#SquadGoals: Our Company Trip to Mackinac Island

We came. We saw. We conquered. Check out the travel tips (and photos) from our team-building trip to northern Michigan to see the “Best Island in the Continental U.S.” according to Travel & Leisure.

We take team building seriously.

Like sharing-a-bus-for-four-hours seriously.

Like spending-two-days-straight-together seriously.

After two years of socially distanced working, the team was overdue for some quality time together in a more relaxed setting.

“We do offsite team building because first it provides time to de-stress and get to know your teammates in a different way,” said Interrupt CEO Bill Rossiter. “And I believe that stronger working relationships not only drive a better culture, but also create a stronger environment for debate and innovative thinking. Most importantly, I just love hanging with this group of people.”

For our most recent outing, we headed north to Mackinac Island, land of horse-drawn carriages, sip ‘n sail cruise ships and fudge that sticks to the roof of your mouth.

Here are some of our favorite highlights from our trip. If you're looking for a getaway destination for yourself or your team, we highly recommend it.

“The ultimate team bonding was when a group of us spontaneously ditched our bikes for an unexpected (and cold-ass) dip in Lake Huron.” —Emily Johnson, Senior Account Executive

Hotel

Bicycle Street Inn & Suites

Things To Do

  • Biking
  • Hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Paddle boarding/kayaking
  • Walk/jog around the island
  • Porch sitting at the world-famous Grand Hotel
  • Sip ‘n sail cruises
  • Horse-drawn carriage rides
  • Fudge tasting

Restaurant We Loved

The Yankee Rebel Tavern

Best Place for a Drink

Woods Patio

Fun Mackinac Facts

  • No cars allowed (only horses and bikes)
  • The distance around the island is 8.2 miles
  • 70+ miles of trails in Mackinac Island State Park
  • There are 1,489 bicycles for rent
  • 600 horses live on the island
  • Grand Hotel’s front porch is the longest in the world at 660 ft
  • 1600+ unique hotel, resort, B&B, condos and cottages
  • 500 year-round residents
  • 10 tons of sugar imported weekly to make fudge

More Good Reads

What a box of Legos can teach us about the power of built-in branding

As marketers, there’s a lot we can do to build a compelling story around a brand or product. But when users can readily and consistently separate your product from the competition, you’ve got something special. Our Director of Brand Content Jen Molnar explains how a Lego sorting session sparked an ah-ha moment on the importance of developing distinctive (and memorable) physical product features.

Why I decided not to trust the process

Shyla Helmintoller had a hunch. But in the web of doctor’s recommendations and referrals (or lack thereof), she had to take getting help for her daughter into her own hands. Our project manager explains how the “get shit done” attitude she brings to her day job helped her navigate advocating for her daughter during her main job: parenthood.

Company giveback: annual holiday tradition

This year’s Interrupt holiday giveback was focused two high-impact organizations serving our community: the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio and Toledo Humane Society. Both depend solely on the support of donations (neither receives tax dollars). If you're looking for a place to donate items or money this year, we think these orgs are worthy of your contributions, too.