1. Leave The City Behind
Take a ride across the Mackinac Bridge and experience genuine peace and quiet. Say goodbye to traffic gridlock, long line ups and crowds. In St. Ignace, our prescription for relaxation includes long walks on beaches, local cuisine on an outdoor patio overlooking Lake Huron’s Moran Bay and best of all, letting the sound of the waves rock you to sleep at night.
2. Get Back To Nature
Welcome to True North! Once you arrive, we encourage you to make St. Ignace your home port for a true North adventure. Explore the Upper Peninsula through a variety of day trips and discover the natural beauty both on the land and on the water. Hike the historic North Country Trail, tour the Hiawatha National Forest Visitor Center and interpretive trails or just spend your days beach-combing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Great Lakes.
Did you know that St. Ignace is the third oldest continuously occupied community in the United States. And, did you know that St. Ignace is one of the oldest Native American tribal gathering sites in Michigan and the Midwestern United States. Don’t miss our annual celebrations which include the Native American Festival and the Rendezvous Pow Wow. Take a historical walking tour, visit our museums, Straits Cultural Center and Museum Of Ojibwa Culture and Gift Shop. Drop into shops such as the Lone Wolf Gifts, for a friendly lesson in native history and tradition.
St. Ignace offers year round events for the whole family. Don’t miss our “Michigan’s Best” car shows and auto ralleys, starting in April and running right through until the end of September. During the summer we also offer nightly events and activities, seven days a week. How about an outdoor movies by the bay, free outdoor music concerts such as Live Music Downtown, Locals on the Bay and Bayside Live, Saturday night fireworks, wine tasting and much more. Check our events calendar for more information.
Whether you are looking for a luxury waterfront hotel room or a wilderness campsite, St Ignace offers it all. Visit our Places To Stay and choose your preference – Hotels, Motels, B&B, Cottages, RV Parks or Campgrounds. You will be pleased to discover that lodgings are reasonably priced, close to beaches, attractions, ferry service and downtown shopping. Want to bring your horse with you on vacation? Hiawatha National Forest offers a special group campsite for riding clubs at Ironjaw Lake, Swan Lake, and Triangle Lake Dispersed Campsites who wish to explore the many trails of the national forest on horseback.
A cuisine is a style of cooking with ingredients, techniques and dishes unique to a culture or geographic region. Our upper peninsula cuisine is know for such famous dishes as the Pasty, a staple of miners and lumber jacks for many years. Fresh Walleye, Whitefish and Perch from the Bay are served in a variety of ways by many local restaurants. No meal is complete without a piece of fresh baked pie made with local wild berries. For the sweet tooth, locally made chocolates and world famous fudge, can’t be beat.
St. Ignace offers world class attractions guaranteed to please the whole family. Whether you choose to explore on land or on water, you will be amazed at the variety of opportunities. Climb up to the top of Castle Rock for an amazing view of the Great Lakes, test your balance at the Mystery Spot, or see the fawns at the Deer Ranch. How about booking a fishing charter on Lake Huron, viewing historical shipwreck or taking a flight over the UP. Start planning your tours today.
Spend the day in St. Ignace and learn about local and regional history on the self guided historical boardwalk tour. Guided tours are also available by contacting our local museums. If hiking is your passion, plan to explore the North Country National Scenic Trail, which passes right through St. Ignace. If you would like to explore the Upper Peninsula using St. Ignace as your home port, there are a number of day trips available. Please ask for our multi-use trail guide available at the Chamber of Commerce and the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau.
St. Ignace offers two ferry services conveniently located in the downtown area. There is ample parking, within walking distance of local shops and restaurants. Daily ferry service is available to Mackinac Island as well as a variety of cruises that offer closeup views of the Mackinac Bridge, romantic evening excursions and the ever popular fireworks cruise.
Last but not least, St. Ignace is a great place to meet people and make friends. Many of our events bring together visitors from across North America and beyond. If you passion is antique or classic cars or vintage tractors, you are going to enjoy meeting fellow enthusiasts. Lovers of wine and music can meet new people and make friends at local wine tastings and Bayside Live music nights. Take the children to outdoor movie nights or beaches and waterfront playgrounds and meet new families. St. Ignace is a very friendly community and we look forward to meeting new people all year round. Hope to see you soon.