Tours
Parade tours have become one of our most popular activities in recent years. We feature two kinds of tours: the traditional driving tours similar to the ones many of you do in your home Regions and also some guided van/motorcoach tours to special locations. Scroll down for descriptions of all the tours we'll be offering this year.
This year's Tours sponsor is Conference Direct.
Driving Tours
Mackinac Bridge and Island Drive Tour
Join us for a day of relaxation as we travel north to the world famous Mackinac Bridge. At 5 miles it is the third longest suspension bridge in the world. Enjoy the scenic drive across the bridge over the Straits of Mackinac. There is a short drive into St. Ignace where you will board a passenger-only ferry boat for the crossing to picturesque Mackinac Island. There you will find yourself back in time where there are no motorized vehicles or hurried lifestyle. Relax and enjoy the horse drawn carriage ride up to the world famous Grand Hotel, with credits that include the longest front porch in America and the filming location for the movie Somewhere In Time. Upon your arrival at the hotel you will fall back into another period, one of grace, elegance and Victorian charm. Following your buffet lunch at the hotel, enjoy the short downhill walk or a carriage ride back into town to explore the many shops, historic sites and period military reenactments at Fort Mackinac. Alternately, you may wish to rent a bicycle, carriage or horse to explore the islands wonders at your own pace. Either way it will be a memorable day.
Leelanau Peninsula Drive Tour
Experience the beauty of the Leelanau Peninsula and its many twisting and undulating roadways as you pass by old farm houses, vineyards, catch a glimpse of historic light houses and the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The scenic overlook reveals breathtaking views of the endless sand dunes. Along the way you will stop in Leeland and its historic Fish Town area with its unique market for smoked whitefish, salmon and chubs, as well as other shops with period charm and goods. There we will pause for lunch at the Cove Restaurant overlooking the river and fish ladder. While at the Cove, you may want to sample their Chubby Mary, a favorite local concoction that combines a spicy Bloody Mary with a smoked chub garnish – delicious! The return drive takes you to the east side of the peninsula and Suttons Bay. Yet another small village full of unique shops to again tempt you before the return drive to the Grand Traverse Resort.
Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lakeshore Drive Tour
“It is peaceful and serene. A place where gazing out into the world, night or day, and realizing that the universe is truly a magical, majestic mystery and humans are just a very small part of it all. Here at Sleeping Bear, I sit in awe and wonder at the perfection of Mother Nature”. “Most Beautiful Place in America” ABC Good Morning America
After this memorable driving experience through the sand dunes along the shore of Lake Michigan, select your lunch from a specially prepared menu at Arcadia Bluffs Country Club’s beautiful sunroom or terrace. From this vantage point you will have the best views of the lake across the links style golf course in a truly fresco setting. A five foot high wind break keeps the sometimes gusty lake breezes at bay and the generous amount of outdoor seating under umbrella festooned teak tables beckon you to dine in the out-of-doors. Alternately there will be seating indoors in the sunroom or at the club’s traditional bar.
Our return drive, though more direct, will also offer the beauty of Western Michigan as the summer season begins.
North West Lake Michigan Drive Tour
One of Michigan’s most spectacular drives, Highway 119 begins at Cross Village. There we will begin our drive south through Michigan’s famous ‘Tunnel of Trees’. Winding along this naturally forested, barely two lane roadway, there are spectacular overlooks onto Lake Michigan, each framed by natural wooded settings. The beauty is so spectacular people often drive the route from both directions to both see the increased vistas and to also allow the driver and passenger to change positions so each can take in all the beauty without the distraction of driving. Speeds along Highway 119 seldom exceed 25 mph so this seemingly short drive on the map often takes much longer, all the better to relax and enjoy. Just before we enter the quaint community of Harbor Springs, we will stop for a buffet lunch at Birchwood Farms, a quiet golfing community nestled deep within the woodlands.
Following lunch we will continue south through Harbor Springs, the Victorian town of Petoskey and further through the lakeside town of Charlevoix. One or all may capture your interest and call you to stop and sample their local shops. The group will then continue south to Traverse City and the Grand Traverse Resort.
Inland Lakes and Petoskey Drive Tour
Join us for a casual late morning drive along the back roads hugging the east shoreline of Torch Lake as we make our way north and east to Lake Charlevoix and even further east along Walloon Lake into the Victorian Village of Petoskey. Here we will enjoy an elegantly prepared plated lunch featuring North West Michigan’s finest food offerings at the historic Stafford’s Bay View Inn. Stafford’s is famous throughout the tri-state area for its Victorian Old World Charm and Hospitality. Afterwards, do enjoy a brief walk in the area and down to the waterfront and see if you can find a Petoskey Stone. These are pebble shaped rocks, actually fossilized coral, formed as the result of glaciation where sheets of ice plucked the now stone bits from the bedrock and began to grind off the rough edges, then depositing them along this areas Lake Michigan Shoreline. Afterwards you may want to take in a bit of shopping in Petoskey or, further down the road, Charlevoix, both unique villages with special shops not often found in larger cities.
Van/Motor-Coach Tours
Platte River Canoe Trip
Saving those beautiful Porsche leather seats from what will become your wet and sandy bottoms, we will transport you from the hotel to the beautiful and gently flowing Platte River with its easy gradual turns and sandy bottom. You will board your 2 person canoe in the sandy shallows of the livery and begin to paddle effortlessly down river. After a bit the river opens into the calm waters of Loon Lake. At this part of the lower Platte River you will continue to paddle, along the northern lake shore, soon to pick up the river once again. You will also pass along one of Michigan’s many fish weirs that have a gate which can be lowered into the river to slow or stop the seasonal flow of salmon migrating up river.
The river depth typically averages between 2 - 3 feet at this time of year making this a relaxed family outing. The total canoeing time is 2 ½ hours and ends at a sandy beach near Lake Michigan. There you will leave your canoe and enjoy a Box Lunch in the adjacent picnic area with modern rest room facilities. After lunch you will re-board the bus/van for the ride back to the Grand Traverse Resort.
Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park
Your motor coach will take you directly from the hotel entrance to the Frederik Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids which integrates the experience of great gardens with great art. The emphasis is on horticulture displays showcasing a beautiful array of plants appropriate for the Midwest and specialized plants from around the world. Within the indoor Tropical Conservatory are over 500 tropical species from five continents of the world that are displayed in a magical setting including waterfalls, steamy streambeds and majestic rock work. Stroll into the Victorian Garden and relax on ornate furniture among plants used in the classic Victorian Garden Parlors during the turn of the last century. Outdoors, the plant presentations range from planned and manicured, such as in the English Perennial and Bulb garden and continue throughout the natural trail areas. Internationally renowned, the Sculpture Program at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park features more than 160 works in the permanent collection sited both outdoors and indoors on the 132 acre property.
Through the permanent collections and ongoing exhibitions, Meijer Gardens has developed the reputation as one of the most significant sculpture collections in the nation. Enjoy lunch at Taste of the Gardens Café, with its dazzling ceiling sculpture by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. The indoor area includes booth seating and the outdoor terrace features a picturesque water fountain. Free wireless internet is available. Enjoy the enticing menu within a lovely setting.
Old Mission Peninsula Wine Tour
Board your motor coach at the hotel for a relaxed day of beautiful vineyards and scenic vistas, tasting excellent wines of your personal favor and a box lunch at a lake view setting. Northern Michigan is home to numerous wineries with the majority being in the Traverse City area. Lake Michigan provides some moderation of temperature and the grapes flourish in the sandy soil.
You will travel to the Old Mission Peninsula for this private wine tasting event. Jutting north between the azure arms of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay lies Old Mission Peninsula. Situated at the globe's 45th parallel – the ideal climate for growing varietal wine grapes – the seven distinct wineries that comprise this stunning appellation have been well recognized by international wine enthusiasts. Discover the beauty of the Old Mission Peninsula and experience its award-winning wines: Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Gewürztraminer, sparkling varieties and the prestigious ice wines. You will visit 3 different wineries, sample the many types of reds and whites produced by each and have the opportunity to purchase your favorites for later enjoyment or to share with friends.
Leelanau Peninsula Wine Tour
Board your motor coach at the hotel for a relaxed day of beautiful vineyards and scenic vistas, tasting excellent wines of your personal favor and a box lunch at a lake view setting. Northern Michigan is home to numerous wineries with the majority being in the Traverse City area. Lake Michigan provides some moderation of temperature and the grapes flourish in the sandy soil. Vintners have been producing fine wines for a number of years in Michigan and these include varietals from Germany doing especially well just as award-winning Rieslings (ranging from dry to late harvest sweet) and many internationally acclaimed reds with Merlots and Meritages as well as other blends.
You will travel to the Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan's oldest & largest wine trail, for this private wine tasting event, visiting 3 different wineries to sample the many types of reds and whites produced by each and have the opportunity to purchase your favorites for later enjoyment or to share with friends.
Also, check out this video of a recent historic find: