Great Turtle Kayak Tours

Monica Ames

2023-10

Be sure to look out for the paddle sign on the west side of the island breeze gift shop to make it down to the shore! Glen was an amazing tour guide and a great instructor- I had never been kayaking but felt comfortable as we went. We saw an amazing sunrise and Glen even offered to take our photo with Arch Rock and with the sunrise. It was the best way to see the lake and the island! So glad we decided on this tour!

Kimberly Hinds

2023-06

My husband and I went on an 8:00 am tour led by Glenn and Anthony. Glenn was amazing! To start, he gave such good directions on how to maneuver the kayak. We have done this several times before, but it was a great refresher course. The tour was just fantastic. Glenn had some great stories and information about the places we saw and the island in general. This was one of our most favorite things we did on the island!

Krishna

2023-05

Sydney made our trip amazing. She is a great tour guide—patient, kind, and well knowledgable. I wanted to go kayaking when I first visited Mackinac Island. Sydney gave me a boat that I felt comfortable in and helped me overcome my initial nervousness because this was my first time kayaking. I had a great time and enjoyed the views of river and island learned a ton more about the island and the local folklore, which was a real treat. Any visitor should not miss out on this experience!!!

Peggy Eggers Smith

2023-06

glen and anthony kept me safe during my sunrise ride to arch rock...my first kayak adventure on one of the big lakes. it was so breathtaking i forgot to take more than a couple of photos. i would do this again in a heart beat next im on this beautiful island.thanks fellows for starting my day off so brilliantly!

Deric S.

2023-08

Very easy to make a reservation with and clear communication. Tour to Arch Rock was great for our group which included grandparents and kids. Would recommend their services to everyone.

Holly Stanley

2023-05

My husband, son, & I did the sunrise kayak tour with Anthony, and I would say that without a doubt, this was the highlight of our time here! None of us had any kayaking experience prior to this, but Anthony was such a wonderful (and patient) guide and teacher! It was 100% worth every penny!!

Brianne Aiken

2023-08

I highly recommend these tours! I did the kayak and snorkel the rock maze tour and it was one of the highlights of my trip to Mackinac Island. Starting in the morning means the seas are mellow and the wetsuit they provided kept me plenty warm for the snorkel time. We got plenty of time in the water and our guide provided several stories about the island and kept us all feeling very safe and cared for. He even took pictures for us and texted them at the end of our trip. The only thing to be aware of is that the rock maze isn't as vibrant as snorkeling on a reef or something tropical, but I still felt it was a really great immersion into what the great lakes are like. This was just a really unique, fun trip and the guides were all personable and cool.

Melanie White

2023-05

This is a must do and the thing that made my trip to Mackinac Island unforgettable! Anthony was a fantastic local guide. He also made sure I felt confident kayaking (for the first time) and safe on the water and gave great instruction to make sure I had the right technique. I’m so glad I joined Great Turtle for my trip around to Arch rock!

Sunyun Kwon

2022-05

We took the Arch Rock tour with Glen and it was very satisfying. It was my first time for trying Kayak and I felt safe thanks to nice guidance. I worried about the weather as the temp was 61F but it was not chill at all and warm enough to wear a pair of short. The lake was crystal-transparent!

Claire Myrissa

2023-08

Sydney took us out on a sunset tour around the west side of the island. We got to see a view of Marquette park from the harbor, the front of the grand hotel, the west bluff, and the bridge (: the sunset was beautiful and Sydney was awesome. Thanks guys!!!

Kristy Rubino

2020-05

What an experience! I took a stand up paddleboarding tour out of Mackinac Island, and I would do it another 20+ times if I could. The water is so clear and green I felt like I was on a tropical island. The guide was friendly and did a fantastic job. The employees in the office always answered the phone and were very patient with all of my questions. Will be back again in the future!

Dina Palmer

2021-05

As special as Mackinac Island was, our kayak outing to the Arch Rock made it even more memorable. Paul taught us so much about the island and kayaking. The views were phenomenal and the water under us was gorgeous. Awesome and totally worth every penny!

Ramona Briggeman

2023-05

Our Guide Glenn was awesome. We did the rock maze snorkel tour out to Arch Rock in the morning. Glenn gets a 5 star review. Water was beautiful and crystal clear. He pointed out sights on the water and the island. Shared lots of interesting information about the area. With Glenn's instruction we all got the hang of the kayaks quickly and easily. Highly recommend doing a kayak tour. Another plus- no crowdsWhy did I drop a star off ? some lack of communication when booking This was a snorkel tour. You wear a wet suit. Anything under your wet suit is going to get wet. There are no changing rooms to get into or out of the wetsuit. This was not made clear when we booked the tour . You are going to have to strip down in the open or trek down to one of the public bathrooms. Not a pleasant experience trying to change out of or into a wetsuit in a public restroom. I would recommend they string up at least maybe a tarp or one of those pop up shower tents you can buy on amazon for 40$This isn't a problem for the regular tour because you wear your regular clothes. You might get a little wet but generally not to bad.

Drew Rose

2022-05

Tour guide was awesome! Tells jokes and stories, really makes it worth it. Kayak trip as far as kayaking was kind of boring tho. But honestly still glad we did it but was ready for it to be over. If the guide wasn’t so good it would have been a bust.

Patrick Sullivan

2022-05

The trip out to Arch Rock with Great Turtle was a definite highlight of our trip to Mackinac Island. The guides were very professional and excellent with our kids (ages 6 and 11) who had a blast. If you are looking for a fun, challenging-but-not-TOO-challenging outdoor activity while on the island I would highly recommend them.

Marc Herlis

2023-09

My first time kayaking, it was great. I was so nervous, but I got over it and I had a great time. Really great and friendly staff.

Isabel Rodriguez

2022-05

Absolutely the best experience I’ve had yet at Mackinac!! My partner and I booked a private kayaking tour a few days ago and there was wonderful communication about our times and prices! Our tour guide, Megan, was ABSOLUTELY wonderful! The tour was so fun and we have the sunburns to prove it! Megan even took pictures of us while out on the kayaks so we didn’t have to risk our phones if we ‘took a swim’!! So kind and we love the pictures! I highly recommend this and will be back in the future for snorkeling and kayaking!!

Kara D

2021-05

Kwamy was an exceptional guide!!! He has such a fun, but calming presence and made us feel like VIPs! He and the rest of the staff were careful about following Covid-19 safety precautions (ex: masks while on shore) and ensured we knew what to expect for our adventure. The water is incredible, even on a cloudy day. We had a blast!

Dana

2020-05

I had a wonderful time at Great Turtle Kayak tours. Our guide was so nice friendly and provided us with a lot of information about the island. I didn't feel rushed either. We were able to take our time and enjoy the gorgeous sunsets and scenery. I absolutely loved it and the pricing was reasonable.

James Carson

2023-07

Great time today paddling with Great Turtle Kayak Tours. The staff in the store front were super helpful and friendly. Our two tour guides (Ella and Nathan) shared funny stories and had awesome knowledge of the area, adding much value to our trip. We took the 2 hour tour to Arch Rock and had a wonderful outing. Overall we had a great stay on the island but the kayak tour was for sure one of if not THE highlight. Highly recommend...

Ian Morris

2023-05

We took two dogs on our trip. One behaved like a model kayaker. One didn't.Despite the challenges our unruly mate imposed on the group, Glen remained steady and composed.What would have been an otherwise miserable experience turned into a memorable one thanks to our guide's extraordinary efforts.In closing, I look forward to returning some day with the hopes that Glen is still leading tours and our nervous pup can show off steadier sea-legs.

Alicia Evitts

2022-05

The staff was awesome! Loved getting to learn the history and folklore about the island along the tour! We will definitely come back to take a tour each time we come to the island for a visit!

Kelley Lanning

2023-08

Great kayaking tour and an awesome guide! We signed up and paid for a group tour, but since no once else signed up, we basically got a private tour at no extra cost! I've kayaked before, but the guide, Will, gave us pointers before leaving that taught me things that I didn't know and helped me. He pointed out lots of locations and landmarks, giving us lots of historical and personal background on all of them. He was very friendly, relaxed, and welcoming. We made it to our destination sooner than expected, so he let us kayak even farther! We would have done even more, but the weather was very unclear, so we avoided it just to be safe. He asked about our vacation plans and gave us his recommendations for restaurants (the Kingston Kitchen was way better than we expected, so we're super glad he mentioned it!). With the fun waters and beautiful views, this was the best kayak experience I've ever had. So glad we came here!

Renee Elton

2023-06

What a great experience! We were in Mackinac in early May when the water is still very cold and didn’t expect to be able to do a Kayak tour. We were so pleased when we spoke to them and they were able to arrange a sunset tour. We had so much fun visiting with our tour guide and paddling area. We celebrated our anniversary out on the water watching the sun set and it was spectacular! Thank you Great Turtle Kayak Tours for making the evening so wonderful!

Faith Lockhart

2023-09

My mother and I went on the Arch Rock tour with Nathan and it was an incredible experience! We learned great history on the island, got to explore the beautiful scenic areas, and have wonderful memories. The team is supportive for all experience levels, so definitely recommend if you're visiting Mackinac. Will definitely do again the next time we're there!

Kristy Garber

2023-09

The Great Turtle Kayak Tour was awesome! Our family was there on August 5, 2023. Nathan and Will were great at talking us through the do's and don'ts before we took to the water. That day we had choppy water and big waves to tackle, but they did a good job of helping anyone who needed a hand navigating the waters. They were super nice, and we had a wonderful time with them!

Julie Bostian

2023-09

Wonderful experience with Great Turtle Kayak Tours. Jacob led my two tours, one to Arch Rock, and then later to the Grand Hotel at sunset. He was professional and knowledgeable about the area. His interesting tie-bits about the island were a bonus. Highly recommend.

Quincee Pohl

2024-04

Had so much fun on my kayaking trip! The leader was amazing and would love to do it again!

Katherine Aretos

2023-08

10/10 Recommend doing a sunset tour with Great Turtle Kayak Tours! It was incredibly easy to book, since you are able to do everything online. Jacob did a wonderful job explaining how to Kayak and getting us set up in our boats. It was incredible being able to kayak around the Island, watching the sunset!

Denise Crapse

2021-05

I took the sunset tour...very nice but the waves were a bit choppy...Nathan was a great guide...beautiful views of the Island made for very enjoyable time