Michigan Tulip Time & Mackinac Island

Day One

Welcome to Michigan! Upon your arrival in Detroit, meet your tour guide and depart via motorcoach to Holland, Michigan. Enjoy scenic countryside views, and a stop for lunch, on your own, along the way. When you arrive in “The Tulip City”, check in to Homewood Suites Holland for three nights. Tonight, rest up for your upcoming adventure, and enjoy dinner on your own.

Day Two

After an included breakfast at the hotel, be entertained by a fully costumed guide during a guided city tour of Holland. Learn about the city’s strong Dutch heritage and see the many windmills and canals. For lunch, find a taste of the Netherlands in downtown Holland, or visit one of the food trucks at the Tulip Time Makers Market. This artisan market features more than 250 vendors showcasing handmade, original art of all kinds! After lunch, step back into the Netherlands of 150 years ago at Nelis’ Dutch Village. Amid authentic Dutch architecture, flowering gardens, canals, and windmills, see local entertainers in authentic costumes and wooden shoes. Enjoy Dutch dancing, Dutch dance lessons, Wooden Shoe carving, old Dutch farmhouse cheese making, and Delft pottery making. Continue your Holland experience with a visit to the Tulip Immersion Garden. Here, world-renowned Dutch horticulturist Ibo Gu¨lsen will display more than 50,000 tulips in three stunning, raised displays to immerse guests in tulips at chest and eye level. Discover the fascinating story of the tulip's journey from Turkey to the Netherlands and ultimately to Holland, Michigan, while admiring beautiful Delft-inspired displays. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant with your fellow travelers.

Day Three

After breakfast at the hotel, visit picturesque Windmill Island Gardens, home to "De Zwaan," America's only authentic working Dutch windmill transported from the Netherlands. Stroll through vibrant tulip gardens and charming Dutch-style landscapes, see thousands of tulips, historic Dutch replica buildings, a carousel, and a street organ, before enjoying a traditional Dutch lunch accompanied by an entertaining cultural dance performance. This afternoon, travel to nearby Grand Rapids to visit the breathtaking Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Relax aboard a guided tram tour through 158 acres of award-winning gardens, magnificent outdoor sculptures, tranquil landscapes, and impressive indoor conservatories. Return to Holland for dinner at one of the Tulip Time Festival venues before enjoying an evening performance (show to be announced).

Day Four

After breakfast and check-out and travel north along Michigan’s scenic coastline to Empire, Michigan, home of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. During a guided tour of Sleeping Bear Dunes, learn about local wildlife and history while seeing beautiful sand beaches and towering bluffs. Then get another taste of Michigan at Cherry Republic, offering more than 200 Michigan cherry-based products. Enjoy lunch at Cherry Public House, which features a seasonal menu, a variety of ales and ciders, and cherry pie! From Empire, we head to Williamsburg, Michigan for a guided tour of the Music House Museum. Here you’ll hear rare instruments like a Belgian dance organ, Wurlitzer theater organ, and player pianos, while also exploring period- accurate settings, a miniature model of 1930s Traverse City, and exhibits on the history and engineering of the music machines.Departing the museum, travel to Petosky, Michigan where we’ll check into the historic Perry Hotel for one night. Built in 1899, the hotel is the only surviving luxury resort from its era in the area. Take in the beautiful views of Little Traverse Bay and enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day Five

This morning, check out of the hotel after breakfast and head to Mackinaw City, Michigan. Climb aboard Shepler’s Ferry Service for a ride to the beautiful Mackinac Island. There are no vehicles permitted on the island, so enjoy your horse-drawn taxi ride to the Grand Hotel for your 2-night stay. This evening, enjoy dinner in the Grand Dining Room of the Grand Hotel, a dining experience known for its elegance and service. Indulge in a fabulous meal and be sure to try the hotel’s famous pecan balls, which they have been serving since 1952.

Day Six

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before taking a horse drawn carriage tour of Mackinac Island. Learn about several prominent landmarks, stop at Surrey Hill and Arch Rock and see Fort Mackinac and Post Cemetery. For lunch, be treated to The Grand Hotel’s Grand Luncheon Experience. The buffet includes a large variety of dishes and is in the Main Dining Room, a picturesque setting that overlooks the Straits of Mackinac and the hotel’s famous porch. The rest of the day is yours to explore the Island. Perhaps visit the Butterfly Conservatory, walk along the island’s outer loop trail, or rent a bike to ride along the Pontiac Trail. Be sure to get a taste of Mackinac Islands world famous fudge at one of the fudge shops lining the streets! This evening, there are plenty of restaurants for dinner on your own including the Pink Pony, The Chuckwagon, and Patrick Doud’s Irish Pub.

Day Seven

After breakfast at the hotel, take a horse taxi back to Shepler’s ferry for a return ride to Mackinaw City. Upon arriving in Detroit, bid farewell to Michigan before your return flight home.

FB=Full Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner