7-Nights Mackinac Island & The Great Lakes from $3,499

Globus

OFFER ID 1517501

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.

7 nights from $3,499 per person

Itinerary

Click here for Full Itinerary Details

Itinerary Details

Mackinac Island & The Great Lakes

Day 1 ARRIVE IN DETROIT, MICHIGANWelcome to Michigan! At 6 pm, meet your fellow travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming journey.

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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 German cuisine and a wine tasting. (B,D)

LOCAL FAVORITE
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!

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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 favored 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.

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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.

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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 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 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 authentic Polish cuisine such as kielbasa, whitefish, pierogi and berry szarlotka (crumble cake) while taking in the artisan carvings and unique décor.

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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, emphasizing the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and service to country. Discover stories about 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 President Ford and his remarkable wife, 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.” Join your Tour Director and travel companions for a farewell lunch. Enjoy an overnight stay at the [LF] historic Palmer House Hilton. (B,L)

LOCAL FAVORITE
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Experience the historic and elegant Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. 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!

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Day 8 CHICAGOSafe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Chicago? Extra nights are available for purchase. (B)

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Featured Destinations

Petoskey

Perched on a bluff above Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay, 240 mi/385 km northwest of Detroit, Petoskey has long been a resort town: Many affluent Chicagoans passed their summers in the area at the turn of the century, among them the young Ernest Hemingway, who set several of his early short stories in the surrounding countryside.

Among the attractions are the historic Gaslight District in downtown Petoskey, home to art galleries, restaurants, cafes, taverns and shops. A short walk away is Bayfront Park, where a historic train station has been converted into the Little Traverse Historical Society Museum.

Adjacent to Petoskey is the community of Bay View which boasts a collection of Victorian-era "cottages." They range in size from relatively modest two-bedroom houses to spectacular 10-bedroom mansions, and many have incredible views of the bay. Also nearby is the Bay Harbor Golf Club. Designed by Arthur Hills, it is said to have more shoreline holes than any other course in the U.S.

A half-hour drive away, on the other side of Little Traverse Bay, is Harbor Springs, a popular destination for boaters and home to more art galleries, restaurants and shops. North of Harbor Springs is Boyne Highlands Resort, which offers accommodations and activities year-round. In the summer, the resort is best known as a golf destination. It is home to The Donald Ross Memorial, a course that has 18 of the best holes ever designed by Ross. In winter, the resort is one of the prime downhill sites in the Lower Peninsula, known for its steep terrain and long runs—at least in comparison to other Midwest resorts.

Highway 31 heads west, then south, from Petoskey, a scenic route that leads to Charlevoix, a resort town located on the narrow strip of land between Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. There's a good harbor there, and a lot of yachts make use of it. A working drawbridge raises and lowers to let the boats through, occasionally delaying highway traffic.

An enjoyable drive out of Charlevoix follows Highway 66 south along the western shore of Lake Charlevoix to the village of East Jordan, home of EJ - East Jordan Foundry (formerly East Jordan Iron Works), which makes the steel sewer grates that can be found throughout the Midwest. Boyne Mountain Resort is east of the village in nearby Boyne Falls, home to The Monument golf course and 52 downhill ski runs.

Charlevoix is also the departure point for the ferry that runs to Beaver Island, 35 mi/55 km northwest in Lake Michigan. The island has a colorful history: In the mid-1800s, a group of Mormons led by James Jesse Strang settled on the island. Strang proclaimed himself king, but his reign didn't last for long: He was murdered by one of his subjects, and the Mormons were forced off the island by an armed group from the mainland. Today, visitors can see the Mormon Print Shop in the town of St. James. The island is a good spot for mountain biking, camping and fishing.

Chicago

Grand Rapids

Detroit

Mackinac Island

Frankenmuth

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

06/08/2025 - 06/15/2025

from $3,499 per person *

06/22/2025 - 06/29/2025

from $4,549 per person

07/06/2025 - 07/13/2025

from $4,049 per person

08/03/2025 - 08/10/2025

from $4,049 per person

08/17/2025 - 08/24/2025

from $3,899 per person *

09/07/2025 - 09/14/2025

from $3,849 per person *

09/14/2025 - 09/21/2025

from $4,549 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $3,499 per person

Length

7 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe

Remarks

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1517501

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