April 27, 2007

Mackinac Island, Mich. - A daytrip to Mackinac Island just got easier to arrange and to afford: four of the island's most popular attractions have joined with local ferry boat companies to offer an online vacation package that represents a significant savings off individual ticket rates.

Billed as the ‘Mackinac Island Experience Package,' it enables visitors to:

·         See the city of Mackinac Island and scenic state park courtesy of Mackinac Island Carriage Tours

·         Enjoy the delicate denizens of the Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Conservatory

·         Experience the ka-boom of a cannon and tour Michigan's oldest buildings at Fort Mackinac

·         Stroll along the porch and other public areas of the elegant 1887 Grand Hotel.

Ferry rides to and from the island - arranged through Arnold Transit Company, Shepler's or Star Line - are also included in the package price. "The only thing missing is our world-famous fudge," noted Greg Hokans, chief of development and marketing for Mackinac State Historic Parks, "and we hope visitors will enjoy that as they visit the shops and restaurants of the island's downtown."

Prices for the Mackinac Island Experience Package are set at $59 for adults, $55 for youth 13-17 and $28 for children 6-12 - a discount of almost 20 percent off typical ticket prices.

Besides the cost savings, vacation planners will enjoy the convenience of online ordering. "You can purchase the package from the comfort of your home," explained Hokans, "and have your tickets in hand weeks before you arrive." At the package Web site, there's also a suggested itinerary for the daytrip, so visitors can make the most of their time at this vacation spot - voted one of the top 10 temperate islands in the world by readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine.

The Mackinac Island Experience Package is being administered and distributed by Mackinac Island Carriage Tours. For more information about the package or to make a purchase, visit www.mackinacpackage.com.

Mackinac State Historic Parks is, a family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan's Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Its sites - which are accredited by the American Association of Museums - include Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park and Historic Downtown on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City. Visitor information is available at (231) 436-4100 or on the Web at www.MackinacParks.com.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).