St. Ignace Marina

Published: Thursday, March 1, 2012 7:00 am
By: St. Ignace Marina

A combination of modern amenities, the perfect location, and Upper Peninsula hospitality unite to make the City of St. Ignace Municipal Marina a favorite among the region's boaters. Welcoming explorers, traders and travelers for over 340 years makes St. Ignace well-qualified at making boaters feel at home.

Connected to Michigan's Lower Peninsula by the majestic Mackinac Bridge, St. Ignace was founded in 1671 by Jesuit priest and voyageur Pere Jacques Marquette, who named the city after St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of his order.

Located downtown within an easy walk of restaurants, stores, museums and other attractions, the marina is perfectly situated for visitor convenience. Built in 2003, this state-of-the-art, 136-slip marina offers clean restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities that make boaters feel right at home.

The Mackinac County Airport, a general utility airport, is just a few miles north and ferry boats to Mackinac Island are within easy walking distance.

This beautiful site also doubles as the venue for outdoor concerts in the summer months. Sit aboard your vessel and listen to the sounds of local talent or simply stroll the boardwalk through our picturesque downtown. During July & August, enjoy free music, festivals, movies, historic walking tours, fireworks each Saturday night at dusk, and much more.

While planning your trip, make sure to allow time to explore St. Ignace history. The museum of Ojibwa Culture showcases the traditions of the native people and their place in the 17^th century fur trade. Fort de Buade Museum houses a large collection of Native American and military artifacts.

If shopping is your pleasure, the downtown business district follows the shore line of Moran Bay along Lake Huron and is lined with restaurants, gift shops, fudge shops and a wine shop. Life's necessities are also very accessible; a laundromat, a bank, ATM's, a pharmacy, a bakery and grocery store are just steps away. The Huron Boardwalk ribbons the bay and allows you to stroll the expansive waterfront and view open-air exhibits detailing the rich history of St. Ignace.

The tumultuous waters surrounding St. Ignace have put a number of ships in peril over the centuries, creating a fascinating scuba destination for divers. The Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve (SMSP) encompasses 148 square miles and as many as 15 shipwrecks including schooners, barges and a steel freighter. With wrecks found in depths ranging from 40 feet to 207 feet, the SMSP Association places buoys near major dive sites during diving season. Other points of diving interest include relics left near the dock at American Legion Memorial Park and an underwater rock maze. Dive charter information is available through the Chamber of Commerce.