2gypsies wrote:
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If you really want to go to Mackinac Island could you plan one of your nights there?
I assume you are asking if you could use Sleeping Bear as a base camp and do Mac Island as a day trip. Mac Island, even for visitors who have been there multiple times, is worth a full day. And for the full impact, many would even say that you need to stay overnight in one of the hotels so you experience the quieter island - hearing only hooves and muted talk while you have your cocktails.
You can google the ferry lines for actual sailing times (Shepler or Arnold Ferry) but I'm guessing the earliest passenger ferry to the island is probably around either 6 or 7 am and the latest ferry back to the mainland is probably 9 pm or so.
The drive from Sleeping Bear is not the easiest in the world, with little freeway, and the trip between Sleeping Bear campground and the Mac City ferry dock will take you about 3 hours. 6 hours of driving round trip, plus ferry transit time, does not at least for me leave enough time on the island for more than getting there, buying a piece of fudge and then leaving again :)
Wilderness SP might be a better base if you are looking for State or National Park spots or you could cross the Mighty Mac to the UP and stay at the Straits SP and cross over to Mac Island from the ferry docks at St. Ignace.
Last summer, I stayed a Loons CG (comm'l) in the Les Cheneaux area of the UP. Waterfront site and a nice quite area. Great maritime museum and also a great tour of a boat building school (one of only two in the country) where you can observe the students in their 3 yr course as they progress in building wooden boats by hand. Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship. Also once a year there is a major draw - the Wooden Boat Festival. The drive from that area to the St. Ignace Ferry is easy and a bit less than an hour. A couple of the early morning ferries from St Ignace to Mac Island add a 15 minute "detour" and go to and under the Mac. Bridge for some interesting photography.
