The 'Most Bicycle-Friendly City' In The US Is A Paradise Island That Feels Like Europe

Located on Lake Huron, tucked between Michigan's Lower Peninsula and its charming mountainous Upper Peninsula, is Mackinac Island, a car-free paradise home to an amazing beach town. Recently selected as USA Today's best place to visit for fall in 2025, Mackinac Island has also been recognized as the top city for bicycling by People for Bikes. With a score of 100 out of 100 (up from 99 in 2024), it's ranked No. 1 in the state, country, and world out of 2,901 cities — even outscoring bike-friendly bigger cities like The Hague.

People for Bikes ranks cities based on their network quality. It examines bike lanes, paths, and street safety using Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA). Because Mackinac Island has no cars, its average score was 100 across all six categories: people (access to residences), opportunity (access to jobs and schools), core services (access to grocery stores, post offices, hospitals, etc.), retail (access to shops), transit (access to transit hubs), and recreation (access to parks and trails). It received four scores of 100 and two of 99.

This ideal combination of car-free roads, bicycle accessibility, and its perfect blend of charm, views, and comfort make Mackinac Island a quintessential travel destination. Full of European-style streets, colorful shops, and gorgeous beaches, it's a place where you almost forget about the outside world for a while, and in place of noisy cars, motorcycles, and buses, all you can hear are chatty pedestrians and bicycle bells.

Mackinac Island might not have a large population, hosting only about 600 people year-round, but it's a popular destination among vacationers. There are many ways to get to Mackinac — many take a ferry from Mackinaw City in the Lower Peninsula or St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula, where ferry companies offer a variety of car parking options. The closest commercial airports are Pellston Regional Airport, 20 minutes from Mackinaw City, and Chippewa County International Airport, 30 minutes from St. Ignace, both with shuttles to get you to the ferries. You can also fly to Mackinac Island Airport, which has air taxi and charter flight services and allows private planes. If you have your own boat, there's space for 80 boats at Mackinac Island State Harbor's public marina. Once there, you can relax and take in the sights and sounds of Mackinac Island by bicycle, learning for yourself why it's the world's top destination for two-wheel touring. If you're local, you can bring your own bicycle, but if you're traveling from afar, you can rent a bicycle from a number of companies on the island.

An 8.2-mile tour along State Highway M-185 will take you through downtown Mackinac Island, which is like stepping — well, bicycling — back in time a century ago. You'll see people walking and riding horse-drawn carriages among historic commercial buildings and private residences. You'll also pass along the Native American Cultural History Trail, which tells visitors about the Great Lakes tribes native to the area. Along the trail, stop to see Arch Rock, where you can take in astounding views of Lake Huron. Another stop is British Landing and its nature center, Cannonball Oasis, and views of the Mackinac Bridge (connecting Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas). Other sights along the way include Devil's Kitchen, Pontiac Trail, and Mackinac Island Public School and boardwalk.