Mackinac Island - Niagara Falls

June 12 - 20, 2010

 

Exploring the Beautiful Mackinac Island and Featuring the Majestic Niagara Falls

 


 

June 12, 2010:

 

Today we board our deluxe motorcoach and set out from Greer, SC for a wonderful and exciting nine day excursion to one of the our country's most scenic islands, Mackinac Island.  We want you to sit back and relax as we drive through Tennessee and Kentucky, viewing the beautiful farmland and horse country.  We will arrive at our first arranged stop in Cincinnati, OH. Tonight includes a delicious dinner aboard the B. B. Riverboat as well as scenic views of the Ohio River and the Cincinnati Skyline. We will end our evening with musical entertainment which will be provided.


 

June 13, 2010:

 

After breakfast we will travel a short distance to Dayton, Ohio. This is where we will visit the National Museum of the Air Force located at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base. The museum is home to many artifacts and exhibits commemorating the service of those in the United States Air Force. The museum also has a unique Presidential wing that is dedicated to Air Force One. It is a remarkable military museum for all to see.  After leaving Dayton, Ohio, it is on to the Motor City of Detroit where we will check in for a two night stay.


 

June 14, 2010:

 

Today begins a full day of sightseeing and exploring the city of Detroit.  First, we will visit the historic Henry Ford Museum where you can relive a part of American history as it relates to automobiles. You will have the chance to see the presidential limousine that carried John F. Kennedy. You will also get to experience how life was during various decades by learning about the machines and equipment that ran in America years ago. It is truly a museum of Americana and one that will have you reliving your past.  After lunch, we will meet our local Step-On Tour Guide for an exciting visit to Downtown Detroit where we will learn of its musical roots beginning with Motown. After we are done with our tour, you will be saying to yourself, “I did not know Detroit had that!” 

We will enjoy an overnight stay with the evening free.


 

June 15, 2010:

 

Today will be a traveling day. We will be heading northbound to Michigan. Enjoy the scenic countryside as we leave the big cities behind and approach the Great Lakes region. Once we arrive we will be able to see the “Might Mac”, the Mackinac Bridge, beaming ahead. This massive suspension bridge best connects the upper peninsula of Michigan to the lower peninsula of the mainland. Enjoy the boats and Mackinac Island off in the distance along Lake Huron.  We will then travel to the end of I 75 in the US at the Canadian border in Saulte Ste Marie located at Lake Superior and the St. Mary's River, which serves as our international border. We will take an enjoyable river cruise and visit on of our nation's busiest locks at the Soo Locks Canal. One of the world's great wonders, the locks help the mega freighters traverse the river to Lake

Superior. You will get a chance to sail next to a 1,000 foot coal freight! Talk about feeling small!  We will then return to the dock and allow shopping time in Michigan's oldest city at the waterfront before checking into our hotel for the night.


 

June 16, 2010:

 

This morning we will travel southbound to the Mackinac Bridge for our exciting tour of Mackinac Island.  We will board the CAT, a huge ferry that will speed us across Lake Huron to the docks at Mackinac Island. Because automobiles are not allowed on the Island, we will begin our horse and carriage tour.  Following our Horse Island Excursion and taking in all the beauty of the Island, a delicious lunch awaits us at the opulent Grand Hotel. Served in elegance in a formal dining room, lunch with all it fancy toppings is provided in the way of old time royalty. There are over 20 different styles of desserts that you can choose from.  Be sure to walk off lunch by visiting the world's largest porch in front of the famous Grand Hotel or you can visit the Island's many waterfront stores. You can also walk or take a carriage ride to our waterfront hotel located on the lake. Take part and enjoy the sights and sounds of no traffic which provides serenity for Mackinac Island. You will never forget the beauty of Mackinac Island and the Mackinac Bridge.  Enjoy the rest of your day relaxing or exploring the Island.


 

June 17, 2010:

 

Following breakfast and a short ferry ride back to the mainland, say goodbye to tranquility and prepare to cross the international border into Canada.  Enjoy the beauty of Ontario, Canada as we travel to the famed Niagara Falls! We will travel to Niagara Falls and do some shopping before checking into our centrally located hotel on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls. Time for a rest because tomorrow will be a busy day.


 

June 18, 2010:

 

Following breakfast, we will meet our local Tour Guide who will lead us on a sights and sounds tour of the Niagara Falls. Our sites will include the famed Floral Clock and the massive Hydro Electric Power Plant(s) that feed off the Niagara River.  We will then enjoy a breathtaking boat ride directly to the Falls aboard the famous “Maid of the Mist”. Afterwards, we will eat lunch atop the Skylon Tower. Feast on a delicious meal as the revolving restaurant takes you on a spectacular view of the Niagara Falls from high above. On a clear day, you can see Toronto and Buffalo. It is amazing!  For the remainder of the day, feel free to explore the area on your own.  After dinner, we will transfer you to the Falls again so you may experience the breathtaking views of the Falls at night. Take in all it's beauty as various floodlights cast a majestic aura of the Niagara Falls.


 

June 19, 2010:

 

We must now say goodbye to the Niagara Falls. We will continue to see the beauty of the Canadian side as we travel along the river to the US border crossing near Buffalo.  We will make a stop at Duty Free for those looking for any last bargains. Then it is onto Erie and Pittsburgh as we view the Steel City from the banks of the Three Rivers.  Our final hotel stop will be in the beautiful mountains of Morgantown, West Virginia.


 

June 20, 2010:

 

Today we will get up early because it is time to head home. We hope you will take with you the pleasant memories from your journey to Mackinac Island and Niagara Falls.  We will cross the famous New River Gourge Bridge. This bridge is famous for its spanning of the New River. It is also closed one day a year so base jumpers can free fall off the bridge.  We will have an early arrival to Greer, SC.


 

 

Tour Package Includes:


********   A U.S. PASSPORT IS REQUIRED!   ********
 

You may obtain a Passport Card at a cost of only $45.00 which will allow travel to and from Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, and the Caribbean. However, they are not valid for international

travel. The US Passport Card is valid for 10 years.


The normal US Passport costs near $100.00 so if limited travel is planned this is an economical way to go.


For more information go to www.getyouhome.gov. Click on US Passport Card.

It is important to obtain your passport as soon as possible. There are times when passports are delayed in being issued and we do not want you waiting on yours when it is time for your journey

to begin.

 

For further information please contact Gail Boswell at (864) 877-4369 or Blue Ridge Tours, Inc. at (864) 834-5604.


 

** A $100.00 deposit is required in order to reserve your seat. **


 

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