Major hub

Large port

Medium port

Small port

Seasonal route

Great Lakes

64 ports

ports: 64
Operators: 23
Glenora to Adolphustown: 15m
Grand Portage to Rock Harbor: 7h 30m

Ontario Ministry of Transportation Ferries, Arnold Transit Company and 18 other companies sail between 61 ports on the Great Lakes. Ferries also sail to the Great Lakes from Ogilvie/Union, Marblehead, Madeline Island and Admiralty Islands. The main crossing, from Glenora to Adolphustown, takes 15 minutes and runs 39 times a day; the longest within the Great Lakes, from Grand Portage to Rock Harbor, takes 7½ hours. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only. Some lines are seasonal.

Ferries to the Great Lakes

4 routes

United States

Marblehead to Kelleys IslandKelleys Island Ferry Boat Line20m20 a day, late March to mid-January Madeline Island to BayfieldMadeline Island Ferry Line25m13 a day, mid-April to mid-January Ogilvie/Union to Navy Pier via Michigan AvenueShoreline Sightseeing25mTwice an hour, mid-April to early November

Canada

Admiralty Islands to Kingston (Ontario)Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises1h 30mTwice a day, mid-April to early November

Canada

12 ports

Adolphustown1 destination Cove Island1 destination Flowerpot Island1 destination Glenora1 destination Kingston (Ontario)2 destinations Kingsville1 destination Leamington1 destination Pelee Island3 destinations South Baymouth1 destination The Grotto1 destination Tobermory4 destinations Wolfe Island1 destination

United States

52 ports

Barbeau1 destination Bayfield7 destinations Beaver Island1 destination Belle Isle1 destination Bois Blanc Island1 destination Buckingham Fountain2 destinations Catawba Island2 destinations Cedar Point3 destinations Charlevoix1 destination Cheboygan1 destination Chippewa Harbor3 destinations Copper Harbor1 destination Daisy Farm4 destinations DeTour Village1 destination Devils Island2 destinations Drummond Island1 destination Grand Portage4 destinations Houghton3 destinations Jackson Harbor1 destination Kelleys Island4 destinations Leland2 destinations Ludington1 destination Mackinac Island2 destinations Mackinaw City1 destination Malone Bay2 destinations Manitou Island2 destinations Manitowoc1 destination McCargoe Cove2 destinations Michigan Island2 destinations Middle Bass Island1 destination Milwaukee1 destination Museum Campus2 destinations Muskegon1 destination Navy Pier4 destinations Neebish Island1 destination North Manitou Island1 destination Northport1 destination Oak Island2 destinations Port Clinton1 destination Portage Entry1 destination Put-in-Bay5 destinations Raspberry Island2 destinations Rock Harbor7 destinations Rock Island1 destination Sandusky4 destinations Sault Ste. Marie1 destination South Manitou Island1 destination St. Ignace1 destination Stockton Island2 destinations Sugar Island1 destination Washington Island1 destination Windigo5 destinations

Ferry companies on the Great Lakes

Ontario Ministry of Transportation Ferries

Calls at Glenora, Adolphustown, Kingston (Ontario) and Wolfe IslandCars

15m–20m

Shoreline Sightseeing

From Ogilvie/UnionFoot passengers onlySeasonal

25m–30m

Arnold Transit Company

Calls at St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and Mackinaw CityFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

20m

Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority

Calls at Sault Ste. Marie, Sugar Island, DeTour Village and three other portsCars

5m–10m

Owen Sound Transportation Company

Calls at Tobermory, South Baymouth, Leamington and three other portsCarsSeasonal

1h 30m–1h 45m

Calls at Port Clinton, Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island and two other portsFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

30m–1h

Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry

Calls at St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and Mackinaw CityFoot passengers onlySeasonal

16m

Washington Island Ferry Line

Calls at Northport, Washington Island, Jackson Harbor and Rock IslandCars on some sailings

10m–30m

Calls at Catawba Island, Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass IslandCarsSeasonal

20m–40m

Apostle Islands Cruises

Calls at Bayfield, Devils Island, Raspberry Island and four other portsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h–2h 50m

Calls at Ludington and ManitowocCarsSeasonal

4h

Bruce Anchor Cruises

Calls at Tobermory and Flowerpot IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

20m–50m

Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line

From MarbleheadCarsSeasonal

20m

Madeline Island Ferry Line

From Madeline IslandCarsSeasonal

25m

Calls at Milwaukee and MuskegonCarsHigh speedSeasonal

2h 30m

Plaunt Transportation

Calls at Cheboygan and Bois Blanc IslandCars

45m

Blue Heron Cruises

Calls at Tobermory, Flowerpot Island, The Grotto and Cove IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

20m–50m

Beaver Island Boat Company

Calls at Charlevoix and Beaver IslandCarsSeasonal

2h

Grand Portage Isle Royale Transportation Lines

Calls at Grand Portage, Windigo, McCargoe Cove and two other portsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m–7h 30m

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises

From Admiralty IslandsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m

Isle Royale Line

Calls at Copper Harbor and Rock HarborFoot passengers onlySeasonal

3h 45m

Manitou Island Transit

Calls at Leland, South Manitou Island and North Manitou IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h–1h 30m

Calls at Houghton, Rock Harbor, Windigo and Portage EntryFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m–6h

Questions

Where do ferries to the Great Lakes leave from?

From Ogilvie/Union to Navy Pier (25 minutes, twice an hour, mid-April to early November), Marblehead to Kelleys Island (20 minutes, 20 times a day, late March to mid-January), Madeline Island to Bayfield (25 minutes, 13 times a day, mid-April to mid-January) and Admiralty Islands to Kingston (Ontario) (an hour and a half, twice a day, mid-April to early November).

Which ferry companies sail on the Great Lakes?

Ontario Ministry of Transportation Ferries: Glenora, Adolphustown, Kingston (Ontario) and Wolfe Island. Shoreline Sightseeing: from Ogilvie/Union. Arnold Transit Company: St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City. Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority: Sault Ste. Marie, Sugar Island, DeTour Village, Drummond Island, Barbeau and Neebish Island. Owen Sound Transportation Company: Tobermory, South Baymouth, Leamington, Pelee Island, Kingsville and Sandusky. Jet Express: Port Clinton, Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island, Cedar Point and Sandusky. Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry: St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City. Washington Island Ferry Line: Northport, Washington Island, Jackson Harbor and Rock Island. And 15 other companies.

Can I take my car on a ferry on the Great Lakes?

Partly. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only.

Do ferries on the Great Lakes run all year?

Yes. Only St. Ignace to Mackinac Island, Glenora to Adolphustown, Northport to Washington Island, Kingston (Ontario) to Wolfe Island, Sault Ste. Marie to Sugar Island, DeTour Village to Drummond Island, Cheboygan to Bois Blanc Island and Barbeau to Neebish Island sail all year; the other lines are seasonal.