Mackinac Bridge

Mackinaw City/St. Ignace

If you're heading from the Upper Peninsula to the Lower Peninsula (or vice versa), it's a safe bet that you'll be crossing the Mackinac Bridge. Before the bridge opened to traffic in 1957, travelers crossed the Straits of Mackinac via ferry, a system that led to miles-long traffic jams as sportsmen waited their turn to cross during hunting season. Now, the five-mile-long suspension bridge that connects Mackinaw City and St. Ignace offers a quick 10-minute drive between the state's two peninsulas. For most people, the journey 200 feet above the Straits' roiling waves is thrilling, However, those who find the thought of driving over open water terrifying can take advantage of a free service in which Mackinac Bridge Authority personnel will drive one's car across the span.

Though foot traffic isn't allowed, if you're so inclined, be sure to check out the Mackinac Bridge Walk and Run, held every Labor Day.

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Website: www.mackinacbridge.org

2015 Rates (one-way):

Passenger vehicle, $2 per axle or $4 per car
Other vehicles: $5 per axle
Transport services for individuals/vehicles not allowed to cross on their own: 
     Passengers: $3.50
     Bicycles: $5
     Snowmobile and driver: $15
     Extra passenger: $3.50

Location: Interstate 75 in Northern Michigan at the Straits of Mackinac.