(C) Mackinac Island & Michigan
Exploring the Great Lakes Region
Michigan is an undiscovered gem of a state with beauty in its diverse landscapes. And no trip to Michigan would be complete without a stay on Mackinac Island where transportation is by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle. We'll enjoy afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel, a must-do activity on the island. Our two nights here will give you plenty of time to explore. The tour begins in Grand Rapids and includes a visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. We conclude with a return along the shores of Lake Michigan, taking in the magnificent views of sandy beaches, rolling vineyards and more, as we spend a night in Traverse City. You're in for a real treat!
(C) Mackinac Island & Michigan
August 23 - August 28, 2020Highlights
- Ride the ferry to Mackinac Island
- Tour Mackinac Island by horse-drawn carriage
- Experience High Tea at the Grand Hotel
- Tour Frank Lloyd Wright's Meyer May House
- Visit Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park
- See the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
- Time to explore personal interests
- Suggestions for additional things to see
- Small group no larger than 14
- And More... See itinerary for details
Itinerary
Sunday, 23 August 2020: Arrive Grand Rapids; Welcome Dinner (D)
Schedule your arrival no later than 4:00pm and take local transportation to the hotel. The tour will begin at 6:00PM in the lobby of the hotel. Our Welcome Meeting will be followed by dinner together to get acquainted and discuss our upcoming adventure Overnight Grand Rapids - 3 nights
Monday, 24 August 2020: Meyer May House; Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park; Ford Presidential Museum (B)
This morning our destination is the Meyer May House, located in Grand Rapids' most famous historical neighborhood, Heritage Hills. The Meyer May House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is the most completely restored of all Wright's homes and it offers a rare opportunity to see a prairie-style house just as the architect envisioned it. We're then off to stroll around the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which integrates striking gardens with world-renowned sculpture. It ranks in the top 100 most-visited art museums worldwide. We top the day off with a visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum which allows visitors to experience highlights from President and Mrs. Ford's lives.
Tuesday, 25 August 2020: Ferry to Mackinac Island (B,D)
Today we drive north to Mackinaw City to board the ferry to Mackinac Island. It's a delightful ride across the Mackinac Straits as we watch the island and the Grand Hotel come into view. For centuries, visitors have found this island and national landmark to be the ideal vacation spot. No cars. No chain hotels. Just world famous Mackinac Island fudge, historic Fort Mackinac and plenty of unique shops and restaurants. There’s a reason Mackinac Island is known as the “Jewel of the Great Lakes.” Overnight Mackinac Island - 2 nights
Wednesday, 26 August 2020: Island Carriage Tour; Free Time; High Tea at the Grand Hotel (B,O)
This morning we take a horse-drawn carriage tour of the island. After our tour there is time to explore this compact picturesque town further. You might visit a butterfly farm or perhaps rent a bike and cycle around the island--a very popular pastime. Or, if you like to laze by the water, you can watch the ferries ply the Straits, making "rooster tails." What surprises most people when they see the water of Lake Huron for the first time is how sparkling clean and clear it is. Late this afternoon we'll re-gather and have high tea at the Grand Hotel.
Thursday, 27 August 2020: Return Ferry; Farewell Lunch; Travel to Traverse City (B,L)
We depart Mackinac Island late this morning for Traverse City. The views along this drive are among the most stunning outlooks of Lake Michigan in the state. We’ll pass Charlevoix, where the town's colorful water tower points the way to a bit of roadside Americana, a memorial to 'the World’s Largest Cherry Pie.' We'll stop for lunch along the way. Like Charlevoix, Traverse City is a very "cherry" place. The airport, after all, is called Cherry Capital. More than 74 percent of the country’s tart cherries are grown in Michigan, a great many of them around Traverse City. Overnight Traverse City - 1 night
Friday, 28 August 2020: Return Home from Traverse City, MI (B)
Sadly, our time together has come to an end. Schedule your departure flight at your convenience. Based on the departure time you provide WTT, your Tour Leader will organize travelers into small groups so you can ride-share to the airport if you wish.
(C) Mackinac Island & Michigan
August 23 - August 28, 2020Pricing
Room Share
$2,369.00Single Room
$3,385.00 (Sold Out)Non-Members
ADD $50.00Status of this Tour
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Tour Pricing Includes
- All meals and activities expressly listed in the itinerary, PLUS...
- All tipping of local guides
- WTT Tour Leader to enhance the individual & group experience
- Transportation in WTT's own Mercedes mini-coach
- Arranged room sharing with another solo traveler
- Travel Dollar credits (a benefit of WTT membership) toward future travel with WTT
Not Included In The Price
- Airfare or other transportation to and from the tour
- Airport transfers
- Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary
- Any personal expenses or expenditures
- Any pre- or post- tour arrangements
- Any gratuities for the WTT tour leader
- Travel Insurance
Payment Dates -and- Cancellation Terms for This Tour
These Payment and Cancellation Penalty Dates apply to Mackinac Island & Michigan, Aug 23 - 28, 2020:
At Space Reservation: Initial Deposit is due.
Tuesday, 25 Feb 2020: Initial deposit cannot be parked and is forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Wednesday, 27 May 2020: Payment in full. 50% cancellation penalty after this date.
Thursday, 9 Jul 2020: 100% forfeited if traveler cancels after this date.
Please review our Terms and Conditions before making your reservation. You will be required to confirm you have read and agree to WTT's terms & conditions before our website will allow you to submit the Reservation FORM.
By submitting the Reservation Form you are providing your electronic signature that you are authorizing WTT to charge your credit card the required amount due for the tour at this time, and to charge your credit card in a separate transaction for the membership length selected, if applicable.
Travel Insurance: It is your responsibility to purchase the amount of travel insurance you determine is appropriate to protect you from the risk of financial loss should you have to cancel your tour, or should unforeseen events, due to no fault of WTT, prevent the tour from operating in whole or in part as originally scheduled.
WTT does not sell travel insurance. As a convenience, we will email you information from 2 reliable travel insurance providers at the time we confirm your reservation, however you can purchase insurance from any provider you choose.
You can review the insurance information from TravelGuard to get an idea of rates.
(C) Mackinac Island & Michigan
August 23 - August 28, 2020Flights, Transfers & Lodging
Arrival & Departure Information
Travelers will make their own air arrangements as follows:
When searching for flights for this trip, be sure to search "Multi-city" (on Kayak) or "Multiple Destinations" (on Expedia). For comparison, you may also want to search for one-way fares.
Arrival Airport: GRR - Grand Rapids, MI (Gerald R. Ford Int'l Airport)
Arrival Date: Sunday, August 23rd. Arrive no later than 4:00pm.
Arrival Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi service. Details provided in Final Travel Instructions.
Depart Airport: TVC - Traverse City, MI (Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport)
Departure Date: Friday, August 28th. Depart at your convenience.
Departure Transfer: Use local shuttle or taxi service. WTT Tour Leader will assist in coordinating ride sharing.
Lodging / Hotels
Grand Rapids, MI: Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown
Mackinac Island: Lilac Tree Suites and Spa
Traverse City, MI: Hampton Inn Traverse City
In the unlikely event WTT is unable to provide the hotel accommodation(s) listed, for whatever reason, WTT will substitute similar quality accommodation(s) at no additional cost to the traveler.
Want to Arrive a Day Early?
- The room (standard check-in times apply)
- Breakfast the following morning
- Day Trip to Holland, MI
$216.00 Roomshare $394.00 Single
Additional Reminders About This Tour
This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
(C) Mackinac Island & Michigan
August 23 - August 28, 2020Destination Information
What do others say about this tour and traveling with WTT?
How Does Room Sharing Work?
- If you wish to share with another solo traveler, select this option on the Reservation Form and your tour price will automatically be based on the room share price.
- Or, you may select a single room, when available, on the Reservation Form and your tour price will be automatically based on the single room price.
- These choices are clearly stated on the Reservation Form.
- All shared rooms have 2 beds
- All shared rooms are non-smoking
- No special requests about your roommate can be accommodated
- Most solo travelers elect to share a room
- See "Frequently Asked Questions" TAB for more details
How Active is this Tour?
Because of this requirement, WTT tours are not suitable for anyone who is physically challenged, walking impaired, or is a slow walker that cannot keep up with the pace of the group.
The activities on this tour are rated as follows:
- 85% Easy (walking involved)
- 15% Moderate
If you are in doubt as to your ability to meet the physical activity requirements, you should not sign up for this trip.
Read more about Activity Levels
What meals are included and how are dietary restrictions accommodated?
- Breakfast Daily
- 1 Lunch
- 1 Afternoon Tea
- 2 Dinners
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary requests can be accommodated on this tour with limited selections.
What clothing and items should I pack for this trip?
Temperatures, rainfall and humidity levels vary based on the time of the year. At this time of year, daytime temperatures are typically in the 80s. It is likely to be humid with little chance of rain. We suggest you monitor weather apps before you depart for the most current information. Refer to http://www.weather.gov/.
For This Tour You May Want—
- One smart-casual outfit if you'd like to dress up a bit for dinners.
- Inexpensive rain poncho or travel umbrella, just in case!
- Swimsuit
- Bring what you need to get a good night's sleep, such as ear plugs, white noise generator, sleeping pills, etc. Unfamiliar noises of all types can disrupt your rest.
Good Packing Habits—
- Pack a limited amount of comfortable, casual clothing that layer and coordinate. Your fellow travelers will not mind or even notice – seeing you in the same clothing.
- Bring only two pairs of everyday shoes: one pair of well-broken-in walking shoes, and a second pair that could do double-duty as a walking shoe or a slightly dressy shoe.
- Pare down your beauty regimen to the bare minimum and always pack travel-sized toiletries.
- Pack medication in your carry-on and pack only as much as needed for the duration of your tour plus a few extra days as a precaution.
What are the luggage restrictions for this tour?
On every WTT tour, our policies regarding luggage restrictions are driven by the physical space limitations of the vehicles we use and the requirement that all travelers be able to manage their own belongings without assistance.
- It is best to travel as lightly as possible. Most travelers regret when they have packed too much.
- You may bring one suitcase plus small shoulder bag/day pack/purse.
- Maximum suitcase size: 25-inches in height as measured from the FLOOR to the top of the retracted handle. The small case in a 3-piece luggage set easily meets this requirement and should be plenty roomy for this length of trip.
- Suitcases larger than 25" in height will not fit in the WTT coach; don't bring them.
- The maximum weight of your suitcase should not exceed 30 pounds, as you will need to lift it into the coach luggage compartment.
- You are responsible for managing your own belongings. We expect you to take your belongings from the coach to your room and to bring it back to the coach and load it on days we change hotels. We do not provide luggage pulls; they are not safe and are inconvenient. The possibility of steps exist at most hotel entrances.
How much money should I bring on this tour?
Only you can determine the optimum amount of cash to take on tour. When budgeting for out-of-pocket expenses, there are several aspects to consider: the number of meals you are responsible for, the amount of money you like to have on-hand for snacks and drinks, and your individual shopping interests and habits.
- Notify your credit card issuer that you will be traveling and provide dates of travel.
- ATMs are typically the best way of obtaining cash; you must know your PIN number for your debit and credit cards in order to use the ATMs.
What are the tipping guidelines for this tour?
All tips to local guides during your tour have already been paid on your behalf.
- You are responsible for tipping wait-staff, porters, or other individuals who provide a service to you at the hotel, or other public locations.
- You may want to tip your WTT Tour Leader for an outstanding job. The amount is entirely a personal preference. If you'd like a guideline, consider $7-$10 per day.
What other Additional Information do I need to know?
This tour uses a 15-passenger Mini-Coach for transportation while on tour. Learn more about The WTT North American Travel Experience by downloading/opening the pdf.
Can I transfer my deposit to another tour?
To get off this tour and register for another tour, you must follow these steps - in the order shown:
2) WAIT before submitting your new reservation! You must receive the Cancellation Confirmation email before submitting your new reservation. This can take up to 2 business days. The Cancellation Confirmation email will list the amount of parked credits from this tour that are now available to use on a new reservation.
3) COMPLETE the new Reservation Form and USE the parked credits towards your deposit on the new tour.
Note: If you used Parked Credits to pay the deposit on this tour, these credits cannot be used a second time and are not eligible to be transferred.
What happens if I need to cancel this tour?
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