Michigan/Ontario
The Best of Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island: A Trans-Border Discovery
Program No. 2192060MEADV-1116-60
Embark on an adventure between two countries, discovering timeless traditions, natural wonders, historical landmarks and cultural heritage with friendly locals and experts.
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800-454-5768
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8 days
7 nights
18 meals
7B 6L 5D
1
Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Traverse City, MI
2
Sleeping Bear Dunes,Village Commons,Mission Point Lighthouse
Traverse City, MI
3
Mushroom Houses, Fish Hatchery, Ermatinger Clearge Home
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
4
Bushplane Museum, Metis Interpretive Guided Canoe Experience
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
5
Sault Ste Marie Canal, St Mary's Rapids, Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island, MI
6
Horse-drawn Carriage, Grand Hotel Lunch, Free Time
Mackinac Island, MI
7
Morning Lecture, Fort Mackinac
Mackinac Island, MI
8
Ferry & Transfer to Traverse City Airport, Program Concludes
Traverse City, MI
At a Glance
Join us for a cross-border learning adventure that takes you from one of the oldest continuous settlements in North America to an island suspended in time. Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario, Canada, has been inhabited for thousands of years. Equally ancient Mackinac Island became popular as a vacation destination in the late 19th century. Accessible only by boat and plane, the island maintains its Victorian ambiance with a focus on simple pleasures and a ban on cars. Learn from experts about history, culture, people and achievements through the ages.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles per day, including two nature trail walks. Transportation on Mackinac Island by horse-drawn carriage, walking.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Recall earlier eras as you explore Mackinac Island by horse-drawn carriage to study its architecture and history with lunch at the Grand Hotel.
- Travel to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to view the dunes above Lake Michigan and learn about the geology and ecology of the dune plateau area.
- Learn about the importance of the fur trade during a field trip to Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Candice Dunnigan
Candi Dunnigan is a longtime resident and equestrian on Mackinac Island. She resides at Easterly Cottage with her family, and an assorted menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats. She has been the weekly equine columnist for The Mackinac Island Town Crier for fifteen years, and served as the first president of the Mackinac Island Horsemen’s Association. A former fox hunter, she enjoys cross country and trail riding more than anything. As an international rider she has ridden in across Europe and in Costa Rica.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Candice Dunnigan
View biography
Candi Dunnigan is a longtime resident and equestrian on Mackinac Island. She resides at Easterly Cottage with her family, and an assorted menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats. She has been the weekly equine columnist for The Mackinac Island Town Crier for fifteen years, and served as the first president of the Mackinac Island Horsemen’s Association. A former fox hunter, she enjoys cross country and trail riding more than anything. As an international rider she has ridden in across Europe and in Costa Rica.
Kim Johnson
View biography
Kim Johnson is a lifelong Michigander. A graduate of Michigan State University, she spent over 30 years as a commercial banker. By happenstance, she discovered group leading which allowed her to retire early. This career change perfectly coincided with her grown sons venturing out on their own career paths. Today, Kim and her husband Greg are both enjoying life as group leaders with both students and adults. Her hobbies include hiking, reading, cycling, pet-sitting, and researching new places to visit.
Joanie and Gary McGuffin
View biography
Joanie and Gary are experienced Canadian guides, explorers and photographers whose epic canoe journeys have spanned the continent. Conservation and adventure photography is their passion.
James Lenfestey
View biography
Journalist and poet James P. Lenfestey was born and raised in De Pere, Wisconsin, and educated at Dartmouth College. In 1974, he discovered the work of T’ang poet Han-shan, or Cold Mountain, whose poems offer both thematic and formal inspiration for Lenfestey’s concise, image-driven poetry. For fifteen years he chaired the Literary Witnesses poetry program in Minneapolis and led a summer poetry series on Mackinac Island, Michigan. He lives in Minneapolis and on Mackinac Island with his wife.
Suggested Reading List
(9 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Best of Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island: A Trans-Border Discovery
Program Number: 21920
Mackinac Island (Images of America)
From historical richness to unparalleled natural beauty, Michigan's Mackinac Island is the crown jewel of the Great Lakes, unique in America. Native American visitors preceded French explorers and missionaries of the 17th century. Forts were established and battles fought between American and British soldiers. Commerce, including fur trading and fishing, later surpassed military importance, in turn yielding to the tourism industry that has dominated the past 150 years. Includes black-and-white photos.
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Egan explores the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes and their ecologies using insightful research and political commentary.
Sault Saint Marie (Images of America: Michigan)
Sault Ste. Marie was destined to be a gathering place. Native Americans relied on the rapids of the St. Mary’s River, which links two Great Lakes, Superior and Huron, for a year-round supply of fish. Its population swelled in the summer—a tradition that continued as French traders came to turn in their pelts and celebrate the end of another long, hard winter. After the Revolutionary War, the Sault, as it is called, became a community divided on national lines, with the United States holding one shore and Canada the other. Eventually man conquered the rapids, and today the Soo Locks transport millions of tons of freight annually to ports all over the world. Tourists are drawn by the cool breezes off the lake and the sight of steel behemoths passing almost close enough to touch.
Masters of Empire, Great Lakes Indians and the Making of America
In his well-received history, McDonnell explores the Great Lakes region from the perspective of the Anishinaabeg tribe that controlled Mackinac Island, an essential hub between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. His study discusses rivalries, trade networks, kinship and the effects of the American Revolution.
Mackinac Island: Up Close, and Personal
This entertaining account of Mackinac Island is equal parts memoir and history as Cawthorne sets his experiences (as a carriage driver, chamber of commerce manager, state legislator, restaurateur and attorney) within the island’s last 50 years.
Traverse City, Michigan: A Historical Narrative, 1850 – 2013
One hundred-sixty-five years ago the Boardman River emptied its waters into the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay amid a vast forest of white pines, red pines, and oak trees. But for occasional villages of Odawa Indians, the area was largely uninhabited, the currents of history taking white settlers to places south and west of this isolated place at the end of a long peninsula. Sixty years later, the forests had disappeared, replaced by factories, vast retail stores made of brick, an Asylum, churches, schools, and residences as a primitive settlement grew into a small town. In time, the community shrank as residents moved away in search of better lives elsewhere in Michigan, many of them moving to the more prosperous southern part of the state. Still, change was not done: people began to return, seeking the grace the land and water offered them as they reinvented the basis upon which their lives were built. is is the story of Traverse City, Michigan and it is the story of this book.
Moon Michigan (Travel Guide)
Moon Michigan reveals the best of the Great Lakes States’ charming small towns, vibrant urban hubs, and vast, untouched wilderness. Inside this guide you’ll find full coverage of Michigan, from Detroit and Ann Arbor to Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula.
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude’s Mooring
Although the Winds of Mackinac Inn has been in her mother’s family for generations, Maude Welling’s father refuses to let her run it without the guidance of a husband. So she seeks to prove her worth and independence by working incognito as a maid at the Grand Hotel. Undercover journalist Ben Steffans, posing as a wealthy industrialist, pursues a story about impoverished men chasing heiresses at the famed hotel. While undercover, he becomes attracted to an intriguing maid. By an act of heroism Ben endears himself to the closed-mouthed islanders—including Maude—and he digs deep for his story. But when scandal threatens, will the growing love between Maude and Ben be scuttled when truths are revealed?
Perimeter, A Contemporary Portrait of Lake Michigan
An insightful series from photographer Kevin Miyazaki’s 1,800-mile journey around Lake Michigan. The work gives much to peruse and ponder from faces and outfits to tools and toys, but mostly the lake itself.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
8 days
Program Begins
Traverse City, MI
Program Concludes
Traverse City, MI
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
18
| 7B |
6L |
5D |
Activity Level
Join us for a cross-border learning adventure that takes you from one of the oldest continuous settlements in North America to an island suspended in time. Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario, Canada, has been inhabited for thousands of years. Equally ancient Mackinac Island became popular as a vacation destination in the late 19th century. Accessible only by boat and plane, the island maintains its Victorian ambiance with a focus on simple pleasures and a ban on cars. Learn from experts about history, culture, people and achievements through the ages.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Recall earlier eras as you explore Mackinac Island by horse-drawn carriage to study its architecture and history with lunch at the Grand Hotel.
- Travel to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to view the dunes above Lake Michigan and learn about the geology and ecology of the dune plateau area.
- Learn about the importance of the fur trade during a field trip to Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site.
Featured Expert
Candice Dunnigan
Candi Dunnigan is a longtime resident and equestrian on Mackinac Island. She resides at Easterly Cottage with her family, and an assorted menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats. She has been the weekly equine columnist for The Mackinac Island Town Crier for fifteen years, and served as the first president of the Mackinac Island Horsemen’s Association. A former fox hunter, she enjoys cross country and trail riding more than anything. As an international rider she has ridden in across Europe and in Costa Rica.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Kim Johnson
Kim Johnson is a lifelong Michigander. A graduate of Michigan State University, she spent over 30 years as a commercial banker. By happenstance, she discovered group leading which allowed her to retire early. This career change perfectly coincided with her grown sons venturing out on their own career paths. Today, Kim and her husband Greg are both enjoying life as group leaders with both students and adults. Her hobbies include hiking, reading, cycling, pet-sitting, and researching new places to visit.
Joanie and Gary McGuffin
Joanie and Gary are experienced Canadian guides, explorers and photographers whose epic canoe journeys have spanned the continent. Conservation and adventure photography is their passion.
James Lenfestey
Journalist and poet James P. Lenfestey was born and raised in De Pere, Wisconsin, and educated at Dartmouth College. In 1974, he discovered the work of T’ang poet Han-shan, or Cold Mountain, whose poems offer both thematic and formal inspiration for Lenfestey’s concise, image-driven poetry. For fifteen years he chaired the Literary Witnesses poetry program in Minneapolis and led a summer poetry series on Mackinac Island, Michigan. He lives in Minneapolis and on Mackinac Island with his wife.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles per day, including two nature trail walks. Transportation on Mackinac Island by horse-drawn carriage, walking.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(9 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
8 days
7 nights
What's Included
18 meals | 7B | 6L | 5D |
2 expert-led lectures
13 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Traverse City, MI
Meals:
D
Stay:
Bayshore Resort
Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Hotel check-in: Available from 4:00 p.m. Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. Program Orientation: 5:00 p.m. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate; program activities and schedules may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. During scheduled free time, the Group Leader will often be available to accompany informal excursions, activities, or meals that have been excluded from the program cost. You are welcome to join if you like, with any associated costs on your own, or enjoy personal independent exploration.
Dinner:
In the hotel, we'll enjoy a buffet meal with salad, choice of entrée, and dessert with coffee, tea and water.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know fellow participants and get a good night’s sleep for the full day ahead.
Day
2
Sleeping Bear Dunes,Village Commons,Mission Point Lighthouse
Location:
Traverse City, MI
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Bayshore Resort
Activity Note
Driving for 100 miles, approximately 2 hours total. Walking approximately 3 miles total for the day. Walking and standing up for up to 1 mile (approximately 1.5 hour) at Village Commons.
Breakfast:
At the hotel, enjoy a breakfast buffet including cereal/oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, toast, baked goods, juices, coffee, tea, and water.
Morning:
This morning we will venture by motor coach to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, considered one of the most beautiful places in the United States. Known for its clear blue water, sandy beaches, and bluffs that tower 450 feet above Lake Michigan, this National Lakeshore is home to lush forests, unique flora and picturesque farmsteads. It is an area rich in maritime, agricultural and recreational history.
Lunch:
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will continue on to The Village campus, formerly the Traverse City State Hospital grounds. During our walking exploration, we will learn about this former asylum and its impact on the city. We will also view the architecture and learn about the former uses of the structures on the property. We will then drive to Mission Point Lighthouse, during which you will experience one of the most highly rated coastal drives in North America. The lighthouse is situated- surrounded by lush forest on three sides with thickly wooded trails. Mission Point light house was first lit in 1870. Mission Point attracts visitors during all seasons- from cross country skiers to sea kayakers.
Dinner:
Dinner will be on your own in Traverse City. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. There will be time to dine and explore the local area.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
3
Mushroom Houses, Fish Hatchery, Ermatinger Clearge Home
Location:
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Holiday Inn Express Sault Ste. Marie
Activity Note
Crossing Border: Pack your passport in your carry-on. Getting on/ off motor coach. Driving for 175 miles, approximately 3 hours and 20 mins. Walking and standing up for up to 1 mile (approximately 1 hour) at the Mushroom Houses. Total walking throughout the day will be approximately 3 miles.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We'll check out of the hotel, take our luggage to the motorcoach for loading, and hop on board for our journey to Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. Our first stop this morning will be to view the Mushroom Houses of Charlevoix, Michigan on a walking exploration of the neighborhood. These homes were designed by architect Earl Young. In his career he completed 26 residential and 4 commercial properties. Each home of his creation is unique and was designed to blend in with its surrounding landscape. Young's style was special because of his use of indigenous materials, like stones from the shores of Lake Michigan, and the application of stone masonry. We will then continue on to the Oden State Fish Hatchery, the original fish hatchery that began operation in 1921. This is a site where finfish and shellfish are raised and bred. We will learn about the significance that the fishing industry has on Michigan’s economy, as well as what is involved in operating and managing a fishery in Michigan.
Lunch:
Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon:
We'll re-board the motorcoach, cross the border into Canada (U.S. passport required), and check into the hotel. We will have some time to rest before departing for dinner. Tonight's dinner will be at the Ermatinger Clearge National Historic Site with homes that depict domestic and professional life of prominent residents between 1808 and 1870.
Dinner:
This will be a theatrical dinner which we will learn more about the history, customs, and lifestyles of early settlers. In the dining room at the Ermatinger Old Stone House, we will have a heritage dinner which includes dishes typical of the era served near the hearth of a historic home with coffee, tea, and water.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
Bushplane Museum, Metis Interpretive Guided Canoe Experience
Location:
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Holiday Inn Express Sault Ste. Marie
Activity Note
Walking approximately 2 miles throughout the day. Canoe trip with optional paddling.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board the motor coach for a short drive to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center. We will discover the heritage of bush plane firefighting in Ontario, from its history to a collection of the actual aircraft that made this practice possible. Observe and even interact with the planes on display.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant
Afternoon:
Members of the Sault Ste Marie Métis Community will share their culture and traditions during his visit which takes place both on the land and water. There are two components. Part of it involves 1.5-miles of leisurely walking with a variety of stops at historic points of interest between the Métis Cultural Centre and the Sault Canal National Historic Site. The other part involves paddling the Big Canoe on the St Marys River. Participants will experience the Sault Locks, a close-up view of the famous Whitefish Rapids, Fort Creek and the Métis Riverlots. The 36-foot canoe is stable and comfortable, and participants may paddle as much, or as little, as they wish. No prior experience is necessary. Before boarding the Big Canoe, all participants are provided with a well-fitting PFD, a paddle and a short instruction. During the river time, participants enjoy a locally curated snack of cedar tea, Bannock and smoked whitefish.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Sault Ste Marie Canal, St Mary's Rapids, Mackinac Island
Location:
Mackinac Island, MI
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Island House Hotel
Activity Note
Crossing Border: Pack your passport in your carry-on. At St. Mary's Rapids, 45 minutes - 1 hour hike over uneven beach terrain; some exposed roots and rocks, gravel; no restroom facilities on trail. Travel by ferry boat for approximately 3 miles or 20 minutes.
Breakfast:
Buffet at the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we will head to our last stop in Canada, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site. This was the final link in the Canadian navigation system stretching from the St. Lawrence River to Lake Superior, completed in 1895. It was then the world's longest lock and the first powered by electricity. We will also walk out to see the St. Mary’s River Rapids, a short stretch of the river famed for annual salmon runs. Then, crossing the border, we visit the Soo Locks, operated by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The first navigation lock, built by the Northwest Fur Company in 1797, was destroyed in the War of 1812. It was not until 1855 that a new lock system opened to facilitate shipping between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, on into the other Great Lakes and their communities.
Lunch:
Lunch at a local restaurant
Afternoon:
We'll continue to St. Ignace and board the ferry for a 20-minute ride to Mackinac Island. The arrival dock is close to the hotel but since there are no automobiles on the island, we will travel by horse-drawn carriage to the front door. Luggage will be taken up for us.
Dinner:
In the hotel dining room, make menu selections including soup or salad, entrée, dessert, as well as coffee, tea and water.
Evening:
After dinner, we will be joined by a local journalist and poet to discuss all things Mackinac. This lecture will cover the geology of the island, the Anishinabe creation story of Turtle Island (Michillimackinac means “Turtle island"). You'll hear stories about Island visitors like Whitman, Thoreau, Hemingway as well as Longfellow's imagination of Gitchie Gumee.
Day
6
Horse-drawn Carriage, Grand Hotel Lunch, Free Time
Location:
Mackinac Island, MI
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Island House Hotel
Activity Note
Travel on a horse-drawn carriage for 1.5 hours. Will need to be able to climb up three steps onto carriage. Travel on island is only by horse drawn carriage, bike, or walking. Walking exploration will be for 1 hour and will include 1 mile of walking.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room, choose from a buffet with cold and hot cereal, eggs, baked goods, fruit, juices, milk, coffee, tea.
Morning:
This morning we will board horse-drawn carriages to see some of the island’s most interesting sights. Our guided exploration will include views of the state park, island overlooks, and a drive by the governor's mansion. Our private exploration will conclude at the Grand Hotel.
Lunch:
At the Grand Hotel, enjoy the renowned Grand Luncheon Buffet with garden-fresh salads, savory cheeses, slow-roasted meats, seafood, and many varieties of fresh-baked pastries.
Afternoon:
After lunch, explore the Grand Hotel grounds that include different gardens, a meditation labyrinth, and an art gallery. Feel free to relax on the porch or call a horse drawn taxi and explore independently. We will have free time for the rest of the evening. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what's most interesting to you. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Morning Lecture, Fort Mackinac
Location:
Mackinac Island, MI
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Island House Hotel
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles on gravel paths. Travel by horse-drawn carriage for up to 10 minutes. Will need to be able to climb 3 steps onto carriage.
Breakfast:
Buffet at the hotel.
Morning:
We'll gather in a meeting room at the hotel with a local expert to learn about one of Mackinac Island’s most important resources: horses. Gain an understanding and appreciation of their role and importance to island life. Afterwards, we'll take the horse-drawn taxi to Fort Mackinac, built by the British during the Revolutionary War. The stone Officers Quarters is the oldest building in Michigan. Ownership transferred to the U.S. after the Revolution but the British took it back during the War of 1812. Then we got it back again! Today there are 14 original buildings at the Fort with interactive displays, exhibits tracing history, period furnishings, and costumed interpretive staff.
Lunch:
In the Fort Mackinac Tea Room, have soup, sandwich, and choice of beverage from iced tea, lemonade or water.
Afternoon:
Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what's most interesting to you. The Stuart House City Museum is a free time activity available for participants at no additional cost. The Stuart House was built in 1817 as part of the American Fur Company that made the original John Jacob Astor the first millionaire in America.
Dinner:
At the hotel, enjoy a farewell dinner in our private room with selections from the restaurant menu — an opportunity to share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening:
At your leisure.
Day
8
Ferry & Transfer to Traverse City Airport, Program Concludes
Location:
Traverse City, MI
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Travel by ferry boat for 3 miles or 20 minutes back to mainland & ride aboard motorcoach, approximately 2 hours or 100 miles. Arrival at Traverse City airport is expected to be approximately at 12:00 p.m. depending on local conditions. We advise making no onward travel arrangements before 2:00 p.m.
Breakfast:
Early at the hotel. Before breakfast, place your luggage outside your room to be picked up and carted to the ferry.
Morning:
We'll depart early and take the ferry back to the mainland then board a motorcoach for the ride to Traverse City Airport. After airport drop-off, the bus will continue to the Bayshore Resort for anyone who drove and needs to pick up a car. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
18 Meals
7 Breakfasts
6 Lunches
5 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
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- Oct 01, 2025 - Oct 08, 2025
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- Jun 11, 2025 - Jun 18, 2025
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- Oct 01, 2025 - Oct 08, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 33 Reviews
Sort By:
This trip exceeded my expectations! Our Group Leader, Kim, was a wonderful ambassador for her home state of Michigan.
— Review left September 30, 2024
Our program and instructor, Kim, was wonderful. If you are looking for a program that would be instructive and worth attending, I suggest Road Scholar.
— Review left September 27, 2024
This was an excellent program with many surprising things that I never heard about. It made me think about returning to the area in the future and discovering even more about this beautiful area.
— Review left August 29, 2024
We enjoyed every minute, and Chip is a great leader.
— Review left August 16, 2024
The trip was wonderful - highly recommended.
— Review left August 16, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed myself! Saw areas of the US and Canada I would not have seen otherwise. Well-led, well-organized and right-sized. A bargain!
— Review left August 10, 2024
THis was a well organized and informative trip packed with history and moderate exercise. I learned so much about upper Michigan.
— Review left August 9, 2024
What a great trip: The scenery while driving on the road was breath taking with orchards of cherries of vivid red colors, sunflowers, trees, and the view of the lake along the way. Charlevoix was a fairy tale city, with their mushrooms houses (28), petunia baskets were hanging all around town, Limelight hydrangeas with their football shape flowers, were grown everywhere. The Oden State Fish Hatchery gave us a very informational tour of their facilities. While in Canada we visited The Bushplane Museum with their 24 aircraft exhibits, including the original De Havilland Beaver aircraft and the CL-215 waterbomber, the guide provided us with a lot of information.
It was very interesting to learn and observe about “Locks” their function and purpose both in Canada and USA.
The cherry on the top of our trip was Mackinac Island, with its horse carriages, fudge stores, Fort Mackinac, mansions/houses surrounded by flowers, the Grand Hotel, and the scenic views of boats around the pier, floating on the turquoise shades of water.
Indeed a wonderful trip, which made it even more special for the friendly and interesting people that I met.
— Review left August 1, 2024
What a wonderful learning opportunity for me, as a first-time traveler with Road Scholar. Great experience in all facets of the trip!
— Review left July 8, 2024
This program exceeded all of my expectation.
— Review left July 5, 2024
Traverse City was a fun area. Lots of good restaurants and nice shopping. I had always heard about Mackinac Island and it did not disappoint. Magical!
— Review left June 28, 2024
Wonderful scenery, with informative and educational programs.
— Review left June 23, 2024
I enjoyed this program very much. I had never been to Michigan before and really enjoyed hearing so much about this state. I must say, there were some very busy days and I felt totally exhausted when I got home. I tried to walk ahead of time to prepare, but some of the days were still a little difficult.
— Review left September 15, 2023
This was a very pleasant trip--especially the part on Mackinac Island. The meals were excellent and added to the ambiance of the educational experience. There are a variety of educational experiences which would appeal to a wide range of people. There were some (like the bush plane museum) which didn't interest me, but when I got there, it was very interesting and I learned information that is relevant to environmental concerns which are happening today. Greg was an exceptional guide and leader who made the whole experience special.
— Review left September 14, 2023
Kim Johnson is a wonderful group leader who is very personable, organized and is very knowledgeable and informative about the sites we visited. The lecturers provided so much more in depth information and history of the sites visited. There was an adequate amount of free time to explore the areas on our own or relax. The listening devices were a great tool for all to hear the speaker.
— Review left August 31, 2023
What a great program! I'd never been to northern Michigan, but I will return. I especially enjoyed seeing the locks in action at Sault St. Marie, and the carriage rides on Mackinac Island. Most of the food and accommodations were stellar, and Kim, our leader, was exceptionally kind, knowledgeable and friendly. A great trip!
— Review left July 19, 2023
This program helped me learn a lot about northern Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie, Mackinac Island, the Great Lakes, the War of 1812 and the history of the area. Chip Reeves was an outstanding group leader. It is easy to understand why so many people flock to this area as a summer vacation spot. Another five-star program.
— Review left July 13, 2023
Our first Road Scholar trip and it was sensational. Our tour director (Kim) was excellent and very knowledgable but along the trip we heard from speakers who were familiar with the local sites so that was a real plus. The northern part of MI and the UP is a beautiful part of our Country. Being from the South I was mystified at how large and beautiful the great lakes are. The lakes play an important role in commerce, tourism and recreation for millions of people. Mackinac Island is well worth visiting if you have never been there. i highly recommend this trip. the food and accommodations were top notch.
— Review left June 28, 2023
This a moderately paced trip up the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.
It is not an Upper Peninsula tour, unless you count the bus ride across the eastern tip. Road Scholar has found excellent presenters at the stops along this tour. The first hotel (Bayshore) has no restaurant on-site and none within easy walking distance, though there is a shuttle. (It's not part of the tour, but the Inuit Art Collection at the attractive Dennos Museum in Traverse City is fascinating--and about a 20 min walk.)
The last hotel, Island House, was a treat--verandas with rocking chairs overlooking the water, and in walking distance of the shopping and historical area. Our group was large--38, the biggest we've been on, but logistics were mostly well managed, even with only one leader, also a first for us.
— Review left October 4, 2022
Our guide, Claudia, was excellent. The hotels were well located but their selection for breakfast was poor at the Island Harbour. Powdered eggs every morning was a little much. I was hoping for a choice of oatmeal, even if it was instant. There was no toast, only muffins. All other food choices were great and a nice selection of them.
I enjoyed each tour and learned from the various presenters. Thanks for a great trip.
— Review left September 24, 2022
Really nice variety of things to see and learn about. Other than too many french fries served, with no option to switch out for something else, the trip was great.
— Review left September 1, 2022
Once a Road Scholar--forever a Road Scholar!!
— Review left August 18, 2022
If you want to know more about upper Michigan and Mackinac Island, this trip will give you some insights into the history, culture and specialty foods of the area. The trip included a variety of educational experiences and tours that were fun, interesting and engaging. Our group was incredibly cohesive and friendly, thanks in part to or group leader, Greg Johnson. He was open, warm, engaging, organized, and enjoyable in every way. I recommend this trip if you don't know upper Michigan and want to see a beautiful part of our country.
— Review left July 19, 2022
Best way to experience this beautiful part of the country!
— Review left July 15, 2022
This was a trip that had been on my travelling buddy's bucket list for some time which is why we selected it (I didn't know anything about the area before.) I'm so glad I went on it and certainly have a better understanding about that part of the US than before. AND it's a great place to visit in the summer time if you live in a really hot climate. The weather was fantastic for July since I live in Texas. However it did make coming home a little harder.
— Review left July 14, 2022
spending any time in Northern Michigan is a plus in my book. The Road Scholar tour will not disappoint!
— Review left June 15, 2022
5 STARS -- wonderful trip!! Our leader, Micki, was awesome - handled everything so well, was funny, and personable. We had never been to Traverse City, Sault St Marie or Mackinac Island before so the variety of field trips and lectures were great. Mackinac Island was beautiful! We would highly recommend this trip if you haven't seen this part of the country.
Bill & Leslie
Iowa
— Review left December 16, 2019
Trip was excellent. Upper Michigan is a beautiful place in the summer. Saw many interesting sites and our trip leader imparted a wealth of knowledge. Highly recommend.
— Review left September 4, 2019
The visits to Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island were very satisfying and informative.
— Review left August 17, 2019
The Value for Cost, AND the experiences we received exceeded expectations; it was an amazing adventure AND Vacation!!!
— Review left June 30, 2019
The first vacation I took as a retiree was with Road Scholar. I can honestly say that I have found the best tour company I have ever travelled with, and plan to do all of my future travels as part of the Road Scholar program. It combined adventure, learning, friendship and exceeded my expectations in every way.
— Review left June 30, 2019
This trip was amazing from start to finish. Most of this was due to trip leader Lynde Vespoli's planning. She is so organized. Her personality is infectious. This group of 36 travelers were fun to travel with, Everyone was on time, happy, and did not get upset when things did not go as planned. Again, I think Lynde set the tone. She accommodated the differences in pace so that no one was left behind. Those that could move at a faster pace were able to when possible. The events planned on this trip were fun and educational. I wouldn't change a thing. We all agreed that one food stop should not be on future trips. (we did get a good laugh at the fiasco). Again both Lynde and Laura pitched in and helped servers when needed. I would recommend this trip with Lynde to all who want to explore this part of Michigan. I went knowing nothing. By the time the trip ended, I feel I have so much knowledge of the history and people of Lakes Huron and Superior and surrounding area..
— Review left June 16, 2019
An outstanding educational adventure that I would highly recommend. Wonderful group leader, interesting, enjoyable participants, great food, excellent educational presentations. Treat yourself to a wonderful experience.
— Review left June 15, 2019
