September 16-23 (Friday-Friday)

Mackinac Island & The Grand Hotel

Mackinac Island, MI

Day 1: Welcome Aboard!  Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach to the Victorian-style island of Mackinac.  A picturesque island that evokes a bygone era, Mackinac Island is often called the “Bermuda of the North.”  Before checking into the Hampton Inn & Suites in Dearborn, Michigan for the next two nights, we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.  (D)

Day 2: After a deluxe continental breakfast we visit one of America’s greatest history attractions, Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum.  On the grounds of the Henry Ford Museum we will tour historic homes and workshops of famous Americans, including those of The Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Robert Frost.  Due to the large size and historic nature of Greenfield Village, we’ve included the Transportation Pass offered by the museum as part of your tour package.  The pass entitles you to ride on the historic steam locomotive, in a vintage Model T or a Model AA bus, a horse-drawn carriage, the Suwanee Boat (in season) and the Herschell-Spillman Carousel.  Before returning to the hotel, we conclude our day with a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.  (B, D)

Day 3: After a deluxe continental breakfast we depart for the Mackinaw City Dock, where we will travel by ferry to the “magical land” of Mackinac Island.  A horse-drawn carriage will be waiting at the dock to transport you to the world-famous Grand Hotel, your luxurious accommodations for the next two nights.  This evening experience fine dining and gracious hospitality when you enjoy a dinner, off the menu in the main dining room.  At the Grand Hotel, there is a dress code after 6:00 PM.  Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie, and the ladies are required to wear a dress, skirt, or pant suit.  (B, D)

Day 4: After a full breakfast you will board a horse-drawn carriage for a guided tour of this lovely Victorian-style island that has defied time.  Following your horse-drawn carriage ride enjoy some leisure time strolling through the cottage-filled village dotted with flowers, and explore the shops along Huron Street, or to sit and relax in one of the famous “rockers on the longest porch in the country.”  A delicious dinner, off the menu awaits you in the main dining room tonight.  Dress code after 6:00 PM!  (B, D)    

Day 5: Enjoy a full breakfast at your leisure.  With part of the morning free you may wish to simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the grand comforts of this luxurious hotel.  Early afternoon we are transported by our horse-drawn carriage to the ferry for our cruise back to the mainland.  Then we depart for the unique town of Frankenmuth, Michigan, an enchanting town with a rich Bavarian influence and gingerbread-style architecture.  After checking into the Bavarian Inn Lodge, a downtown hotel located on the banks of the Cass River for the next two nights, we are treated to a delicious buffet dinner, followed by entertainment at the hotel.  (B, D)

Day 6: After a buffet breakfast we meet our step-on guide, and depart for a narrated driving tour of Frankenmuth.  The tour will highlight the city’s unique attractions, the Bavarian theme quaint stores, and the rich German heritage on which the city was founded.  Following your tour, we’ll visit the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.  This afternoon at your leisure explore the town’s European-influence shops and bakeries.  Tonight we are treated to a family style dinner complete with a German wine tasting at the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Restaurant.  (B, D)

Day 7: After a buffet breakfast settle back, relax and enjoy the scenery on our drive to Wheeling, West Virginia.  Upon our arrival we will check into the lovely Wilson Lodge, the centerpiece of Oglebay Park, for the night.  Tonight we are treated to a delicious dinner at the lodge.  (B, D)

Day 8: After a buffet breakfast we meet our step-on guide, and depart for a narrated driving tour of Oglebay Park.  The tour will include highlights of Oglebay’s rich heritage, including stories about the Oglebay family and how the park came to be.  After our tour we depart for a self-guided tour of the Oglebay Mansion Museum and its beautiful grounds.  Originally the home of Colonel Oglebay and his family, the mansion is furnished with many period antiques that create an atmosphere that takes you back in time and history.  Next we visit the Glass Museum which exhibits over 3,000 examples of West Virginia glass made from 1829-1939.  Following lunch on your own we depart for home with many pleasant memories of the genius of American inventors, the grandeur and magic that was the Victorian era, and a new found appreciation for America’s German and Bavarian heritage and beautiful regional landscapes.  (B) 

Included:

?  Basic amenities

?  7 nights hotel accommodations, including:

          - 2 nights at Grand Hotel

          - 2 nights at Bavarian Inn Lodge

          - 1 night at Wilson Lodge

?  7 breakfasts

?  7 dinners

?  1 evening of live entertainment

?  Greenfield Village

?  Henry Ford Museum

?  Historic Transportation Pass

?  Horse-drawn Carriage Tour of Mackinac Island

?  Guided Tour of Frankenmuth

?  Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland

?  German Wine Tasting

?  Oglebay Park, including:

          - Guided Tour of Oglebay Park

          - Mansion Museum

          - Glass Museum

?  Attractions and admissions per itinerary

Price:

$1,489.00 Double/PP    $1,359.00 Triple/PP

$1,999.00 Single

Deposit:  $125.00/PP

Balance Due:  August 3, 2011

                             Depart                 Return

Gunther                 6:00 AM                9:45 PM

Carney                  6:45 AM                9:00 PM