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OVERNIGHT TOURS
Spirit
of Peoria Riverboat Cruise
May 19 - 23, 2019
Cruise
from Peoria, IL to St. Louis, MO on this relaxing three-day, two-night cruise,
plus 2 nights at Par-a-Dice Casino in Peoria, Illinois,
Cruise includes all-you-can-eat buffet meals—including the chef’s
prime rib dinner—and live entertainment, such as live singing, guitar, banjo,
and ragtime piano, storytelling, calliope playing, historical information, and
wildlife sightings. Lodging is provided at various points along the river.
Experience the slower pace of life with three peaceful days of cruising the
Illinois and Mississippi Rivers!
Check
out our web site to see pictures from our 2018 Spirit of Peoria Riverboat Cruise
trip: http://www.travelstarzonline.com/Spirit%20of%20Peoria.htm
Day
1, May 19:
We travel to Peoria, Illinois for an overnight stay at the 4-deck
riverboat Par-A-Dice Casino & Hotel. You
will receive a dinner buffet and have the remainder of the day for free time to
play in the casino.
Day
2, May 20:
We will be transported to the Spirit of Peoria Landing.
First on the agenda is a hot breakfast buffet aboard the Spirit of
Peoria. We will start our travels
through the Peoria Lock & Dam before live piano, vocal, guitar & banjo
music and professional Riverlore begins. Lunch
will consist of a “Build your own sandwich” buffet.
Enjoy the live entertainment or take in the beautiful scenery along the
way. A wine and cheese reception is
offered mid-afternoon. Then a hot
dinner buffet aboard he boat before our arrival at Meredosia Landing.
We will then be transported to Springfield, Illinois for the night with
room accommodations at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel.
Day
3, May 21:
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before being transported to the Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum – a fabulous Smithsonian quality
museum - where you will spend 2 hours exploring.
Then it’s back onto the Spirit of Peoria to enjoy a hot lunch buffet
and take in the live entertainment. There
will be a late afternoon snack on board. Stand
along the railing and take in the beauty of and along the river while the
entertainment continues. Dinner is
served on board the Spirit of Peoria. In
the evening, we arrive in Grafton and check into Pere Marquet te Lodge and
Conference Center for a good night’s rest.
Day
4, May 22:
Breakfast is served at the lodge prior to being transported back to the
Spirit of Peoria for our departure to St. Louis.
Live entertainment again onboard the boat.
We will travel through the lock at Melvin Price Lock & Dam.
A hot lunch buffet will be served onboard.
We travel through another lock at Lock & Dam #27 before landing at
the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, where you will have free time to visit the
Gateway Arch or wander downtown St. Louis. We
then board motorcoaches for our return to Peoria at the riverfront landing.
Our motorcoach will meet us at the landing to transport us back to
Par-A-Dice Casino & Hotel for the evening.
Day
5, May 23:
Enjoy breakfast at Par-A-Dice and a bit of free time before our
departure. On the way home, we will
stop at Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch for a true reindeer experience and
entertainment. You might even be
able to kiss a reindeer! A
chuckwagon lunch will be served complete with tin plates and cowboy checkered
napkins while we enjoy a stage performance.
We then head for home with a variety of unique experiences to check off
our bucket list.
Walk
Rate = 2 - 3
$1,039.00
per person/double occupancy
$1,229.00 per person/single occupancy
$200.00
deposit with booking
Final payment due: April 9, 2019
Michigan Upper Peninsula
July 7 - 12, 2019
Day One – Sunday, July 7th, 2019: Today we start our adventure to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As we make our way toward the Mighty Mac bridge, and the undiscovered and pristine views of upper Michigan, we will watch the DVD on “The making of the Mackinac Bridge”. Learn the history of the bridge and the story of the people that made the access to what is known to many as “God’s Country” possible.
Late afternoon we arrive in Michigan’s oldest city, Sault Ste. Marie, where we will spend the night at the Kewadin Casino Hotel.
This evening brings an experience to remember aboard the Soo Locks Boat Tour and Dinner Cruise. Travelling through the Soo Locks, the largest waterway traffic system on earth, we will ride the water as it is raised twenty-one feet, straight up to the level of Lake Superior. Here you will be in awe, as we travel alongside the “big ships”. Enjoy a complete buffet dinner as we cruise the St. Mary’s River.
Returning to our hotel take advantage of your casino package and try a little lady luck on your favorite slot machine or gaming table. *$10.00 free play, plus $10 food voucher
Day Two – Monday, July 8th, 2019: After a full hot breakfast buffet at the Kewadin Hotel, we head to Paradise, MI and continue north to the oldest active lighthouse on Lake Superior and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. This national historic site is a tribute to the sailors and ships lost along the coastline, known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. On the way we will watch a video on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Heading west to the land of the golden water named Tahquamenon Falls, we enter the state park and stop for lunch at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery and Pub. Some may indulge in the refreshing taste of a hand crafted beer or simply enjoy their root beer! Originally a logging camp, the restaurant and gift shop, is a replica of the original, Camp 33.
After lunch the nature enthusiasts enjoys the solitude as we walk through the old growth forest to see one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, the upper Tahquamenon Falls. With a drop of nearly 50 feet and more than 200 feet across, record gallons per second have been recorded at 50,000 gallons. Hidden in the forest, the picturesque view definitely require a camera! The falls fame was also noted in the 1855 epic poem “Song of Hiawatha” by Longfellow.
Heading toward Newberry, the official Moose Capital of Michigan, we stop to explore the world of the American Black Bear at Oswald’s Bear Ranch. Learn of Dean Oswald’s passion for bears and how the complex became the largest bear only ranch in the United States. You will also have an opportunity to feed the bears apples or choose to have your photo taken with a bear cub!
Continuing west we arrive in beautiful Munising, nestled along the shoreline of Lake Superior and home of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Late afternoon we will check into the lighthouse themed AmericInnLodge & Suites where we will spend the evening.
Take some time to freshen up and relax before we depart for a buffet dinner at a long time local favorite at the 387 Restaurant.
Back at the hotel enjoy time in the pool, whirlpool or sauna before retiring for the evening.
Day Three – Tuesday, July 9th, 2019: After breakfast at the hotel, our “natural wonder” journey today begins with a stop at the Munising Falls. The short walk from the Interpretive Center will take you up the cool shaded sandstone canyon along the Munising Creek. Enjoy the wildflowers and perhaps the occasional mink on your walk.
Be prepared for what is called an awe inspiring, natural phenomena as we board our boat for the Pictured Rocks Cruise. This fully narrated boat tour will provide the story of Mother Natures’ handiwork, breathtaking views that are up close, wonderful and considered some of the greatest sights in Upper Michigan.
Back on the mainland we will have lunch in the park that is adjacent to the boat docks. Boxed lunch is included. After lunch we will continue north to Marquette where we will make a comfort stop in Marquette at the Welcome Center where we will pick up our step on guide who will spend the next two days with us as we continue to explore the Upper Peninsula.
Making our way to winter snow country near the Keweenaw Bay we visit the Shrine of Bishop Baraga. Frederic Baraga left his home in Slovenia in 1830 for the Catholic missions of the Upper Great Lakes. This statue pays tribute as he became the first Bishop of the Upper Peninsula in 1853 and was one of the earliest and most beloved pioneers known as “The Snowshoe Priest”.
Arriving in downtown Houghton, MI we check in to the Franklin Square Inn where we will spend the next two nights. Relax with a complimentary beverage from the 7th floor lounge enjoying the panoramic view.
This evening we take a very short ride for dinner at the Pilgrim River Steakhouse. The ambiance is warm and inviting which makes for a perfect ending to a picturesque day.
Day Four – Wednesday, July 10th, 2019: We start our day early with a full hot breakfast as the miners did so long ago before going to work in the copper mines. We make a stop at Quincy Hill Scenic Overlook before arriving at the Quincy Mine for our complete tour of the facility. We start with a visit to the museum then ride on the cog-rail tram down the hill to the mine entrance, ride the tractor-pulled wagon into the mine, seven levels underground. Outfitted with your hard hat, your guide will explain and provide demonstrations to learn of the rigors of such work of the early prospector rushing to mine deposits of native copper along the Keweenaw Peninsula.
With our guide we will travel the National Scenic Byway, the Copper Country Trail as we head to Copper Harbor, the most northern point in the Upper Peninsula. Our travels will enable us to make a stop at the Keweenaw “Record Snowfall Marker” and viewing the George Gipp Memorial along with historic Fort Wilkins.
Time out for lunch at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge , where they have been serving since the 1930”s. Here we have a soup, salad and sandwich luncheon in a rare and unique atmosphere as you take a step back in time. The main lodge, which was constructed during the Great Depression years in the pristine forests of the Keweenaw, bring out a boldness and charisma in all of us!
After lunch we spend some time shopping and sightseeing on your own in downtown Copper Harbor.
We continue to travel on Brockway Mountain Drive from Copper Harbor to the top of Brockway Mountain to view Lake Superior and the surrounding countryside from the top! This is the highest above sea-level drive between the Rockies and Alleghenies.
We arrive in Eagle Harbor and visit the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse which was originally built in 1851 to guide passing ships with navigational assistance because of Lake Superior’s unreliable disposition.
Time for a stop at the well-known bakery The Jampot! Not your ordinary bakery, as it is operated by the Society of St. John, a monastery affiliated with the Ukranian Catholic Church. Also sold as a local delicacy and popular is the thimbleberry jam. Across the street is the splendid chapel, as wonderful and strange as the bakery! From here you will also be able to view Jacob’s Falls.
With our guide we continue on with a tour of downtown and Historic District of Calumet, which was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. The village originally settled in 1864 was named for a Native American Chief of the Seneca tribe and was called “Red Jacket”. As listed on the National Register of Historic Places our tour will include Main Street, the Theatre District, Shute’s Gay 90’s Saloon and Vertin’s Art Gallery.
We finish our day of touring with a dinner at a “Copper Country” landmark since 1952, The Hut Inn. (Limited menu choices to be pre-ordered include Pork Chop with mashed potatoes, Lake Superior whitefish with a baked potato and Smothered Chicken served over wild rice. Please submit your entrée choice when booking.)
Return to the hotel for the evening. Enjoy your complimentary beverage in the lounge with conversation from your day of sightseeing. Take to the sky this evening, as the Keweenaw area is the premier location in the lower 48 states to view the northern lights – “Aurora Borealis”.
Day Five - Thursday, July 11th, 2019: A full hot breakfast at the hotel before checking out prepares us for another great day of sightseeing.
Making our way back toward Marquette with our guide, a visit to the UP would not be complete without a stop at Da Yoopers Tourist Trap. Located in Ishpeming, the heart of Yooperland, not only will you leave with something unusual, but a chuckle or two as well. A group photo on “Big Ernie” should also be considered before departing!
Arriving in Marquette, MI the most populated city in the Upper Peninsula and home to Northern Michigan University, your guide will point out the many reasons for the accolades and awards the community has received. Throughout your city tour, you will see the natural beauty and qualities that make Marquette one of “America’s Most Livable Communities” and in 2011 included “Top 5 Places to Retire by CNN/Money”.
Stopping downtown, we arrive just in time for lunch as you are welcomed at Donckers. Built in 1914 their dedication to service and quality remains the cornerstones in the history of the restaurant. After lunch we have included a little time for taking a stroll and shopping on your own.
Here we say goodbye to our step on guide and continue through the UP heading to the Palms Book State Park.
This afternoon we see another alluring natural attraction, Michigan’s largest freshwater spring, Kitch-iti-kipi, The Big Spring. You will learn the legends of Kith-iti-kipi and also take the observation raft ride over the crystal clear water of the spring, which is two hundred feet across, and 40 feet deep. The underwater features and mysteries are a challenge to the imagination.
We continue our tour through the Upper Peninsula with additional scenic shoreline views as we make our way to St. Ignace. Our last evening is at the Best Western Harbour Pointe Lakefront Hotel located on the scenic shores of Lake Huron. Tonight we will enjoy a buffet dinner served at the hotel. After dinner you can meet shore side for a bonfire and marshmallow roast to finish off your evening or take a swim in the outdoor pool!
Day Six – Friday, July 12th, 2019: Full hot breakfast included at the hotel prior to checking out and depart for home. Our afternoon included meal stop will be at Zehnder’s Restaurant in Frankenmuth to enjoy their famous chicken dinner served family style.
Walk Rate = 3 - 4
$1,299.00 per person/double occupancy
$1,199.00 per person/triple occupancy
$1,149.00 per person/quad occupancy
$1,649.00 single
Includes: 5 nights hotel accommodations, 15 meals, Kewadin Casino package, Soo Locks dinner cruise, shipwreck museum, Tahquamenon Falls, Oswald’s Bear Ranch, Pictured Rocks cruise, Shrine of Bishop Baraga, Quincy Mine tour, National Scenic Byway, Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, Jampot and Jacob’s Falls, Historic District of Calumet, Da Yoopers Tourist Trap, Marquette city tour, Kitch-iti-kipi Spring, afternoon chicken dinner at Zehnder’s.
$250.00 deposit with booking
Final Payment: June 1, 2019
Canada
– Our Next Door Neighbor
July 29 – August 2, 2019
!!!
PASSPORT REQUIRED !!!
Ontario
welcomes us to see up close just how majestic and magical Niagara Falls can be
as we travel along Lake Ontario to Windsor and relive the nostalgic era of the
Rum Runners.
Check
out our web site to see pictures from our 2017 tour:
http://www.travelstarzonline.com/Canada.htm
Day
1:
We begin our trek east through Michigan and cross into Canada.
Just a few hours down the highway, you will be in the heart of Ontario.
We spend the next 3 nights at the Cambridge Hotel and Conference Center,
Cambridge, Ontario.
Dinner included this evening.
Day
2:
After breakfast at the hotel, we tour the Toyota Manufacturing Plant and
see award-winning production and quality control systems in action and marvel at
one of the largest stamping presses in the world.
Watch Team Members and robots build the Corolla and Lexus.
Then we spend the remainder of the day at African Lion Safari and tour
the grounds on foot and by tram.
Get closer than you could have imagined to over 1,000 exotic birds and
animals from around the world, including majestic lions, graceful giraffes, and
a crash of rhinos.
Dinner included this evening.
Day
3:
A local guide joins us for the day and will show us first hand why the
Niagara Peninsula region is so widely known for grape growing with a tasting at
a winery.
With
narrative that appeals to any interest, we will enjoy Niagara Falls and its
beautiful setting as we travel along the Niagara Parkway.
Check out Niagara Falls from multitude vantage points and learn about the
storied history of the world’s most famous waterfall.
A cruise aboard the Hornblower Niagara is the only way to get up close to
the falls without going over in a barrel.
Dinner included this evening.
Day
4:
Breakfast at the hotel before we head to Canada’s largest year-round
farmers’ market, a great start to the day.
Next up is a countryside tour of Canada’s largest concentration of
Mennonites, showing the contrast between their conservative lifestyle amidst
Canada’s high-tech community.
We then head out on a Rum Runners tour which will take us back in time to
the Roaring Twenties, as costumed actors tell the story of prohibition.
Learn the bootleggers secrets and see where they hid out.
Day
5:
Breakfast on your own prior to departure with fond memories of Canada –
Our Next Door Neighbor.
Walk
Rate = 3 – 4
$899.00
per person/double occupancy
$869.00 per person/triple occupancy
$849.00 per person/quad occupancy
$1,123.00 single
Includes:
4
nights accommodations, 3 breakfasts, 4 dinners, attractions and admission as
described above, motor coach transportation, and driver tip
$150.00
due with booking
Final payment due June 4, 2019
Woodstock’s
50th Anniversary
Friday
– Sunday, August 16 – 18, 2019
Click
on
the
link
or
copy
and
paste
in
your
browser
to
see
a
video:
USTours_Woodstock_TravelStarz.mp4
Put
on those tie-dyed shirts and bell bottoms, put flowers in your hair, grab your
love beads, and rock on to that favorite 60’s music at the 50th Anniversary
of Woodstock.
What better place to relive the era than at the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame in Cleveland, Ohio!
We encourage everyone to dress for the event.
Once you cross the doorway, it is again the year 1969, so cast away those
conservative clothes and thoughts that came with maturity and enjoy the memories
of your younger days.
NOTE:
If you actually attended the 1969 Woodstock Event, we want to publish
your memories in an anniversary booklet to be placed on the dinner table.
Please hold your comments to 500 words and submit at least 60 days in
advance.
Each contributor will be recognized at the event and awarded a special
“Peace & Love” necklace.
Day
1:
We travel to Cleveland, check into our hotel, and it’s off to dinner at
Sokolowski’s University Inn.
Being that this restaurant is cafeteria style, it will be on your own.
Established in 1923, Sokolowski’s is Cleveland’s oldest family owned
and operated restaurant in Cleveland.
They specialize in Polish and Eastern European cuisine where you can
indulge in Salisbury steak, chicken paprikash, stuffed cabbage, and pierogi.
The evening will be spent at an exclusive event at the Rock & Roll
Hall of Fame among the exhibits containing thousands of one-of-a-kind items
ranging from musical instruments and song lyrics to quirky stage props and
colorful costumes.
A second unique feature of the evening is the Moon Rock Party starting at
9:00 PM on the Rock Hall Plaza.
Just 26 days before Woodstock began, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon
– both of these events happened in the year “The Age of Aquarius” hit No.
1 on the charts – that’s like a time “when the Moon is in the Seventh
House and Jupiter aligns with Mars”.
There will be a full moon over Cleveland at 9:22 PM.
Day
2:
Breakfast at the hotel.
We will visit the Observatory Park Planetarium where we will see the sky
as it appeared on July 21, 1969 as Neil Armstrong gazed out at the heavens from
his unique vantage point.
We will also visit the Great Lakes Science Center to see an authentic
Space Capsule and other NASA displays.
A gourmet boxed lunch is included.
This evening coincides with the Opening of Woodstock 50 years ago.
It’s a Rock Gala, a dinner dance and a musical stage production, a
Woodstock Tribute Band, and an audience in bell bottoms and tie-dyed shirts.
It’s an evening of music and dancing, dining, and remembering.
We encourage everyone to dress for the event!
Day
3:
Breakfast at the hotel.
We pack our bags and depart for the West Side Market, Cleveland’s
oldest continually operated public market which opened in 1912 and is home to
100 vendors offering meats, seafood, produce, fresh vegetable, baked goods,
dairy, flowers, ready-to-eat-foods, and much more.
We then head home with some great memories from our younger days.
Walk
Rate = 3
$614.00
per person/double occupancy
$604.00 per person/triple occupancy
$594.00 per person/quad occupancy
$734.00 single
Includes:
2
nights hotel accommodations, 2 breakfasts, 1 dinner dance, Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame, Moon Rock Party, Planetarium with box lunch, West Side Market, motor
coach transportation, and driver tip.
Deposits:
$100.00
per person with booking
May
8, 2019:
Second $100.00 per person
June 22, 2019:
Final Payment
Mackinac
Islan
d,
Thunder Bay Resort & Charlevoix
Castles & Carriages
September 10 - 13, 2019
Day 1, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019: We depart Indiana and head to the beauty of Michigan’s Northern Mitt arriving at Castle Farms in Charlevoix just in time for lunch and a tram tour of the picturesque grounds and a walking tour through buildings that showcase the grandeur of the French Chateaux styled buildings. Your tour guide will delight you with the rich history of Castle Farms, from its original construction 1918 as the Loeb Farm, to the Van Haver art studio and gallery period, as well as the music concert era, and through the extensive restoration process from 2001 to present. The completed buildings and landscaped gardens are breathtaking.
We head further north to board the ferry to Mackinac Island. As you step upon the island you will feel like you have stepped back in time. Horse drawn vehicles transport everything from supplies for the businesses on the island to passengers. Accommodations tonight are at the Bicycle Street Inn. Located on Main Street in the center of downtown Mackinac Island, Bicycle Street Inn & Suites blends perfectly with the Victorian character of Main Street, while offering all the modern interior touches. The evening is free for you to explore this unique island at your leisure. Be sure to taste some of the famous Mackinac Island fudge.
Day 2, Wednesday, Sept. 11,
2019: A continental breakfast is included at the hotel. (NOTE: A 5-egg omelet can be added for $5/person. Please let me know if you would like this prior to our arrival so I can notify the hotel.) After breakfast we board a carriage for a tour of the island. For anyone who has seen the movie “Somewhere in Time” there will be moments of déjà vu during the tour of this picturesque island.
The tour ends at the Grand Hotel with its fabulous buffet. Following lunch take some time to relax on the hotel’s porch. At 660 feet, the Grand Hotel's Front Porch is the world's largest and has one of the most spectacular views of the straits. Wander down Main Street and visit some of Mackinac Island’s unique shops.
Day 3, Thursday, Sept. 12,
2019: A continental breakfast is included at the Bicycle Street Inn with the morning free to continue exploring the island before boarding the ferry to St. Ignace. We meet our guide for a fascinating tour across the Mighty Mac. At one time this was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Hear the dramatic tales of the brave iron workers who built this massive structure. Our guide will provide more than hearsay – in many cases these are eyewitness accounts of local history.
We then depart for 40 Mile Point Lighthouse with a stop which is located just north of Rogers City. The lighthouse was built in 1896 to assist ships through the dangerous shoreline where open water, hidden shoals and false bays had claimed many vessels. Follow "Shipwreck Trail" to see what's left of the Joseph
S. Fay, one of 27 wooden ships that sank during a fierce storm in 1905. You can see about 150' of
her sidewalls resting on the beach.
We then depart for Thunder Bay Resort. This family run resort offers the beauty of Northern Michigan
combined with a friendly staff to give you a matchless Northern Michigan experience. This evening step back in time as you board a horse drawn carriage that takes you through and over the Thunder Bay River and into the woods at Thunder Bay Resort. Enjoy the scenery, the smell of pine, and the ever-changing face of the Thunder Bay River as the horses make their way deep in the woods to the beautiful Elk Antler Log Cabin. A blazing fire in a massive split stone fireplace welcomes you. Wonderful aromas mix with the scent of hardwood smoke and emanate from two antique wood cook stoves in full view. This elegant cabin maintains its rustic appearance while providing every amenity. Warm yourself by the fire and savor the delicious aromas put forth by the twin antique wood cook stoves as culinary artist Spenser James and his staff prepare your gourmet meal. Throughout your dinner, sample five to seven wines from nearby Stoney Acres Winery as attentive servers see to your every need. Your Gourmet Dinner Includes: Pear & Apple Crepe, Shrimp Cocktail, Jan’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Thunder Bay
Sweet Napa Salad and Croissant, Crown Roast of Pork with Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, and White
Chocolate Mousse Filled Pizzelles with Fresh Raspberries
Day 4, Friday, Sept. 13, 2019: Breakfast is included in the Clubhouse Grill prior to departing for the National Maritime Heritage Center. Sit back at the Science on a Sphere theater: "Climate Change on the Sphere" Climate Change is a global problem, but a specific subset of its challenges are already affecting the Great Lakes Region, Join the National Marine Sanctuary staff as they illustrate these challenges using data sets on the Science on a Sphere theater. Continue exploring the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. This visitor center for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, features exciting exhibits for all ages. Exploring the Shipwreck Century is in the center's main hall and includes a full-size replica wooden Great Lakes schooner and shipwreck where visitors can walk the decks, feel a Great Lakes storm, and touch the massive timbers of the boat resting on the lake bottom ... without getting wet!
We depart the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center to enjoy lunch at Stoney Acres Winery. Relax on their covered garden patio and enjoy a gourmet lunch before departing for home.Mid-afternoon, we stop at a doughnut shop and bakery in Clare, Michigan that has been in constant operation since 1896. This foundation business was within weeks of closing when the members of the Clare Police Department came to the rescue. All of them. - that’s right, all nine members of the local
police department - banded together to save this historic business. Dubbed “Cops and
Doughnuts,” the business boasts handmade confections. An afternoon snack is included.
We depart for home with wonderful memories of the magnificent northern Michigan “mitt”!
Walk Rate
=
3
$843.00 per person/double occupancy
$798.00 per person/triple occupancy
$1,201.00 single
Deposit: $225.00 with booking
Final payment Due: August 1, 2019
Includes: 3 nights lodging (2 on Mackinac Island, 1 at Thunder Bay Resort), 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner), Elk Viewing carriage ride, tram tour at Castle Farms, ferry to Mackinac Island, carriage tour on Mackinac Island, National Maritime Heritage Center, docent presentation at Science on a Sphere, 40-Mile Point Lighthouse, Cops & Doughnuts, baggage handling, motor coach transportation, driver tip, local guide
tips.
Brown County – Nashville, Indiana
Saturday – Monday, September 14 – 16, 2019
!!! Sorry – No LaPorte or South Bend North Pickups !!!
Let’s visit Brown County in Nashville, Indiana at its most beautiful time of the year – in the fall. Our room accommodations are at the Artists Colony Inn, right smack in the midst of the downtown Nashville shopping and entertainment district. Although we have plenty of tours and activities scheduled, you will; have plenty of time to explore the exciting downtown area of Nashville, Indiana, which boasts over 200 shops, art galleries, snack shops, and eateries.
Day 1: We board our motor coach and head to Brown County in Nashville, Indiana. The Nashville Express trolley train will take us on a narrated ride to introduce us to Nashville and its many shops and eateries in this unique Southern Indiana town.
We then check into our hotel, the Artists Colony Inn, Since the early 1900’s, Nashville and Brown County have flourished as an Art Colony. The Artists Colony Inn, a small boutique hotel. located in the center of Nashville within walking distance of 200 shops and art galleries. Relax in the quaint Inn where they combine the traditions of the past with all the amenities of the 21st Century. This evening, we will be entertained with a Murder Mystery Dinner Show – part mystery and part comedy. Before retiring for the night, sit on the porch and enjoy the fresh air and some relaxation.
Day 2: Enjoy a hearty buffet breakfast starting at 7:30 AM at the hotel before doing a little exploration of the surrounding area before heading out on a unique excursion to the diverse wineries, breweries, and distilleries around Brown County. It’s back to our hotel for lunch and exploration on your own. Then freshen up if you choose before a fun dinner at Rawhide Ranch, a unique Western Themed Vacation Get-Away right here in Indiana!
Day 3: Breakfast is included at the hotel before checking out to pick up our step-on guide for a tour of the Brown County area, which will include a stop at Abe Martin Lodge, nestled in the picturesque hills of Indiana’s largest state park, 16,000 acre Brown County State Park.
The Main Lodge, built in 1932 of hand-hewn native stone and oak timber cut in the park, offers beautiful outdoor verandas overlooking the sloping back lawn, park and the hills.
After dropping off our step-on guide, we head for home after exploring a fun time in our own state of Indiana.
Walk Rate = 2 – 3
$547.00 per person/double occupancy
$482.00 per person/triple occupancy
$475.00 per person/quad occupancy
$743.00 single
Includes: 2 nights room accommodations, 2 breakfasts, dinner at Rawhide Ranch, murder mystery dinner show, wineries, trolley train tour, tour of Brown County State Park, motor coach transportation, and driver tip.
$150.00 deposit with booking
Final Payment Due: August 4, 2019
Mt. Rushmore, Dakotas, Badlands
September 22 – 28, 2019
We board the bus and travel to the spectacular Black Hills! This may be a trip that you can check off your bucket list.
Sun., Sept. 22: We travel to Albert Lea, MN with lunch (on your own) and comfort stops along the way. Tonight’s Welcome Dinner is included at Green Mill Restaurant next to the hotel. We overnight at Country Inn and Suites In Albert Lea, MN.
Mon., Sept. 23: Breakfast is included at the hotel before our departure to the Black Hills. We have time to freshen up after checking in at the Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza, Rapid City before our Welcome Dinner at the hotel. Relax this evening before beginning our big adventure in the morning.
Tues., Sept. 24: Breakfast at the hotel in the morning before departing for the Big Thunder Gold Mine, where we will tour the mine, along with learning how to Pan at the end of the tour. We then travel to Mt. Rushmore to admire the National Monument and browse through the wonderful exhibits and the abundance of information. We will then take the back road to see the Crazy Horse Monument which, once it is completed, will be the largest mountain carving in the world. You will have time to take lunch on your own at Crazy Horse. After visiting Crazy Horse, with time to explore the museum with all the marvelous exhibits and spectacular art, we will head back towards Rapid City early afternoon where we will drop you off downtown to explore the local area and perhaps wander around the Presidents Walk. We return to the hotel where we will have time to freshen up before leaving for our included dinner.
Wed., Sept. 25: After breakfast at the hotel this morning we head eastward to the Badlands National Park. You will see some of the most breathtaking and unique scenery as we drive around the park, with a stop at the recently remodeled Ben Reifel Visitors Center. Take time to admire the exhibits and watch the award winning video. We begin the drive back to Rapid city, stopping at the legendary Wall Drug, giving you time to take in all it has to offer and enjoy lunch on your own. We arrive back at the hotel mid-afternoon for a rest and recharge.
Late afternoon we leave the hotel for our next stop – A fun-filled evening at the Ft. Hays Chuck Wagon Supper and Show where you will enjoy mouth-watering food, have time to browse parts of the original “Dance with Wolves” film set, and enjoy the Black Hills most popular music variety show.
After the show, we travel to Mt. Rushmore for the evening performance and lighting ceremony, which is considered to be the most spectacular program at Mt. Rushmore.
Thurs., Sept. 26: Breakfast at the hotel before departing and traveling to Custer State Park to enjoy our drive around the Wildlife Loop, with opportunity to see the amazing buffalo & pronghorn. We enjoy a group lunch (on your own) at the State Game Lodge – a beautiful historic building. The State Game Lodge is a gracious native stone and wood lodge built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It served as the summer “White House” for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927 and was visited by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. After lunch we travel the scenic back roads to Deadwood. The entire city of Deadwood is on the National Historic Register and has been carefully restored to accurately reflect its history. We will stop in Deadwood to admire the extensive Victorian architecture that is unique to the West and imperative to that “Wild West” charm. You will have some free time to explore Deadwood before our feast of a supper at the Silverado.
Fri., Sept. 27: Alas, the time has come to leave the Black Hills and travel back to Albert Lea, MN to overnight at Country Inn and Suites.
Sat., Sept. 28: Breakfast is included at the hotel before our departure for home with wonderful memories of the fantastic area of the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Walk Rate = 4
$1,984.00 per person/double occupancy
$2,579.00 single
Includes: 6 nights accommodations, Sightseeing as list in the itinerary, Ft. Hay Chuckwagon Supper & Show, Breakfast each morning, Dinner each evening, Baggage handling, Motor coach transportation, and Driver tip.
$200.00 Deposit with booking
Final payment due: July 21, 2019
Lovable
Spirits of Louisville
October 29 – November 1, 2019
!!! Sorry – No South
Bend North or LaPorte Pickups !!!
Day
1, Tuesday, October 29 -
The Phantom’s Masquerade:
The Phantom's Masquerade is a costume party and gala dinner at
Louisville’s oldest theater, the Municipal Auditorium. Masks and disguises are
encouraged (not required) to build the enthusiasm and provide visual excitement.
Upon arrival, guests will be escorted to their dinner tables with Strolling
Musicians, Phantom Violinists and Gypsy Dancers. During the meal, a cash bar
will be available. At the conclusion
of dinner, guests enter an acoustically perfect theater. One of the most
remarkable concert halls in America, it is home to the world’s largest Pilcher
Pipe Organ with more than 5200 pipes. It provides a rich unequaled sound that
will fill the room with the drama and passion as you watch the original 1925
silent movie “The Phantom of The Opera” starring Lon Chaney, with the
theater’s Master Organist playing the original score.
Day
2 Wednesday, October 30
- Suburban
Bourbon Trail. Your daytime
focus is the Suburban Trail where the most famous brands of bourbon call
Kentucky home. Today, we visit two suburban Louisville Distilleries and learn
about the history of bourbon in Kentucky, the distillery process and enjoy a
tasting.
Jack
O’Lantern Spectacular and The Crypt Kicker Five.
At 5:30 pm, we gather in the Crowne Plaza Ballroom for a rock n’ roll,
trick-or-treat dinner show. The menu is filled with ghoulish delights - a plated
meal with salad, entrée and vegetables ending with a nice slice of Jack
O-Lantern Pie for dessert. Dinner is followed by an hour of live music from the
costumed "Crypt-Kicker Five" who perform rock songs from the 60’s
and 70’s and will have a couple of Halloween numbers ready for you.
After dinner and the first music set, we depart for Louisville’s
Iroquois Park and stroll through the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. Country Living
magazine called it the “#1 Halloween Event in the Country” and we believe it
may well be the highlight of your tour. There are 5,000 carved and illuminated
pumpkins along a 1,500 foot promenade through the park. It's a veritable light
show, Just imagine the flickering glow from magical displays depicting people,
places and scenes, a menagerie from popular culture to old-time favorites and
everything in between – all Jack O-Lanterns are completed in painstaking
minute detail. The displays are accompanied by music and docents to help you
along. More Dancing with The Crypt
Kicker Five - At the conclusion of the tour, we return to the Crown Plaza where
goodness gracious sakes alive, there’s more dancing tonight with "The
Crypt-Kicker Five."
Day
3 Thursday, October 31 -
Indiana Cavern Cruise and Mega Cavern.
Today’s
feature is the Indiana Cavern Cruise & Mega Cavern. We start in nearby
Corydon, IN with a visit to Indiana Caverns. Here 110 feet underground we enjoy
a cruise. Then ride the Louisville Mega Cavern Tram Tour that twists and turns
through part of 17 miles of underground passageways beneath the city of
Louisville, KY.
The
Headless Horseman’s Holiday Party. Tonight’s
Special Event is “The Headless Horseman’s Holiday Party.” Guests will be
treated to a haunted tour of Churchill Downs, where perhaps the Horseman may be
riding around. This is a behind-the-scenes and beyond-reality tour. It’s like
time travel to meet the spirits on the dark side of the track. You hear the
legends and lore of both the supernatural and the spooktacular. Visit the
Kentucky Derby Museum’s Cemetery and climb to the sixth floor of Churchill
Downs (elevators available), where between the twin spires of the world’s most
famous Racetrack you learn about her ghosts. With Dinner, Music and
Fun - Dinner is included at food
stations scattered throughout The Kentucky Derby Museum. You will find the
building is uniquely decorated and filled with a variety of friendly Spirits.
There will be Fortune Tellers, Gypsies, and Wicked Creatures, scattered among
the exhibits. There are acrobatic ghosts and witches flying across the ceiling,
plus a devilish DJ with a festive Dance Floor playing Halloween Songs and Videos
- everything from “The Monster Mash,” to Bette Midler’s “Hocus Pocus”
and the Rolling Stone’s “Sympathy for the Devil.”
It’s a spellbinding evening of haunting humor, laughs and lunacy, music
and madness. It's the Horseman's annual gathering, a ghoulish, galloping,
goodtime event.
Day
4 Friday, November 1 - Departure Day. Waking
this morning you pack bags, fist bump your roommate, and shout, “I Ain’t
Afraid of No Ghosts” before traveling home.
Walk Rate = 3
$844.00
per person/double occupancy
$814.00 per person/triple occupancy
$794.00 per person/quad occupancy
$1,044.00 single
Includes:
3 night accommodations at the Crown Plaza Hotel, 3 hotel breakfasts, 3
dinners, The Phantom’s Masquerade, Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, The Crypt
Kicker Five, Headless Horseman’s Holiday Party at Churchill Downs, Suburban
Bourbon Trail, Indiana Cavern Cruise, Mega Cavern, Luggage Handling, Moto Coach
Transportation, and Driver Tip.
Deposit:
$100.00 per person
Final
Payment Due: August 5, 2019
Frankenmuth Christmas Treasures
December 3 & 4, 2019
We are returning to Frankenmuth, Michigan for one of our favorite Christmas trips with room accommodations at Zehnder’s Splash Village. Included this year will be a wine/beer & cheese Tasting at Zehnder’s
Restaurant.
After indulging in Zehnder’s delicious chicken dinner served family style, our dinner show this year will feature The Marlins, offering a variety of music ranging from Beethoven to the 40’s and from the Swing Era to the 80’s and 90’s on 20 instruments. No trip to Frankenmuth is complete without visiting Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland – the largest Christmas store in the world featuring thousands of ornaments, animated figures, Christmas trees, and everything that is Christmas. It will take your breath away when you walk inside the door! There will be plenty of room in the bus’s luggage area for all of your purchases. A superb full hot breakfast at Zehnder’s will be served the morning of our departure. You will also receive discount coupons at several of the shops we will be visiting in downtown Frankenmuth before heading home. So come along and get in the Christmas spirit!
Walk Rate = 2
$245.00 per person/double occupancy
$232.00 per person/triple occupancy
$225.00 per person/quad occupancy
$294.00 single
Includes: 1 night room accommodations, breakfast, wine/beer & cheese tasting, dinner show, motor coach transportation, and driver tip.
Deposit: $50.00 per person
Final Payment Due: October 24, 2019
Disclaimer:
TravelStarz reserves the right to refuse service to any passenger
who has been a nuisance, uncooperative or disruptive on a previous trip.