Private tour in Mackinaw city Mike F
5.0
(5) reviews
4 hours
1
4 hours
1
Mike F.
5.0
Guide rating
21
Reviews
Tours delivered
4 hrs
Avg. response time
I am the original tour guide in the Straits of Mackinac region! Since 1992, I have provided guided tours of the most beautiful areas of Northern Michigan. Known for assisting tour bus operators with fascinating local knowledge of the Straits of Mackinac region, I serve North America's leading motorcoach lines, senior tours and school groups with entertaining step-on guided tours. I'm your guide for the best, unusual behind-the-scene experiences at locations in Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, St. Ignace, Sault St. Marie and the Upper Peninsula. A member of the Historical Society of Michigan, my specialty is in providing customized tours for the most discriminating visitors to my area. The author of five books about area attractions, I will give you personal insights about the Mackinac Bridge, the original U. S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw and the new Mackinaw, its new replacement icebreaker, Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel and the Edmund Fitzgerald. I will take you behind the scenes, to places no one else does! May I customize a tour for you, your family or group in the Straits Area? I offer entertaining tours from 20 minutes to all day! I am fully licensed by the county of Cheboygan, Michigan. An award-winning author of five titles about local history, my book about all the things that have happened on the Mackinac Bridge was named a Michigan Notable Book by the Michigan Library Association. I am a member of the Historical Society of Michigan, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, the Mackinac State Historical Parks Associates, and an Associate member of the Michigan Sheriff's Association. No restrictions. I am COVID-19 compliant.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Mike F.
Our trip north takes us on a colorful route to the Hiawatha National Forest, through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Next it's on to Whitefish Point, where a windswept lighthouse guards the entrance to Lake Superior from Whitefish Bay. Tour the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, the lightkeepers quarters, check out the large observation deck and see the big lake called "Gitchigumee" by the Chippewa hundreds of years ago. Inspect the Shipwreck Museum, where hundreds of artifacts have been retrieved from the "Graveyard of the Great Lakes, " Superior's Shipwreck Coast. The museum has relics from the region's first shipwrecks to the haunting ship's bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank just 16 miles away in the November gale of 1975. Because I perform as Gordon Lightfoot, live in Concert, I have formed friendships with surviving family members of the men who died on the Fitzgerald. I perform at the Fitzgerald's annual bell ringing ceremony and sing Lightfoot's iconic song.
Mike gives an outstanding tour, in part because he's an excellent guide but also because he's so wired in on the subject matter. We felt privileged to be with him. Please, if you have any Interest in shipwrecks and in Gordon Lightfoot sign up! You won't regret it. There were 4 of us on the tour all in our 80's and Mike was among the most considerate and helpful guide for seniors we've ever experience.
We cannot say enough about our tour to Whitefish Point with Mike. We were so very lucky to have been able to spend the day with such a compassionate, talented and knowledgeable guide. Exceptional in every way.
So glad we did this. Our 4th TBL (also Pittsburgh, NOLA, Austin.) Mike's connection to the Shipwreck Museum and the Edmund Fitzgerald families shows. I have never had an interest in shipwrecks, and Eastern U.P. wasn't our first choice for travel, but due to lodging and TBL availability, we booked. Learned so much about the families' support for each other, and their long efforts to get the ship's bell recovered (Sault Chippewa paid when US/Can didn't.) We recommend this; Mike is phenomenal.
Mike provided excellent commentary in his comfortable GMC Acadia all the way up to Whitefish Point and additional great information at the Shipwreck Museum, Lighthouse and memorial. Our weather was a little dicey which happens occasionally and sometimes with little notice, but Mike adapted and his flexibility salvaged the day and the memorable experience. We combined this tour with the Ste. Saint Marie and Locks tour. We very much enjoyed the hours together and would recommend a personal tour with Mike!
Whitefish Point is about an hour's scenic drive from the Mackinac Bridge. Many times this tour is combined with the Sault Ste. Marie and Soo Locks Tour for one great reason - lunch! There are plenty of choices in Sault Ste. Marie, but if you choose to go straight to Whitefish Point, we might luck out and find a little diner open in Paradise. We'd be wise to eat first in St. Ignace or bring food along from there. At the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum* you'll be taken by the haunting spell of the many shipwrecks here, especially the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald. I'll enhance the experience in a very special way. I have performed as Gordon Lightfoot for a decade at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum's annual bell-tolling ceremony for the lost souls of the Edmund Fitzgerald. My interaction with surviving family members of the lost crewmen, and Lightfoot himself, generate many first-hand accounts of the tragedy and how his iconic song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" was written. *Separate admission required
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
Transportation is in an air conditioned 2023 GMC Acadia that comfortably seats five passengers. There is some walking involved at the stops and sites.
Mackinaw City, Michigan, 49701, United States
Airport: Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) or Chippewa County Regional Airport (CIU),Cruise: ,ByGuide: Mackinaw Crossings, Michigan Travel Information Center, your hotel, Shepler's ferry dock, Star Line ferry dock.
EnglishWho is this private tour in Mackinaw City best suited for?
Where does the tour start and end?
Is transportation included?
How much walking is involved, and is it suitable for kids, seniors, or travellers with mobility concerns?
What languages is this tour offered in?
What's included in this private tour, and what should I budget for separately?
AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide
4 hours
1
4 hours
1
If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
How it works