Awaken Travel Club | 2027 Tour Pick #3
Mackinac Island
Chicago, the Grand Hotel & the Great Lakes
Length
9 days, 8 nights
Starts
Chicago, Illinois
Ends
Detroit, Michigan
Hosted by
Cindi Sanden & Denise Karnes
Mackinac Island feels like stepping back a hundred years. There are no cars, just horses, bicycles and the famous fudge shops, and we spend two nights at the Grand Hotel, rocking on its long white porch above the water.
The trip starts in Chicago and ends in Detroit, with gardens in Grand Rapids, a Prohibition-era history tour, the Henry Ford Museum, and a farewell dinner with the sounds of Motown along the way. It is a gentle pace, perfect for a fall getaway.
Day by Day
Day
1
Chicago, Illinois
Arrive in Chicago. Nothing is scheduled today, so rest up or head out and explore on your own.
Stay: Hyatt Regency Chicago
Day
2
Chicago
A guided morning tour of Chicago’s architecture: the Magnificent Mile, the Wrigley Building, the Loop, the lakefront and a walk through Millennium Park. Free afternoon for a museum or a river boat ride. Welcome dinner at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse.
Stay: Hyatt Regency Chicago | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
3
Grand Rapids, Michigan
North to Grand Rapids for an afternoon in the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
Stay: Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown | Meals: Breakfast
Day
4
Mackinac Island
A scenic drive to Mackinaw City for lunch on your own, then the ferry across to Mackinac Island. Check in to the Grand Hotel and have dinner at the hotel.
Stay: Grand Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
5
Mackinac Island
A horse-drawn carriage tour of the island, with stops at the Surrey Hills Carriage Museum and Arch Rock. Free time in town for shops and fudge. Dinner in the hotel’s elegant dining room, then coffee and the orchestra.
Stay: Grand Hotel | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
6
Mackinac Island to Bay City
A slow morning on the island, then an afternoon drive to a riverfront hotel in Bay City. Free evening on the river walk.
Stay: DoubleTree by Hilton Bay City Riverfront | Meals: Breakfast
Day
7
Bay City to Detroit
A guided tour of architect Alden B. Dow’s home and studio, a National Historic Landmark. In Detroit, an afternoon of Prohibition-era speakeasy and gangster history. Dinner on your own.
Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Detroit Downtown | Meals: Breakfast
Day
8
Dearborn & Detroit
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, then the historic homes and workshops of Greenfield Village. Farewell dinner with a local musician sharing the music and stories of Motown.
On the Oct 7 - Oct 15 departure, today visits the Ford Rouge Factory instead of Greenfield Village.
Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Detroit Downtown | Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day
9
Detroit, Michigan
The tour ends after breakfast.
Meals: Breakfast
Included
- ✓Your flights, plus the ride from the Chattanooga area to the Atlanta airport
- ✓8 nights in hand-picked hotels, including 2 nights at the Grand Hotel
- ✓12 meals: 8 breakfasts and 4 dinners
- ✓A professional tour manager with the group the whole way
- ✓Motorcoach travel between every stop, plus the ferry to Mackinac Island
- ✓Guided sightseeing and admissions: Chicago architecture tour, Frederik Meijer Gardens, the carriage tour of Mackinac Island, the Alden B. Dow home and studio, Detroit’s Prohibition history, and the Henry Ford Museum
Not included
- –Tips for your tour manager and motorcoach driver
- –Meals not listed in the day by day
- –Optional add-ons and anything on your free time
- –Travel insurance (we strongly recommend it)
The pace
Light and leisurely. You should be able to climb a flight of stairs, board a motorcoach, and walk on your own at a relaxed pace for up to an hour.
Fall 2027 Dates
Every tour includes your flights and the ride to the Atlanta airport. We are finalizing group pricing now and will share it soon.
* Ford Rouge Factory instead of Greenfield Village.
Hotels listed are the current plan and can change to a similar hotel.
Travel with Cindi & Denise
Questions? We'd love to hear from you.
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