SOOTHING WATERS OF PURE MICHIGAN Water...Our bodies thirst for it…Our souls crave it. Thirst no more…Take the plunge… The beautiful rivers, lakes and freshwater seas inspire visitors who visit Michigan each year – just as they did Ernest Hemingway who based many of his novels on the great lake state. No wonder Hemingway displayed a map of Michigan on the wall of his home in Paris. Even then, he understood everything that Pure Michigan embodies.
Detroit, MI – GO Time!
Situated along the Detroit River, the ‘D’ is bursting with new energy and offers so much to see, do and taste.
Today It’s GO time in Detroit with new restaurants, entertainment districts, retail spaces & a gorgeous three-mile Riverwalk all mixing to create NEW travel experiences.
Head to Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation for a walkabout of presidential limousines, including the one JKF was in when he was assassinated.
Then step foot in the lab where Thomas Edison had his lightbulb moment or the Wright Brothers workshop where the brothers taught us to reach for the sky, all in Greenfield Village.
Experience before your eyes a F-150 being assembled at the Ford Rouge Factory tour at The Henry Ford. www.thehenryford.org
Detroit gave birth to the Motown Sound! Sing and dance in Studio A, where greats like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross and the Supremes recorded their hits at the Motown Historical Museum. www.motownmusuem.org
The Detroit Princess Riverboat has been docked on the shores of Hart Plaza for a decade and a half.
Their time in Detroit has been transformative, as it has cemented itself as a part of the Detroit skyline as the city has rapidly changed around it.
Come enjoy a cruise up and down the beautiful Detroit River, a buffet style meal and entertainment from a beloved Motown band. www.detroitprincess.com
Head north to the Great Lakes Bay Region of Michigan. The small-town charm of Frankenmuth, Bay City and Midland offers groups who love to explore art galleries, unique historical museums, tall ship cruising and outdoor fun.
Frankenmuth, MI - Michigan’s “Little Bavaria”
Known for its Bavarian-style architecture, Frankenmuth celebrates the area’s German roots. The town’s picturesque Main Street is the place for shopping with its numerous boutiques and specialty stores. Frankenmuth is also home to world famous Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, the largest Christmas store in the world.
With the Cass River flowing along Frankenmuth’s borders, the Bavarian Belle Riverboat Cruise offers scenic and informative one-hour cruises of the area.
It docks at River Place Shops, right next to the waterfall. Get on board this authentic paddle-wheeler. www.bavarianbelle.com
Bay City, MI – surrounded by the waters of Saginaw Bay, this beautiful waterfront town is known for its tall ships and antique shops.
Visit one of the most accurate ships to sail for the United States Navy. The USS Edson is a permanently moored Navel Destroyer and provides a fun and educating experience for all!
Re-live what it’s like to live on working war ship as so many of our American heroes have. www.ussedson.org
Midland, MI – A city that offers natural settings and downtown cityscapes, rugged terrain and upscale splurges.
Explore the Canopy! Connected to Dow Gardens is the newly re-opened Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens, and its impressive 1,400-foot, fully-accessible Canopy Walk — the longest in the nation — suspended four stories above the forest floor.
https://www.dowgardens.org/whitingforest A three-hour drive north and you arrive to the Straits of Mackinac.
Board a ferry for a short ride to one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Mackinac Island. Now you are on ‘Island Time”. An island where no cars are allowed.
Mackinac Island, MI
Experience the history and charm of Mackinac on your narrated carriage tour of the island!
It’s the signature experience of the island.
You will travel by many historic churches and island homes “summer cottages”, the famous Grand Hotel, Arch Rock and Fort Mackinac’s Avenue of Flags.
Along this tour, you will visit Surrey Hills Carriage Museum and Forge of Memory Blacksmith Shop.
Carriage Tours can easily accommodate any size of a group. www.mict.com
The cannon blasts, the rifles fire, the soldiers march and you watch as history comes alive at Fort Mackinac.
Built during the American Revolution, Fort Mackinac served as a strong hold for both the British and American armies.
Today, visitors can tour the fort and explore its original buildings, each restored to their original 1880s appearance.
Exhibits, demonstrations and cannon firings brings history to life. www.mackinacparks.com
The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World is the 3rd oldest LIVE butterfly exhibit in the U.S.
This world-renowned attraction has 1800 tropical gardens filled with hundreds of live butterflies from four continents.
Visit Insect World too, where you’ll be amazed at the size of the insects that live in the Tropical regions of the world. www.originalbutterlyhouse.com
Cross the majestic Mackinac Bridge (fondly referred to as the ‘Mighty Mac’) and you just arrived in “God’s Country”, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Michigan's Upper Peninsula presents attractions unmatched anywhere else.
Explore the depth of a mine, a shipwreck tour, climb to the top of a lighthouse, and be awed by a northern lights- illuminated sky.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Just an hour further north and you are in Sault Ste. Marie, one of the oldest permanent settlements in the interior of the United States.
Native Americans gathered here for the wealth of fish and fur found along the rushing waters of the wide, turbulent river that linked the Great Lakes of Superior and Huron. French missionaries arrived in 1600’s and Father Jacques Marquette founded the city in 1668.
Lock thru and ride with the lake freighters on the Soo Locks Boat Cruise. The historic Soo Locks are an engineering marvel. What a wonderful water voyage and a great history lesson too.
Your boat travels the river that connects Lake Huron to Lake Superior.
The deep chamber (lock) rapidly fills with millions of gallons of water that seems to magically lift your boat to the lake level and you are cruising again. Dinner cruises are offered too. www.soolocks.com
Hear the thundering waters of Tahquamenon at Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The Upper Tahquamenon Falls are the second largest falls east of the Mississippi River. It’s over 200 feet wide and drops nearly 50 feet into the Tahquamenon River.
The falls are stunningly beautiful any time of year – but autumn is spectacular.
Stop in at Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub in the park. It’s up-north rustic charm is part of your experience.
See ‘Stories in Stone’ along the lakeshore in the harbor town of Munising. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is one of the gems of the Upper Peninsula and has been voted the “most beautiful place in Michigan’ by Conde’ Nast Traveler.
Join a Pictured Rocks Boat Cruise for a closeup view of the Pictured Rocks themselves. Highlights include magnificent stone formations, lighthouses, waterfalls, sea caves, and stunning rock outcroppings. It’s an experience you won’t forget. www.picturedrocks.com
Grand Rapids, MI
Traveling south and back to Michigan’s lower peninsula, a must see is the hip city of Grand Rapids, situated along the Grand River.
It’s always been a grand city but today it’s just an awesome place to visit. And art is an integral part of the city.
Currently going through a $115 Million expansion. A destination marrying world- renowned sculpture and horticultural landscapes, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park's indoor and outdoor gardens and sculpture galleries hold something for everyone to enjoy.
Tours, programs and interactive activities are available for visitors throughout the year.
A great way for groups to see the expansive sculpture park is by way of the tram. www.meijergardens.org Experience America’s most entertaining presidential museum, a multimedia tribute to the life and times of the city's most famous son. At the core of the Museum is the permanent exhibit, which allows visitors to experience highlights from President and Mrs. Ford's lives.
The exhibit teaches democratic citizenship and allows for quiet reflection. In addition to the permanent exhibits, changing temporary exhibits draw artifacts from Museums all over the country. www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov
Initially designed for a prominent Grand Rapids clothier, the Meyer May House was purchased and meticulously restored by Steelcase and opened to the public in 1987.
Today, complete with original furnishings and faithfully executed reproductions, the Meyer May house provides the rare opportunity to experience a Prairie house exactly as Frank Lloyd Wright intended. www.meyermayhouse.steelcase.com
As your Michigan adventure comes to a close, we hope you’ve discovered hidden gems, unlocked new destinations and embrace all that Pure Michigan embodies.
For more details or information on this tour call:
Circle Michigan/Janet Pitrone Kasic 800.513.6424 www.circlemichigan.com
Visit Detroit/Kalynne Defever 313.202.1957 www.visitdetroit.com
Great Lakes Bay CVB/Michael Hensley 800.444.9979 www.gogreat.com
Mackinac Island Tourism/Rick Peterson 906.847.3783 www.mackinacisland.org
Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation/Fred Huffman 800.562.7134 www.uptravel.com
Experience Grand Rapids/Dave Nitkiewicz 616.233.3574 www.experiencegr.com