How to Get Here

a bicycle parked on the side of a road by the water
a couple of bicycle tires

Directions

Ferry

Park your car at the ferry docks in either Mackinaw City (south of the bridge) or St. Ignace (north of the bridge) and take a 16–18 minute boat ride across the Straits of Mackinac. Both ferry lines operate frequently throughout the day from May through the end of October. Parking at ferry charges vary depending on ferry line and parking location. Guests staying at Stonecliffe get complimentary rides on our Stonecliffe Carriages beginning at 7am until 7pm. Our shuttles depart from the Ferry Dock and the Front Entrance of our Mansion on the hour. 

We recommend passage to Mackinac Island by ferry provided by Shepler’s with service from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Please be sure to check the ferry websites for a current schedule of departures for your dates of travel.
Upon arrival on Mackinac Island by ferry The Inn at Stonecliffe will have dock porters that can handle your luggage so it safely gets to our room. Please tag your luggage at the Mackinaw City or St. Ignace ferry docks. Connect with our dock porter to identify your luggage for them before leaving the dock to check-in. Baggage storage is available for early arrivals and late departures.

Plane

Mackinac Island Airport (MCD) is in the interior of the island. Travel to and from this small airport by private plane or charter flight.

Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) is in Pellston, located 16 miles South of Mackinaw City. It’s the closest commercial airport to the island. A shuttle can be reserved to transport you to the ferry.

Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) is about 35 minutes north of St. Ignace.

The charter company Fresh Air Aviation offers daily direct flights to Mackinac Island.

Cherry Capital Airport – This commercial airport is located in Traverse City, Michigan and provides non-stop, round-trip flights to and from Northern Michigan and over 15 cities (including Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and Orlando). The airport is approximately a 2-hour drive or 90.32 miles from the Ferry dock. Car rentals are available at the airport and the drive to Mackinaw City is approximately 2.5 hours or 100 miles. Please note, if renting a car, you have to pay to park at the ferry docks, as there are no car rental companies located in either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace.

Horse & Buggy

Few sights are as emblematic of Mackinac Island as the horse-drawn carriages. Immerse yourself in the experience from the start by booking a carriage ride to the Inn when you arrive downtown. 

By Boat

Be your own captain and make your way to the island aboard your boat. Dock at one of the 80 slips at Mackinac Island State Harbor, a public marina where you can moor your vessel for the day or overnight, or head to the private Mackinac Island harbor.

Drive to Port Cities

Visitors living within driving distance from the south often take I-75 to the ferry docks in either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace, which are the cities at either end of the Mackinac Bridge that connects Michigan’s Lower and Upper peninsulas. From there, you can board a ferry for a 15-minute trip to Mackinac Island. From the north, I-75 and US-2 are the most common routes to the ferry docks. Learn more about traveling to Mackinac Island here.

Carriage Service

The Stonecliffe shuttle is a service offered by Mackinac Island Carriage Tours and is a beautiful 45 minute fixed-route ride that goes from the Shepler Ferry Dock downtown to Stonecliffe. Our Stonecliffe Shuttles leave every hour on the hour from the Shepler's Ferry Dock and out front of our Mansion beginning at 7am until 7pm. Stonecliffe shuttle rides to and from downtown are complimentary as part of your stay. In addition to our shuttles, Horse-drawn taxi service is provided by Mackinac Island Carriage tours 24 hours per day during the peak summer season. Something unique about Mackinac Island is that taxis cannot be “hailed” and you must call the taxi dispatch office or our concierge to schedule your pickup. For additional taxi service please plan an hour or more ahead of time. For any questions about taxis please contact our concierge for assistance.

Luggage Process

When you arrive to the Shepler’s Dock on the mainland, your luggage will be tagged for The Inn at Stonecliffe and you will receive one claim luggage claim ticket for each piece of luggage you have. Once you reach the island, a Stonecliffe dockporter will send it to the resort and at check-in, you will give your luggage claim tickets to the front desk for transportation right to your room.
Upon departure, contact the front desk 1 hour or more prior to your desired leave time to arrange pick up of your luggage from your room. Again, you will receive one luggage claim ticket for each piece of luggage you have. Please call at least 2 hours before your desired ferry departure time.

An important note: Once you send your luggage, it can be inaccessible for a bit. Please keep anything you may need, such as medication, in your hand luggage, backpack or pockets.

Pellston to Mackinaw City

Mackinaw Shuttle provides shuttle service to Mackinaw City from Pellston Airport. Transfer is approximately 25 minutes / 15 miles.
Please call the Mackinac Shuttle directly at 231.539.7005 or email info@mackinawshuttle.com for arrangements and details.
An important note: Uber and Lyft services are not available in our area; local taxi service is extremely limited.

Stonecliffe Property Features

Please note that Stonecliffe is a cashless property. There are ATM's located in downtown Mackinac Island click here to view. Please plan accordingly.