Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Made to be Seen. A point in the storm and a guiding beacon since 1889, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse helped passing ships navigate through the treacherous waters of the Straits of Mackinac. There's just as much to see from the top of the tower as inside the original buildings. Authentically restored quarters and exhibits, including the original lens and the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum, this "Castle of the Straits" is a true gem of the Great Lakes. This is Mackinac.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- Claudia R21 contributionsLove lighthouses!!!Cost to enter was doable. Tour guide was informative. Steep steps to cling to top which might be an issue for some. View from top of lighthouse worth the climb. Buildings on lighthouse grounds plus museum very informative.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 30, 2023
- RetiredTravelerTNNashville, Tennessee3,830 contributionsPretty Lighthouse With Informative VideosWe spent a pleasurable 2 1/2 hours at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. We took the guided climb up to the top of the lighthouse, walked through the keepers' quarters, spent time in the museum, watched the foghorn demonstration, and watched two different videos in the video building. We learned a lot and enjoyed every minute. This attraction is a must for all lighthouse lovers.Visited August 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 7, 2023
- SVAGroupColumbia, South Carolina186 contributionsA. Short but fun lighthouseA good place to visit. You can go up in the lighthouse, 55 steep steps. A great view. Make sure you catch the fog horn demonstration. Yes it is loud! A good movie about the lighthouse area. Lighthouse tour guide was entertaining and dressed in the period garb. Had to be hot on an 80 degree day. See in conjunction with the fort.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 29, 2023
- Mona21 contributionsInteresting highlights of living at a lighthouseWorth the climb is you can do it. The staff did a great job of us the buildings to highlight different aspects. You got an example of how the lighthouse keeper and his family loved. You learned the importance of why lighthouses are needed. Great visual aid of what ships looked like before that sand and what the recovery looks liked.Visited September 2023Written September 30, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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Stardust86
Belleville, MI283 contributions
Jul 2020
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 season doesn't allow you into the lighthouse tower (& the top of the lighthouse). I had read this before going, but from looking online it seemed like there was enough to do otherwise to make it worth checking out. Sadly, that's not really true. The shipwreck museum is really cool, but I wouldn't call it a museum as its just one small room. Not what we expected. The inside of the house is also neat to see, but again, it's just so small, without the main attraction being open it doesn't feel worth the price.
Written July 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
We apologize that your experience at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse was not what you had hoped for. The grounds are free to explore and offer beautiful views of the lake and the Mackinac Bridge and we try to offer an interesting look at life within the lighthouse building, however we understand that the situation is not ideal. Thank you for taking the time to write a review, and we hope that you'll visit again once the lighthouse reopens!
Written July 20, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
somebeach49
34 contributions
Aug 2020
This lighthouse is in a park right in Mackinaw City with ample parking. We were able to tour the grounds and buildings but the tower was closed for climbing due to Covid 19. The park surrounding the lighthouse is situated on the beach and has beautiful views of the Mackinac Bridge. One of the easiest lighthouses to locate, definitely worth the visit.
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your kind words, and we're ecstatic to learn you enjoyed your visit! We agree - the setting for the lighthouse is pretty perfect, and the views are unbeatable. We're hopeful the tower will be available to climb once again in 2021. We hope to see you again soon!
Written August 31, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
romanpiekosz
Chicago, IL8,991 contributions
Oct 2021
Small lighthouse, but has many interesting artefacts.
We’ve visited this place in early October. There were foggy days, so the visibility from the lighthouse was poor.
The tourist guide was very knowable, explaining many aspects related to old days of service people living in this building.
In lower part of the building you can see displays presenting the history of region, building and people.
I liked the giant Fresnel lens taken from the tower. It’s state of art with so many surfaces polished to perfection.
There are more buildings related to this lighthouse. There was room with looping video about ship wrecks of the great lakes. It was very well prepared material.
The continuation of this topic was in the next small building with more artefacts form the vessel which has sunken on the lake.
There is also a gift shop where you have to buy the tickets.
We were very satisfied after visiting this place.
I recommend it.
RomanP
We’ve visited this place in early October. There were foggy days, so the visibility from the lighthouse was poor.
The tourist guide was very knowable, explaining many aspects related to old days of service people living in this building.
In lower part of the building you can see displays presenting the history of region, building and people.
I liked the giant Fresnel lens taken from the tower. It’s state of art with so many surfaces polished to perfection.
There are more buildings related to this lighthouse. There was room with looping video about ship wrecks of the great lakes. It was very well prepared material.
The continuation of this topic was in the next small building with more artefacts form the vessel which has sunken on the lake.
There is also a gift shop where you have to buy the tickets.
We were very satisfied after visiting this place.
I recommend it.
RomanP
Written October 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Roman,
Thank you for the fantastic review and rundown of Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse has stood as a guiding beacon for more than 130 years, and you can see why they were so important on foggy days such as the day you visited. We'll be sure to share your kind words with our museum programs staff, as they'll be excited to hear how much you enjoyed the content of the lighthouse, as well as your kind words on our interpreter working at the building.
We hope you are able to visit us again soon!
Written October 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ljretires
Middletown, NY132 contributions
Jun 2022
We enter the gift shop building and went to the counter to buy our ticket. There was a new person training but both people were pleasant and told us what to expect. We got there with three minutes till the fog horn went off. It was the same building as the gift shop. It was nice to get info about the foghorn n hear how they set the fog horn off different then other areas. It would blast in certain sequence of seconds.
The next building held a movie. Last building had momentous.
When you got your ticket you got assign to certain time you would climb up the lighthouse with a guide. They don’t allow backpacks or purses so they have a foot locker to put them in. Total of 52 steps I believe and then the ladder to the top was 11.
The guide was very informative n answered any questions you had.
The next building held a movie. Last building had momentous.
When you got your ticket you got assign to certain time you would climb up the lighthouse with a guide. They don’t allow backpacks or purses so they have a foot locker to put them in. Total of 52 steps I believe and then the ladder to the top was 11.
The guide was very informative n answered any questions you had.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review, and we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your visit to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse! We're happy you were able to experience both a fog signal demonstration as well as a tower tour and check out the exhibits. We'll also be sure to share your pleasant experience with our Guest Services Representative. We hope you are able to visit us again soon!
Written July 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jpete02
Lansing, MI886 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Great exhibits in the lighthouse and surrounding historic buildings.
Tower climb was a little disappointing. Tower climb is guided and they only allow a small number of people up at a time. The tours only run on the 1/2 hour too, so during the summer busy time, you could be waiting a while for the tower climb. Biggest disappointment is you can’t go outside on the balcony and are stuck in a small and stuffy overlook.
Also, no kids under 4 feet tall are allowed and you have to have on closed toe shoes.
Overall, since the lighthouse was included with my
pass, was worth a visit. If I had to choose between touring McGulpin Point Lighthouse or this one, I would choose McGulpin. McGulpin is much cheaper at $3/person, allows young kids to climb, and you can go out on the balcony
Tower climb was a little disappointing. Tower climb is guided and they only allow a small number of people up at a time. The tours only run on the 1/2 hour too, so during the summer busy time, you could be waiting a while for the tower climb. Biggest disappointment is you can’t go outside on the balcony and are stuck in a small and stuffy overlook.
Also, no kids under 4 feet tall are allowed and you have to have on closed toe shoes.
Overall, since the lighthouse was included with my
pass, was worth a visit. If I had to choose between touring McGulpin Point Lighthouse or this one, I would choose McGulpin. McGulpin is much cheaper at $3/person, allows young kids to climb, and you can go out on the balcony
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review, and we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the exhibits and historic buildings at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse!
The tower is original to the structure (unlike the tower at McGulpin Point), and has a very short but original railing surrounding the tower, which is inherently unsafe, especially for children. Safety is always our number one priority, which is why we limit the number of people on the tour and have height and shoe restrictions.
Again, we're glad you enjoyed your visit, and we hope to see you again soon!
Written June 21, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TennisStar602
New Jersey658 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
I had a great time at this lighthouse. The staff was friendly. The admission price was $9.75 per adult. We spent about thirty (30) minutes here and there was on-site parking. There were great views of both lakes, the Mackinac Bridge, and of the nearby islands. There was a bathroom and a park next to this site. I believe that the climb to the top of the lighthouse involved fifty-one (51) stairs. The climb to the top of the lighthouse was narrow and windy, and it also required taller individuals to frequently need to duck down. One could not go outside at the lighthouse’s top, but the inside of the lighthouse was neat! We were guided to the summit by a docent. There were various exhibitions inside the lighthouse and just outside of it, as well. There was also a gift shop on the premises.
Written September 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the fantastic review! We'll be sure our staff sees this review as well. You are correct - 51 steps take you to the top of the tower, along with an 11-run ladder. From the tower you can see the Straits, Mackinac Island, the Upper Peninsula, and other points of interest. We hope you are able to visit us again soon!
Written October 3, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bertram S
Wyoming, MI998 contributions
Jun 2020
This lighthouse is very easy to walk to from Fort Michilimackinac. Part of the lighthouse is set up as the living space of one of the earlier keepers; the other part was a very interesting exhibit of some of the Fresnel lights used there and how they worked. A 2nd building showed movies of the lighthouse’s work and of shipwrecks in the area while a 3rd building held an exhibit of shipwrecks in the area including several artifacts brought up from them. We ran out of time here, so we’ll have to come back to go through it more thoroughly. It was very interesting. Because of Covid, no one was allowed to climb the lighthouse itself.
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
We're glad you enjoyed your time at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. The site has lots of interesting history to explore, and we are happy to hear you would like to return to fully take it all in! We apologize that the lighthouse tower has been closed for the season, however we hope that when you visit again you will have the opportunity to climb it. Thank you for leaving a review!
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
pasherry
United States1,159 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
A bit expensive to tour the grounds and do the every 30min guided tour of the lighthouse. Price is $9.75/adult. Our tour guide Matt was very informative. The fresnel lens is in the house so there is no light in the tower. Great view of the bridge and lake from the top. The film is good and shipwreck museum was interesting. We spent about an hour here.
Written June 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review, and we're happy to hear you enjoyed your visit to the lighthouse. Every dollar we make at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse goes right back into it's upkeep and survival, so we hope that helps ease the cost a bit. We're happy to hear you enjoyed the exhibits, shipwreck museum, and your visit with Matt. We hope you are able to visit us again soon!
Written July 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Excursion713932
22 contributions
Jun 2021
I LOVED visiting this lighthouse. The rooms in the first floor were wonderful glimpses of what lighthouse life was like. I enjoyed the history available here and the ability to walk in the same space that lighthouse keepers and their families walked in the past. The old fog horn demonstration was very interesting. The only disappointment was that we weren't able to climb the stairs to the top of the lighthouse.
The gift shop was neat and had a good assortment of gifts as well. We definitely want to return again in the future and hopefully climb the tower to the top.
The gift shop was neat and had a good assortment of gifts as well. We definitely want to return again in the future and hopefully climb the tower to the top.
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Thank you very much for the review, and we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your visit! We've worked hard at restoring the house back to its 1910 luster, and we're very happy to hear that you enjoyed our efforts. Tours of the tower have been a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic, but we're hopeful that it will be available again soon.
I'll pass along your kind words to both our Chief Curator and Sales Manager (about the gift shop), and we hope to see you again soon. Thank you!
Written June 24, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gulf-to-gulf
Houston, TX203 contributions
Aug 2022
We took the guided tour to visit the upper part of the lighthouse which was interesting but not unlike other lighthouses you might have visited. What separated this site versus others I have been to were the rooms showing where the keepers and family lived with furniture appropriate to the time they were living there and the separate building that had a video playing about shipwrecks near the lighthouse. The video was really well done and had some great interviews.
Written August 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review! The lighthouse tower is similar to other lighthouses (minus the view of the Mackinac Bridge), but we're glad you mentioned the other buildings, which we feel makes Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse special. The Barn and Warehouse contain videos and artifacts related to shipwrecks in the Straits, while the house is set up to look as it did in about 1910. We hope you are able to visit us again soon!
Written August 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
On the tour do we get to climb to the very top of the tower and look out by the light?
RVA
Williamsport, PA8 contributions
Yes, all the way to the top. A bit tight but do-able. Great photo opportunity. Tour to the top runs about every 30-minutes.
How long is the tour?
M R
Gainesville, GA186 contributions
Out tour was about 15 minute to go up the steps to the top and take pictures. The rest of the museum, we saw on our own. We did hear a talk about the actual light by a guide. You can stay in the museum as long as you want, but 15-20 minutes is plenty. There are some outside buildings as well to see. If you have problems with sharp steps or heights...beware it is quite a climb, including a ladder! But, it is worth it. I hope,this helps!
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