Michigan and The Grand Hotel

This trip is one that everyone must take at least once in their lifetime. It’s just that special; that amazing. I don’t think many things are more special than staying at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. As you step off the ferry onto this quaint island, you will immediately be drawn back to a bygone era of horse-drawn carriages, Victorian homes, Afternoon Teas, and croquet on an endless lawn. Life will slow down as we spend TWO NIGHTS at the magnificent Grand Hotel, a National Historic Landmark. It has been the backdrop for two movies (This Time for Keeps and Somewhere in Time) and has been on the “Top 25 Hotels in the World” list. Add to that the colorful landscape as we pass fields of sun flowers and colorful wildflowers throughout Michigan, and you have a trip that is spectacular. A gift for your spouse? A treat for yourself? A phenomenal girlfriends’ or a single’s getaway? Any way you look at it, it is going to be fabulous, and you do not want to miss it!

Saturday, August 24th – What an incredible adventure is in store as we travel to Michigan. Sit back and relax as we travel through Virginia and into Pennsylvania today, enjoying the camaraderie of our travel family and the scenic views along the way. We’ll stop in Pittsburgh for the night. (D)

Sunday, August 25th – Today we will stop in Ohio to visit one of the top Belgian Horse breeders in the US. You’ll be able to get up close and personal with these majestic and gentle giants as you learn how Dr. Stone and his staff breed, care for, and train these amazing animals. Hopefully we’ll be able to meet the newest foals as they learn from their mothers and the Oak Haven team how to be an award-winning show horse. It’ll be quite a unique experience. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a filling farm-to-table lunch and then continue on our way to Jackson, Michigan for the night. (B, L, D)

Monday, August 26th – This morning we will travel to Williamsburg, Michigan where we will take a guided tour of the Music House Museum. Their unique collection walks you through the history, artistry, and the engineering of automated music. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear some of these rare instruments actually play. It is truly a fun and most interesting tour. Then it’s off to Charlevoix, Michigan, for another unique tour. This driving tour focuses on a famous local architect, Earl Young, who is known for the curvaceous rooflines and flowing architecture he created that fits perfectly into the landscape. You’ll see over twenty fascinating structures that were built from the stones and boulders along the shoreline in Northern Michigan. The flowing lines and cedar shake roofs just seem to make many of these houses appear almost gnome-like, which has led to them to be called Mushroom Houses. Afterwards, we’ll continue up the road to Petoskey, a charming lakeside community known for its breathtaking views, Victorian architecture, historic Gaslight District, and the Petoskey Stone. Our gorgeous hotel for tonight, the Stafford Perry Hotel is often referred to as the Mini-Grand Hotel. The front porch and the hotel itself are a glimpse into what’s ahead on this trip. But for tonight, we will relax and enjoy the beauty and surroundings of this lovely town nestled on the shores of Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. (B, L, D)

Tuesday, August 27th – Rise and shine for we have a magnificent day ahead of us. After a delicious breakfast, you will have time to explore one of the most treasured downtowns in the United States: Petosky. Meander along the streets and enjoy the architecture, stroll to the water and enjoy the view, browse their unique shops in the famous Gaslight Shopping District, or just enjoy the serenity as you sit in a rocker on the hotel porch. Then it’s the moment we’ve been waiting for. . . we’re off to Mackinac Island. We’ll board a hydro-jet ferry and travel from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island. Oh, what an amazing time you are going to have on this island! We will enjoy lunch and then explore their “downtown” before taking a “taxi” to our hotel. But this is not just any hotel. It is one of America’s most magnificent hotels – rightly named: The Grand Hotel. Grand it is and how fortunate that we can stay for TWO nights. Both mornings you will enjoy an extraordinary breakfast, and, in the evenings, you will be pampered with a five-course dinner followed by live music in the ballroom. At day’s end you will retire to your room.  Each room in the hotel has been individually decorated by a famous designer, Carleton Varney. (One time I had a room with a baby grand in it!) What an amazing time you are going to have – especially at this time of year. The days should be sunny and warm and the nights a bit cool. Perfect temperatures. Perfect surroundings. (B, D)

Wednesday, August 28th – This morning you will take a narrated carriage ride of the island and learn about its history. The remainder of the day will be yours to enjoy the hotel and village at your leisure. There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island, but horses, carriages, and bikes are abundant and the list of other activities you can choose from is extensive. You may choose to go swimming, play croquet, horseshoes, or golf, rent bicycles and explore the island, explore the Butterfly Conservatory, enjoy an historic lecture, explore the hotel’s quaint shops, browse the antique and fudge shops in the village, or just sit on the porch and relax. At 660 feet, the Grand Hotel’s front porch is the world’s largest and, in fact, is visible as you approach the Island from Lake Huron. To just sit on the porch and look at the beautiful, landscaped gardens while listening to the horses clicking along on the cobblestones is going to be grand! (B, D)

Thursday, August 29th – After an utterly delicious breakfast and two days and nights to refresh our bodies and souls in this spectacular setting, we will take a carriage ride back to the dock and catch our ferry to Mackinaw City. Our destination today is Frankenmuth, a charming Bavarian town in Michigan. When we arrive, you will have a choice of places to visit. There is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store covering five acres; as well as their Silent Night Memorial Chapel, a 56-foot-tall landmark that is a replica of the original chapel in Austria where “Silent Night” was first sung on Christmas Eve in 1818. Others may prefer to take a guided tour of the Military and Space Museum next door. You’ll also have time to explore their unique downtown where their German roots run deep. From the cuckoo clocks to house-made Bavarian specialties, the iconic Glockenspiel, massive Cheese Haus and more, you will delight in the charm of Frankenmuth. Afterwards we will check into our hotel, the Bavarian Lodge, where we will enjoy dinner and entertainment this evening. (B, D)

Friday, August 30th – This morning we will travel to Dearborn, Michigan where our first stop will be the Henry Ford Museum, a magnificent museum that focuses on people and ideas that made America and changed the world, helping to shape a better future. Two famous exhibits are President Kennedy’s motorcade and Rosa Park’s bus. In the afternoon we’ll go next door to Greenfield Village, where you’ll explore 300 years of American perseverance. From Henry Ford’s first factory to the Wright Brother’s bicycle shop, Edison’s lab and so much more, Greenfield Village is a living reminder that anything is possible. It truly is a day that celebrates innovation, ingenuity, and endless possibilities. What an uplifting day! (B, D)

Saturday, August 31st – After a delightful breakfast we will make our way east, stopping in Ohio to tour Warther’s Museum. This is home to the world-famous woodcarvings of Ernest “Mooney” Warther. Carved out of ivory, ebony and walnut, the detail of his miniature trains is astounding. You’ll also be amazed at the interconnected scissors that he carved by making slits in a block of wood and then just opening it up . . . unbelievable! Then it’s off to West Virginia to spend the night at the lovely Blennerhassett Hotel. (B, D)

Sunday, September 1st – An early breakfast and then we’re on the road traveling to the best place of all: home. Reaching home does not mean the adventure is over for our “grand” memories will surely be a topic of conversation to share with others for a lifetime. (B)

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