Sample Two Week Itinerary

Day 1

Beginning in Chicago, IL, meet the boat.  Leaving port and cruising up to Milwaukee, WI to visit many sites. Milwaukee features Summerfest, a musical event with a dozen stages and international cuisine. Ethnic festivals abound during the summer, with Irish, Italian, German, Polish, Asian, Arabian and Mexican events offering music, dancing and food to accompany the local beer. There are art museums, dining, and Performing Arts that feature opera, ballet, symphony, and Broadway productions.

Day 2

After breakfast onboard, it’s time to cruise to Manitowoc to take in some sites at the 1932 Beerntsen’s Confectionary for a taste of homemade ice cream and candy.  You may visit the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.  If time permits, you may want to take a stroll along the riverwalks.

Day 3

It’s time to cruise up to Sturgeon Bay, which begins the awesome sites of Door County with beautiful settings of woods and little towns with many shops, tours of winery’s, walks along the lush green landscapes, and how about a fish boil.  In Door County they are known for their fish boils and are fascinating to watch how they cook over open fires and the skill that goes along with it.

Day 4 & 5

Let’s cruise over to the Green Bay side of Door County and visit Fish Creek where they are known for their great tourist area with many things to do.  Several restaurants provide an official Door County “fish boil.”  You may visit either White Gull Inn or Pelletier’s. There are options for touring the Door County area with Bailey’s Harbor just 15 miles west. There are several shops and areas to walk along the landscape. Cana Island, with its historic lighthouse facilities is a walk across the rock causeway from the Door County mainland to Cana Island Lighthouse.  You can travel up to Gills Rock and take the ferry across to Washington Island, which is one of most beautiful spots on Lake Michigan. 

Rent bikes or electric carts to tour the several miles of inland.  There are many restaurants, antique craft shops and the natural beauty to observe on this island.  The island has year round residents, many of whose Icelandic and Scandinavian forefathers were original settlers.

Day 6

We are going to cross Lake Michigan over to Charlevoix MI.  Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the unique shops in this resort community with scenic natural attractions.

Day 7

After breakfast on the boat, stroll the main streets and view the Victorian homes with picket fences along with a variety of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and waterfront parks.  The Weathervane restaurant is a unique castle-like setting that over looks a great view of Round Lake and the Pine River Channel.  If time permits, visit the “Fairy Houses” and “Mushroom Houses,” built in the early 1900’s, which resemble storybook fantasies of whimsical, irregular stone houses with wave-like rooflines.

Day 8 & 9

To Mackinaw City and spend a few hours taking in the sites of the historical attractions.  Then we will cruise on to Mackinac Island where no motor vehicles are allowed on this eight-mile island.  The transportation is by horse, bicycle or foot.  This is a very unique historic waterfront village with horse drawn carriages, colonial homes, lawn cricket and locals dressed in period clothing (not costumes).  Tour the downtown buildings of National Historic Landmarks.  There is a horse and buggy ride that takes you to the Grand Hotel, Governor’s Mansion and the Arch Rock, a natural limestone formation with a 30-foot-wide hole gouged over time by glaciers and waves.

Day 10

Now it’s time to work our way down the lake to Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor and Petoskey. Walk to Shadetree Stained Glass Studio and watch nationally renowned artisans create masterpieces. Cruise down to Traverse City and spend the day.  Traverse City is known as the “Cherry Capital of the World.”  This city has scenic landscape, clear water, sand dunes and quaint towns.  You may tour the Grand Traverse Heritage Center, which exhibits Native American culture, a blacksmith shop, a parlor, a schoolhouse and railroad equipment.  The Maritime Heritage Alliance restores wooden vessels and promotes the history of maritime life on the Great Lakes.  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with massive sand dunes, a scenic shoreline, untouched forests and pristine sunsets – is just 23 miles west of Traverse City.  For divers, the park has more than 50 shipwrecks to explore.

Day 11

Cruising our way down the lake to Ludington to enjoy a quiet time visiting the P.M. Steamers and House of Flavors.  Take a walk and enjoy Ludington State Park, or explore Pere Marquette Lake in the dinghy.

Day 12

Next is Grand Haven where there is the boardwalk along the Grand River, which passes through the historic downtown, a waterfront park and the Oval beach area.  The Waterfront Stadium features outdoor concerts.  Every summer evening the world-famous Musical fountain has synchronized programs with water, music and multi-colored lights. 

Day 13

Continuing our cruise to Saugatuck, there are more than 30 art galleries and many specialty shops and upscale boutiques.  Visit the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, watch a film at the Waterfront Film Festival, or catch a performance at the Mason Street Warehouse.

Day 14

In final destination of our cruise we travel down to Chicago.