Classic 4.5 feefo-stars

Mackinac Island

featuring the Grand Hotel and the Tulip Time Festival
9 DAYS
$4,649 pp*
*Rate is per person, land only, double occupancy, tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date.
Please select a date below for more details.

About This Tour

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This classic Midwestern tour features Illinois and Michigan. Savour two incredible nights amid the luxury of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Enjoy a horse and buggy tour of Mackinac Island. Explore the wonderful city of Chicago with a local guide. View extraordinary flowers in bloom at Holland’s Tulip Time Festival. Visit the Bavarian-influenced town of Frankenmuth. In Dearborn, experience the inspirational Henry Ford Museum and view historic homes at Greenfield Village including the famous American workshops of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Robert Frost.

Your Tour Includes
  • 5 Handpicked Accommodations
  • 13 Meals
Included Highlights
  • Chicago
  • Millennium Park
  • Holland’s Tulip Time Festival
  • Mackinac Island

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Your Tour at a Glance

Stay

9 Days

8 Nights


Meals

13 Meals

8 Breakfasts

1 Lunches

4 Dinners


Activity

1 - Light & Leisurely

What's This?

Travel Style

Classic

What's This?
Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

  • *No Hassle Refunds
  • Travelling Well Safety
  • No booking fee, *no change fees
  • Top Rated Travel Protection

Getting Prepared

Know Before You Go

Enhance Your Tour

Accommodations

Arrive Earlier

Pre Night: Hyatt Regency Chicago
From $160 per night

...
Hyatt Regency Chicago

Nights 1-2

...
Canopy by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown

Night 3

...
Grand Hotel

Nights 4-5

...
Courtyard Bay City

Night 6

...
Westin Hotel Southfield Detroit

Nights 7-8

Trip Reviews

Live, Unedited, & Independent Traveler Reviews

Rating

89 reviews
Overall Trip Rating
4.5
Out of 5
feefo-stars
Based on 89 independent reviews
5
50
4
33
3
6
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Every thing was good. My favorite other than the island was the boat tour in Chicago.
    Sue Dunaway
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    It got off to a bad start in our conversation in fort worth. We were delayed and and missed our flight out because of a storm. After sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours we had to get off the plane again and couldn't leave until the next morning Leaving all of us seniors to try get some sleep on those hard chairs so we were all stiff and sore by morning. Very unpleasant.
    Glendora Seefeld
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Collette should have knowing that the Grand Hotel was the destination for high and elementary students during the time we were there. Also, the five star rating was not what we expected due to the employees arriving just a few days earlier
    Paul Scanlon
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Holland, MI tulip festival and Frankenmuth were less than I expected (could have done without). Grand Rapids hotel was disappointing (understaffed)
    Linda Harlor
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tulip festival was extremely crowded, tulips were pretty much over...Frankenmuth was a bit disappointing... good chicken dinner for lunch though. Grand Rapids hotel was stark and understaffed. Restaurant was closed and we had to walk around to find something opened for dinner. Not many decent options.
    Mark Harlor
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I can't say enough about this trip. There was plenty to see and time for shopping, looking around etc. The tour manager was one of the best!! She was always available when necessary.
    Barbara Olhava
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Absolutely beyond our expectations. First, Jen went above and beyond in organization and knowledge. She and our bus driver Andy were the best! We had a great mix of planned activities and free time. The Grand Hotel and all of Mackinac were like a fairy tale. The restaurant choices were outstanding. I chose Collette because it also included Frankenmuth and we were not disappointed. However, more time in the Christmas store would have been good , but that’s just me. Our rides were spaced wonderfully with stops in between that made them feel much shorter. My only complaint. The bus needs cupholders and a pouch on the back of the seat.
    Pamela Shaw
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The airline travel was poorly planned. We had 20 minutes to change planes is Dallas....and we're OLD!!! Dallas is known for storms...our flight was cancelled....and WHY did we have to go to Dallas to get to Chicago.?? We spent the night in the airport and missed the first day of our Chicago tour
    Marjorie Dibble
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour guide was very good and active all the time. The Grand Hotel was a bonus.
    Armand Depalo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Loved the tour but wasn't happy with having to change planes on the way home when many direct flights were available.
    Cynthia Green
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The car you picked us up in in Chicago was not the right car to be picking up six singers in. We had to climb over the backseat to get to the third one row of seats. It should’ve been more like the van, that picked us up in Stockton and took us to San Francisco.
    Connie Gleason
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Breakfast meals generally were disappointing, fake eggs, no pancakes, no French toast at some. Didn't care for Grand Hotel buffet breakfast, but off menu was good. Dinner meals could have been better, except for Welcome Dinner. Didn't care for dinner choices. Was disappointed with Grand Hotel meal first night. I've had better elsewhere. Didn't like that dinner was so late in evening. Too close to bedtime. Didn't like that had to dress up so formally each evening. Farewell Dinner was disappointing, didn't care for dinner choices. Would have thought a better restaurant. Didn't care for Chicago bus tour. Guide needed to use megaphone when off bus or ear buds/radio, we couldn't see what she was talking about most of the time. Tour manager suggested we go on river boat tour. It was expensive and covered the same things we heard on bus tour. Meijer Gardens was good, disappointed that Japanese gardens were under renovations. Alden Dow tour was awesome. Would have liked to be able to take pictures inside though. Ford Museum was very good. Much more than expected. We had trouble finding some things even with the map, very few employees around to get assistance. Greenfield Village wasn't exciting, we have way better one at home. Mackinac island was fun, nice town, great shops and museums. However, after our carriage ride tour, the driver was supposed to let us off at one of 3 places -the Fort, downtown or back at Grand Hotel. He stopped at the Fort, but made everyone get off downtown except girl scouts. **** has heart condition and can't was far at a time. He didn't have phone number to call for a taxi and had to walk all the way back, stopping many times to rest. He was exhausted by the time he got back. Tour guide was pleasant, but didn't rotate seats on bus much, hard to understand what she was explaining. She was at front of bus explaining things, pointing out things, we couldn't hear, or see what she was pointing out. I had hard time figuring out what she was explaining. Seat rotation was one seat at a time. We started in middle on one side and ended up in rear on same side, never made it to front. Other tours rotate 4 at a time. Bus driver didn't explain bus procedures, emergency procedures, bathroom procedures, etc. WHY DON'T YOU HAVE LONGER SURVEY TO RATE EACH HOTEL, EACH RESTAURANT, EACH TOUR ETC, LIKE FOR PAST TRIPS WE'VE TAKEN? Hotels were generally good. Westin was too far from other restaurants and it was dangerous to walk to them. While we were in the restaurant an alarm went off. The staff had no idea what to do. They said it never happened before. They didn't have us evacuate. The staff needs to be trained. Collette might want to suggest book to read before trip: Devil in the White City, by Eric Larson.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Didn't care for most dinners, except Welcome Dinner. Tour director could have been clearer when explaining on bus. Didn't like having to dress up formally at Grand Island.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I liked Chicago very much. The hotel was my favorite. I could have spent at least another day there.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent trip with the right amount of excursions and free time!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent tour with knowledgeable tour guide. Excellent time allotment at all of the sites. Only improvement— suggest a wider variety of food places to eat at the smaller cities like Grand Rapids -felt like all of the choices were pub food as it was always focused on walking distance vs better places via an Uber
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Always had wanted to see the Grand Hotel, having 2 nights there was great.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    2 Hotels did not accommodate Handicap bathrooms a total of 3 nights.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The Island the hotel are wonderful. I would have liked to see more of Chicago.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Enjoyed tour but a lot of time on bus.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Different from other trips.
    Patricia Mcwaters
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    spending time at the Grand Hotel. Stepping back in time.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Chicago was greatto see from the ground.
    Ronald Weisel
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Chicago city tour, mushroom houses, Machenac Island/Grand Hotel and Ford Museum.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Staying in the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel is a once in a lifetime experience. From the beautiful room with the canopy beds (each room decorated differently) to the staff made us feel like valuable guests. The dinners were unbelievable with white glove service!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Mackinac Island absolutely gorgeous, Chicago fantastic, Henry Ford Museum lots of fun. Everything was well out together and wonderful. My family and I fully enjoyed everything about this tour. Highly recommend
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Sitting on the porch looking out to see Lake Huron.
    Dorothy Reynolds
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    To stay in the Grand Hotel at least one night was my dream, this tour make my dream came true.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I enjoyed the local guide in Chicago. She was very informative and entertaining The weather in Holland was nice and the Tulips were gorgeous I truly enjoyed Mackinec Island. It was a step back in time. I enjoyed the Grand Hotel. The Christmas store in Franenmuth was amazing. Greenfield Village was interesting and The Henry Ford Museum was also interesting as it had so much more than cars.
    Jewell Ellis Eyler
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I would have liked to have one more day in Chicago and more time on Mackinac Island.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Chicago. So much to see and do. Did not need a guide in Holland. Did not need to see their post office, fire station, etc. Would have preferred to have seen the other tulip farm. Getting off the bus could have been done in order. We basically sat in one place and never rotated any closer to the front.
    Shirley Hill
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel for Mothers’ Day. The beautiful character of the Inn, the meals provided were superb, the ambiance of the island made it a perfect day.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel was amazing!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I felt the overall pacing was too fast. The hotel in Grand Rapids was the pits. Surely Collette could find another one that didn’t need total renovation. That said, Mackinac Island and the Henry Ford experience were top notch and well worth the trip. More time in either of those would have been great.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The time in Chicago was wonderful and could have been a day longer. Mackinaw Island was also a special treat!
    Elaine Glover
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I loved going to the Tulip Festival and seeing the local high schoolers in Dutch clothing performing dances.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I had taking a trip to the Grand Hotel with you before, however, this was a very special trip as I was to and did meet a new cousin that we connected thru Ancestry.com. Also traveled with dear friends, having just lost my partner....
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Hard to pick a favorite-every stop had something to amaze us..Of course we loved Mackinac Island but we also enjoyed Chicago, Holland, Frankenmuth and Dearborn
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel was an experience I would not have experienced on my own.
    Phyllis Novick
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The mushroom houses was fun. Driving on the suspension bridge was exciting. How nice to sit back in a comfortable seat and just enjoy the journey.
    Kathleen Kaufmann
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Great itinerary. Travel arrangements were excellent.
    Theodore Schuman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    17 fudge shops on the island!
    Penny Schuman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Staying on the Island at the Grand Hotel. Such a wonderful experience.
    Barbara Ratliff
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    I noted previously that I felt the stops in Traverse City and Frankenmurth arrived too late to enjoy the town. We were steered to a winery and a Christmas Store, making these trips optional could have allowed more time in the towns
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The one day I was on my own in Chicago. Had a marvelous time!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The whole group showed up for ballroom dancing first night, and of course Cathy Donahues experience at that hotel and sharing all the little insights with us.
    Charles Bennett
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
    Linda Vitale
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    It was all that was advertised.
    Barbara Nemick
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    See above answer. Mackinac Island was my favorite experience.
    Joseph Nemick
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The Grand Hotel experience was Grand!!!
    Arlene Gaines
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Great trip Great time well done
    Consiglia Raymond
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We had never been to Chicago or Michigan. We enjoyed each town we visited. We traveled with friends we met on the National Parks Tour in 2015. This was our 9th tour with Collette!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Ford Museum and village, 6hrs was not enough time, could spend 5 days there.
    Barbara Dowling
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything Great !! The tour was more that I had hoped for.
    Earl Bentel
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Enjoyed Chicago and Greenfield village, grand hotel! And the music box museum
    Monica Skerker
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Staying at the Grand Hotel! Also the horse and buggy rides and the glorious scenery.
    Diane Bevacqua
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The natural beauty combined with the old fashioned hotel was a wonderful experience.
    Beatrice Naylor
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I needed more guidance on where the best shoppong areas were located. My room was beautiful.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All the hotels where we stayed were really nice. Loved getting to stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for 2 nights. Loved seeing the Henry Ford Museum & hope sometime I can go back to visit the Village in Dearborn also.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The town itself was a T-shirt haven. Even the carriages were in a muddle at times
    Carol Ruecker
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    It would have been five if not for Bernice Hill
    Paul Derby
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Music Museum and Macinac Island
    Patrick Raynal
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Everything was great with the exception of the hotel in Frankenmuth. Breakfast was not very good nor was the housekeeping in the hotel.
    Arlene Hirsch
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Got to see great highlights of each place, had good hotels, nice meals. My favorite was the Island. So beautiful!
    Charlene Sprabary
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The stops on our tour were wonderful! We had a day to ourselves to tour Chicago; the Navy Pier. Collette guided us around the city with a very knowledgeable historian. Frankenmuth was so unique, with its Bavarian atmosphere. And of course, the cherry on top was Mackinac Island. The Grande Hotel is so magically beautiful. We arrived during Lilac Festival and enjoyed the aroma of the blooms everywhere!
    Gail Parker
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Chicago - What a wonderful surprise! Frankenmuth - Had a festival and was a lot of fun Mackinac Island - The Grand Hotel was truly grand
    James Parker
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Most enjoyable but nothing is perfect.
    Joe Reeves
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel of Mackinac Island, its amenities, its food, and the service are just over the top. The carriage ride through the park was so much fun!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The days on Mackinac Island was the reason I took the tour but all other locations were a bonus. Enjoyed it all. Thanks for having a comfortable bus with clean windows ( mostly) to take pictures!!😀
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The guide were well informed and enjoyable. The horses were the best. The horses worked hard and enjoyed making us happy.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    the Ford museum The Grand Hotel and Mackinac Island Chicago and Wrigley field
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    It was a beautiful & charming place. The Grand Hotel lived up to expatations. Enjoyed lots of fudge in town!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The accomodations and meals and service were all excellent. The taxi rides and tour of the state park were fun. It was a thrill to get to dance in the ballroom of the Grand Hotel.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Too much time on the bus. We traveled 1200 miles in the week. The Grand Hotel was a great experience.Other hotel were excellent. I was surprised how so few meals were included. I have taken tour dozens of tours (including Collette), and meals were mostly included, resulting in less out of pocket expenses. The stop at the Ford Museum and Greenville Village were not included -all for $15 a day. Cheap!
    Nicio Vega
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Loved the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, plus the Grand Hotel tour and Chicago tour. To much time on the bus with nothing to keep us engaged. Would have liked more history of Michigan and Wisconsin as we motored along. Wasn't impressed with the accommodations in Detroit and Green Bay but the Grand Hotel and Chicago accommodations were great with their rooms and breakfast. Of course the Grand Hotels dining was five star.
    Gerald Taylor
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Great tour. Grand Hotel and all of Mackinac Island were memorable
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The Grand Hotel was Excellent, the Marriott Chicago was very good, but the Best Western Greenfield and the Tundra were only fair. The Edsel Ford House was amazing, but I was NOT pleased that our tour was cut short and we diid not get to see everything we should have. Very disappointing!!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The view of the Grand Hotel as we approached by horse drawn carriage was very spectacular., while the optional river tour of Chicago was really breath taking.
    Richard
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tour was good. Mackinaw Island was the best value of tour. Beautiful hotel, room, dining, service. Favorite experience was island & views of Chicago city views. Fair well dinner was good but we were to spread out to visit & say goodby.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Visiting the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, along with a stay at the charming Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island were the highlights of the trip!
    Mary
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tundra Lodge was not up to Collette standards Macinac&Chicago were splendid tours great accommodations
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Highlight of the tour was the stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. It was wonderful, even if a bit on the cold side. I would like to return some day at a different time of year when it is not so cold!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I enjoyed our two night stay in the Grand Hotel - sort of a life time dream. However the stores in the hotel were a disappointment. My travel companion can always find some memento of a trip and she didn't buy anything! A first for her! I think the sunlight at the tulip gardens made it a spectacular day. I loved walking among all the flowers. I think that Chicago was the most unexpected, but really a most interesting part of the trip. The visit to Millennial Park was fun. The Navy Pier was a disappointment. Not a necessary stop at all. A river cruise would have been more pleasurable.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I would have to say the Henry Ford museum and Greenfield village went beyond my expectations. Mackinaw was just awesome and Chicago was really great too. Had a blast.
    Bobbie

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