Day 1 - Fly from the UK to Detroit and pick-up your car

Separated from Canada by the Detroit River, which flows from scenic Lake St. Claire into Lake Erie, “Motor City” Detroit is an iconic start to your Great Lakes road trip. During the early and mid-20th century, this Michigan city was the centre of the U.S. automobile industry. You can learn all about Detroit’s motor history at one of several automobile museums located around town. Detroit is also known for its contribution to U.S. music culture. It's most famous for Motown, but the city was also important to Techno, Hip Hop and other genres. While in town, stop by the Motown Museum, housed in a recording studio where gold records were cut by music legends like the Jackson 5, the Temptations and the Supremes. 

Stay two nights in Detroit

Day 3 - Detroit to St Ignace, approx. 295 miles

St Ignace is located at the northern tip Michigan’s ‘mitten’, on the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet. Visit Castle Rock for stunning views of the lakes and surrounding scenery. In downtown St Ignace, shop in the unique boutiques or sample local whitefish at one of the many restaurants. The local hospitality here is famous! Take the ferry across to Mackinac Island, a timeless island where bicycles and horse drawn carriage are the only forms of transport. Visit Fort Mackinac perched on a bluff overlooking the harbour, Arch Rock, Skull Cave, British Landing and the Beach of a Bazillion Skipping Stones.

Stay two nights in St Ignace

Day 5 - St Ignace to Marquette, approx. 160 miles

Cross into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (known as the U.P.) which is bounded by Lake Superior to the north, the St Mary’s River to the east and Lake Michigan and Lake Huron to the south. Marquette sits of the shores of Lake Superior and at the mid-point of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A small, friendly city, Marquette has preserved its historic charm and natural beauty and is great base for discovering the U.P.

You will be spoilt for choice with the abundance of outdoor activities in this area, either along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, or inland in some of the large areas of state and national forest, where you can discover rugged hills, cedar swamps and over 150 waterfalls. Try kayaking, hiking, biking, fishing, picnicking or a boat or scuba diving tour.

Stay three nights in Marquette

Day 8 - Marquette to Bayfield, approx. 205 miles

Head across the U.P. and cross into Wisconsin. Bayfield is a small town on the edge of Lake Superior and serves as the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a National Park that includes 21 wilderness islands and over 12 miles of scenic peninsula shoreline. A cruise among the islands of Lake Superior, the largest body of fresh water in the world, will give you a memorable and lasting impression of this unspoiled area. You can also take a ferry to Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands, to tour the old trading post and Indian burial grounds. The lakeshore is also known for its collection of historic lighthouses. Bayfield itself has some unique galleries and shops showcasing local art.

Stay two nights in Bayfield

Day 10 - Bayfield to Brainerd, approx. 195 miles

Minnesota is often referred to as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and you’ll find out why in this area! Lake Superior may be the largest, but there are plenty of other lakes here where you can get off the beaten path and spend some time on, in or close to the water – unless you do you haven’t really been to Minnesota! This area is known for its natural beauty, with clear blue lakes and plush green forests, as well as its abundance of outdoor activities both on the water and dry-land, festivals and unique shopping. 

Stay two nights in the Brainerd Lakes area

Day 12 - Brainerd to Minneapolis/St Paul, approx. 140 miles

Known as the ‘Twin Cities’, Minneapolis/St Paul are located on the mighty Mississippi River in Minnesota. The state’s music scene is legendary, launching native superstars Bob Dylan and Prince, artists whose connections to Minnesota are remembered in murals, landmarks and attractions. Don’t miss Paisley Park, former home and studio of Prince, which is open for tours. Art lovers will enjoy both the Walker Art Center, one of the nation’s top modern art institutes including a beautiful sculpture garden, and the Weisman Art Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, with its glistening stainless steel exterior. The Mall of America in nearby Bloomington is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the USA, with more than 520 stores and restaurants, as well as an indoor theme park and aquarium.

Stay one night in Minneapolis/St Paul 

Day 13 - Minneapolis/St Paul to Green Bay, approx. 280 miles

Twice awarded the title of ‘All-American City’, Green Bay is also known as ‘Titletown’ due to the number of professional football Super Bowl titles the Green Bay Packers have won! This is the smallest U.S. city to have a professional American football team and you can visit the stadium and its Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame to learn more about the team’s history. The city also has a host of parks, street art in the form of murals and sculptures, open-air concerts and movies in the summer and popular local breweries and restaurants. 

Stay two nights in Green Bay

Day 15 - Green Bay to Ephraim, approx. 75 miles

Known as the Cape Cod of the Mid-West, the Door County peninsula boasts five state parks, ten lighthouses and over 300 miles of shoreline. At the top of the peninsula, from Ephraim you can enjoy the beautiful coastline from the shore or the water. Rent a kayak or pontoon boat, or take a sightseeing cruise. Visit the Historical Foundation and Village Museums or shop in some of the area’s unique stores and boutiques. Door County has beaches, golf-courses, bike trails and wineries, and you can be as relaxed or as active as you like. 

Stay two nights in Ephraim

Day 17 - Ephraim to Milwaukee, approx. 185 miles

Once known almost exclusively as a brewing powerhouse, Milwaukee now boasts a beautiful Riverwalk area and the Milwaukee Art Museum, with an impressive addition designed by Santiago Calatrava. The modernist building is shaped like a floating cross and certainly makes you stand and stare! Visit the Harley-Davidson Museum, or play a round of golf at nearby Erin Hills, which hosted the US Open in 2017. 

Stay one night in Milwaukee.

Day 18 - Milwaukee to Chicago, approx. 90 miles

Chicago, is a great holiday destination at any time of year and is known as ‘America’s Favourite City’. Situated on Lake Michigan, with 29 miles of lakefront, including sandy beaches and cycle paths, Chicago also boasts breath-taking architecture, world-class shopping on the ‘Magnificent Mile’, wonderful museums and theatres, gourmet restaurants and fantastic nightlife. Get a bird’s eye view of the city from the 360 Chicago Observation Deck or the glass-floored ledge at Skydeck, over 400 metres up, or take a relaxing stroll in Grant Park. Take a city tour by bus or alternatively, try a Segway tour or rent a bike. 

Stay two nights in Chicago

Day 20 - Chicago to Saugatuck, approx. 140 miles

Nestled along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in a backdrop of stunning natural beauty, the Saugatuck area makes a great place for the last couple of nights of your road trip. Relax on one of the six award-winning beaches, kayak or paddleboard on the scenic waterways, or explore the gently rolling dunes and shoreline at Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area or sandy forest paths of Saugatuck Dunes State Park. You can get your heart pumping with a steep climb up and down Mt. Baldhead and be rewarded with a panoramic view of Lake Michigan. The area has a thriving art scene and you can see working artists in the galleries and studios and pick-up a one of a kind piece of artwork as a memento of your holiday. You will find plenty of farm to table food here, whether in a casual café or bar or in a more formal restaurant – there are plenty to choose from, or you could pick-up some local produce and prepare your own picnic.

Stay two nights in Saugatuck

Day 22 - Saugatuck to Detroit, approx. 190 miles

Head back to Detroit and return your car in time to check-in for your flight.