Circle Lake Michigan

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Day 1 – Home to Green Bay, WI

Get to know your new traveling companions this morning as we depart and travel through the rolling hills of Wisconsin to Green Bay, with lunch and coffee stops along the way. An included dinner is planned tonight.

Included Meals: Dinner

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 2 – Green Bay to Escanaba, WI

After breakfast at the hotel, a local guide joins us for a city tour of Green Bay. A highlight will be touring Lambeau Field Stadium where we’ll be guided through the Atrium, to one of the private suites, and through the players tunnel. Feel the indomitable spirit and impassioned energy that makes the Packers and Lambeau Field so endearing. Lunch will be at the Stadium View Restaurant only blocks away. Then we depart for the National Railroad Museum, situated on 33 acres along the scenic Fox River. The collection we’ll find here serves as a stunning reminder of America’s past, and the role that rail played in forging our nation. We’ll then head to Escanaba, check into our hotel and freshen up for dinner at the House of Ludington.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Best Western Pioneer Inn

Day 3 – Escanaba to Petoskey, MI

Breakfast is served at the hotel before we depart, making our way along the north side of stunning Lake Michigan. Then turning south, we cross over the 26,372 ft. Mackinac Bridge, also known as “Mighty Mac.” A stop is planned at Cross in the Woods where we’ll view a massive bronze sculpture of the crucified Christ as well as other statues before we make our way to downtown Petoskey. Enjoy strolling through the charming, historic Gaslight District, 10 walkable blocks of unique shops, providing the perfect chance to find a café for lunch. Be sure to save room – we’re touring Kilwins, where chocolates, caramels, fudges, caramel apples, corns, brittles, and taffies abound! After we’ve satisfied our sweet tooth, we’re off on a guided tour of the area’s spectacular natural beauty and charm. A special dinner is served tonight at Stafford’s Pier Restaurant at the historic Perry Hotel, built right on the waterfront in 1899. Our accommodations for the evening is the Crooked River Lodge, nestled on the picturesque Crooked River on the historic Inland Waterway!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Crooked River Lodge 

Day 4 – Petoskey to Traverse City, MI

Depart after breakfast along the coast to beautiful Charlevoix, where a step-on guide will join us, bringing this dynamic area to life. Visiting Castle Farms is sure to be a highlight of our Circle Lake Michigan tour! Built in 1918 by Albert Loeb, acting President of Sears, Roebuck, & Co., “Loeb Farms” was home to prize-winning Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Experience the magnificent soaring stone towers & majestic stone walls, the romantic courtyards, sweeping gardens, and a delightful lunch at “the happiest castle in America!” This afternoon we have the opportunity to see unobstructed views of downtown Charlevoix when we board the Keweenaw Star for a lovely and informative sightseeing cruise. We’ll sail through Round Lake, Lake Charlevoix and into Lake Michigan – it will be breathtaking! Back on land, we travel to Traverse City for a two night stay right on the waterfront where the beach awaits!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Cherry Tree Inn (2 Nights) 

Day 5 – Traverse City

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then our day of exploring picturesque northern Michigan begins. First we’ll visit the Music House Museum, home to an internationally recognized collection of automated musical instruments displayed in century-old farm buildings. We’ll marvel at the treasures found here! Lunch is planned on the shores of beautiful Bowers Harbor at the Boathouse Restaurant. After lunch we head to Chateau Chantal, a lovely European style winery & vineyard located on a 65-acre estate on Old Mission Peninsula. Enjoy strolling through the estate grounds and a taste or two of their fine wine. Our day is about to get even better when we set aboard the 114’ tall ship Manitou, a replica of a 1800s “coasting” cargo schooner. There is plenty of space for us to sit and move around the decks while this stately vessel plies the waters of West Arm Grand Traverse Bay. What an adventure!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 6 – Traverse Bay to Michigan City, IN

After breakfast we’ll continue our circle around Lake Michigan as we travel south through Ludington. We’ll stop in Grand Rapids with lunch on our own before we visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Ford was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977. Enjoy learning about his life and presidency as well as about the First Lady, Betty Ford. Then we board our luxury motorcoach and travel to the south end of Lake Michigan to Michigan City for the night.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Blue Chip Casino

Day 7 – Michigan City to Pleasant Prairie, WI

After breakfast at the hotel we head out for a special planned tour. By lunch time we will be strolling historic Navy Pier, Chicago’s lakefront playground. Lunch is on our own to choose from a variety of restaurants on the pier. This afternoon we tour historic Kemper Center, comprising of 17.5 acres of landscaped grounds along Lake Michigan, and home to the Durkee Mansion, Anderson Arts Center, Kemper Chapel, and more. The Kemper Center had its beginning in 1861 as the private home of US Senator Charles Durkee. It then became Kemper Hall, a woman’s boarding school that had its 100th graduating class before it became the non-profit corporation and county park it is today.

Included Meals: Breakfast 

Hotel: Country Inn & Suites 

Day 8 – Pleasant Prairie to Sheboygan, WI

Following breakfast at the hotel, sweet sensations and a world of delight await us at the Jelly Belly Visitor Center where we’ll step onboard the Jelly Belly Express Train for a lively & informative warehouse tour. And yes, the sample bar awaits, where we can try each and every flavor they make – be sure to mix a few flavors together for a colorful & tasty recipe! As we travel north along Lake Michigan, we’ll make a stop at the 108’ Wind Pointe Lighthouse, constructed in 1880. A special German lunch is planned at Mader’s in Milwaukee. The Presidents, legends, and celebrities who have dined here will amaze us! Enjoy a fascinating city tour of Milwaukee this afternoon. We’ll continue north to the port city of Sheboygan for a farewell dinner and our last overnight at the Blue Harbor Resort, a truly unforgettable lakeside retreat!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Blue Harbor Resort

Day 9 – Sheboygan to Home

After breakfast we’ll head to Kohler for their “Industry in Action” factory tour. As guests, we’ll receive an intimate glimpse of everything from vitreous china lavatories to the production of massive 6-foot cast iron tubs. Following this interesting tour we’ll continue north to complete our circle around Lake Michigan, finishing in Green Bay before traveling westward, recalling wonderful memories of circling Lake Michigan!

Included Meals: Breakfast