Best time to visit Mackinac Island, MI, USA

Our verdict

The best time to visit Mackinac Island is September-November

Based on a number of criteria such as the weather conditions, cost of flights and hotels, peak travel seasons and much more, September-November is the best time to go to Mackinac Island.

The warmest month of the year in Mackinac Island is August, where the average temperature gets to around 22℃ (71℉), but temperatures can reach as high as 24℃ (76℉) on the hottest days in summer. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Mackinac Island is around -18℃ (-1℉).

The sun stays up the longest in Mackinac Island in July, so you’ll get the most out of your daytime activities if you visit around this time. The wet season in Mackinac Island usually falls during the months surrounding October each year. It’s not uncommon to get some decent rainfall or light showers during this time, but on some days the weather tends to be fine for a majority of the day, with only a few drops of rain falling from a passing shower.

Keep reading to find out when the best times to travel to Mackinac Island are for whatever trip you’re planning. By the time you finish, you’ll have all the info you need, and you’ll be ready to start booking. Don’t know where to look or who to book with? Don’t stress! We’ve hand-picked our favourite online travel tools we use, know and love so you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. Happy reading!

Warmest month

August

Least rainfall

July

Most daylight

July

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Mackinac Island seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Mackinac Island as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Mackinac Island is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Mackinac Island

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Mackinac Island for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Mackinac Island climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Mackinac Island for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Mackinac Island in January

  • Average temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average high temperature: -5℃ (24℉)
  • Average low temperature: -10℃ (15℉)
  • Average humidity: 89%
  • Average sunny days: 7 days
  • Average rainfall: 33mm (1") over 6 days
  • Average snow days: 22 days
7 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Mackinac Island in February

  • Average temperature: -7℃ (20℉)
  • Average high temperature: -4℃ (24℉)
  • Average low temperature: -10℃ (14℉)
  • Average humidity: 89%
  • Average sunny days: 9 days
  • Average rainfall: 34mm (1") over 5 days
  • Average snow days: 18 days
9 days
of pure sunshine
5 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Mackinac Island in March

  • Average temperature: -2℃ (28℉)
  • Average high temperature: 0℃ (33℉)
  • Average low temperature: -6℃ (22℉)
  • Average humidity: 86%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 38mm (2") over 8 days
  • Average snow days: 13 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Mackinac Island in April

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
  • Average high temperature: 6℃ (42℉)
  • Average low temperature: -0℃ (32℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 60mm (2") over 12 days
  • Average snow days: 7 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Mackinac Island in May

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average high temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (42℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 43mm (2") over 13 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in May, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Mackinac Island in June

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (64℉)
  • Average low temperature: 9℃ (49℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 42mm (2") over 12 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in June, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Mackinac Island in July

  • Average temperature: 18℃ (64℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
  • Average low temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 30mm (1") over 13 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in July, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Mackinac Island in August

  • Average temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
  • Average low temperature: 15℃ (58℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 37mm (1") over 13 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in August, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Mackinac Island in September

  • Average temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
  • Average low temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 44mm (2") over 11 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in September, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.

Mackinac Island in October

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (44℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 69mm (3") over 16 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in October, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Mackinac Island in November

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
  • Average high temperature: 5℃ (40℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (33℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 11 days
  • Average rainfall: 46mm (2") over 11 days
  • Average snow days: 12 days
11 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Mackinac Island in December

  • Average temperature: -3℃ (27℉)
  • Average high temperature: -1℃ (30℉)
  • Average low temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average humidity: 85%
  • Average sunny days: 8 days
  • Average rainfall: 44mm (2") over 9 days
  • Average snow days: 19 days
8 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Mackinac Island in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Mackinac Island is usually August, where temperatures tend to rise to around 22℃ (71℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Mackinac Island is generally around July. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in July first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Mackinac Island is generally around October, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of October too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Mackinac Island, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in July are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Mackinac Island map