Day 1: Saturday, September 17, 2022
Arrive Courtyard by Marriott Toledo Ohio, our first overnight stay
Day 2: Sunday, September 18, 2022
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
Depart the hotel and travel to Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, a unique collection that span the 70-year career of Detroit-based public sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks (1908-1998).
Depart for Sault Ste. Marie, MI and cruise the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours – Experience “locking through” from Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Get a close up view as you cruise alongside giant lake freighters & ocean vessels.
Dinner is included at Antlers Restaurant. A plated meal includes a choice of Slow Roasted Prime Rib or Broiled White Fish served with a non-alcoholic beverage, tossed salad, fresh bread, baked potato, and garden vegetables.
Lodging for the next two nights at the Hotel Ojibway overlooking the Soo Locks, a historical landmark in Sault Ste. Marie. It first opened its doors for business on New Year’s Eve in 1927. Its Egyptian architectural design, décor, amenities, and exceptional service gained national interest and attracted many famous guests.
Day 3: Monday, September 19, 2022 **Passport and Vaccine card needed to enter Canada**
Due to the early departure, the hotel will provide a grab and go breakfast that you can enjoy on the motorcoach or train.
Depart for the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, board one of the most popular train tours in North America. This one-day wilderness excursion will transport you 114 miles north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, over towering trestles, alongside pristine northern lakes, and rivers and through the awesome granite rock formations and vast mixed forests of the Canadian Shield.
As the train winds its way through this immense land, a GPS triggered commentary will share some of the rich history of the region with stories of the Ojibway, fur traders, explorers and entrepreneurs that pioneered this vast wilderness and called it home.
Just when you thought you’d experienced it all, the train will begin its descent into the canyon at Mile 102 and as the rail line hugs the top of the canyon wall you will travel down 500 feet over the next 10 miles to the floor of the Agawa Canyon, created over 1.2 billion years ago by faulting and widened and reshaped by the last ice-age that retreated 10,000 years ago. As the train pulls to a stop at Mile 114, you will have an hour and a half to experience the pristine beauty of Canyon Park up close. Enjoy scenic walks on graveled trails leading to several waterfalls or experience an invigorating climb up over 300 stairs to the breathtaking Lookout, perched 250 feet above the canyon floor. For those who are looking for something a little more relaxing, enjoy a peaceful lunch in the many picnic areas throughout the park or just pull up a bench and watch the Agawa River flow peacefully by. There will be a boxed lunch included today.
Return to the Hotel Ojibway. Dinner is on own this evening. There is a restaurant in the hotel and several restaurants around the hotel.
Day 4: Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
This morning after check out, you will visit the Soo Locks Visitor Center. Exhibits help visitors learn more about how the locks work, the boats that pass through and the role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Great Lakes.
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. See the Whitefish Point Light Tower, in continuous operation for 155 years. It is the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior. With more than 200 shipwrecks lying in the immediate vicinity, the area is known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. The museum features a 15-minute movie, 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. Box lunch included.
Depart the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum for Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Meet your Park Interpreter to view the Tahquamenon River cascade over the Falls, sending 40,000 gallons of water down a 50-foot vertical drop every second. The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls this side of the Mississippi in the United States. (Niagara–shared with Canada–is the largest.) Your guide will discuss park history, local wildlife, forest ecology and the Tahquamenon River at stops along the walk.
Depart for Munising, MI for overnight stay and Dinner at Dogpatch Restaurant.
After dinner 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. You 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 on the motorcoach to overlooks where you can see the Pictured Rocks.
Day 5: Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
Depart for St. Ignace to board the 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 to guest on the island.
Lunch is included at the Grand Hotel. Take some time to relax on the hotel’s porch. At 660 feet, the Grand Hotel’s Front Porch is the world’s largest and has one of the most spectacular views of the straits.
After lunch, 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.
Accommodations tonight are at the Bicycle Street Inn. located on Main Street in the center of downtown Mackinac Island, Bicycle Street Inn blends perfectly with the Victorian character of Main Street, while offering all the modern interior touches. The evening is free for you to explore this unique island at your leisure.
DAY 6: Thursday, September 22, 2022
A continental breakfast is included at the hotel.
Morning free to continue exploring the Island. Be sure to taste some of the famous Mackinac Island fudge and take some home to your friends and family.
Time to say goodbye to the lovely Mackinac Island and board our ferry to Mackinaw City, MI.
Depart for Thunder Bay Resort. This family run resort offers the beauty of Northern Michigan combined with an experience you will soon not forget!
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 at Thunder Bay Resort. Enjoy the scenery, the smell of pine, and the ever-changing face of the Thunder Bay River as the horses make their way deep in the woods to the beautiful Elk Antler Log Cabin. A blazing fire in a massive split stone fireplace welcomes you. Wonderful aromas mix with the scent of hardwood smoke and emanate from two antique wood cook stoves in full view. This elegant cabin maintains its rustic appearance while providing every amenity. Warm yourself by the fire and savor the delicious aromas from your gourmet meal being prepared. Throughout your dinner, sample wines from nearby Wineries as servers see to your every need.
Your Gourmet 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 7: Friday, September 23, 2022
Breakfast is included in the Clubhouse Grille.
After check out we depart for Fairview Organic Maple Sugar Farm. Take a short stroll through the Sugar Bush and see the original Sugar Shack built in the early 1900’s by the Amish family that settled the land. Learn about the modern techniques used to tap over 2,500 Maple Trees with tubing and vacuum. Then sample one of Judy’s Maple Syrup Cookies.
Depart for the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House on the shore of Lake St. Clair. The house became the residence of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford family in 1929. The tour begins with a video that provides an historic overview of the Ford family. Knowledgeable guides will lead you on a tour of the home to discover its stories and spectacular treasures.
Dinner is included in Detroit followed by a mini tour of the city before continuing to our overnight in Toledo. Learn why Detroit is called the “Come Back City”.
Day 8: Saturday, September 24, 2022
Breakfast is included at the hotel before departing for home.
PRICE PER PERSON: Single $2665 | Double $2155 | Triple $1980 | Quad $1915
