Great Lakes

Tour Itinerary

Chicago, Illinois

1 night at Palmer House

Arrive in Chicago and drive to your comfortable downtown hotel. You’ve plenty of time during the afternoon to explore the Windy City with its myriad attractions, including Sears Tower, the John Hancock Centre and the Amoco Building. After a walk along beautiful Lake Michigan, try some famous Chicago-style pizza in one of the many restaurants and then head to a smoky nightclub to hear your fill of jazz and the Chicago Blues!

Chicago – Ephraim, Wisconsin

2 nights at Eagle Harbour Inn

Wave goodbye to Chicago today as you head to the charming town of Ephraim in Wisconsin and the Eagle Harbour Inn, your base for the next 2 nights. There’s plenty here to keep you busy including hiking and biking in Peninsula State Park. Also in the park is an 18-hole championship golf course with great views over Eagle Harbour and the bluffs of Green Bay. At Nicolet Bay rent kayaks or charter a boat for some serious fishing. Unique shops, art galleries and gourmet restaurants will also tempt you as will delicious coffee and pastries at Leroy’s Coffee Shop.

Ephraim, Wisconsin – Spring Green, Wisconsin

1 night at House on the Rock Resort

Continue your travels across Wisconsin, America’s freshwater playground to Spring Green in the River Valley. A unique and welcoming town, it’s a lovely place to relax awhile with antique shops and malls to browse in. It’s also the town world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright called home and you can visit his house, set within 600 acres of land and a work-in-progress for over 48 years! Another architectural gem is the House on the Rock designed by rival Alex Jordan Jr.

Spring Green, Wisconsin – Winona, Minnesota

1 night at Alexander Mansion

Winona in Minnesota is your destination today, an historic island city, nestled between the covered limestone river bluffs that rise 500 feet and the might Mississippi river. Founded in 1851 by a steamboat captain, the lumber industry helped it to grow quickly and by 1900 it had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the USA! Today, it is a charming place to visit with extensive shopping, art galleries and restaurants. There are also state parks for hiking, biking, horse riding and fishing and museums such as the Minnesota Marine Art Museum for culture lovers.

Winona, Minnesota – St Paul, Minnesota

1 night at Covington Inn

Further along the Mississippi River is St Paul twinned with Minneapolis and home to some great shopping including the Mall of America, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the United States. There’s also Summit Avenue, the longest avenue of Victorian mansions in America and St Paul’s Cathedral, equally as impressive as its London namesake! Underwater Adventures Aquarium will also delight, no matter what your age and there’s a nightclub district for revellers.

St Paul, Minnesota – Bayfield, Wisconsin

2 nights at Rittenhouse Inn

After much fun and frivolity in St Paul, head to Bayfield today, back in Wisconsin, the gateway to the Apostle Island National Lakeshore, a magnificent natural wilderness region. You’ve 2 days to explore, perhaps taking a cruise among the islands of Lake Superior, the largest body of freshwater in the world. Also highly recommended is a short ferry ride to Madeline Island to discover Big Bay State Park with its old trading post and Indian burial grounds.

Bayfield, Wisconsin – Marquette, Michigan

1 night at Landmark Inn

Cross the state line once again into Michigan via the picturesque Keweenaw Peninsula. Stop at historic Fort Wilkens en-route as well as the Delaware Copper Mine and the L’Ansse Indian Reservation before reaching the historic town of Marquette for your overnight stay.

Marquette, Michigan – Mackinac Island, Michigan*

2 nights at Grand Hotel

Take the scenic State Route 28 to Munising, stopping at Pictured Rocks, which was celebrated in Longfellow’s ‘Song of Hiawatha’. Onto State Route 123, enjoy lunch at St Ignace before taking the ferry to the timeless resort island of Mackinac, where cars are prohibited in favour of bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. Enjoy stunning views of the island from Fort Mackinac, perched on a bluff overlooking the harbour and relax during the evening on the verandah of the Grand Hotel.

Mackinac Island, Michigan – Whitehall, Michigan

1 night at White Swan

Downtown Whitehall is located where the White River meets White Lake. The heart of Whitehall is surrounded by a neighborhood filled with historic homes, a wide variety shops, entertainment, and recreational activities all set amidst picturesque White Lake.

Whitehall, Michigan – Chicago, Illinois

Another chance to explore the fabulous city of Chicago before heading home with many treasured memories.

* Please Note: between 01 Nov '12 to 31 Mar '13: Mackinac Island cannot be included due to hotel and ferry seasonal closure. Park Place Hotel, Traverse City (MI) will be used as a replacement.

Tour operated by Tour Mappers.
Please note: Hotels are subject to change.

driving distances

Chicago – Ephraim, Wisconsin: 258 miles
Ephraim, Wisconsin – Spring Green, Wisconsin: 249 miles
Spring Green, Wisconsin – Winona, Minnesota: 147 miles
Winona, Minnesota – St Paul, Minnesota: 123 miles
St Paul, Minnesota – Bayfield, Wisconsin: 209 miles
Bayfield, Wisconsin – Marquette, Michigan: 206 miles
Marquette, Michigan – Mackinac Island, Michigan: 173 miles
Mackinac Island, Michigan – Whitehall, Michigan: 249 miles
Whitehall, Michigan – Chicago, Illinois: 200 miles