Come join us on Mackinac Island for our 16th Annual Spring Fling!
PLEASE READ THIS EVENT PAGE AS THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THE WAY THAT WE ARE HOLDING THIS EVENT IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP APPROPRIATE SOCIAL DISTANCING FOR OUR ATTENDEES. THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL GATHERING FOR THIS EVENT - COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
- WHEN: Friday, April 29th, 2022, through Sunday, May 1st, 2022
- WHERE: Mackinac Island/Grand Hotel, Frank J. Kelly Conference Room (same group room as last year - lower lobby of the Grand near the gift shop)
- TIME: 09:00 am until 8:00 pm
- COST: $23.00 adult round trip ferry ticket (this is the reduced price that we have gotten from Shepler's Ferry Company) - or - $21.00 adult round trip ferry ticket (this is the reduced price that we have gotten from Star Line Ferry Company). There is a charge to take your bike to the island (from $13.00 to $16.00, depending on the ferry company). Please be aware that there are parking fees at the ferry docks. The current nightly parking fees at Shepler's start at $15.00 per night. Star Line has free overnight parking off-site. Please check the ferry websites for specific parking fees. Dinner will be on your own. Lodging fees are also on your own (but we have negotiated a special rate with the Grand).
Also be sure to check out the event being held this weekend too. A Non-Coincidental Pre-Island Get Together - IX.
Be sure to check out the CITO event being held this weekend too. 12th Annual Mackinac Island Multi Task CITO.
Come join us on beautiful Mackinac Island for a early spring caching adventure! We will be hanging out in the lower level of the Grand Hotel (Frank J. Kelly Conference Room) for two days. Coffee, ice tea, and lemonade will be provided for attendees on Friday and Saturday, along with a few other goodies to keep you energized! We will also be serving cupcakes on Saturday afternoon so that you can enjoy some fresh baked goods.
Please feel free to wear your casual wear during the day, as there is no dress code at the Grand this time of year.
The Cyclops family has over 140 caches on the island, many of which have been placed in remote areas of the island where tourists would not normally go. There have been approximately 50 new caches placed for this year's event. It is advisable to bring your own bike, as the cache locations will take you traveling several miles around the perimeter and interior of the island. The ferry companies charge $13.00 to $16.00 per bicycle to bring your bike over to the island (depending on the ferry company). There will be places on the island that offer bikes to rent, but I am unable to confirm the prices for these rentals. Meals will be on your own. There are a few restaurants on the island which will be open to serve you, including "The Gatehouse" (down the hill from the Grand). It's also been confirmed that "The Broken Spoke" (on Main Street) will be opening early for breakfast on Friday and Saturday morning (beginning at 8:00 am).
The two ferry lines (Shepler's and Star Line) will be running a limited number of ferries each day, leaving from both Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Please check their respective schedules for times. Please also be aware that there are parking fees at the ferry docks. The fees differ depending on whether you park your vehicle off-site or dockside.
A few island stores will be open, as will a few fudge shops. There are a few restaurants on the island that will be open to serve lunch and dinner. Doud's grocery store (on Main Street) will also be open, and you may purchase drinks and snacks there. In addition, "Grand Provisions" (located on the lower level of the Grand) offers a variety of snacks, salads, sandwiches, beverages, and other goodies for purchase.
Each attendee at this event will receive a ticket for a free prize. You will be given your ticket when you sign the event log (whichever day that is). In an attempt to avoid a large gathering of attendees, there will NOT be a formal raffle for those items. You may simply go into the group room anytime after getting your ticket, and pick out something that you would like. As is our usual tradition, every one in attendance will get a prize. We will also be holding a Bucket Raffle for some larger prizes, and those tickets will be for sale all day Friday and Saturday. That drawing will be held at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening back in the group room. You do NOT need to be present to win (as you will have already put your name and phone number on your ticket), but you WILL need to be somewhere on the island so that we can get your prize to you. We will call you if you are a winner. As stated previously, we are trying to avoid a mass gathering of attendees in the group room on Saturday evening. The proceeds from the sale of the raffle tickets will be used to help offset the costs of the event. SPOILER ALERT - The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau is again donating a $200.00 island gift card that can be used at multiple venues on the island!
If you are unfamiliar with the island, it is highly recommended that you take a map with you prior to venturing out. Some of the interior roads can be quite difficult to navigate, so be careful if you have small children with you. The perimeter road, which is 8.2 miles in length and is fairly flat, offers several caches for those who prefer a less strenuous adventure. For your convenience and planning, you can view or print the PDF file for the Mackinac Island Map.
Also, for your convenience, I have created some non-geocache waypoints. These waypoints can be downloaded as a zipped GPX file here.
Click here for more information about this event. If you need specific details or information about this event, please feel free to e-mail me directly.