Mackinac Island named top summer destination by travel site

The vacation planning website TripAdvisor just named Michigan’s Mackinac Island the No. 1 summer travel destination in America for 2018.

That’s ahead of the likes of Martha’s Vineyard (Mass.), Jackson Hole (Wyo.), Lake George (N.Y.) and Ocean City (Md.).

“This charming island is a throwback to old-timey seaside leisure with the candy-colored facades of downtown shops,” TripAdvisor says. “Mackinac is world-famous for its homemade fudge and travelers can work off sugar highs by exploring the limestone bluffs of Mackinac Island State Park.”

TripAdvisor also revealed some data and recommendations about hotel stays and destinations on Mackinac Island, including:

The average summer nightly hotel rate is $347 (wow).

The average summer week expense per person is $2,905.

The best “Fun Experience” recommendation: Mackinaw City Sunset Cruise.

The “Great Place to Eat with Family and Friends”: Pink Pony.

The rest of the Top 5: Bar Harbor in Maine, Block Island in Rhode Island, Lake George in New York and West Yellowstone, Mont.

Mackinac Island has earned quite a bit of attention from national publications recently. Last December, Forbes named the island a top “secret celebrity hideaway.” Men’s Journal also named Mackinac Island among its top 25 motorcycle vacation spots — except the island doesn’t allow motorcycles.