Origins of Shepler’s Safety Program Safety remains at the forefront of our operations at Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. From the company’s founding in 1945 to the present day, Shepler’s continues to ensure that safety remains…
We have taken Shepler’s Ferry to Mackinac Island more times than we can count and always have a great time. Visiting the island is a summer tradition for many people but did you know that…
All registered attendees will automatically receive an electronic roundtrip ferry ticket at the email address they provided when signing up. Your online ferry ticket must be presented to board the boat. You may show it…
MACKINAW CITY, MICH. March 18th, 2022 Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry announced today it is partnering with the Hoffmanns of the Hoffmann Family of Companies and their sons, in a move designed to ensure that…
The air is getting colder and the Holidays are well on their way! Do you know what that means? CYBER MONDAY IS FAST APPROCHING! Our 24 hour Cyber Monday promotion runs all day November 28th!…
November is here! As the first week comes to an end, the leaves have fallen, the straits are settling, and Northern Michigan is preparing for hibernation. The first of our fleet has been winterized and…
Labor Day has past, students are starting school, the weather is turning… fall is fast approaching. Northern Michigan has started to slow down, but that doesn’t mean families, couples, and friends can’t enjoy a relaxing…
As much as we hate to admit it… fall weather is coming, heavy rain, gales, and dreaded snowfall. Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry in St. Ignace offers indoor parking for those wishing to harbor their vehicle…
Here is some information we hope you find helpful when planning your visit to Mackinac Island. We look forward to having you on board this season! All registered attendees will automatically receive an electronic roundtrip…
It’s August… but don’t worry, there is still time for one more family trip before kids go back to school in the fall – Mackinac Island! To make the trip easier, our crew has worked…
Downtown Mackinac Island is busy, and the main attractions are fun to explore, but that is not all this island has to offer. Did you know Mackinac Island was the second National Park in the…
Happy Birthday America! In just a few short days, our nation will be painted in Red, White, and Blue to celebrate our wonderful country’s Independence. Happy Fourth of July, Happy Independence Day, Happy Birthday America,…
Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry is excited to have one of our vessels returning to the Straits of Mackinac after receiving a makeover! All of our vessels receive a full repaint every few years and after…
Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry officially celebrated the launch of the beloved William Richard, the newest addition to the fleet, on Saturday, May 29 at 2pm. The vessel is named after the patriarch and CEO of…
Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry is happy to start our 76th season! While we are all excited to get back to traveling this summer, we have a few housekeeping details we would like to share with…
Accepting a position with Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry isn’t just another summer job. It’s a life changing opportunity where culture is instilled, a mutual respect earned, and memories made every step of the way which…
We’re thrilled to announce our 2021 Cruise Schedule featuring three destination based 4th of July Cruises, 10 unique Night Sky Cruises mid June through mid August, and six unique Lighthouse Cruises with the first sailing…
Dear Guests, This morning, November 30, we were made aware that an individual likely in a foreign country, has created a personal Facebook profile which is attempting to impersonate Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry utilizing both…
Two weeks from today, we’re launching the best thing since the William Richard –– the biggest and best Cyber Monday deal to ever sail your way! Details about this year’s sale are exclusive to Shepler’s…
We’re thrilled to announce that earlier this morning, we celebrated the William Richard’s first passenger voyage to Mackinac Island. On one of the most visually stunning mornings of the season, the Michigan-made motor vessel departed…
After a very long few months of test trials and final preparations, we’re thrilled to announce our new $4M jet ferry will soon be in service among the Shepler’s fleet of passenger motor vessels. Under…
Please note the following schedule change effective beginning Monday, October 5, 2020. Our final day of service will be Monday, October 26. Thanks as always to you all for a wonderful season! Thank you and…
There’s no time like the present to being planning your 2021 visit to Michigan’s Crown Jewel, Mackinac Island. Browse available links below to help you in planning the perfect getaway and be sure to join…
Per Governor Whitmer’s executive order No. 2020-147, masks are now required in all public indoor spaces, as well as any outdoor public spaces where maintaining a distance of six feet or more from other individuals…
Please note the following schedule change effective beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020. To receive email updates regarding schedule changes, please click here to join our exclusive list. Thank you and we look forward to seeing…
Greetings from the Straits! Now more than ever, your support, kindness, and patience as our valued guests is sincerely appreciated. It’s obvious at this time, that we will not be embarking on our 75th season…
We’re thrilled to say that our greatest project ever is finally in the home stretch. Special thanks to all those who’ve taken an interest in covering the progress down at Moran Iron Works in Onaway. …
What began on April 3 with our mighty Sacre Bleu freight boat’s first haul of the 2019 season, has officially concluded with our final trip of the year ending last night, January 22 around 7:30pm…
Greetings from a snow covered Straits area. We’re thrilled to announce that our 2020 schedule is now live and there’s no better time to begin planning your best Mackinac Island experience ever. Daily ferry…
Greetings and thank you all for a fabulous 2019. Our navigation season has now officially concluded and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank not only our stellar crew, but also you, our guests. …
Welcome, all WinSome Women Fall Retreat guests! We’re thrilled to have you back for another inspirational event at Grand Hotel. Please note the following departure schedule for this fall’s event, October 15-18, 2019. Addition…
Earlier this month, it was with great excitement that we announced our latest fleet addition will be named the William Richard, in honor of our chairman, dad, grandfather, captain, teacher, coach, and mentor – William…
As the official ferry provider of the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference, we’re pleased to announce the following schedule of special departures for this weekend’s event. Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23 11:30 p.m. Mackinaw…
We’re thrilled to have a date and time set for the naming of our latest motor vessel. Our chairman Bill Shepler, alongside children and partners Chris, Billy, and Patty, will unveil the name of…
Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry is excited to once again be offering direct departures between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace for this year’s 62nd Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk on Monday September 2, 2019. Tickets Tickets…
Building projects typically break ground to kick things off. In our case, we break metal – actually cut it to be specific. Special thanks to our friends at Moran Iron Works for a very special…
We’re thrilled to announce that we’re building a new boat! A made in Michigan motor vessel will be built by the team at Moran Iron Works in Onaway. Follow our next adventure using #SheplersNewRide as we sail into the next generation of ferry service to Mackinac Island.
Welcome Aboard for the Mackinac Policy Conference! Tickets Your Conference voucher received in your confirmation packet is your ferry ticket – no exchange necessary for an actual Shepler’s boarding pass. Be sure to keep the…
Welcome to the Spring session of Win-Some Women! Please see below for the schedule of departures for May 14th – 17th, 2019. The additional departures that we are running for the conference are shaded in…
Mackinac Island Dock Expansion When we first started telling you about our Mackinac Island Dock expansion project back in the fall of 2017, we had no idea the impact the weather would have on the…
We are celebrating our furriest, friendliest, tail-waggingest guests! We LOVE your pets and there are many ways that we show it. Your pet will always get a free ride on Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. We…
In preparation of our 2019 season that starts on April 21st, we have released our ferry and cruise schedules. You can also purchase ferry tickets here. Our ferry schedule has more departures that ever to…
Join us in celebrating Independence Day on the Straits of Mackinac. The 4th of July is a great time to be in Northern Michigan and we have the best place for you to watch the…
We are excited to announce another enhancement to our operation. We are implementing a new and improved parking system designed for optimum efficiency for you, our guests. St. Ignace Guests If you travel with us…
Join us for a wonderful night under the stars. Mary Stewart Adams will provide her signature storytelling of sky lore and the celestial events that are happening right before your eyes as we cruise the…
Every year we get to the last day of the season and think, “where did the time go?” It’s no different this year as we end our 73rd season, and we want to say thank…
Every season has its own special qualities on Mackinac Island, but Fall seems to bring out the true beauty. Warm breezes turn crisp and the deep green of the pine trees mingle with the flaming…
Ride Shepler’s and walk the ENTIRE Mackinac Bridge this 2018 Labor Day! Mackinaw City to St. Ignace SOLD OUT This Labor Day, we are excited to be offering three direct departures for the morning bridge walk.…
The lilacs are in bloom and the 70th Annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival has begun! We are so thankful to the French for bringing these fragrant flowering trees bursting with a plethora of purple and…
Do you love your job? We do. And it shows in the smiles that you see when you ride our ferries. As any company can, we could give you a list of benefits and perks…
As we enter November, the month for Thanksgiving, we can’t help but to think back on this year and be grateful to all of our guests and cast members that made our 72nd year a…
Even before the 2017 season was over, we were planning for 2018. We have quite a few improvement projects in the works and they started November 1st, the day after we closed for the 2017…
If you have ridden with us in the past few years, you will have experienced that our Island dock is small, congested, and typically just hard to navigate. This has not gone unnoticed by our…
The Mackinac Bridge will be closed to vehicles from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Labor Day (Monday, September 4th). This is the first time that the Bridge has been closed for the Labor Day…
One more month of Summer. We keep telling ourselves that. We are always sad to see the warm weather leave us, but as summer fades to fall, we find ourselves in our favorite season of…
It is yacht race season on Mackinac Island! If you have ever been to the Island during the two weeks that comprise our sailing season, you know that the streets are hopping and the Pink…
Due to a high volume of group reservations on Friday, June 9th, we have to cancel the following departures: 9:00 am Ferry St. Ignace to Mackinac Island 9:30 am Ferry Mackinac Island to St. Ignace…
We always mark Memorial weekend as the first sign of summer, and this year it did not disappoint! Temperatures in the low 70s, not a cloud in the sky, and the wind even cooperated (on…
The Hope The Hope’s story started in 2009 when the need for a larger aft deck presented itself. Families were starting to travel with more bikes and more luggage. While the 150 person capacity was…
When winter hits the Straits of Mackinac, we don’t go into hibernation. We take advantage of the “down-time” to make improvements to our fleet. One of our main projects over the winter has been the…
When you hear the term “Opening Day”, you might imagine a fresh cut infield and the smack of a bat hitting a leather-covered ball. When we hear “Opening Day”, we are immediately overwhelmed with the…
Please be sure to read all cruise related FAQs prior to purchasing tickets. Before You Go: Scheduled cruises may operate in inclement weather including rain or fog. Please plan to wear layers (including a…
Have you noticed a difference in the way our boats look this year? It’s not that they are clean and sparkly, they’ve always been that way. It’s not that they have been painted a different…