anyone interested in Michigan history). For me, the guided tour really helped paint a picture of life for a lighthouse keeper a century ago. My husband and I both thought the tour was chock full of interesting tidbits about the era, the history of Mackinac City, the way of life for an old lighthouse keeper and his family, as well as some local lore thrown in for good measure. I loved the interesting little anecdotes and the authentic period furnishings, etc. The guides don't mind if you take pictures inside, either, so I recommend doing so. It's strictly look, but don't touch, as is the case in all museums, but photos and questions are both encouraged. the guides are very nice and willing to chat a few extra minutes beyond the tour. The lighthouse itself and its furnishings are both well-maintained. It certainly appears to have been well-cared for by the state parks department over the years. I'm pleased that it was turned into a museum and not left abandoned to decay. If you can, ask as many questions as you can and take in as much as possible. You might regret it if you don't. Also, a visit to the top of the lighthouse is a must. Take note: it's very small and probably not the best for anyone really afraid of heights or who is claustrophobic, but I found it worthwhile. It's unlike anything else. Anyway, how often do I get to climb to the top of a lighthouse? Closed as a functional lighthouse for over 50 years, the building is situated on state park property, located very near the Mackinac Bridge and the beach. The view from the lighthouse is breathtaking. I snapped a ton of photos the last time I was up there. Be careful while taking pictures outside on the steps because I tripped and fell off while backing up to get a better shot and wound up spraining my ankle as a result. Dumb. Nonetheless, that wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment of visiting this beautiful old lighthouse. read more

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Since we were on a roll with guided tours, the BF spotted this after we hit the Mackinac Bridge. We were taking pictures and decided to drop in for a tour. I'm kind of glad we did even though I'm not a huge lighthouse fan. (at least in the sense of getting a tour.) This place is located within a little district right next to the bridge. Not far from downtown, there's a few historic places to check out and we just wanted to see this and get a feel for a bit more of the history of the Island and City. Admission for the lighthouse is only $7.50. It's mostly self guided but there are staff here to answer questions and take you up to the top of the light house. We loved how clean and pretty it was, and even if there wasn't a staff member available, there was plenty of signage explaining not only what life was like back then, but the purpose of the light house keeper as well. It was a full time job, and required a bit of physical labor. The house was in use until 1957 and closed after the Mackinac Bridge was build and completed in 1957. The bridge took over the purpose of the lighthouse, thus deeming it irrelevant. It now sits on state park land and you can see what life was like during it's hay day during the turn of the century. The guided tour was cool, and we got to go to the top of the lighthouse and look out. It was a small cramped area with about 58 stairs and very cramped. Maybe 10 people can fit up there, shoulder to shoulder. Very informative and overall a great experience to look out and see what was involved back then since Michigan is known for lighthouses. The tour is quick and if you do the lighthouse, assume about an hour. If you don't go up, probably half that. Still enjoyable for a great afternoon of the history of the island along with people who are dressed for the period. Great staff, and don't forget to check out the gift store when you walk in! read more

Very historic lighthouse with a lot of impact for the area. Very clean. It was a quick but very informative guided tour. Several buildings to check out. One of which was air-conditioned and showed all of the local shipwrecks in the area. Kids had a great time. Also some great views. read more

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I don't go out of my way to visit lighthouses but this one is right there as you enter town from the east and has a wonderful view of the bridge so it is a favorite spot for stopping to take photos and just stand and admire the Mackinaw Bridge, especially when I first get here and want to soak up the view. It's pretty day or night but especially when the sunset glows against it in the evening. My last two trips, 2007 and 2011 have been in late October so the inside tours are over but I enjoy seeing the outside anyway. I noticed it sure ends up in a lot of my photos because it compliments the bridge and sets such a pretty backdrop. read more

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Cute lighthouse. Thought they only had the store selling the wares but apparently the stairs by the register leads up to the top. Lots of museum items on each floor. Was really entertaining to see the bedrooms and kitchen setup. The original tenants must've been super short because it was so awkward trying to climb out onto the railing. read more

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - You can go through the gift shop to see the museum and step out onto the railing at the top - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Mackinaw City, Michigan

I am fascinated by lighthouses, this is a good little tour. They have lot's of small interesting thing on the first floor of the lighthouse such as their kitchen, their dining room etc. They run a guided tour every half-hour or so upstairs to the lighthouse. It's quite narrow and 54 or so steps so you may want to reconsider if you're in decent shape. If you go there you get a really good 360 degree view of the area. You can get some good pictures up here. The guide was very knowledgable and truly passionate and explained a lot of details. Many people had lot's of questions and he was able to answer all the questions. They also have a small gift shop with books and other things as well as a couple of other buildings that you can see. read more

This is a pretty cool light house with an awesome little shipwreck museum as part of the entry fee. You have to be 48 inches tall to climb the tower, which is kind of funny because our 4 year old found this to be pretty easy in comparison to several of the 70 year old ladies that did it with us. It is a spiral stair case, with the option to climb a ladder that is a little taller than your standard step ladder. You have a great view of Mighty Mac from the light house. The shipwreck museum is quite interesting if you take the time to read everything. There is also a short 15 minute video that is interesting as well. I had no idea that there were so many shipwrecks in the area. The entry fee by itself is a bit much for the amount of content, and if I had to do it again we should have just bought the Mackinaw pass to get into all of the different historic Mackinaw/Mackinac Island stuff. We weren't aware of this pass, and yesterday had done Fort Mackinac when we booked our ferry tickets online. It was still worth it, even with the construction going on. read more

The park is lovely (which is why I gave 3) but I'm VERY angry due to poor communication by the people working here. After getting our tickets we were told to "schedule " our tower tour. We went over to immediately do it but there wasn't anyone there. We called out and nothing. We looked around at other things and came back. Eventually someone replied while they came down with a tour. We were told to return in 20 mins which we did only to be told the tour was full. Since it was the last one of the day- we didn't get to go up. DON'T tell me to "schedule" something THAT DOESN'T have a person to schedule it! VERY DISAPPOINTED. read more

Standing proud over the shores of the great lake at the tip of Mackinaw, the lighthouse acts as a landmark for the lakeside town. Perched at the tip of the hand of Michigan's lower peninsula, from here you can see up to the Upper Peninsula and have great views of the massive Mighty Mac bridge that spans both. From the point here, you can also visit the historic fort under the bridge. Don't miss the walk around the point here for great views over the lake. read more

I love lighthouses so I was looking forward to explore this one. So pros: the view is really amazing. Good view of the bridge and nice view of the water and surroundings. Original fresnel lens used in the lighthouse is still there on the first floor of the museum. Cons: when you get on top of the lighthouse you are not allowed to go outside. Each tour group consists of 12 people so when you get on top it's pretty crowded and you can't really take too many pics or stay there for too long. Also our tour guide was not really that informative he didn't tell us anything just asked us to ask questions...And only after someone asked him to tell us something about the lighthouse he shared some general history and info which is appreciated. The tour is 8$ for an adult but I felt like you should be alllowed to spend more time on top then 3-4 mins and with less people. Otherwise nice lighthouse and the museum downstairs (keepers house) was very nice. read more

This cute and quaint lighthouse is nestled right before crossing the Mackinaw Bridge. Due to the expense of the tour of the lighthouse, I did not venture that far. However, I did enjoy taking pictures of the area as well as visiting the gift shop. Prices are a bit steep there - but a few cute items (postcards, etc.) are affordable. A quick stop will def bring good vacation photos to share with family and friends. read more

Disappointed it wasn't disclosed the only way you could go to the top of the lighthouse was with a tour. When you enter into the duplex, it says there is no guarantee you can go to the top. For 7.50 per adult, I feel this should be told before you buy the ticket. read more