Mackinac Island vs. Bois Blanc Island: Michigan’s Two Straits Islands Compared
Two islands sit close together in the Straits of Mackinac. One is famous. The other is barely known.
Mackinac Island draws visitors from all over the country. Bois Blanc Island sits just a few miles southeast, quiet and mostly empty. Locals call it Bob-Lo.
You can see one from the other on a clear day. Yet the two feel like different worlds. This guide compares them fairly, so you can pick the right one for your trip.
The Basic Differences at a Glance
Start with size, because it surprises people.
Mackinac Island covers about 3.8 square miles. Bois Blanc covers roughly 34 square miles. That makes Bois Blanc about nine times larger.
Now flip that for visitors. Mackinac hosts hundreds of thousands of guests each season. Bois Blanc has around 71 year-round residents. Summer pushes that past 2,000.
So the big island is the empty one. The small island is the busy one.
Quick Comparison
- Size: Mackinac ~3.8 sq mi; Bois Blanc ~34 sq mi
- Year-round residents: Mackinac several hundred; Bois Blanc about 71
- Cars: Banned on Mackinac; allowed on Bois Blanc
- Roads: Mackinac paved; Bois Blanc mostly dirt
- Hotels and shops: Many on Mackinac; very few on Bois Blanc
- Ferry from: Mackinaw City or St. Ignace; Cheboygan
Getting There
The trip itself sets the tone for each island.
How You Reach Mackinac Island
Ferries run from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace all season. Boats leave often through the summer day.
The crossing takes around 16 to 20 minutes. Round-trip fares in 2026 run about $39 for adults and $27 for children. Online booking adds a small fee.
You park your car on the mainland. That is not optional. No private cars go across.
How You Reach Bois Blanc Island
One ferry line serves Bois Blanc, running from Cheboygan. The crossing takes about 45 minutes.
Service generally runs from May through November. Winter trips depend on ice and on the captain’s judgment.
Here is the big difference. That ferry carries vehicles. You can bring your car, your truck, or your trailer.
Most visitors do bring a vehicle. The island is too spread out to explore on foot.
Which Trip Is Easier?
Mackinac is far simpler for a first visit. More departures, shorter ride, and no vehicle logistics.
Bois Blanc takes planning. You check the schedule closely, book vehicle space, and pack what you need.
What There Is to Do
This is where the two islands split hardest.
Mackinac Island’s Attractions
Mackinac gives you a full day without any planning. Fort Mackinac sits above town with cannon firings and costumed staff.
The shoreline highway, M-185, rings the island for just over eight miles. It is paved, flat, and closed to cars. Bikes rule it.
Downtown is packed with fudge shops, restaurants, and stores. Carriage tours run all day. Arch Rock, the bluffs, and the harbor round out the list.
Most of the island is state park land. Trails cut through the interior in every direction.
Bois Blanc Island’s Attractions
Bois Blanc offers scenery and silence, not attractions. That is the entire point.
The Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse dates to 1867. It has a two-story brick dwelling and a square tower. Reaching it means a rough walk through the woods.
There is a small historical society museum. There are nature preserve trails. There are inland lakes, quiet beaches, and long stretches of forest.
Fishing, kayaking, hiking, and biking fill most visits. So does sitting still.
The Honest Trade-Off
Mackinac entertains you. Bois Blanc leaves you alone.
If your family needs things to do, Mackinac wins easily. If you want nobody around, Bois Blanc wins just as easily.
Where You Sleep and Eat
Practical needs separate these islands more than anything else.
Lodging Options
Mackinac has dozens of places to stay. Historic hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and cottages all take bookings.
You can plan a Mackinac trip three weeks out and still find a room. Peak weekends fill up, but choices exist.
Bois Blanc has very little lodging. A handful of rentals and cabins serve visitors. Many people who stay there own property or know someone who does.
Book Bois Blanc lodging months ahead. Options are genuinely limited.
Food and Supplies
Mackinac has restaurants for every budget. Breakfast spots, pubs, fine dining, and endless fudge.
Bois Blanc has one main hub. The Outpost serves as general store, restaurant, and bar. A back room stocks basic essentials.
That is roughly it. Smart visitors bring groceries from Cheboygan.
Fuel and Services
Mackinac needs no gas station, because there are no cars.
Bois Blanc has seasonal fuel. When the Outpost and bar close for winter, fuel service goes with them. Plan around that if you visit late in the year.
Medical care is limited on both islands. Mackinac has a medical center. Bois Blanc relies on the mainland.
Getting Around Once You Arrive
Landing is only half the puzzle. Moving around is the other half.
On Mackinac Island
Everything runs on foot, bike, or horse. That sounds limiting. It is not.
The island is small enough that walking works for most of a day. Downtown, the fort, and the harbor sit within easy reach of each other.
Bikes are the popular choice. Rental shops line the street near the docks. You can rent by the hour or the day.
Taxis here are horse-drawn carriages. They run between hotels and docks, and they carry luggage. Bring a bag you can manage on a boat.
Distances are short and signs are clear. Getting lost is genuinely hard.
On Bois Blanc Island
You need wheels. The island is roughly 12 miles long, so walking will not cover it.
Most roads are dirt. Some are sandy, and some get soft after rain. A vehicle with decent clearance helps.
There are no taxis and no rental cars waiting at the dock. Whatever you bring is what you have.
Bikes work for shorter loops if you do not mind gravel. Many visitors combine a car with a bike for the last stretch.
Distances feel bigger than the map suggests. Give yourself extra time.
Nature and Wildlife
Both islands are green and quiet at heart. They just show it differently.
Landscape and Terrain
Mackinac has limestone bluffs, rock formations, and open water views. Arch Rock and the shoreline cliffs are the headline features.
Bois Blanc is flatter and more wooded. Forest covers most of it, broken by inland lakes and long beaches.
Mackinac’s trails are well marked and maintained. Bois Blanc’s are rougher and less traveled.
Animals You Might See
Mackinac has a well-known deer population and plenty of birds. Horses are part of daily life here, not wildlife.
Bois Blanc has deer, bald eagles, and a rich bird population. It is a strong spot for quiet wildlife watching.
Bring bug spray for either island in early summer. Bois Blanc’s woods make that advice non-negotiable.
Cost Comparison
Money works differently on each island.
What Mackinac Costs
Mackinac is a full-service destination, and prices reflect that. Ferry tickets, hotel rooms, restaurant meals, bike rentals, and tour fees add up.
A weekend for two can run several hundred dollars beyond travel. Shoulder season trims that noticeably.
What Bois Blanc Costs
Bois Blanc has fewer ways to spend money. There are no ticketed attractions and almost no shops.
Your main costs are the vehicle ferry, lodging, and groceries. Vehicle passage is the line item that surprises people, so check current rates before you commit.
If you already own a cabin or camp there, the island is very cheap. If you are visiting cold, the ferry cost matters.
Who Should Visit Which Island
Match the island to the traveler.
Choose Mackinac Island If You Want
- A first trip to the Straits region
- History, forts, and Victorian architecture
- Restaurants, shops, and evening activity
- Easy travel with kids or older relatives
- Bikes, carriage rides, and a walkable downtown
- Reliable lodging with real choice
Choose Bois Blanc Island If You Want
- Deep quiet and very few people
- Your own vehicle and total independence
- Fishing, paddling, or long woodland walks
- A rustic, unpolished experience
- A place where nothing is scheduled
Can You Do Both?
Not easily in one trip. The ferries leave from different mainland towns and do not connect to each other.
You would return to the mainland and drive between Cheboygan and Mackinaw City. That is about 17 miles, so it is possible across a longer vacation.
Most travelers pick one. A common pattern is Mackinac for the main trip, with Bois Blanc as a separate return visit later.
Practical Planning Notes
A few details save real headaches.
Timing Your Visit
Mackinac’s season runs roughly from May into late October, with peak crowds in July and August. Lilac season in June is beautiful and busy.
Bois Blanc’s window is tied to the ferry, roughly May through November. September is lovely there, with warm days and no bugs.
What to Pack Differently
For Mackinac, pack comfortable shoes and a layer for the boat. Everything else you can buy in town.
For Bois Blanc, pack like you are going camping. Food, water, bug spray, a first aid kit, and a full tank of gas.
Cell service is patchy on Bois Blanc. Download maps before you cross.
Booking Order Matters
On Mackinac, book lodging first. Ferry seats are rarely the problem in peak season.
On Bois Blanc, flip it. Confirm your ferry slot and vehicle space first, then sort out where you sleep.
Vehicle space on the Cheboygan boat is limited. Holiday weekends fill early, so call ahead rather than assuming.
Also check the return sailing before you go. Missing the last boat off Bois Blanc is a much bigger problem than missing one off Mackinac.
Conclusion
These two islands share a stretch of water and almost nothing else. Mackinac is a polished, historic, car-free destination built for visitors. Bois Blanc is a big, wild, dirt-road island built for people who want to disappear.
Neither is better. They answer different questions.
If you want the trip with history, harbor views, great food, and a bike ride you will remember, Mackinac is your island. Inn on Mackinac puts you right in the middle of it, steps from Main Street and the water, in a classic Victorian setting that fits the island perfectly. Plan your Straits getaway and book your stay at innonmackinac.com.
Category: Mackinac Island
