About the tour
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 and an overnight at the elegant Dearborn Inn, built by Ford on the lush former grounds of the Ford Motor Company. 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.
Meals
Accommodation
The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel or Similar
1 night(s) in Dearborn
Bavarian Inn Lodge or Similar
1 night(s) in Frankenmuth
Island House Hotel or Similar
2 night(s) in Mackinac Island
Stafford's Perry Hotel or Similar
1 night(s) in Petoskey
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton or Similar
1 night(s) in Grand Rapids
Palmer House a Hilton Hotel or Similar
1 night(s) in Chicago
Included in the price
Dearborn
- We’ve prepared everything you need for the perfect vacation—from hand-selected hotels to expert Local Guides and included VIP sightseeing access to the world’s iconic sites. Your Globus Tour Director is always there to help you make the most out of your free time!
Dearborn
- We’ve prepared everything you need for the perfect vacation—from hand-selected hotels to expert Local Guides and included VIP sightseeing access to the world’s iconic sites. Your Globus Tour Director is always there to help you make the most out of your free time!
Day-wise Itinerary
ExpandDay 1: Arrive In Detroit/dearborn
Welcome to the Michigan! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome drink.
Day 2: Dearborn–frankenmuth
DEARBORN Visit the Henry Ford Museum. FRANKENMUTH Free time this afternoon, followed by an authentic [LF] Bavarian dinner and wine tasting. (B,D)
Day 3: Frankenmuth–mackinac Island
FRANKENMUTH Visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. Scenic ferry ride to Mackinac Island. MACKINAC ISLAND Horse-drawn carriage ride from the ferry to your hotel. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B) ENHANCE YOUR FREE TIME in Mackinac Island with a bicycle ride through town. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.
Day 4: Mackinac Island
MACKINAC ISLAND Free time this morning before a horse-drawn carriage ride to the Grand Hotel for a guided tour and lunch. Carriage tour of the island includes Avenue of Flags, the Governor’s Mansion, and Arch Rock. Free time this evening. (B,L)
Day 5: Mackinac Island–mackinaw City–petoskey
MACKINAC ISLAND Scenic ferry ride to the mainland. MACKINAW CITY Visit to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse State Park. Visit Legs Inn on Lake Michigan and sample [LF] local specialties. Scenic drive through the Tunnel of Trees en route to Petoskey. PETOSKEY Free time this evening. (B)
Day 6: Petoskey–charlevoix–traverse City–grand Rapids
PETOSKEY Free time this morning. CHARLEVOIX Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes Victorian summer resorts and “Mushroom” Houses. TRAVERSE CITY Free time for lunch and shopping. GRAND RAPIDS Visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum. Free time this evening. (B)
Day 7: Grand Rapids–chicago
GRAND RAPIDS Drive through Indiana en route to Chicago. CHICAGO Guided sightseeing tour, followed by free time this afternoon. Farewell dinner this evening at your hotel, the Palmer House Hilton, includes a [LF] private presentation on the hotel’s history and a sample of the famous dessert invented here. A member of the Historic Hotels of America and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Palmer House hosted notable guests such as Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Sarah Bernhardt, to name a few! Considered the longest continually operating hotel in America, it was also Chicago’s first hotel to have electric lights, phones, and elevators. (B,D)
Day 8: Chicago
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
