Highlights of The Great Lakes

15 days from £2,960pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Great Lakes and Michigan

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Places visited

Chicago, Milwaukee, Door Peninsula, Marquette and Lake Superior, Mackinac Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse City, Detroit, Minneapolis

Overview & Highlights

Discover iconic cities and idyllic lakeside resorts on this two-week fly-drive tour around America’s Great Lakes.

Your journey begins in the USA’s third largest city Chicago, famed for its skyscrapers, museums, art, music and food. Ascend to the 360 Chicago Observation Deck for fantastic views, then take a cruise on the Chicago River before enjoying the city’s restaurants and jazz and blues venues.

Head north to Milwaukee, a city with plenty to keep you busy – from art galleries and museums to brewery tours and baseball. Then drive west to Minneapolis, the City of Lakes, and explore its renowned waterways and green spaces.

Further north, visit Grand Rapids for renowned fishing and hiking trails in the surrounding Minnesota countryside. Then head east along the shoreline of Lake Superior. Nicknamed the Freshwater Sea, Lake Superior is the biggest of the Great Lakes with dozens of beautiful harbour towns. Drive along the southern shore to Ashland and Marquette, visiting wonderful waterfalls and towering lighthouses along the way.

Further east, reach the town of St Ignace where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron. Marvel at the engineering wonder of the Mackinac Bridge before visiting Mackinac Island’s beautiful landscapes of limestone bluffs, forests and beaches.

Head south to the vibrant, regenerated city of Detroit and discover its fascinating motoring and musical heritage at the Henry Ford Museum and Motown Museum.

Then head back west to the shores of Lake Michigan and the delightful Dutch town of Holland, visiting the sand dunes of 1000-acre Saugatuck Dunes State Park, a haven for birdwatching, hiking and sunbathing.

Return to Chicago for one more night in the Windy City as your Great Lakes adventure comes to an end.

360 Chicago Observation Deck

The UK’s specialists in travel to Chicago

Joshua Salter - Travel Expert

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Outline itinerary

Day 1Arrive in Chicago, 360 Chicago Observation Deck

Day 2Chicago River Cruise, food and music

Day 3Chicago to Milwaukee

Day 4Culture of Milwaukee

Day 5Milwaukee to Minneapolis

Day 6Culture and lakes of Minneapolis

Day 7Minneapolis to Grand Rapids MN

Day 8Grand Rapids to Ashland and Lake Superior

Day 9Ashland to Marquette

Day 10Marquette to St Ignace

Day 11Scenery of Mackinac Island

Day 12St Ignace to Detroit, Motown

Day 13Detroit to Holland, Lake Michigan and Saugatuck Dunes State Park

Day 14Return to Chicago

Day 15Tour ends

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Things to Do

360 Chicago Observation Deck

Chicago River Cruise

Chicago Crime and Mob Bus Tour

Chicago’s Signature Dishes Bike Tour

Milwaukee Walking Food Tour

Minneapolis, Mississippi and Historic Mills

Motown Museum

Henry Ford Museum

Harley-Davidson Museum

Places to Stay

San Francisco

StayPineapple, An Elegant Hotel

Milwaukee

The Pfister Hotel

Minneapolis

Hyatt Centric Downtown Minneapolis

Chicago

StayPineapple, The Loop Chicago

Our expert's opinion

“Mackinac Island is such a unique, idyllic place and being car-free really adds to its charm. It’s a lovely step back in time with stunning scenery and the iconic Mackinac Bridge in the distance. ”

Joshua Salter - Travel Expert

Joshua has been travelling to the USA since childhood, visiting his father and four siblings on the west coast. He is fortunate to have travelled to 42 of the 50 US states, and hopes to complete the set by his next big birthday.

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