Compare Mackinac Island & the Great Lakes by Globus vs Mackinac Island featuring Niagara Falls by Tours of Distinction
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
|
5 | Excellent
|
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 3,449 | $ 1,690 |
| Price Per Day | $ 431 | $ 211 |
| Highlights |
|
|
| Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
| Physical Level |
|
|
| Travel Themes |
|
|
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
|
|
| Flights & Transport | No | Airfare included |
| Activities |
|
|
| Meals Included | N/A |
7 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 5 Dinners |
| Description | Experience life in the fast and slow lanes as you venture to where the automobile was born and 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 innovations 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, the coastal resort of Petoskey, and the faster-paced cities of Grand Rapids and Chicago. |
Magical…Magnificent… and, Marvelous - are three words that encapsulate the charm of Mackinac Island, the jewel of the Great Lakes. Crowned as “one of the world’s friendliest islands” get ready to experience a slower, more genteel time as you take a carriage ride through a “living” Victorian village, have lunch at the Grand Hotel and visit Fort Mackinac that dates to the 1700s. |
Day 1: ARRIVE IN DETROIT MICHIGAN
Welcome to the Michigan! At 6 pm, meet your fellow travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming journey.
DETROIT.jpg
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 the little Bavarian town of Frankenmuth, founded by German immigrants in 1845. This evening, enjoy an authentic [LF] Bavarian dinner to experience fine German cuisine and a wine tasting. (Breakfast,Dinner)
LOCAL FAVORITE LOCAL TASTES Be greeted with a hearty “Willkommen!” in Frankenmuth-Michigan’s Little Bavaria.” You’ll be treated to an authentic Bavarian dinner and wine tasting, including three German wines, cheese, crackers, and an authentic family-style dinner. Indulge in German cuisine, including Rippchen, Sauerbraten, Bratwurst, and homemade breads and preserves. Guten Appetit!
FRANKENMUTH.jpg
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. (Breakfast)
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 favored summer resorts. Enjoy this special place with its air of 19th-century gentility and where bicycles and horse-drawn carriages are the only means of transportation.
MACKINAC-ISLAND-HOUSE-AND-CARRIAGE.jpg
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. (Breakfast,Lunch)
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.
MACKINAC-ISLAND-FORT-MACKINAC.jpg
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 [LF] Legs Inn for incredible views of Lake Michigan. Learn about the inn’s fascinating history and sample some Polish and other Old World specialties. Visit Charlevoix where a sightseeing tour with a Local Guide introduces you to the city’s Victorian summer resorts and renowned “Mushroom Houses.” Continue to your historic hotel in Petoskey, perched high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. (Breakfast)
LOCAL FAVORITE 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 Old World specialties while taking in the artisan carvings and woodworking décor above the Great Lake.
MACKINAW-CITY-MACKINAC-POINT-LIGHTHOUSE.jpg
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 for lunch on your own before continuing to Grand Rapids. Visit to the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum. The museum lets you participate in history while learning about the lives of President and Mrs. Ford. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDARY LIVES Explore the Gerald R. Ford Museum where 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 before, during, and after the White House, emphasizing the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and service to country. Discover revelations about Ford’s childhood, marriage, military service, and political life of Grand Rapids’ favorite 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 the president and First Lady Betty Ford through artifacts from museums all over the country.
GRAND-RAPIDS
Day 7: GRAND RAPIDS–CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Windy City Sights & Confections Travel through Indiana to Chicago for a sightseeing tour of the “Windy City.” Enjoy an overnight at the [LF] historic Palmer House Hilton. Tonight, join your Tour Director and travel companions for a farewell dinner. During dinner, learn how one of America’s favorite desserts was created here - then enjoy a taste for yourself! (Breakfast,Dinner)
LOCAL FAVORITEACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Enjoy an overnight stay at the historic and elegant Palmer House Hilton. With an interesting story 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 vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Chicago? Extra nights are available for purchase. (Breakfast)
Day 1 - Arrive Erie, Pennsylvania
Arrive in Erie, PA where overnight lodging will be provided at the beautiful Hilton Garden Inn of Erie.
Day 2 - Erie - Dearborn, MI
Breakfast is included this morning before we follow the shores of Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio and a visit to the famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Located in a striking pyramid shaped building on the shores of Lake Erie, you’ll enjoy a morning with the legends of Rock & Roll. It’s a real trip down memory lane. This afternoon brings us to Dearborn, Michigan, for 2 nights at the Best Western Inn, with dinner.
Day 3 - Dearborn
After a full breakfast this morning, head just up the street is one of America’s great Museums. Enter the world of Henry Ford, with admission provided to both Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford Museum. At Greenfield Village we travel back in time to America of the mid-1800s, a living history museum far removed from today’s fast paced society. Next door is the Ford Museum, where Henry Ford stored his vast private collection. He was a man who collected just about everything. This afternoon we visit Cranbrook House, the home of Detroit newspaper publisher and philanthropist George Booth. Dinner is included this evening.
Day 4 - Dearborn - Mackinac Island
This morning depart after breakfast for Northern Michigan, the legendary home of Hiawatha. In Mackinaw City we’ll transfer to a high speed island ferry for the short trip across Lake Huron to beautiful Mackinac Island. Our hotel is the lovely Island House located on the Main Street amidst all the historic attractions and shops. The Island House is a National Historic Landmark that has welcomed guests to Mackinac for over 150 years. Dinner is included off the menu at the hotel.
Day 5 - Mackinac Island
Breakfast is included this morning at the Island House and then we will set out to explore the town. Everyone on Mackinac either walks or rides in horse drawn carriages, and today our sightseeing will be by horse drawn carriage in the true Mackinac tradition. Featured today will be the famous Grand lunch at the Grand Hotel. With its magnificent wrap around porch and beautiful gardens, this is one of the great hotels of North America. Enjoy the Grand Hotel and an afternoon to visit the shops and explore the Island. Dinner is on your own, and on Mackinac Island there are many wonderful restaurants to choose from.
Day 6 - Mackinac Island - Frankenmuth
After breakfast we’ll board the ferry to the lake port of St. Ignace and cross the famous suspension bridge over the Straits of Mackinac with Lake Huron on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. Continue on to Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Bavarian Village. For over 150 years Frankenmuth has been the center of German Culture in the Upper Midwest. Enjoy sightseeing and shop at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland where they make beautiful glass ornaments. After checking into our hotel in Frankenmuth we will enjoy a true Bavarian Chicken Dinner.
Day 7 - Frankenmuth - Niagara Falls, Canada
Enjoy breakfast in Bavarian Frankenmuth and dinner in world famous Niagara Falls. Our hotel in Niagara Falls is the beautiful Hilton Niagara Falls on the Canadian side of the falls. Dinner is included in the Skylon Tower high above the Falls. What a view and what a dinner! See Niagara Falls illuminated after dark and try your luck at the big Casino near our hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Niagara Falls
Breakfast and a visit to the popular Duty Free Shop where there are great bargains on the fine gifts, perfumes, liquor, and fancy candies. Next we’ll cross the Rainbow Bridge back into the USA. Along the way we will stop off in Geneva, New York in the famous Finger Lakes. At Ventosa Vineyards overlooking scenic Lake Seneca we’ll enjoy a wine tasting and Lunch.
