Mackinac
 

When is the best time to spend a few days on Mackinac. We can plan for next Spring, Summer or Fall, but are hoping for the most ideal time weatherwise.
Thanks for any help.

Always difficult to predict the weather for any given "few day" period but there's not much difference except for the obvious that it will be a few degrees warmer in Summer vs. Spring or Fall. You can research average weather statistics for Makinaw City (which is just a few miles from Mackinac Island so weather should be the same) here: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...tes-of-America

Look at the data and decide for yourself what time period works best for you.

We went in the fall, and it was beautiful! Wish we could return this year.

We went in July and loved it; the weather was gorgeous, and we took a boat out to see a great fireworks show.

The seasonal temperature change is greater than the poster above suggested. If you do not tolerate cold well, go in July or early August. The weather is different every year, but I once took friends from Kansas in late June and they were very unhappy with how cold it was.

My personal favorite time (I go to the region up to 3 times a year) is the first 10 days in July. The weather is usually a little nicer later in the month, but the crowds and prices are at their highest from mid July until mid August.

My second favorite time is the middle of October. Colors can be spectacular, the weather is crisp & usually clear, and the crowds are gone. The only trade off, is that not everything will be open. If you can go mid week, there will be some real deals on rooms then, but the prices will remain fairly high on the weekends.

The Island (and mainland communities of St. Ignace & Mackinaw City) have special events all year around. You might like to check their calenders and see if one of the events interests you enough for you to make your trip coincide. The best known of them (other than the Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk) is probably the Lilac Festival in early June. Though it may or may not be during the lilac peak.

The multi day sailboat races which finish at the Island in July are also well known, but other than partying, there is little for non-contestants to do and see.