Visit Chicago, Fort Wayne, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, Toronto, Detroit, Saugatuck, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Mackinac Island, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Bayfield, Minneapolis and Madison.
Starting and finishing in Chicago, you’ll visit all five of America’s Great Lakes during this three week road trip.
You’ll explore severn Great Lakes States and one Canadian Province on this Ultimate Great Lakes adventure, which is home to endless beaches, vast sand dunes, epic waterfalls and world-class cities.
Ultimate Great Lakes highlights:
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All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 21 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required. Just let us know when requesting your quote.
You’ll start your Ultimate Great Lakes road trip by spending three nights and two exciting full days in Chicago. Many start by enjoying Chicago’s famous pizza or by going to the top of Willis Tower to watch the sunset and get the lay of the land. You’ll collect your wheels when you leave Chicago to begin the drive around all five of North America’s Great Lakes. For now, you’ll be exploring Chicago by foot, L-Train, or Uber as you move from one world-class attraction to another.
Most visitors to Chicago head straight to the ‘Magnificent Mile’, a vibrant, bustling area which is home to upscale shops, trendy restaurants and posh hotels. Landmarks include the historic Chicago Water Tower, the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower and the 100-story Hancock Center, which has a rooftop observation deck called 360 Chicago. Spend the rest of the day exploring some of the other attractions found north of the Chicago River. These include Navy Pier, Wrigley Field and the beaches along Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
On your final full day in the USA’s second city, we recommend that you spend time visiting Chicago’s attractions that are located south of the Chicago River. Some of America’s very best museums are found here, including the Art Institute, the Alder Planetarium, and the Field Museum of Natural History. Be sure to stroll around Millennium Park; you’ll find world-famous outdoor artworks like Cloud Gate and Crown Fountain for those all-important Social Media snaps. Lastly, before leaving town, make sure you spend at least one evening partying at Buddy Guy’s Legends Nightclub.
Collect your car and leave Illinois to enter neighbouring Indiana. The first stop and the main event of the day is a visit to Indiana Dunes National Park, located on the south bend of Lake Michigan. Discover miles of beaches backed by rolling sand dunes and dense pine forests. Indiana Dunes State Park is also located here, and it’s a must before you leave for Fort Wayne, which is in the heart of the vast Indiana farming landscape.
Between Fort Wayne and Cleveland lie a few varied and interesting points of interest. If you’re an adrenaline junky, then be sure to head to Cedar Point for the day on your way to Cleveland. If movies are your thing, head east and tour the “The Shawshank Redemption” prison in Mansfield. You can then enjoy Cuyahoga Valley National Park on your way into Cleveland. Cuyahoga Valley is a lovely mixture of historic buildings and nature, including the beautiful and winding Cuyahoga River. Walk along the Towpath Trail to follow the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal before leaving for Cleveland on the banks of Lake Erie.
Spend the morning at the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this amazing homage to everything musical over the past 70 years. From Elvis to more modern day icons like Eminem, this mecca to music has something for everyone to enjoy. Next, enjoy lunch at West Side Market , before taking in a sporting event or heading over to your preferred Cleveland attractions. Options include Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Cleveland MetroParks Zoo and the Cleveland Museum of Art to name just three. For an evening night out or evening meal, we suggest you head over to the hip “The Flats” area of town.
Leave Cleveland and cruise northeast along Lake Erie to the stunning sight of Niagara Falls. For our money, Niagara Falls ranks right up there with any natural wonder on the planet, and it’s certainly a must-see for anyone visiting all five of the Great Lakes. Watch in awe as water from four Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Michigan and Erie) flows into the Niagara River before dumping into Lake Ontario. These five Great Lakes comprise 20% of the world’s freshwater supply.
Niagara Falls is made up of three massive yet separate waterfalls. The largest is on the Canadian side of the border and is named Horseshoe Falls, whilst Bridal Veil and American Falls are on the US side. One must-do is to take to the water and experience the power of the falls close up. Horn Blower Niagara Cruises operates boats from the Canadian side of the border. Later that day, you can opt to walk behind the falls, zip-line alongside the falls, or take a leisurely stroll along the river. We’ll be sure to let you know of all the available options this area has to offer.
Time to head back to an urban environment, in the form of Canada’s largest and most dynamic city – Toronto. Along the way, you’ll first visit the little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and then pass by wineries on your way to Toronto and the third great lake of this Ultimate Great Lakes tour – Lake Ontario.
An action-packed day in Toronto, options include visiting one of Toronto’s excellent museums, experiencing Ripley’s Aquarium Of Canada or shopping in the upmarket Bloor Yorkville neighbourhood and mass-market Eaton Centre. Finally, to complete the day, witness some epic views from the top of CN Tower; the brave amongst you might even opt to experience the “Edge Walk”. Be warned, though, you’ll need a good head for heights if you venture outside 500m above the ground. After you’ve watched the sunset, enjoy a meal in Koreatown, Chinatown or have a bite to eat at one of the trendy restaurants found along King Street West.
Next, you’ll cruise along the Talbot Trail on the north side of Lake Erie and cross back into the USA using either the Windsor Tunnel or Ambassador Bridge. Welcome to Detroit, a town that has had a fascinating journey over the last 100 years or so. In recent years, Motor City has enjoyed a renaissance following a challenging few decades. Today, it’s a mix of truly world-class museums, vast sporting arenas and a musical history that can rival any city in the world. Oh, and if you like a gamble and a lively night out on the tiles, Greektown has you covered.
Detroit is home to two of the Great Lakes very best museums, rivalling those in Chicago and the other major cities along this Ultimate Great Lakes route. Hitsville USA, also known as the Motown Museum, is a must for any music lover. Learn how this former home became the most important building on the planet. Berry Gordy built his Motown empire with acts like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and The Supremes churning out hit after hit. After lunch, we recommend visiting The Ford Museum to see a vast collection of American historic artefacts. Firstly, you’ll see important cars, like the first-ever Mustang and the Lincoln that carried JFK on that fateful day in Dallas. Afterwards, you can explore Edison’s studio and even find a perfect Cotswold Cottage that was moved here brick by brick.
Cruise west to the Gold Coast of Lake Michigan, and then head north to the adorable small towns of Douglas and Saugatuck. The Great Lakes area is packed with picturesque small towns. Saugatuck, in particular, is a jewel and one of the prettiest places in the entire Great Lakes region. Spend the afternoon discovering the charming streets, shops and restaurants dotted around beautiful Saugatuck and then consider crossing the Kalamazoo River on the adorable Saugatuck Chain Ferry and climb Mount Baldhead to enjoy far-reaching views of Lake Michigan. Feeling lazy, then forget Mount Baldhead and hire a retro boat to explore the river and Lake Michigan from the water.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is managed by the National Park Service, and thus, it offers a pristine environment of outstanding natural beauty for visitors to the Great Lakes region. Sleeping Bear is centred around enormous dunes, where one massive dune, in particular, used to resemble a “Mother Bear” sleeping on the ground with her two cubs made up of two islands that lie just off the shoreline. Energetic visitors can opt to walk down and then back up the biggest sand dune you’ve ever seen. The rest of us can drive to the top and sit and watch all the energetic people regret their decision to walk down to the shoreline. What fun. In the afternoon, you can explore less challenging hikes through woodland and more manageable sand dunes.
Leave Sleeping Bear Dunes behind and cruise through lovely Great Lake towns like Leland, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs on your way to Mackinaw City. Park your car at the shore and jump on a ferry to one of the Great Lakes’ foremost destinations— Lake Huron and Mackinac Island. This special island banned cars as a clever marketing gimmick back in the day. Today, the benefits are clear: charming horse-drawn taxis and tourists on bicycles make this a unique environment in which to spend two relaxing days.
Start your day with a pancake breakfast, then rent a bike and enjoy a flat 8-mile ride around this pretty little island. After lunch, you can visit the Historic Fort and then stroll over to find Sugarloaf Rock and Arch Rock. Next, find a couple of Adirondack chairs and a bottle of wine and watch the sunset from your hotel porch. Complete your day with a delicious fish dinner at one of the numerous restaurants found on Lake Shore Drive.
After two days without your beloved rental car, it’s time to get behind the wheel and cruise across the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge to explore the scenic roads of the U.P. – the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Suppose you opt to follow the suggested route; your first stop will be Tahquamenon Falls (the largest in Michigan) before heading west to explore the wonderful Pictured Rocks area.
Leave Upper Michigan and enter Wisconsin in search of the charming town of Bayfield. Just offshore, in Lake Superior’s waters, lies the picturesque Apostle Islands. These small isles are protected by the National Park Service and can be visited by boat. Alternatively, spend the late afternoon and evening strolling the lovely streets of Bayfield and enjoying a meal and drinks as the sun sets. On the way to Baysfield, you can opt to detour to Lake of the Clouds (pictured) in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. This detour adds another 50 miles to the drive, but in Autumn, it’s a detour well worth the extra hour behind the wheel.
It’s time to head inland and leave the lakes behind; you’ll complete this Ultimate Great Lakes regional tour by visiting the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and then the much smaller city of Madison. So, leave Wisconsin (for a while) and head into Minnesota for a couple of days. After crossing the Mississippi River, you’ll arrive in Minneapolis. The first stop for any fan of the music icon Price will be a visit to his former home and studio – Paisley Park. If Prince isn’t to your taste, then your Road Trip Pack will give you a multitude of fun options to consider.
Art lovers are well served in this city. The Walker Art Center, the most-visited modern art museum in the country, displays an extensive collection across all mediums. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Institute of Art offers 40,000-year-old artefacts alongside modern masterpieces. If shopping is more appealing, head to the country’s largest shopping mall – The Mall of America. Home to more than 500 stores, you’ll also find the Sea Life Aquarium, a Nickelodeon theme park, House of Comedy and other fun attractions here. Music fans can continue to hunt out Prince and Bob Dylan points of interest and murals, two of the 20th centuries most icon musical artists called this city home.
Follow the Mississippi River down to lovely La Crosse and then drive east to pretty Madison. Fans of mid-century architecture might want to stop by Taliesin en route; this is an iconic Frank Lloyd Wright structure located (along with more of this work) off Highway 23, close to the Wisconsin River. While Madison is smaller than surrounding metropolises like Minneapolis, Chicago or Milwaukee, it is the capital of Wisconsin. It has a certain charm and a lively social scene (thanks to the Universities and Colleges found here), making it an appealing last stop on this Great Lakes tour.
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Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
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