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Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island

5.0/5 Based on 1 Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Travel Advisor
Fully Guided Coach Group Scenic
Our Price From 7,090 Per Person
 Trip Length
8 Days
 Trip Starts
Traverse City
 Trip Finishes
Detroit
8 Day Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island Itinerary (Tauck)
Countries Explored: USA
Trip Operator
Trip Style
Land Tour
Departures
Accommodation
4.5 - 5 Star
Max. Group Size
44
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
MI

Overview

Read reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on Tauck's 8 Day Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island. Explore Michigan, a region famed for its 11,000 inland lakes and 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, featuring two-night stays at the world-famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island and the award-winning Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Itinerary

Tour begins: 5:15 PM, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. A transfer is included from the Cherry Capital Airport to the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City, set amidst 900 acres of lush landscapes. Tauck has reserved Tower Rooms for your two nights at this great resort, named among the top 50 domestic destinations by Condé Nast Traveler. Join us tonight for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner. Stay Two Nights: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa (D)

You might be surprised to learn on your Michigan tour that the state's western coast is a land of vineyards and sandy beaches as well as really impressive sand dunes. This morning you'll see some of the spectacular Lake Michigan shoreline as you travel along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; ranging in color from the palest champagne to vibrant sienna, the constantly shifting dunes can be as high as 400 feet!

This afternoon, board the 114-foot schooner Manitou for a private tall ship cruise on the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay. Wind up a great day with a winery tour and wine-pairing dinner at Chateau Chantal Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula in Grand Traverse Bay. (B/D)

On your first stop today, music fills the air at the Music House Museum, displaying rare antique musical instruments and music-making machines from between 1870 and 1930; feel free to hum along during your visit! Then wind your way along the shoreline of beautiful Grand Traverse Bay as your Michigan tour continues toward the historic Straits of Mackinac; this strip of water connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron saw both booming commerce and some pretty spirited conflicts during the active fur-trading era of centuries ago.

Stop in quaint Petoskey for lunch en route to Mackinaw City, from which a ferry carries you across the strategically important straits to historic Mackinac Island, where no cars are allowed... so you'll ride a horse-drawn carriage to your accommodation at the world-famous Grand Hotel, among the most celebrated hotels in America! This stately hotel's front porch, reputed to be the longest of its kind when it was built in 1887, is still a very popular gathering place for guests and local residents alike. Stay Two Nights: Grand Hotel (B/L/D)

The tiny treasure known as Mackinac (pronounced "Mackinaw") Island remains much as it was when the first Europeans settled the island centuries ago. Folks get around here by foot, by bicycle or by horse... because motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. Although the year-round human population is only about 600 residents, the horse population can be as high as 500 during the summer months! A sightseeing tour by horse-drawn carriage reveals all that is magical about Mackinac Island and is sure to be a highlight of your Michigan tour.

You'll see Fort Mackinac, built by the British to guard the Straits of Mackinac during the American Revolution, as well as "downtown" Mackinac Island with many historic homes and grand Victorian cottages. You'll also learn more about your celebrated hotel at a presentation by a local resident historian who shares unique anecdotes about this famous landmark. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the island as you please; you're bound to discover things that capture your interest. (B/D)

Leaving peaceful Mackinac Island behind via ferry to the mainland, continue on to Midland, where you'll explore the home and studio of noted 20th-century architect Alden B. Dow, son of the founder of the Dow Chemical Company, who was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Dow's innovative use of geometric planes, angles and landscaping elements to integrate his home into its natural surroundings has earned the home the designation as a National Historic Landmark. Arrive late afternoon at your riverfront hotel in Bay City, where you'll have dinner at your leisure this evening. Stay: Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Bay City – Riverfront (B/L/D)

You might think you've landed in Bavaria today when you visit the little village of Frankenmuth, founded by German pioneers in the 1840s, for lunch and some free time to poke around.

Continue on to Dearborn, a city instrumental in America's automobile culture, where a guided visit to The Henry Ford is a fascinating, "must-do" experience on any Michigan tour. Historic trains, automobiles, airplanes and more help illustrate the American experience of progress and innovation between 1800 and 1950 – along with Dymaxion House, created by R. Buckminster Fuller; and the homes and workplaces of ground-breaking innovators such as Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Harvey Firestone.

Tonight you'll begin a two-night stay at The Henry, Autograph Collection located just steps away from both Fairlane Town Center and the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, putting you in the center of this premier city. During dinner at the hotel tonight, enjoy a Tauck Exclusive – a private Motown musical performance by a live band. Stay Two Nights: The Henry, Autograph Collection (B/L/D)

Begin the day with a look at a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing facility when you take the impressive Ford Rouge Factory Tour in Dearborn, connecting the innovation of the past with the technology of the present and future. Then head to Detroit, where a city orientation tour introduces you to the "Motor City," historic home to the American automobile industry; see the Renaissance Center, Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers), the Fox Theatre and more.

Return to Dearborn, where the afternoon is free for your own further exploration and discovery amidst the living history and Americana of Greenfield Village; in true Tauck Style, when you take an included spin in a Model T, you won't have to pay for the gas! Please join us at our farewell cocktail reception and dinner this evening, and enjoy the opportunity to share your memories of your Michigan tour with those who shared the adventure with you. (B/D)

Tour ends: Detroit. Fly home anytime. A transfer from The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel to Detroit Metro Airport is included. Please allow two hours for flight check-in. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Private live Motown band performance during dinner in Dearborn
  • Two nights in Tower Rooms at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, set on 900 scenic acres
  • Wine-pairing dinner at Chateau Chantal winery on the Old Mission Peninsula
  • Private horse-drawn carriage tour of Mackinac Island
  • A private presentation by a local historian during a two-night stay at the legendary Grand Hotel
  • Ford Rouge Factory Tour of state-of-the-art production facilities
  • Private tall ship sailing aboard the Manitou on Grand Traverse Bay
  • Guided visit including a ride aboard a vintage Model T at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn

  • City orientation tour of Detroit
  • Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
  • Service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage

  • 17 included meals (7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners)

  • Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
  • Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.

Trip Reviews (1) Most Recent 'Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island' Reviews

5.0
AVG. RATING 5.0 / 5
1 Review
5 Star
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Best of the best 10 , VIC, Australia, Jul 2017
Loved the pace of the trip and the fact that it was a small group meant we got to know everyone very well by the end of the 8 days. Highlights were Mackinac Island and the Grand hotel especially on Independence Day with the patriotism and fireworks and superb cuisine at the hotel. Hard to believe the dining room can it 1000. The Henry Ford museum was ...read more another highlight as was the tall ship in Lake Michigan that we boarded and enjoyed the air show right from the deck.
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Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Tauck. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Tauck. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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