How The USA’s Only Car-Free Village Works

wow only St. Ignace got dunked on like that, even pronounced Traverse city correctly.

Also thanks for telling the whole country about our beautiful and wholesome island of Mackinac, definitely wont be overcrowded now

So there's some kind of gas station or two there?

I dream of one day more places in the US would be like this.. or car-light. Not done with horses.. but building cities more for people. Walking, cycling and transit. That's my happy place.

I lived on the island for a few weeks in the summer with my ex and they actually do give out traffic tickets for people going too fast on bikes, usually impossible unless on an electric bikes, which are allowed on the island for some reason

It isn't REALLY car free, they have some trucks for basic necessities, Ambulance, Fire Truck, Snow plow

So no electric cars but snowmobiles.... which are quieter?? or aren't a car??? 🤨

I was snooping around the island one day and found a building where they had a BUNCH of tractors (not horse drawn)

I saw a semitruck on the island

So, it's not really car free, it just has fewer than average cars.

Look up the Chicago and New port Huron race to Mackinac. 300 boats and all their crew and families storm the island with crazy amounts of alcohol being shipped to the island.

Wrong, Bald Head Island NC, look it up

More places in the US should be car free. Cars suck and we don't even realize it.

Yeah umm emergency services Have vehicles.

Really USA. You have a car-free island, but still have a highway destroying seafront along the ENTIRE island. The most American thing I heard today..

Who in the heck allowed USPS to stop delivering this Island? That's unconstitutional. My postmaster is constantly trying to go to the city council and tell them to pass a city ordinance that says that USPS doesn't have to deliver to the door. Our city council told her to "f off lazy b" 😁

There are lots of car free villages in Alaska, many of the native communities have no roads only way to get there is by plane or boat and they just have boardwalks around the village

Mike Pince’s tradition of sucking……🤣🍻

Ok in theory though, if you could get an amphibious vehicle on the island, you'd have to stop to get a ticket, right? So just don't stop?

Now they just need to do this in... the rest of the country 4Head

With the advent, and subsequent eruption, of electric scooters and bikes, I'm sure the town will do just fine.

US infrastructure is decades if not centuries behind the secular and civilized world 😂

I do wish more cities took this approach to cars. Operating a vehicle in a downtown environment should be an exception, not the norm. Oh well!

Aren’t some of the Outer Banks islands car free as well? Such as Bald Head Island and Ocracoke Island. So this isn’t the only car free place in the US?

I live directly across from Mackinaw Island it is THE definition of a tourist trap. And the prices good god all mighty it should be a crime. Once you go one time the luster wears right off it's actually a pretty shitty place when you peak behind the curtains.

I live in michigan

My step mother's sister is in her late 70's and has been a year round resident for well over 20 years and she will be there until her demise. She just wouldn't have it any other way. I love to visit this gem in my home state during the tourist season, but you couldn't pay me to live there year round. I can't imagine not being able to just hop in my car to pick up what I need. She lives miles from the general store.

You just got a subscriber for having the add at the end.

I did not expect this video to give me another reason to hate Mike Pence lol (I'm from his state)

Maybe this is an extreme and you can argue that electric vehicles are better than horsecarts. But in general, you can perfectly live without cars for personal transportation on this size of an island. Add some kind of small 2-seat golf carts for the elderly, allow for e-bikes and for eletric vehicles for delivery, public services and a selection of businesses, limited to 15 mph, and all works perfectly without any shortcomings.

They didnt free themselves because during the wunter they cannot do anything st all off island

Fire island, NY has no cars

So they don't allow noisy cars but they do allow noisy snow mobiles?

I worked up there one summer back in the 70s I was a bar porter at the Grand hotel most amazing summer of my life.

Bald Head Island in NC has also been Car Free since 1983

If you ever get the chance stay two nights at the Grand Hotel. It’s magical and bit haunted. If you can’t afford the Grand Hotel the island is still a wonderfully adventure. My dad’s bucket list was to stay at the Grand Hotel so I splurged. You can also stay on the island in BnBs. It’s beautiful however you go. Just remember to get off the main strip. Great shops and eateries on the main strip but the beauty of the island is away from the traffic.

I’ve been there they have ambulances

This is not the only island, I recently went to a North Carolina (in July 2024) island named Bald Head Island and they mostly use golf carts and emergency cars and construction things, but they use golf carts which is nice

Im surprised EV cars aren't there now.

Sounds like a wonderful place to live

Bald Head Island, North Carolina, is also a traditional car/vehicle free village. Only golf carts, horses, etc... Fire and Police are only ones with some traditional motor vehicles.

Remember gun still exist

Proof that government can move quickly AND do good things

Give em 50 cc scotters! I've owned all types of transportation. There slow and quiet.

Nothing draws Michigan viewers like bringing up Mackinac Island! Anyway I'm a MI viewer lol.

Traverse City isn't some quick stop from the island. It's a 4+ hour roundtrip. I doubt anyone doing any kind of grocery shopping, unless they hauling some major coolers with them.

Cleaning up horse poop has to be the #2 most popular job on the island, heh heh.

Heard about that place and how good the fudge was for years. Finally had some and it was 5/10. The little fudge shops outside Pacific Science Center in Seattle and basically anywhere else is better. I've had amazing fudge from Eugene, OR too.

If anyone asks me if that fudge is famous I'll say sure, famously mediocre. They even call the tourists in Traverse City (lived there for 6 years) "fudgies", like they actually have fudge there worth traveling for. It's kinda sad.

Would love to visit the island but never got the chance. Went to the Upper Peninsula several times though.

Side note. The Governor of MI has their official residence there.