Mackinac Island & the Great Lakes (NM)

8 Day Tour from Detroit to Chicago

2026 Tour Details View 2027 Tour Details »

Experience life in the fast and slow lanes as you venture to where the automobile was born and also visit 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 to explore where past inventions have fueled the imagination of today’s innovations. 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, coastal resort of Petoskey, and faster-paced cities of Grand Rapids and Chicago. PLUS, your tour includes your choice of excursions in Grand Rapids so you can plan your day your way.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Select Globus 2021 North America tours are limited to an average of just 24 guests per tour. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus North America tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery Europe vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

Special Features Included in this Tour:
• Tour the Henry Ford Museum
• Visit Frankenmuth and Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland
• Ferry to Mackinac Island
• Horse and carriage ride for Mackinac’s famed Grand Hotel
• Drive the Tunnel of Trees
• Guided sightseeing in Charlevoix
• Visit Petoskey and Traverse City
• Globus Choice excursion in Grand Rapids – included in your tour with your choice of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum or Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
• Guided sightseeing in Chicago
• Special overnight stays at the original hotel in Mackinac Island, the Island House and the historic Palmer House in Chicago

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.268.3636

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Notes:

• Guests should be prepared for easy but sustained walking throughout the tour, including ¼-½ mile over uneven ground during select days of sightseeing.
• Guests with mobility concerns may experience uneven or wet surfaces specifically for ferry loading and unloading, and limited access to passenger amenities on board certain vessels.

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Welcome to Michigan! At 6 pm, meet your fellow travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming journey.

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Day 2 DETROIT–FRANKENMUTH

American Ingenuity Visit the Henry Ford Museum, the ultimate place to experience America’s past and present. See the world’s premier automotive exhibition, the JFK Presidential Limousine, an original camp bed used by George Washington, and the Rosa Parks Bus. Continue to Frankenmuth, founded by German immigrants in 1845. This evening, enjoy an authentic Bavarian dinner to experience German cuisine and a wine tasting.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Be greeted with a hearty “Willkommen!” in Frankenmuth’s Little Bavaria. You’ll be treated to a tasting of authentic German wine, cheese, and crackers, followed by a traditional family-style dinner. Indulge in German cuisine, including Rippchen, sauerbraten, bratwurst, special Frankenmuth chicken, and homemade breads and preserves. Guten Appetit!

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Breakfast

Dinner

Day 3 FRANKENMUTH–MACKINAC ISLAND

Magical Mackinac Visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, a one-stop shop for everything Christmas. Leave the motorcoach behind and take a ferry on Lake Huron to beautiful Mackinac Island. Upon arrival in Mackinac Island, ride in a horse-drawn carriage to the Island House Hotel for a two-night stay. Since the Civil War, the island has been one of the nation’s most favored summer resorts. Enjoy this special place with its air of 19th-century gentility and historic charm, where bicycles and horse-drawn carriages are the only means of transportation.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Spend time relaxing and rocking on the porch at the Island House Hotel, listening to sailboats glide into the harbor and watching the sun set on the horizon. The Island House Hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and a State of Michigan landmark, with modern amenities, a tranquil outdoor garden restaurant, and an ideal location on the waterfront and a short walk from downtown.

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Breakfast

Day 4 MACKINAC ISLAND

Somewhere in Time This morning is at leisure. Rent a bicycle to explore on your own, visit Fort Mackinac, or sample some of the island’s famous fudge. Travel by horse and carriage for lunch at the elegant Grand Hotel. After lunch, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage tour of this celebrated island. See the Avenue of Flags, the Governor’s Mansion, and enjoy a stop at Arch Rock, one of the most photographed spots on the island.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HERITAGE & TRADITION Horse-drawn carriages. Sitting in a rocking chair on the world’s longest porch with views of the Straits of Mackinac. The historic Grand Hotel served as a summer getaway for celebrities, such as Mark Twain, Jimmy Durante, Christopher Reeve, and five U.S. presidents since its opening in 1887. This stately retreat continues today in the style of a bygone era of old-world hospitality and charm.

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Breakfast

Lunch

Day 5 MACKINAC ISLAND–MACKINAW CITY–CHARLEVOIX–PETOSKEY

Great Lake Michigan Depart by ferry from Mackinac Island, returning to mainland Michigan. Visit Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse State Park, a guiding beacon for ships since 1889. Stop at the historic Legs Inn for incredible views of Lake Michigan. Learn about the inn’s fascinating history and sample traditional Polish specialties. Drive the Tunnel of Trees scenic route to Charlevoix, where a sightseeing tour with a Local Guide introduces you to the city’s Victorian summer resorts and “Mushroom Houses.” Continue to your historic hotel in Petoskey, perched high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan for dinner and an overnight stay.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Visit Legs Inn - a captivating setting on Lake Michigan – tempting travel-lovers for generations. Founded by Stanley Smolak, a Polish immigrant who creatively worked on the inn using local timber and stone with local “Odawa” Ottawa Native American craftsmen. Sample authentic Polish cuisine such as kielbasa, whitefish, pierogi, and berry szarlotka (crumble cake) while taking in the artisan carvings and unique décor.

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Breakfast

Dinner

Day 6 PETOSKEY–TRAVERSE CITY–GRAND RAPIDS

Spend your day your way in Grand Rapids This morning, travel to Traverse City, located on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Enjoy free time in the historic downtown with waterfront views and award-winning dining for lunch on your own before continuing to Grand Rapids. Explore more of Grand Rapids with your choice of included Globus Choice excursions.

GREEN THUMBS IN GRAND RAPIDS

Visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park with a guided trolley ride around grounds. Stroll the sculpture park and botanical gardens for a closer look at the extensive gardens and more than 200 outdoor art displays. In addition to displays native to the Midwest, the international gardens include a tranquil Japanese garden, English perennial garden, and more than 500 species from five continents in the park's lush tropical conservatory.

PRESIDENTIAL STYLE

Explore the Gerald R. Ford Museum, a tribute to the 38th president of the United States. Discover stories about Grand Rapids' favorite son through exhibits that include a replica of the Oval Office and a multimedia re-creation of the 1944 typhoon that almost swept a young Jerry Ford off the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier! Browse mementos and memorabilia highlighting the life and times of President Ford and, inspirational First Lady Betty Ford.

This evening, explore the nightlife and dining options in Michigan’s second largest city, Grand Rapids..

GRAND-RAPIDS

Breakfast

Day 7 GRAND RAPIDS–CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Windy City Sights & Sweets Travel through Indiana to Chicago for a sightseeing tour of the “Windy City.” Join your Tour Director and travel companions for a farewell lunch. Enjoy an overnight stay at the historic Palmer House Hilton.

LOCAL FAVORITE
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Experience the historic and elegant Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. With an interesting history ranging from the love story that built the hotel, a friendship with Claude Monet that influenced the decor, the invention of a sweet confection, and the long list of celebrity guests like Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and more. This is a stay to remember!

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CANDY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Following the invention of the brownie by the Palmer House hotel for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, European immigrants with an entrepreneurial spirit followed suit in the late 18th century to grow a booming candy industry in Chicago. So began America’s love affair with countless classic candies still loved today, from Baby Ruth to Cracker Jack.

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Breakfast

Lunch

Day 8 CHICAGO

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. Want to explore more of Chicago? Extra nights are available for purchase.

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Breakfast

Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

SUSANNAH JONES

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“Travel, food, music, and laughter bring people together. There is nothing like seeing faces with bright smiles when they taste a local delicacy, hear live regional music, and make lifelong friends while traveling together. I was raised in the South, lived in Germany, and taught Middle School all before beginning my second career as a Tour Director. I love the joy of making unforgettable experiences for guests from East to West. There are the majestic sights of national parks in Yosemite, the surreal landscape of Yellowstone, the haunting beauty of our Wetlands, and the bluish-green hues of the Shenandoah Valley. Tasting Peanut soup, beignets, and Fry Bread lets you taste local culture. Traveling will change you for the better!”

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

Grand Rapids

GREEN THUMBS IN GRAND RAPIDS

Price Range: $

PRESIDENTIAL STYLE

Price Range: $

The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.

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