DAY 1: Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Today we start our journey across New York State to our neighboring state Pennsylvania for our first stop in Erie to meet our guide for the first of our Great Lakes, Lake Erie! See Erie’s jewel in all its glory with our guided tour of Presque Isle State Park and enjoy a cookout luncheon. Next visit the Erie’s Maritime Museum – Step back in time to the 1800’s where battles were fought on waters for territories. Learn about the war of 1812 and Erie’s part in history.
Say goodbye to your guide and depart for Drury Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood in Ohio, in time for the 5:30 Kickback!
DAY 2: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
After Breakfast depart for Bay City in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region, a nautical city along the Lake Huron coast. Lunch included before our visit to the U.S.S. Edson – Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum – was a Forrest Sherman class destroyer of the United States Navy, during the Vietnam Era.
Depart for Thunder Bay Resort, a family run resort experience, offering the beauty of Northern Michigan. This evening step back in time as you board a horse drawn carriage that takes you over the Thunder Bay River and into the woods to see the magnificent elk. Enjoy the scenery, the smell of pine, as the horses make their way to the beautiful Elk Antler Log Cabin. A blazing fire in a massive split stone fireplace welcomes you to warm yourself by the fire and savor the delicious aromas put forth by the twin antique wood cook stoves as staff prepares your gourmet meal. Dinner Includes: Pear & Apple Crepe, Shrimp Cocktail, Jan’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Thunder Bay Sweet Napa Salad and Croissant, Crown Roast of Pork with Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, and White Chocolate Mousse Filled Pizzelles with Fresh Raspberries.
DAY 3: Thursday, June 6, 2024
After Breakfast depart for Thunder Bay Maritime Heritage Center – Board a glass bottom boat and explore the shipwrecks of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The crystal-clear waters and large ‘glass bottom’ viewing wells allow you to dive the wrecks – without getting wet. Learn the exciting tales of many famous ships and the history, legends, and lore of Lake Huron. Lunch today is Pizza and Salad catered to the Thunder Bay Marine Heritage Center.
Depart for Mackinaw City to board our ferry to Mackinac Island – As you step upon the island you will feel like you have stepped back in time. Horse drawn vehicles transport everything from supplies for business on the island to passengers. The horse-drawn carriage will transport you to the Grand Hotel. Upon arrival at the Grand Hotel, you will be met by Grand Hotel staff for an orientation and to receive your keys at the Grand Hotel. Dinner is included at the Grand Hotel. Music each evening and dancing with Alex Graham and the Grand Hotel Orchestra in the Terrace Room.
Dress code at the Grand Hotel: Because every evening at Grand Hotel is a special occasion, after 6:30 PM in main areas of the hotel dresses, skirts, blouses, dress sweaters, and dress slacks for ladies are preferred, while gentlemen are required to wear a suit or sport coat, necktie, and dress pants (no denim or shorts). This applies for all areas inside the hotel including the Parlor, Lobby, Terrace, and Main Dining Room, with the except for the Cupola Bar.
DAY 4: Friday, June 7, 2024
Breakfast is included at the Grand Hotel. After checkout, Board a carriage for a tour of the island. For anyone who has seen the movie “Somewhere in Time” there will be moments of déjà vu during the tour of this picturesque island. Following the carriage tour, time is allowed for lunch on own and shopping in downtown Mackinac Island. Then we will all board the ferry for the mainland to board our coach and depart for Sault St. Marie, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Arrive Original Soo Locks Boat Tours and enjoy a cruise through the Soo Locks. Experience “locking through” from Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Following the cruise through the locks, dinner is included at Antler’s Restaurant.
They are known for their rustic surroundings and animal mounts throughout the restaurant.
After dinner, check into The Hotel Ojibway, Trademark Collection by Wyndham Sault Ste. Marie
DAY 5: Saturday, June 8, 2024
Continental Breakfast at your hotel. Checkout and depart for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. Learn about the perils of maritime transport on the Great Lakes at the Whitefish Point Light Station. The museum features a variety of nautical exhibits and artifacts from sunken ships. The bell of the famous steamer Edmund Fitzgerald is on display and serves as a memorial to her crew. A box lunch is included at the Museum.
Depart for Munising, Michigan
Arrive Pictured Rocks Cruises – Enjoy a unique two-hour Pictured Rock Cruise along the shores of Lake Superior and view brilliantly colored cliffs, sea caves, and pristine beaches. Lovers Leap, Indian Head, Miners Castle, and Chapel Rock are just a few of the natural landmarks seen on the coastline of Pictured Rocks National Park. We will also have an opportunity to view large Great Lakes freighters as they traverse the Lake Superior straights. If the cruise is not available due to weather, a step on guide will do a tour from land to overlooks where you can see the Pictured Rocks.
Return to the dock and depart for the Bear Trap Inn for dinner. Then check into the AmericInn by Wyndham.
DAY 6: Sunday, June 9, 2024
After breakfast at your hotel, we checkout and depart for Lakenenland Sculpture Park in Marquette, MI – is the creation of sculptures built from scrap iron. Ironworker Tom Lakenen populated his 37-acre park with more than 80 remarkable sculptures, His Metal Art sculptures showcase his tremendous talent for turning junk metal and scrap iron into awe inspiring, entertaining works of art. Depart for Escanaba Visitor Center – This unique Visitor Center houses two of the area’s museums.
Webster Marble: Inventing the Outdoors Museum– discover how Webster Marble and his colleagues set the standard for knives, axes, match safes, fish gaffs, Game Getter guns and more for millions of outdoor enthusiasts. Renowned explorers from Robert Peary to Teddy Roosevelt and Charles Lindbergh depended on Marble products’ absolute reliability during their adventures.
U.P. Military Museum– As you explore this collection of artifacts of all major wars, starting with the U.S. Civil War, the memorabilia, letters home and diaries will stir your heart. Learn about hardships in the trenches of WWI, the dogs that crawled from trench to trench to deliver vital communications, about the Fly Girls who were test pilots of new planes during WWII, the amazing rescue of 2,000 citizens from a Japanese internment camp in Manila, including two nuns from the U.P., and many more stories that remember what we never should forget.
Depart with you guide for a mini-tour of Escanaba and learn about its past history on Lake Michigan and its plans for the future. The tour ends for a Pasty lunch, Michigan’s ‘Yooper Cuisine. The pasty’s prevalence is linked to an early 1800s rush to mine copper deposits in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The resulting onslaught of laborers from Cornwall, England, brought over the pasty. After lunch relax and enjoy the view or visit the Sandpoint Lighthouse.
Depart for Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and the Peshtigo Fire Museum
CHANGE TO CENTRAL STANDARD TIME
The Peshtigo Fire Museum preserves the heritage of the deadliest fire in the United States which destroyed the city of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and surrounding area on October 8, 1871, killing an estimated 2,000 people. Depart for Door County, Wisconsin and check into the Open Hearth Lodge, Sister Bay, WI. Dinner is included at the resort.
DAY 7: Monday, June 10, 2025
Breakfast included at the resort followed by a Tour of Door County today and a Door County Fish Boil Dinner this evening.
DAY 8: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Breakfast at the hotel before checking out and departing for Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Arrive at noon to meet our guide for a tour of Milwaukee that will immerse your bellies and minds in the ethnic history and cuisine of Milwaukee. Start at the West Allis Cheese Mart for cheese, sausage and beer to kick off your tour. Next, a photo stop will be made at the Milwaukee Art Museum to see the iconic white suspension bridge and Burke Brise Soleil meant to represent the sails of a Viking ship, learn about the North Point Lighthouse. Stop for an entree at Mader’s Restaurant and enjoy shopping time on Milwaukee’s most German street. Visit the Pabst Mansion and toast to one of the most famous Milwaukeeans, Captain Pabst! The tour concludes with a custard dessert.
Overnight at the Drury Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Downtown and enjoy the Drury “Kickback.”
Day 9: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Breakfast is included at the resort before checking out and enjoying a morning visit to a Magical Place!
The Sanfilippo Place de la Musique Estate – is known for its magnificent collections of beautifully restored antique music machines, phonographs, arcade and gambling machines, chandeliers, art glass, the world’s largest restored theatre pipe organ, the most spectacular European salon carousel in existence, street and tower clocks, steam engines and other functional mechanical antiques. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-NKpikmlN0.
After our tour we depart for Rossford, Ohio
CHANGE TO EASTERN STANDARD TIME
Arrive Courtyard by Marriott Toledo Rossford/Perrysburg, Ohio. Dinner on your own this evening.
DAY 10: Thursday, June 13, 2024
Breakfast is included at the hotel before departing for home.
PRICE PER PERSON: Single $4,000 | Double $3,250 | Triple $3,075 | Quad $2,945
