Sponsor a Titanic event and you'll likely find me there. I've had this (until last year?) inexplicable fascination with Titanic and ships in general since I was a little kid. I never understood why until last year.
I'm an internationally certified psychic medium and most of my friends are psychic. Last year I was chatting with one of my psychic friends, Lisa when she began picking up things about me. She knew NOTHING about my fascination with Titanic.
"In a past life you were on a ship. You were traveling with a male relative, younger than you. 3rd class steerage. I'm seeing the flag of Sweden. I think you were Swedish, traveling from Sweden back to America. I'm seeing the number 7546 but I don't know what that means. I'm also getting the name Johanna and the letter A.
Patty, the ship sank with you and this male on it and you both died in the wreck.
OMG! PATTY YOU WERE ON THE TITANIC!"
Now even though I'm psychic myself and know there are people with legitimate psychic abilities, I'm also the world's biggest skeptic so would have passed this off as only so much WOO WOO...until my curiosity got the better of me and I looked up the Titanic passenger list.
There she was...Johanna Persdotter Ahlin, 3rd class steerage, ticket # 7546.
She was from Sweden, traveling back to America with her younger brother, Johan when the Titanic sunk. They perished and either their bodies were never recovered or never identified. Lisa had nailed everything!
But it gets more WOOWOO yet.
My grandmother from Sweden
My grandmother was from Sweden.
Like Johanna and Johan, she and her younger brother, Alben traveled to America on a ship, 3rd class.
My grandmother settled in the same city Johanna had.
Johanna's husband was in the dairy business. My family in Sweden owns an apparently pretty famous farm that's over 400 years old and my cousin, Lisbeth owns a dairy farm.
The more I dug, the more sychronicities between Johanna and my Swedish relatives I found.
Had I been Johanna in a past life? There's no way to ever know...but the synchronicities are pretty interesting. At the very least, the story makes for an entertaining topic of conversation - as it would come to at the followingTitanic weekend.
I've been to several Titanic weekends on Mackinac (pronounced Mack-in-naw) Island. This is kind of a conglomeration of all of them as well as my latest Titanic weekend with Jay and Ashley.
The event is usually held late May to early June.
Package Includes:
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Grand Hotel accommodations
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Breakfast and dinner daily
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All resort amenities
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Friday evening Bon Voyage party and reception
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Friday evening themed entertainment
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Saturday morning History Lecture with Resident Historian Bob Tagatz
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Saturday afternoon presentation
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Saturday dinner inspired by the last meal served on the Titanic
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Sunday morning wrap-up
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Admission to the Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
The event is lead by a group of professional immersive actors that did a phenomenal job!
Photo credit: Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel is an elegant place with a 660 foot long front porch lined with rocking chairs. It's so fancy it even has an evening dress code.
Since there were 3 of us we had to upgrade to a cupola suite. The suite was nice enough save for the absolutely hideous redecorating the Grand has done...
Photo credit: Grand Hotel
When we arrived for Titanic weekend we're given a boarding pass with the name of an actual Titanic passenger on it. Things were about to get WOOWOO again. I'd told Jay and Ashley the Johanna Ahlin story.
Jay said when I was handed my boarding pass/ticket I went white as a sheet. When he looked at the ticket he gasped - Ticket #7546 Johanna Ahlin.
My reaction alarmed the woman handing out the boarding passes so Jay had to explain the story to her.
"But that's impossible!" she said, taking the pass from me to examine it. "We only made up first class passenger tickets!"
"You just handed that pass to her yourself," Jay pointed out.
We never solved that mystery as to how I got Johanna's boarding pass...but it was the topic of conversation that evening at the Friday night reception.
Dancing was held that evening in the Terrace Room, to 1900's music by a live band. It really felt as though one were on the Titanic.
Saturday morning a Titanic historian gave a presentation, followed by a showing of the movie, Titanic. We had seen the movie several times so we decided to skip out and do some exploring on Mackinac, then return for the dinner that night.
I'll take you exploring with us, then we'll return to the Titanic weekend.
Before you arrive at Mackinac Island
Download the Mackinac Island App for iPhone or Android.
There are no motor vehicles allowed on Mackinac Island. There are three ways you get around: walk, bicycle or horse drawn carriage.
You arrive on the island by ferry.
Two ferry companies service Mackinac Island - Shepler's and Star Line. Ferries to Mackinac Island depart from docks in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.
Ferry dock at Mackinac Island
When your ferry docks, you have 3 options:
Walk to your accommodations carrying your own luggage
Hire a horse drawn taxi service
If you're staying at the Grand, take their horse drawn taxi service for $9 per person.
We brought our own bikes with us as they were already set up for ourselves as far as riding them, whereas rental bikes are not. So we took advantage of the Grand's horse drawn shuttle and our luggage and bikes were delivered right to our room.
Accommodations
No two ways about it, accommodations on Mackinac are expensive. We had decided to spend 2-3 days after the Titanic weekend ended to explore Mackinac, check out of the Grand and move to less expensive accommodations for those extra 2-3 days.
So I've already done the homework for you as far as recommendations on more budget friendly places to stay.
I'll give you some luxury options, some mid price range options and some budget friendly options.
LUXURY OPTIONS
MACKINAC HOUSE
While not as opulent as the Grand, The Mackinac House is a boutique inn that's just as wonderful.
Photo credit: Mackinac House
Located just minutes from downtown Mackinac Island, this hotel is perfectly placed for those wanting to get stuck right into the action and it delivers a "home away from home" vibe.
HOTEL IRIQUOIS
Photos credit: Hotel Iriiquois
The Hotel Iroquois is a sophisticated hotel that mixes in a good dash of charming.
The interior design is great.
Located on the waterfront, this is one of the Mackinac Island hotels that feels serene and welcoming.
The landscaping of the garden surrounding it is breathtaking.
On site waterfront dining is available in the Carriage House.
MISSION POINT RESORT
Photo credit: Mission Point Resort
What sold me on Mission Point Resort was not only quality but what it had to offer as far as the kids - with everything from a ‘Kids Eat Free’ policy and complimentary kids’ activities on offer. They even offer a complimentary Kids Club for children ages 5-12.
The Resort has 2 lodges - The Main Lodge (A) and the Straits Lodge (B).
A. Main Lodge amenities
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Four restaurant and eateries
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Mission Point marketplace
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Lobby and check-in
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B. Straits Lodge amenities
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Dog-friendly guest rooms ($100 more)
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Grab-and-go cafe
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Closer to downtown
There's a nice sized outdoor swimming pool and a spa.
MID RANGE OPTIONS
ISLAND HOUSE HOTEL
Photo credit: Island House Hotel
If you’re after views of the marina, then The Island House Hotel is an excellent pick. Almost every room has clear views over the harbor.
It's close to town so the location is ideal and the hotel has its own bike rentals.
There's an on site restaurant, the 1852 Grill Room.
The hotel is a member of Mackinac Island's 906 Rewards Club so be sure to sign up to receive exclusive deals.
PINE COTTAGE BED & BREAKFAST
This hidden gem is tucked away in a quiet spot on Bogan Lane, just minutes from downtown.
Pine Cottage B&B has hosted the likes of Ernest Hemingway and baseball great, Ty Cobb. It's actually one of Mackinac's oldest hotels.
It's decorated in Victorian Farmhouse so has a very welcoming, quaint vibe.
Photo credit: Pine Cottage B&B
LAKE VIEW HOTEL
Photos credit: Lake View Hotel
Located right on Main Street is the ever-popular Lake View Hotel. Although it’s not the most luxurious hotel on my list of the best Mackinac Island hotels, it’s one of the most reliable options out there.
If there's a drawback to Lake View (if you can even consider it a drawback) it's that in the middle of the atrium is the pool so you'll get some pool noise during the day if you're spending your day in your room. The pool closes at 10 pm so there shouldn't be any noise after that.
The hotel's upsides are it's located right in downtown and it offers shuttle service to its guests to get their luggage from the ferry dock to the hotel.
Also, be sure to check out the Specials section on their website.
THE MURRAY HOTEL
This is where we stayed after checking out of The Grand. We had no complaints with Murray Hotel whatsoever.
The location on Main Street in downtown is right across from the ferry dock so you can simply walk across the street with your luggage and you're right in the thick of downtown.
The staff were very friendly and helpful, the rooms clean and comfortable but on the smaller side. We were only in the room to sleep anyway so this didn't bother us.
There's a large hot tub behind the hotel. But when they said they had a Mexican restaurant on site and fudge shop right in the hotel lobby? BAZINGA! We were sold! Great place to stay if you want to be in the heart of the action.
BUDGET OPTIONS
BREAKERS RESORT & BEACH BAR
Photos credit: Breakers
If you’re on the hunt for a cheap hotel that is extremely well-reviewed, look no further than Breakers Resort & Beach Bar.
Located only 10 minutes from the St. Ignace Mission, this is one of the Mackinac Island hotels that’s perfect for sightseeing. In addition to free Wi-Fi and soundproofed rooms, this Mackinac Island hotel also offers a bowling alley and indoor pool!
I recommend booking into this hotel if you’re traveling with kids.
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS ST. IGNACE
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Photos credit: Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express hotels are always reliable, budget options for travelers. Although they’re on the cheap side, they are always clean, well-equipped, and simply get the job done. Holiday Inn Express St. Ignace is one of the most budget friendly motels and good for those who aren't planning to spend a lot of time in their room.
Offering breakfast at no extra charge, great Wi-Fi, and complimentary coffee and tea.
INN ON MACKINAC
Photos credit Inn On Mackinac
Only 10 minutes from the ferry terminal, Inn on Mackinac will have you checked in and settled in record time. It doesn’t offer any major extras, but it does provide a free breakfast, high-speed Wi-Fi, and an amazing Spa Pool! But one of the best parts about this Mackinac Island hotel are the warm bedtime cookies that guests receive each night.
SUNSET CONDOS & GUEST ROOMS
Photos credit: Sunset Condos & Guest Rooms
Sunset Condos & Guest Rooms are for those of you who are traveling with large groups. Each of the units is independently owned and decorated and can sleep up to 12 people.
Located in the serene Stonecliffe area, Sunset Condominiums is an ideal choice for introverted travelers who need quiet time in the evenings. With outdoor picnic areas and full kitchens available, you can enjoy a self-catered breakfast, lunch, and dinner onsite if you wish.
That wraps up Accommodations and I hope I've given you enough info there that you'll find something to suit your needs and budget.
Dining
Because our meals were included at the Grand for most of the weekend, we didn't eat out all that much. But I will tell you about the restaurants we did try.
CHUCKWAGON RESTAURANT
Always ask the locals! They turned us on to Chuckwagon, which we probably would have never found on our own. This little hole in the wall restaurant reminded me of a similar locals haunt we have here at home. It's long, narrow and has a counter and a few tables along the wall.
One of Mackinac's best loved restaurants, the Chuckwagon has been serving locals and visitors for almost 60 years. There are very few places anymore that do something simple, yet do it well. Chuckwagon is definitely one of them. $
PINK PONY
Photo credit: Pink Pony
The Pink Pony is always packed during the summer. The outdoor patio dining affords you sensational views of the water while sipping on one of Pink Pony's signature cocktails.
The prime rib french dip sandwiches weren't bad either!
The Pink Pony is located within the Chippewa Hotel on Main Street. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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GOOD DAY CAFE
Again, nothing fancy but if you want to grab a sub sandwich to go, visit Good Day Cafe.
$
They also serve breakfast.
The Cafe is located on Main Street.
ICE HOUSE BBQ
Ice House BBQ is renowned for classic home-style smoked barbecue favorites and hand-tossed stone-fired pizza. $$
Tucked away in a tranquil garden oasis near the Mackinac Island marina, Ice House BBQ is a peaceful hideaway from downtown Mackinac Island. Just follow the path to the left of Island House Hotel.
Since I already gave you the lowdown on restaurants I won't include recommendations for meals in the itinerary.
Itinerary - Day 1
Morning: Arrive on Mackinac Island, check into the Grand and get settled in your room. Explore the hotel and grounds. The Grand has some gorgeous gardens.
You can take a virtual tour of the hotel and gardens here.
Afternoon: You have 17 different bar and dining options at the Grand as well as room service, ranging from $ to $$$$ and casual to fine dining so take your pick.
You can begin to explore downtown Mackinac if you like.
It's the most charming little town especially since no motorized vehicles are allowed on the island. You almost feel as though you've stepped back in time.
There are three ways to get around - walk, bike or take a horse drawn carriage.
The best way to get the lay of downtown is to start with a horse drawn carriage ride.
It's a great and fun way to learn island history and spot hidden gems you might miss on foot.
Contact Mackinac Island Carriage Tours to pre-purchase your tickets.
PEDAL AROUND MACKINAC
Another great way to explore Mackinac is by bike. Bring your own or rent one on the Island. We brought our own. If you want the full scoop on where to rent, what to bring, and the best routes, check out this detailed Mackinac Island Bike Guide to plan your perfect ride.
Sometime during your visit consider biking the 8.2-mile M-185 shoreline loop. It’s the only state highway in the U.S. that doesn’t allow cars, and the lake views are unbeatable. Pack a picnic and stop at British Landing for a snack.
Evening: Friday evening is the Titanic weekend Bon Voyage party and reception following dinner. Dancing was held that evening in the Terrace Room, to 1900's music by a live band. It really felt as though one were on the Titanic.
It was fun seeing everyone in their Edwardian era costumes and everyone was "in character" with their Titanic passenger.
(I think Ashley and I had as much fun putting our outfits together as we did at the event itself. And then there was Jay..."Just give me what you want me to wear.")
Everyone was having such a good time no one wanted to end the evening.
Day 2
Morning: Have a leisurely breakfast with your fellow Titanic passengers, getting to know them.
The next Titanic weekend activity won't take place until the afternoon so you can spend the morning exploring more of Mackinac if you want to.
SEE THE BUTTERFLIES
Photo credit: Mackinac Island Butterfly House
Ashley loves butterflies so we went to a butterfly house.
Mackinac has 2 butterfly houses - the Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House or Wings of Mackinac. Hundreds of colorful butterflies flutter all around, making this a must-see for little explorers. Visit the links above for tickets and pricing.
THE BIDDLE HOUSE & MACKINAC ISLAND NATIVE AMERICAN MUSEUM
Photo credit: Biddle House
Dating back to 1830, the Biddle House is believed to be the island’s oldest home. Now a museum, it features exhibits on fur trading, local history, and Agatha Biddle’s Anishnaabek heritage. There are 2 exhibit galleries inside the house, a historically restored parlor and your tour continues outside the house.
If you've bought either the Historic Downtown ticket or the Fort Mackinac ticket, your admission to Biddle House is included in those tickets. If not, you can purchase tickets here.
Afternoon: Grab a quick lunch then return to the Grand's Titanic weekend for a presentation by two Titanic historians, followed by a showing of the movie, Titanic - the James Cameron version.
We'd seen Titanic several times so skipped that part of the afternoon's activities to continue to explore Mackinac until it was time for the Titanic recreation of the last dinner aboard the ship that evening.
First we hit the fudge shop to stock up on fudge.
Mackinac Island is known for it's fudge and fudge shops! And you have no shortage of fudge shops to choose from:
The Original Murdick’s Fudge at 7363 Main St.
Ryba’s Fudge Shop.
Murray Hotel Fudge Company at 7260 Main St.
Sanders Candy at 7330 Main St.
May’s Candy at 7351 Main St.
Kilwins.
Joann’s Fudge.
Stop in to try some free samples and buy some to take home with you.
STRAITS OF MACKINAC SHIPWRECK MUSEUM
The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum is different but very interesting.
It's located at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse within Mackinac Island State Park.
There are different ticket options.
That's really your best bet as it includes everything. A 7 day family pass is also available. You can purchase tickets online here.
Late afternoon & evening: Return to the Grand and get into your Edwardian finest for the last dinner served on the Titanic.
Actual 1st class last dinner menu
A 1st class dinner aboard Titanic was quite the production!
One needed a PhD just to figure out what utensil went with which course!
On the actual Titanic that last night 1st Class was served a 10 course meal. Back then, meals lasted from approximately 5 pm to midnight. They were social occasions, not just meals.
Thankfully, the Grand pared that 10 course meal down to about 5 courses.
What was interesting to see what the change of demeanor that slowly took place over dinner as the "She's sinking!" point in time approached. Everyone gradually grew more quiet and somber.
The immersive theater crew did a marvelous job of somehow eliciting all of the raw emotions that Titanic's passengers must have felt that night. The gal who portrayed Molly Brown later told me they'd rehearsed that ending time and time again so as to know how to elicit those emotions out of the guests.
All hell broke loose as it did that night on the "unsinkable" Titanic. I found myself wondering what Johanna and her brother, Johan had experienced. Were they trapped below decks with many of the other steerage passengers? Did they make it off the ship before it went down, only to succumb to heart failure from hypothermia in the near freezing waters of the Atlantic?
I found myself thinking about a photo I'd seen of the Titanic debris field - a pair of boots lying in the silt. I wondered if those boots could have belonged to Johanna or Johan?
It was odd, I felt a kind of kinship with Johanna as our 'ship' sank.
That everyone stayed in character during the 'sinking' was amazing, producing the same chaos that must have taken
place that night on Titanic's decks.
Only after the 'sinking' did they find out if the passenger they were portraying survived the sinking or not.
Day 3 - Sunday morning
Morning: You'll have a send off breakfast with your fellow Titanic passengers.
The weekend ended with a champagne toast to the real Titanic passengers. It was a very fitting end to the Titanic weekend that they be remembered. All the more so if you know the real story behind the 'Titanic's' sinking and how White Star management's greed cost 1517 people their lives.
Afternoon: Have lunch at the restaurant of your choice. We packed up to move to the less expensive Murray Hotel in downtown Mackinac for our remaining days on the island.
If you see nothing else on the Island, be sure to tour Fort Mackinac. It's absolutely fascinating!
The oldest building in Michigan and 13 other historical structures boast exhibits explaining everything from military training and battles to medical treatments to family life within the fort.
Walking tours of the fort include learning about the changing face of the fort, the people who lived and worked at Fort Mackinac, and what equipment was distributed to soldiers station there. Even the kids won't be bored.
Demonstrations and tours by costumed interpreters are scheduled throughout the day, including musket and cannon firing. You can even fire the cannon yourself!
Of COURSE I fired it! LOL
We spent the rest of the day at Fort Mackinac.
Evening: We had dinner at the Carriage House, the island's most famous restaurant within the Iriquois Hotel.
$$$$ Fine dining using Michigan’s home-grown goodness, including organic greens from tiny Presque Isle Farm and Mackinac Island’s own summer blueberries.
The food is extraordinary! Expensive but extraordinary.
The setting of the restaurant couldn't be better with a beautiful view of the Straits of Mackinac, surrounded by lush gardens. It's waterfront dining at its best. You can eat indoors or outdoors.
Day 4
Morning: Have breakfast at the restaurant of your choice. We got hooked on Chuckwagon's breakfasts.
True to our promise to Jay, we scheduled in a golf game. There are 15,000 golf courses in the United States. Yet, only one involves a mile-and-a-half, horse-drawn carriage ride between nines. And only one is laid out on a battlefield where American soldiers died in a failed attempt to wrest control of the Great Lakes from the British. Both of them are on Mackinac Island, which boasts two iconic golf courses that each are literally one of a kind.
We played at Jewel Golf Course. The Jewel Golf Course is one of the most unique courses in the United States. The Grand Nine is located across the street from Grand Hotel, with views of Lake Huron and Round Island. The Woods Nine is set in the interior of Mackinac Island, with views of the Mackinac Bridge and the Upper Peninsula. After completing the Grand Nine, you and your clubs will be transported via horse-drawn carriage a mile and a half to the Woods Nine. The leisurely 15-minute ride includes parts of the Island unseen by many visitors - which Jay got a kick out of in that it was the only golf course he'd ridden a horse drawn carriage around.
Afternoon: After lunch we visited the American Fur Company Store and Dr. Beaumont Museum: 7232 Market St Mackinac Island.
Home to the American Fur Company Store, which sold a variety of general merchandise. It was at this site, on June 6, 1822, that French Canadian voyageur Alexis St. Martin was accidentally shot in the stomach from a distance of three feet. Fort Mackinac surgeon Dr. William Beaumont managed to keep St. Martin alive, but the hole in his stomach never properly healed. Through this hole, Dr. Beaumont conducted experiments, observed the workings of the human stomach and discovered much about the digestive process.
A detailed exhibit commemorates Dr. Beaumont’s famous experiments and the scientific process, as well as the effect it had on St. Martin. In the other room, a period setting recreates the store scene where St. Martin was shot.
Every day during the operating season an interpreter is stationed at the American Fur Co. Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum to provide interpretation of the store and provide information on Dr. Beaumont and his experiments as well as the fur trade on Mackinac Island.
Admission Rates
Included with a Fort Mackinac -OR- Historic Downtown Mackinac ticket.
Seasonal Hours
June 6 – August 22, 2026
10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Last Admission 5:30 p.m.
We also visited the Benjamin Blacksmith Shop: 7406 B Market Street Mackinac Island.
Originally built in the 1880s, Robert Benjamin and later his son, Herbert, ran a blacksmith shop into the 1960s. The contents of the shop were moved to the reconstructed building in 1970. The Benjamin’s fixed carriage wheels and shoed horses in the early days and repaired lawnmowers and maintained yacht motors in later years. Following in the Benjamin’s footsteps, a blacksmith demonstrates and explains traditional blacksmithing techniques like forming hot iron into fireplace tools, hinges and household items. Entrance is through the Biddle House.
Admission Rates
Adult $10.75
Child (Age 5-12) $7.00
A Historic Downtown Mackinac ticket includes admission to The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum (May 8 – October 4) and Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum, the American Fur Co. Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum, and McGulpin House (June 6 – August 22). Admission to the Biddle House is also included with a Fort Mackinac ticket.
Click here for more information, to purchase tickets, or to learn about weekly passes.
Seasonal Hours
June 6 – August 22, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Last Admission 5:30 p.m.
Evening: Dinner at the Yankee Rebel Tavern: 1493 Astor Street, Mackinac Island.
Serving regional American cuisine, The Yankee Rebel Tavern offers a historical-period atmosphere.
With spacious tables for families and a fireplace for romantic outings, the restaurant has distinctly named burgers and sandwiches on its lunch menu.
The dinner menu adds plates of pasta and other entrees. Special sushi dinners and delectable desserts complete your dining experience. $$$
We were in the mood for some night life so headed over to Patrick Doud's Irish Pub:
7304 Main St Mackinac Island for Trivia Night before calling it a night.
Day 5
Morning: Breakfast at Good Day Cafe.
Visit Colonial Michilimackinac: Colonial Michilimackinac is located within the boundaries of Michilimackinac State Park on the shore of Lake Michigan, just off I-75 in Mackinaw City. The Visitor’s Center entrance is under the Mackinac Bridge.
102 W. Straits Avenue, Mackinaw City, MI
Demonstrations and tours by costumed interpreters take place throughout the day. Cooking, crafts and trades are conducted at various locations throughout the fort. Experience the boom of the Colonial Michilimackinac Cannon and Mortar, learn about military training with a Musket Firing Demonstration, and attend programs to learn about the People of the Fur Trade, Slavery at the Straits, Michilimackinac’s gardens, and the American Revolution.
Very interesting place to visit if you want to experience what colonial life was like!
Exhibits
All sixteen buildings in the fort are open and furnished with period settings or themed exhibits. Special exhibits include:
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Slavery at the Straits, new in 2024, shows how slavery was integral at the Straits of Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackianc throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
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France at Mackinac, 1670-1760, explores Michilimackinac as it was under the French regime.
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Treasures from the Sand, an underground exhibit exploring the process of historical archaeology.
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Redcoats on the Frontier, describing the life of the British soldier, including a new interactive space that will allow visitors to step back in time to experience the lives of British soldiers in the 1770s.
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Powder Magazine and Firearms on the Frontier, a subterranean exhibit describing the preserved ruins of this military structure.
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Commanding Officer’s House, showcasing the life of Michilimackinac’s commanding officer.
Michilimackinac: Crossroads of the Great Lakes, a 15-minute movie, is presented in the King’s Storehouse. It plays every 20 minutes. Attack! at Michilimackinac presents the most dramatic event in the fort’s history. It plays continuously in the Trader’s House of the Southwest Rowhouse.
Admission Rates
Adult $17.50
Child (Age 5-12) $10.50
Click here for more information and to save on combination and season passes.
Parking at Colonial Michilimackinac is free. The main lot is located adjacent to the Visitor’s Center off Straits Avenue.
Seasonal Hours
May 6 – June 5, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Last Admission 4:00 p.m.
June 6 – September 6, 2026
9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Last Admission 6:00 p.m.
September 7 – October 1, 2026
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Last Admission 4:00 p.m.
Fort Fright: October 2 – October 3, 2026
6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Last Admission 8:30 p.m.
Special event ticket required.
October 6 – October 11, 2026
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Last Admission 4:00 p.m.
Evening: Dinner at Wood's Restaurant: 8655 Cudahy Circle, Mackinac Island
We saved dinner at Wood's for our last night on Mackinac. The perfect culinary hideaway, this Tudor mansion with Bavarian charm offers the quintessential Mackinac Island dining experience, inspired menus and indoor/outdoor seating in a lush forest location.
They offered a 4 course tasting menu that was fantastic, perfect for our last dinner on Mackinac Island.
Day 6
Return home.
My Titanic parties were without question the most elaborate (personal) parties my late husband and I threw - not only because of my 'love affair' with Titanic but because my husband lost a relative in the sinking of Titanic so he had his own connection to Titanic. So in a way, our Titanic parties were commemorative in a sense and we spared no expense in throwing them.
Invitations
Because we had so much to do for this party, we kept the invitations simple.
We printed out copies of actual Titanic boarding passes and tickets. Guests were instructed to come in Edwardian/Titanic costumes and to bring their tickets and boarding passes to gain entrance to the party.
Staging
The bulk and expense (apart from the food) went into staging. We wanted our guests to feel as if they were really boarding a ship so set up the entrance of our house to look that way.
I live in a lake house so we'd already planned to build the nautical fence bridge, had all the materials to do it, we just hadn't gotten around to doing it so we finished that project. The crates and barrels are corrugated cardboard from another party. The suitcases are old ones that were in the basement. I made the boarding sign out of corrugated and hemp rope. The bell had always hung there.
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Bill / Capt. Smith
Our friend Bill looks very much like EJ Smith so he played Capt. Smith.
Another friend played 1st Officer Murdoch.
My friend and ex-boss Karen is a vintage clothing expert, owns a large vintage clothing shop in Milwaukee and helped us put all the uniforms together.
We had another friend playing the purser, collecting the boarding passes and tickets as guests 'boarded' the 'Titanic'.
When you enter the front door there's a long hallway leading to an open floor plan living room, kitchen and dining area. We had a Titanic waiter serving champagne to each guest as they entered. But that's not all he was doing. He'd ask each guest if they'd like to answer a Titanic trivia question for a prize. If they got the answer right, he'd pull their prize out of his pocket - a roll of Lifesavers - and tell them "You may be
needing these later!" The guests thought this was hilarious
and it served as a great icebreaker among guests who didn't know each other.
The first thing guests would encounter when entering the living room was the wall where we'd set up my friend Colanna and her string quartet to play - wearing formal attire and Titanic life jackets. (They'd come up with the life jacket idea on their own and it was a great one.)
On that wall we'd hung a photo backdrop of a Titanic deck.
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The quartet played music actually played on Titanic the night it sunk - including Nearer My God to Thee.
We wanted to stage the Titanic without having to tear our whole house apart so it seeemed logical the living room would become the First Class Lounge so our furniture could remain where it was.
We hung a photo backdrop of the Grand Staircase and pulled the sofa out from the wall so it gave the appearance one could walk behind the sofa to walk up the Grand Staircase. We covered the sofa with a more antique style sofa cover. The lamps were my grandmothers. The pewter coffee/tea service was my husband's retirement gift from the company he'd worked for.
On the wall the windows overlooking the lake are on, we hung different drapes and used the furniture we used every day. We found the lamp at a secondhand store. The table came from our downstairs furniture.
The main floor of my house is open concept and this presented a bit of a problem. Our friend Emil (master chef from Germany) was going to be preparing the dinner and the modern kitchen being in full view of the First Class Lounge and First Class Dining Room just wasn't going to work.
Bless hubby's heart, he always was a great problem solver. He built 2 stage walls. The largest one attached to the outside edge of the kitchen island. This made the walkway between the counter and antique sideboard look like a ship's hallway.
On either end of the kitchen he built 2 more stage walls that could be removed when the party was over and that prevented guests from seeing the kitchen, yet still gave Emil (our chef) plenty of room to work in. He found 2 pair of decorative batwing doors at Habitat For Humanity Restore that he installed in those 2 end walls.
In front of this wall with the counter and antique sideboard is a kitchen island. Behind that is a galley style kitchen. Hubby built 2 temporary stage support walls and enclosed the island and the kitchen. This made the walkway between the counter wall and the stage support wall against the kitchen island look like a ship's hallway.
He found a pair of decorative batwing doors at Habitat for Humanity Restore that he closed each end of the kitchen off with so the kitchen wasn't visible to the guests.
To the right of that counter wall was the dining area with my antique dining table and chairs.
Food/Menu
Wall with counter and antique sideboard
That dining area became the First Class Dining Room.
My dining set is antique (looks just like the one at right) so worked perfectly.
The last room we needed to stage was our guest bedroom into the Marconi room. This was for a later party activity.
Again, didn't want to have to tear everything apart.
Luckily the furniture in that room is antiques. The Titanic's Marconi room had a bed in it so we left the bed and I put a plain white bedspread on it. Hubby made our antique secretary into a Marconi station, complete with telegraph. The gizmo above the secretary was fashioned after the one above Titanic's Marconi desk.
Hubby made it out of a stereo speaker we were going to take to the dump.
We bought the wall lamps at Habitat for Humanity Restore. The porthole is a decal that I put a picture of the iceberg in.
The only piece of furniture you can't see in the mockup I made above is an antique dresser like the one at right.
That completed our staging.
Food/Menu
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We left the food and menu up to Chef Emil. The only thing we specified was that authentic Titanic recipes be used.
Emil's an absolute whiz in the kitchen so no problem there.
He whipped up a fantastic 5 course dinner that everyone raved about.
Tablescape
When my stepmom passed away she left at the house I'm in now a gorgeous Irish linen tablecloth that had belonged to her great grandmother.
I covered the dining table with that.
My mother-in-law had given us two silver candleholders which we used on the table.
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I borrowed my sister's set of good silverware.
We had more than one set of china we'd inherited and been gifted from both families and I'd planned on using the plain white china we had - which maybe saw the light of day once a year if that. But my husband shocked me with his Christmas gift to me that year - a complete set of replica Titanic dishes for 8!
(Exactly the number of guests invited to our Titanic party)
We already had crystal goblets that completed our First Class dining table.
I did print out a menu of what Emil was serving and put one on every plate, just as they did on Titanic.
Activities
While the dinner and party itself is the actual activity, it never hurts to have a couple of extra "filler" activities on hand.
We instructed each guest on their invitation to bring some $1 bills with them that would go in a pot to be won by guests. Hubby was in military communications so knew Morse code. He acted as the telegram operator. Everyone put a dollar in the pot and were given a blank telegram form I'd printed up.
Each guest was given a pen and instructed to write on their telegram form 3 things that few if any people knew about them. One by one they took their telegrams in to the Marconi operator who actually tapped them out in Morse code. After he had everyone's telegrams, he read them aloud and guests had to guess whose telegram was whose. The guest who got the most answers correct won the pot of dollar bills.
This turned out to be a bigger hit than we expected as all of the guests wanted a crack at winning the pot so we ended up playing several rounds of this.
A bit of Titanic trivia for you: Back in 1912, Marconi was relatively new, used primarily by the wealthy passengers as a flaunting of their wealth. It cost $1 per word back then to send a Marconigram. So the 1st Class passengers would bombard the poor Marconi operators with frivolous telegrams just so they could drop at dinner that evening "I sent a Marconigram this morning..." to flaunt the fact they could afford to do this.
After 11:00 pm, Phillips was again interrupted by another ship, this time the SS Californian. The Californians only wireless operator, Cyril Evans, was reporting that they were stopped and surrounded by ice. Californians relative proximity (and the fact that both Evans and Phillips were using spark gap wireless sets whose signals bled across the spectrum and were impossible to tune out) meant that the signal was strong and loud in Phillips' ears. Phillips quickly sent back, "Shut up, shut up, I am busy working Cape Race!" and continued communicating with Cape Race while Evans listened a while longer before turning off his Marconi and going to bed for the night. This was shortly before Titanic struck the iceberg - or so the government cover story goes, anyway.
Had this incident not occurred and Phillips not been racing to get the backlog of frivolous First Class Marconigrams sent, and snapped at Cyril Evans, Titanic likely wouldn't have sunk that night according to Second Officer, Charles Lightoller. Cyril Evans would have heard Titanic's wireless distress call that Titanic was sinking.
Costume Contest
Our guests were pretty creative with their Titanic costumes...so I was glad we'd scheduled a costume contest.
One couple showed up as a drenched, frozen looking "Jack and Rose" with a cardboard door strapped to their chests, acting like they were clinging to that door for dear life. It cracked all of us up and they won the costume contest by guest vote.
We awarded them an actual piece of coal off of the real Titanic.
Our second place runners up got an hourglass containing coal recovered off the Titanic.
And our third place couple got a 3rd class replica blanket.
Dancing
The guests took to doing this on their own as Colanna and her quartet played.
Heart of the Ocean Necklace Game
The Heart of the Ocean necklace that was featured in the 1997 movie, Titanic, is actually fictitious. It was prominent in the film and is often associated with the Titanic.
Get a necklace (party favor type) that is similar in look to the necklace in the movie. Hide the necklace somewhere in the party area. A treasure chest, a dresser drawer or an old-fashioned suitcase would be a good hiding spot. Create clues that guests must follow in order to locate the necklace. The guest who locates the necklace first is declared the winner.
Other suggestions:
Create a “survival challenge” where guests must solve riddles or complete tasks to “escape” the sinking ship.
For adults, consider hosting a trivia game about the Titanic’s history. Prepare questions about the ship’s construction, the night of the sinking, and famous passengers. Offer small prizes for the winners, such as replica life preservers or nautical-themed keychains.
Children’s parties can include hands-on activities like building paper Titanic models or creating “shipwreck” art using blue paint and glitter. For a more dramatic effect, set up a “lifeboat drill” where kids must work together to “rescue” toys or stuffed animals from a makeshift “ocean.”