7 Cool Car-Free Islands In North America (PHOTOS)

As city dwellers, we love having the freedom to walk, bike, and public transport just about anywhere we need to go. That's not to say, however, that we don't occasionally leave in search of, well- nature! Unfortunately, the closer you get to rural beauty in North America, the more you rely on a car.

Here, we've found some great North American island excursions that are not only navigable without cars, but generally prohibit their use. Now, doesn't it feel good to stretch those legs?

Have you been to other cool car-free islands in North America? Let us know!

 

What great car-free islands did we miss? Send us your photos!

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Fire Island, New York

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Total comments: 75 | Post a Comment

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Island

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Eh Idyllic

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Comments

[dirigo58]

01:46 AM on 10/19/2010

Monhegan Island, Maine!
;-)

[cardiaccare]

08:01 PM on 10/18/2010

Block Island, Rhode Island!

[spotswood320]

04:21 PM on 10/18/2010

Tangier Island, VA?

[jimboy71]

04:09 PM on 10/18/2010

And I can see a road through that arch on Mackinack...and there is an airport, and roads on the Toronto islands...as well as a car ferry.

[FearlessFreep]

04:20 PM on 10/18/2010

The roads on the Toronto islands are limited to non-motor vehicles (e.g. quadricycles).

[jimboy71]

04:24 PM on 10/18/2010

That's funny, because I rode the ferry with city trucks and resident vehicles (not to mention a bus full of nudists) all summer.

[i t man]

05:20 PM on 10/18/2010

Yes, there are roads on Mackinac Island, they're used for the horse-drawn carts. And yes, there is an airport but no cars. The only time 4-wheeled power vehicles are allowed is when they drive the golf carts down to the ferry in the fall.

[PharmaCan]

03:53 PM on 10/18/2010

Uh - Santa Catalina Island, California has cars.

[derrickhoyle]

04:38 PM on 10/18/2010

I was just about to say the same thing.

[gevan]

03:15 PM on 10/18/2010

Bedloe's...ahem, Liberty Island in New York harbor. Somebody must have a picture of that.

[RIPRNC]

03:05 PM on 10/18/2010

If this were at all astute, it would include several dozen of the 450 islands that make the San Juan archipelago off Washington State's coast. Apparently well-thought-out wasnt the mark they were trying to hit.

[Anastasia]

02:51 PM on 10/18/2010

Once upon a time many years ago, my parents were having dinner with some of their more fun loving friends in the grill room of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. In those days, if you wanted to got to the restroom you had to leave the restaurant and follow a path to the main building.

My mother and one of the other revelers made the journey and discovered that the lawn was covered in tiny frogs, croaking away. They gathered up a few dozen and put them in her straw handbag.

When they sat down at the dining room table, my mother opened her bag to let the frogs out. The ensuing mayhem was apparently like something out of a movie, with people screaming and running about the dining room.

Ah... Canadian Club! The liquor of choice for Mad Men and women!

[TazoWolf]

02:36 PM on 10/18/2010

Where's Chincoteague Islande, VA?

[CrazedSurfer]

02:54 PM on 10/18/2010

Right on the coast of Virginia.

... You can drive to it and on it so I guess it doesn't count for the list.

[Joshua Starbuck]

02:17 PM on 10/18/2010

What about roosevelt island in NYC.

[gascelebrations]

02:08 PM on 10/18/2010

Great suggestions below, but one more vote for Isle Royale, the most incredible sunset I've ever seen and a starry night that was so amazing we didn't want to sleep. I'd also say the Apostle Islands of Wisconsin are equally as amazing for kayaking!

[slobone]

01:48 PM on 10/18/2010

Wait, if Fire Island doesn't have cars, how come somebody told me the traffic was bumper-to-bumper there last summer?

[gascelebrations]

02:06 PM on 10/18/2010

You'll be surprised you'll be doing the French Mistake - VOILA

[NewmanKitten]

01:44 PM on 10/18/2010

Catalina has several vehicles on it, mostly electric golf cart types...however there is a moratorium, so it's not like any more cars are allowed. To count the number of vehicles on the island I think you'll have fingers left over...

[Harvee Wallbanger]

01:27 PM on 10/18/2010

Mackinaw Island is a very expensive tourist trap. It's still a nice place to see, however.

[gascelebrations]

02:05 PM on 10/18/2010

I agree - it's a luxury hotel surrounded by cheap tourist souvenir shops and loads of horse dung and fudge. Barf. Want a more natural experience? Go to Isle Royale National Park. But bring the bug spray!

[stavros]

04:03 PM on 10/18/2010

Tourist trap from hell.

[Meggie]

01:04 PM on 10/18/2010

Isle Royale, Michigan

Moose, howling wolf packs, and sleeping in a tent.

[gascelebrations]

02:05 PM on 10/18/2010

And mosquitoes out the wazoo! But an awesome starry night.

[Meggie]

09:30 AM on 10/19/2010

LOL
So true.
But the silver lining there is, the mosquitoes are so darn big that you can hear them coming from 1/4 mile away.