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Mackinac Island & The Great Lakes

8 Days

  • TOUR DESCRIPTION
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
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  • Travel Insurance by Allianz

Tour Description

Experience life in the fast and slow lanes as you venture to where the automobile was born and also visit where it’s been banned since 1898. This tour of Mackinac Island and the Great Lakes gets your engines revving with a visit to Detroit’s Henry Ford Museum to explore where past inventions have fueled the imagination of today’s innovations. Switch gears as you board a ferry for Mackinac Island, the Jewel of the Great Lakes and one of the nation’s most popular summer resorts. With horse-drawn carriages and bicycles as the island’s only means of transportation, you’ll have no choice but to fuel up on lunch at the famous Grand Hotel, military history at the restored Fort Mackinac, and the decadent fudge the charming island is known for. Other sweet detours include the Bavarian town of Frankenmuth, coastal resort of Petoskey, and faster-paced cities of Grand Rapids and Chicago.

Traveller Notes
We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect holiday—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides, to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.

Priced From:

$ 6232pp *

Start Location: Detroit, United States

End Location: Chicago, United States

Major Destinations: ,Frankenmuth,Mackinac Island,Tunnel Of Trees,Grand Rapids,Chicago

Breakfast Meals Included: 7

Lunch Meals Included: 2

Dinner Meals Included: 1

Tour Advisors

Tiffany McCrea-Lennon

Managing Director

Russell Mein

Travel Specialist

Caitlin Lennon

Travel Coordinator

Michelle Baldwin

Travel Specialist

Gaylyn Murdoch

Administration Manager

Holly Skene

Travel Co-ordinator

Kim Thomas

Broker

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Welcome to Michigan!   At 6 pm, meet your fellow travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming journey.  
Day 2 DETROIT-FRANKENMUTH
American Ingenuity Visit the Henry Ford Museum, the ultimate place to experience America's past and present. See the world's premier automotive exhibition, the JFK Presidential Limousine, an original camp bed used by George Washington, and the Rosa Parks Bus. Continue to Frankenmuth, founded by German immigrants in 1845. This evening, enjoy an authentic Bavarian dinner to experience German cuisine and a wine tasting. (B,D) LOCAL FAVOURITE LOCAL TASTES Be greeted with a hearty "Willkommen!" in Frankenmuth's Little Bavaria. You'll be treated to a tasting of authentic German wine, cheese, and crackers, followed by a traditional family-style dinner. Indulge in German cuisine, including rippchen, sauerbraten, bratwurst, special Frankenmuth chicken, and homemade breads and preserves. Guten Appetit!
Day 3 FRANKENMUTH-MACKINAC ISLAND
Magical Mackinac Visit Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, a one-stop shop for everything Christmas. Leave the motorcoach behind and take a ferry to beautiful Mackinac Island. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURE & TRADITION Discover Mackinac Island with a horse-drawn carriage ride to your hotel. Since the Civil War, the island has been one of the nation's most favoured summer resorts. Enjoy this special place with its air of 19th-century gentility and historic charm, where bicycles and horse-drawn carriages are the only means of transportation.
Day 4 MACKINAC ISLAND
Somewhere in Time   This morning is at leisure. Rent a bicycle to explore on your own, visit Fort Mackinac, or sample some of the island's famous fudge. Travel by horse and carriage for lunch at the elegant Grand Hotel. After lunch, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage tour of this celebrated island. See the Avenue of Flags, the Governor's Mansion, and enjoy a stop at Arch Rock, one of the most photographed spots on the island. (B,L)  TOUR HIGHLIGHT   HERITAGE & TRADITION Horse-drawn carriages. Sitting in a rocking chair on the world's longest porch with views of the Straits of Mackinac. The historic Grand Hotel served as a summer getaway for celebrities, such as Mark Twain, Jimmy Durante, Christopher Reeve, and five U.S. presidents since its opening in 1887. This stately retreat continues today in the style of a bygone era of old-world hospitality and charm. 
Day 5 MACKINAC ISLAND-MACKINAW CITY-CHARLEVOIX-PETOSKEY
Great Lake Michigan Depart by ferry from Mackinac Island, returning to mainland Michigan. Visit Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse State Park, a guiding beacon for ships since 1889. Stop at the historic Legs Inn for incredible views of Lake Michigan. Learn about the inn's fascinating history and sample traditional Polish specialties. Drive the Tunnel of Trees scenic route to Charlevoix, where a sightseeing tour with a Local Guide introduces you to the city's Victorian summer resorts and "Mushroom Houses." Continue to your historic hotel in Petoskey, perched high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. (B) LOCAL FAVOURITE LOCAL TASTES Visit Legs Inn - a captivating setting on Lake Michigan - tempting travel-lovers for generations. Founded by Stanley Smolak, a Polish immigrant who creatively worked on the inn using local timber and stone with local "Odawa" Ottawa Native American craftsmen. Sample authentic Polish cuisine such as kielbasa, whitefish, pierogi and berry szarlotka (crumble cake) while taking in the artisan carvings and unique decor.
Day 6 PETOSKEY-TRAVERSE CITY-GRAND RAPIDS
American History & Heritage This morning, travel to Traverse City, located on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Enjoy free time in the historic downtown with waterfront views and award-winning dining for lunch on your own before continuing to Grand Rapids. Visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and this evening, explore the nightlife and dining options in Michigan's second largest city, Grand Rapids. (B) TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDARY LIVES Explore the Gerald R. Ford Museum, a tribute to the 38th president of the United States, offers fascinating exhibits highlighting Ford's journey from his boyhood in Grand Rapids to life after the White House, emphasising the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and service to country. Discover stories about Grand Rapids' favourite son through exhibits that include a replica of the Oval Office and a multimedia re-creation of the 1944 typhoon that almost swept a young Jerry Ford off the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier! Browse mementos and memorabilia highlighting the life and times of President Ford and his remarkable wife, First Lady Betty Ford, through artifacts from museums all over the country.
Day 7 GRAND RAPIDS-CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Windy City Sights & Confections Travel through Indiana to Chicago for a sightseeing tour of the "Windy City." Join your Tour Director and travel companions for a farewell lunch. Enjoy an overnight stay at the historic Palmer House Hilton. (B,L) LOCAL FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Experience the historic and elegant Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. With an interesting history ranging from the love story that built the hotel, a friendship with Claude Monet that influenced the decor, the invention of a sweet confection, and the long list of celebrity guests like Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and more. This is a stay to remember!
Day 8 CHICAGO
Safe travels until we meet again!   Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Chicago? Extra nights are available for purchase. (B) 

Dates & prices

Dates
Prices
Status
Departure Date :
2025-09-14
Return Date :
2025-09-21
Single : 9421 NZD
Triple : 7162 NZD
Twin : 7649 NZD
Open
Departure Date :
2025-09-07
Return Date :
2025-09-14
Single : 8491 NZD
Triple : 6232 NZD
Twin : 6719 NZD
Open
Departure Date :
2025-08-17
Return Date :
2025-08-24
Single : 8791 NZD
Triple : 6305 NZD
Twin : 6809 NZD
Open
Departure Date :
2025-06-08
Return Date :
2025-06-15
Single : 8491 NZD
Triple : 6232 NZD
Twin : 6719 NZD
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