Getaway to the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival

Simply put, you've never experienced lilacs like this. Those beloved blooms that inspire us to throw open windows for a whiff at home offer a near total-immersion experience on Mackinac Island at the meeting of Lakes Michigan and Huron in northern Michigan.

"They don't grow like this anywhere else in the world," lilac specialist Jeff Young tells a group of tourists encircling the nearly 20-inch-diameter lilac trunk outside one of the island's Victorian cottages. "The island has lilacs that can grow 40 feet tall and are more than 100 years old."

Lilacs arrived here with New England settlers then later with wealthy homeowners who planted the pink, blue, white and lavender bloomers to appeal to tourists. The shrubs took to Mackinac's cold winters, Great Lakes breezes and limestone much like the million annual tourists have taken to the island's century-old flavor, horse-or-bicycle-only transportation and irresistible fudge.

The Lilac Festival celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023 (June 9-18). But beyond the festival activities, the highlight is simply walking down streets fragrant with pastel panicles. "It's just intoxicating," says local landscape designer Jack Barnwell, who plants hundreds of lilacs with his crew each year. "The town and Fort Mackinac are covered with a canopy of lilacs."

Even if blossoms aren't at their peak (blooms last up to three weeks, with early-, mid- and late-blooming varieties), it's the perfect time to savor the sight of lilacs beside the blue of the Great Lakes without summer crowds.

What to Do

Mackinac Island Lilac Festival

Come to the festival for live music, lilac tours, street dancing, lilac planting seminars, and a grand parade with bands and horse-drawn floats.

Mackinac Island State Park

Trails in this park, which covers nearly 80 percent of the island, are in full wildflower splendor during the festival.

Where to Eat

Grand Hotel

Splurge on a Grand Luncheon Buffet with hot and cold entrees. Or listen to chamber music and nibble on finger sandwiches at the signature Afternoon Tea.

Seabiscuit Cafe

Named for the champion thoroughbred (one of four TVs plays the movie continuously), this cozy pub's menu is a sure bet.

Woods Restaurant

Take a carriage ride for casual dining in a Bavarian-style lodge.

Where to Stay

Mission Point Resort

Families (and pets) enjoy this sprawling waterfront resort, its four restaurants and activities. The resort was recently freshened with a $10 million renovation.

Grand Hotel

Experience the best of the Victorian Era in this treasured landmark with a 660-foot-long front porch.

Hotel Iroquois

This luxurious Queen Anne-style hotel is by the water.

Best Spots to See Lilacs

Ste. Anne's Churchyard

Forty varieties of lilacs fill this quiet yard, including the strongly fragrant 'Beauty of Moscow', a lovely white double.

Market Street to Cadotte Avenue

Some of the island's oldest lilacs line these streets, which take you from the dock to the Grand Hotel.

Marquette Park

It's 100 percent lilacs in this waterfront retreat below Fort Mackinac. Sit and enjoy a picnic amid the big groves.