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We all love a good island escape, but dealing with customs, paying for international flights and panicking about whether your passport will expire in three months can be a huge headache.
The good news? You don’t actually have to leave the country to experience that totally disconnected, off-the-grid island vibe. The US has a ton of incredible islands hidden just off the coast or tucked away in the Great Lakes that transport you to another world completely.
Best of all, all you need is your driver’s license to get there.
If you’re ready to trade the mainland rush for some serious island time, this is it 3 epic getaways without a passport you have to check out.
1. Mackinac Island, Michigan
I was literally here, and the whole experience was absolutely wonderful.
Tucked between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac (pronounced Mack-in-aw) feels like you stepped straight out of a time machine.
The coolest thing about the island is that motor vehicles are completely prohibited. Zero cars are allowed.
I kept up Stonecliffe’s Innwhich I absolutely loved and will choose for every new trip, and it was the first time (but not the last!) I was once picked up from a small airport in a horse-drawn carriage.
Going into town by bike and riding the horse-drawn carriages was so much fun and totally changes your pace of life.
You’ll quickly find yourself in island time here and life will almost immediately feel more relaxed.
If I had to pick a place to unwind for a week without leaving the country, this is my new top spot.
One of my absolute favorite parts of the trip was renting a bike and exploring the grand trail that stretches around the entire circumference of the island. You can stop downtown, at Arch Rock, or even Cannonball for ice cream halfway along the route.
It is a super flat, beautifully paved path right on the waterfront. You just keep riding, grab some world-famous fudge in town and enjoy the Great Lakes breeze.
2. San Juan Islands, Washington
If you want a moodier Pacific Northwest version of an island escape, head to the San Juan Islands.
Located just off the coast of Washington StateHop on a scenic ferry ride from the mainland town of Anacortes, and suddenly you’re dropped into a wild, pine-covered paradise.
The archipelago consists of more than 100 islands, but San Juan Island and Orcas Island are the main hubs.
The atmosphere here is rough and tumble strongly focused on the outdoors. Instead of lazing on white sand, spend your days sea kayaking through the bays and hiking through the misty, ancient forests.
The absolute biggest draw here is the wildlife. This is one of the best places in the world to spot wild orcas.
You can station yourself at Lime Kiln Point State Park and literally watch the pods break through and swim right along the rocky shoreline.
3. Block Island, Rhode Island
If you love the classic, preppy New England aesthetic but want to avoid the crazy summer crowds of Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard, Block Island is your place.
It’s just a short, breezy ferry ride south from mainland Rhode Island.
Block Island is incredibly relaxed.
It’s so small you don’t really need a car; most people simply rent a moped or bicycle from the ferry terminal and spend the weekend cruising the rolling green hills and checking out the historic lighthouses.
The absolute must-see spot on the island is the Mohegan Bluffs.
They are enormous clay cliffs, 60 meters high, that drop straight down into the Atlantic Ocean.
You can take a huge wooden staircase all the way down to a secluded beach at the bottom.
Spend the afternoon by the water and then head back into town to crush some fresh, locally caught lobster rolls.
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