Day Trips to Big Charity Island last about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. You will enjoy a one hour ride to Big Charity island and have about an hour on the island to take pictures of the lighthouse. There is about a 9 minute walk from the marina to the lightkeepers home and lighthouse. For more details call us at 989 737 4078 or check out vrbo.com for availability by searching property id number 573659,.
Services
Robert & Karen Wiltse own the Charity Island light-keepers' home and are the Island's only "full time" residents. Wiltses make the Island their home part of year from which they manage Charity Island Excursions, a family owned and operated ferryboat service. Their entire Dinner Cruise operation is powered by renewable energy using a both a Solar Panel Array and a wind turbine.
Embark on a Journey to the 1880's and experience Great Lakes Maritime History and a unique dining experience at a lighthouse built in 1857. Our cruise begins with a leisurely one hour boat ride across Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron to Charity Island with appetizers and complementary soft drinks and bottled water.
2019 will be our last season doing Dinner Cruise Excursions. Watch our website for updates on our plans to offer a day trip in 2020. On our day trip visitors will bring their own picnic lunch and dine up at the lighthouse. They will arrive around 12 noon, get three hours on the island before boarding and returning to the mainland.
Charity Island is located 10 miles off shore and completely off the Grid. The Lightkeepers home and the Dinner Cruise operation is completely powered by renewable Energy. We combine a 1,500 watt solar panel array (six 250 watt solar panels) with a 750 watt wind turbine that work together to keep our 7,920 watt ( 7.9 KW ) 24 volt battery bank Charged.
Reviews (1)
Mary A.
Jul 11, 2017
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My husband and I have been coming to the Tawas area every year for almost two decades. We had heard about the Charity Island tour, and finally decided this is the year to do it! We're so glad we did.
The experience involves a 60 minute boat trip to Charity Island, a brief trip through the woods, a lecture about the history of the island and its lighthouse, and dinner. The boat departs around 4 pm, and is timed to allow people to see the sunset on the way back to Brown's Landing (a few miles south of Tawas City).
The boat is a converted fishing vessel that seats up to 35 people in folding
The experience involves a 60 minute boat trip to Charity Island, a brief trip through the woods, a lecture about the history of the island and its lighthouse, and dinner. The boat departs around 4 pm, and is timed to allow people to see the sunset on the way back to Brown's Landing (a few miles south of Tawas City).
The boat is a converted fishing vessel that seats up to 35 people in folding