Circle Lake Michigan

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Don’t forget about the best highlight of all – lovely Lake Michigan! 

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: Hilton Garden Inn 

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 is included before 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 before you enjoy a quiet dinner on your own.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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 the beautifully charming Crooked River Lodge, nestled on the picturesque Crooked River on the historic Inland Waterway! After dinner stroll the grounds, take in a canoe ride on the river or just sit & relax by the firepit.

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: Grand Beach Resort (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 or 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 Benton Harbor, MI

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 Benton Harbor/St. Joseph for the night.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Comfort Inn & Suites

Day 7 – Benton Harbor to Pleasant Prairie, WI

After breakfast at the hotel we head to the big city of Chicago where we will have a step-on guide show us all there is to know about this amazing city. 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 say one last goodbye to Lake Michigan as we board our coach & head west towards home. We have two more stops on the way: The Rudolph Grotto Gardens where there are over 5 acres of gorgeous gardens, bright with flowers, plants & trees as well as shrines that provide a spiritual setting where one can spend quiet moments contemplating the wonders of God & his Creation. Enjoy an included lunch at the church on the grounds. Before we leave Rudolph – a must stop is the Wisconsin State Cheese Factory, where you can sample & shop Wisconsin’s largest assortment of cheeses.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch