THE WILDS OF MICHIGAN Day One It’s smooth sailing all the way to Mackinac Island. Choose either of the ferry lines to get you there; Star Line Mackinac Ferry or Shepler’s Ferry Line. Pick one to whisk you away to Mackinac Island, and the other on the return trip back to the mainland. Once you arrive, step off the ferry and take in the sites. Look about you and you’ll see why Mackinac Island has been named one of the top 10 most beautiful islands in the world by Conde Nast Traveler. It’s as if time has stopped here. See horse drawn carriages clippity-clop down Main Street, and past the splendid Victorian architecture everywhere on the Island. The best way to get around is with Mackinac Island Carriage Tours. They are the oldest and largest horse and buggy livery in the world. Enjoy the narrated tour through downtown to Surrey Hill, Arch Rock and through the Boreal forest with stops at Fort Mackinac and Grand Hotel. Experience an atmosphere fit for royalty at the Grand Hotels signature “Grand Luncheon Buffet”. Afterward, head for a stroll downtown and browse the shops. Take a short walk over to the Original Butterfly House and Insect Museum. It’s the first of its kind in Michigan, and the 3rd oldest LIVE butterfly exhibit in the United States. The world-renowned facility has 1800 sq. ft. of tropical gardens filled with hundreds of live butterflies from four continents. Visit a fairytale Butterfly Garden where beautiful butterflies of every imaginable size and color fly freely to classical music and the sound of falling water, fluttering and landing on fragrant blossoms and the enchanting waterfall that centers the garden. Take time to check out Insect World, too. You will be amazed at the size of the insects that live in the tropical regions of the world. Complementing the natural beauty of Mackinac Island, the Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum allows visitors to experience fine and decorative arts inspired by Mackinac through the ages. One of the most diverse art museums in the region, the museum’s collection offers no shortage of beauty and history – from hand-beaded Native American garments, to one-of-a-kind pieces from the height of Mackinac Island’s Victorian era. Overnight on Mackinac Island, Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. Day Two Board the ferry and over to the mainland in the Upper Peninsula. You are in St. Ignace, the 2nd oldest city in Michigan. Enjoy Michigan's natural beauty while walking interpretive trails and visiting Father Marquette's National Memorial. Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, established Michigan's earliest European settlements at Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace in the 1600’s. He lived among the Great Lakes Native Americans, could speak several native languages and helped Louis Jolliet map the Mississippi River. Today, Father Marquette is recognized as one of the great explorers of the North American continent. On a rise overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, the Father Marquette National Memorial tells the story of that 17th-century missionary-explorer and the meeting of French and Native American cultures. Your coach will travel west following the Lake Michigan shoreline, along the sand dunes and forest. Before crossing the beautiful Cut River Bridge, stop at the bridge park. Walk the path which takes you underneath the bridge to the overlook. You will be looking out to the deep Cut River Valley below. It’s a spectacular view so have your camera ready. The large number of trusses on the bridge make for some pretty artistic photos. Kitch-iti-kipi is one of the gems in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. You’ll love this beautiful and alluring attraction. At 200 feet across and 40 feet deep, Kitch-iti- kipi is the largest freshwater spring in the world. Over 10,000 gallons a minute gush from fissures in the underlying limestone. The flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degree Fahrenheit. A glass bottom observation raft will guide your group to vantage points overlooking fascinating underwater features and fantasies. Ancient tree trunks, lime-encrusted branches and huge trout appear suspended in nothingness as they slip through crystal waters below. Clouds of sand kept in constant motion by gushing waters create ever-changing shapes and forms. The only restored ghost town in the Upper Peninsula. Fayette! Some people come just to see the gorgeous outcropping of white limestone along the harbor. No matter, Fayette is a beautiful and historical site. Surrounded by the blue waters of Lake Michigan and Big Bay de Noc, the historic town-site is a destination for nature lovers and history buffs. Fayette was one of the typical 19th century "boom towns"! The Jackson Iron Company founded the town in 1867 for the purpose of extracting iron from the ore being mined in its iron mine nearby. They called it ‘Pig Iron’. The site was chosen for the limestone, the deep natural harbor, and the immense stands of hardwood on the entire length of the Garden Peninsula. Remnants of the blast furnaces, stores, homes and more can be toured. You’ll have a guided tour here today. Stop for dinner for a unique dining experience at a Swedish restaurant in Escanaba. Try their famous Swedish pancakes with lingonberries or a Swedish dinner made from family recipes. Scandinavian items and unusual clocks decorate the dining room. Visit the Stonington Peninsula (near Escanaba). In late summer & early fall this area is a stopping point for the Monarch butterflies as they migrate to Mexico. Nearby is the Peninsula Point Lighthouse. Ghosts and rumors surround the ruins of the Peninsula Point Lighthouse. Climb the wrought iron spiral staircase to the top and enjoy panoramic views of Big and Little Bays de Noc. Enjoy dinner downtown Escanaba. Overnight in Escanaba area. Day Three Arrive in Vulcan, just outside of the mining town of Iron Mountain. Here you’ll discover the world of mining iron ore underground and the impact iron ore mining had in helping to build the automobile. With skilled guides, a train takes you underground through 2,600 feet of underground drifts and tunnels to 400 feet below the earth's surface to see the reality of iron mining. Witness how miners toiled each day to find rich iron ore deposits in the mine. The mine operated from 1870 until 1945 producing over 22 million tons of iron ore. A Viking Ship greets motorists on U.S. 2 as you enter the town of Norway. The Viking Ship is a symbol of the Norwegians and Swedes who came to work in the Norway area logging camps and iron mines. Along US 2 in Norway is a roadside artesian well. It supplies the best water you can drink so fill your water bottles from the faucet on the back of the well. The spring emerged in 1903 when a 1,094-foot exploratory hole was sunk by an iron mining company and it has been running ever since. Just standing and looking at this world-class jump can make you nervous. The Pine Mountain Ski Hill in Iron Mountain is 176 feet high and 380 feet long. It’s the world’s largest artificial ski jump. Built in 1938, it has seen more competitive ski jumping than anywhere else in the U.S. An international competition takes place each February. Skiers land mid-hill at a whopping 65 mph. Your coach can take you to the top of the mountain. Visit the Veterans Memorial at the top too and be sure to have your camera ready for spectacular views of Iron Mountain below. Lunch today at legendary Famers Restaurant at Pine Mountain Lodge. No visit to the picturesque town of Iron Mountain would be complete without a stop at the WWII Glider Museum. Gliders were built at the Ford Motor Co plant in nearby Kingsford. The glider featured in this museum is one of only seven fully restored CG-4A World War II gliders in the world. Exciting World War II footage of gliders in action and personal stories of glider riders and pilots help tell the story. Actually this complex is more than a military museum – next door is the National Historic Site, the Cornish Pump and Mining Museum. The Cornish Pumping Engine is the largest standing steam-driven pumping engine ever built in the United States and one of the largest pumping engines in the world. It is famous for dewatering Iron Mountain's Chapin Mine, one of the wettest mines ever worked, and the largest producer of iron ore on the Menominee Iron Range. The Mining Museum exhibits a rare collection of underground mining equipment used in area iron ore mines. The museum helps bring to life the stories of the miners and the men who toiled in the underground world – a time when it was men before machines. Overnight in Iron Mountain. Day Four Drive along the southern portion of US 2 through the mining towns of Crystal Falls and Iron River. Then travel north to the Porcupine Mountains and the town of Ontonagon. Ontonagon sits along the shores of Lake Superior. Spectacular scenery, trails, and lots of waterfalls. Your groups have many choices: tour the Ontonagon Lighthouses and an historic copper mine. See the awe-inspiring, Lake of the Clouds with a park interpreter from Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. This premiere scenic attraction in Michigan, affectionately referred to as the ‘Porkies” offers more than 60 waterfalls in the Porcupine Mountains alone. The visitors center will enhance your enjoyment of the "Porkies." Climb the Lookout Tower at Summit Peak.