Petoskey
& Charlevoix, Michigan
June 22 – 24, 2020
Day
1, June 22, 2020
We
travel to the beautiful harbor towns of Petoskey and Charlevoix, Michigan with
our first stop being at the Music House Museum to take a step back into history
and explore the wonders of an extensive collection of the finest and rarest
automatic musical instruments. The
highlight is sure to be the 97-key Mortier dance organ, with the beauty of its
30-foot wide hand carved façade.
Late
afternoon, we arrive in the historic downtown Gaslight District at the historic
Stafford’s Perry Hotel, where we will stay for the next 2 nights.
With beautiful views of Little Traverse Bay and easy access to quaint
shops, this Petoskey Landmark since 1899 will make for a memorable experience.
With a little time to relax and freshen up, we are off to enjoy a
delightful dinner at Stafford’s Bay View Inn, where the ambiance is always
unforgettable. This grand Victorian
country inn on the shore of Little Traverse Bay will grace us with the charm of
a bygone era and is the perfect ending to a grand day.
We return to the Perry Hotel where you can finish the evening with a nightcap
and conversation in the Noggin Room Pub.
Day 2, June 23, 2020
This morning we enjoy a hot breakfast buffet at the
hotel prior to a day of natural beauty and small town charm as we visit
Charlevoix, Michigan.
We start our day in the harbor town of Charlevoix where
we will pick up our step-on guide for a tour of the “Hobbit Houses”, which
are sometimes called “Mushroom Homes or Gnome Homes”.
The homes and architecture, designed by Earl A. Young, are constructed of
ice age boulders and topped with wavy roofs, giving them a whimsical and
enchanted look. His work has made a
lasting impression on Charlevoix and is well known throughout the world.
Next
we’re off to experience the majesty of a Renaissance Castle at Castle Farms.
We start with a guided tour rich in history with its original
construction in 1918 to the present. Our
tour also includes Old-World European charm in the English gardens and
cobblestone courtyards. While at
Castle Farms, we have a light lunch buffet of sandwiches and salads as we dine
and feel like royalty in one of the designated gardens.
Back in downtown Charlevoix the gentle breezes off the lake add to the pleasure
of boutique shopping, strolling through the parks of the Yacht Basin, complete
with a trout stream & interactive fountain,
(Great Place in America: Public
Places Award winner).
Before
returning to the hotel, we stop at Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen for a tour of
their facility. Who doesn’t like
chocolate??? There is so much to
choose from to satisfy the chocolate lover in all of us!
This evening we are delighted as Broadway comes to Boyne Highlands.
The Young Americans Dinner Theatre has entertained and enchanted old and
young alike with handpicked top young talent from across the country.
This will truly be an unforgettable evening with sophisticated cuisine
and Broadway Music. A cash bar is
available.
Day 3, June
24, 2020
After a hot breakfast, we check out of the hotel and
depart with our step-ion guide as we enjoy the natural beauty of the scenery and
learn about the history of Petoskey at the turn of the century, along with
Ernest Hemingway’s experiences and connections here that inspired his first
novel, The Torrents of Spring, and other writings.
During our tour we will make several stops as we travel north to Harbor
Springs which holds the reigning title as one of the Midwest’s most exclusive
resort areas, justly named the “Naples of the North”.
Situated on Little Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan, we will
take time to enjoy lunch on our own. Choose
to dine overlooking the harbor, take a picnic lunch on a park bench, or visit a
local favorite complete with an old fashioned soda fountain.
There is time allowed for shopping in the unique apparel stores, local
specialty shops, and fine art galleries. Of
special note are the “Michigan Made” shops including Tom’s Mom’s
Cookies, Bay Lavender Trading Company with soaps and lotions.
American Spoon offers specialty items made from locally grown fruits, and
the Boyer Glassworks Studio and Gallery.
We have a rest stop on the way home at Friske Orchards
Farm Market and Country Haus where cherry lovers from all over the world visit
while in the area. Enjoy a piece of
fruit pie (cherry or apple) and a beverage and step back in time in the General
Store.
Walk Rate = 2
$639.00 per
person/double occupancy
$799.00 single
Includes: 2
nights hotel accommodations, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners, Music House
Museum, Gnome Homes, Castle Farms, Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen Tour, Young
Americans Dinner Theatre, Petoskey and Harbor Springs guided tour, Friske
Orchards, baggage handling, motor coach transportation, and driver tip
Deposit:
$100.00 per person
Final Payment Due:
May 12, 2020
Boston,
Massachusetts Tour
August 6 – 11, 2020
We have a marvelous tour of Boston for you filled with the beauty of the east
coast and the history of one of the oldest cities in the United States.
Day
1, Aug. 6: We board our motor
coach to head east, overnighting at the Buffalo Grand Hotel in Buffalo, New
York. We will hop over to the
American side of Niagara Falls to view the falls from that perspective before
having dinner at Hard Rock Café before checking in to our hotel.
Day 2, Aug. 7:
Breakfast at the hotel before departing for Boston.
Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant.
Day 3, Aug. 8:
Breakfast at the hotel prior to meeting our local guide at the hotel.
We travel a short distance to the city of Boston, the capital of and
largest and oldest cities in the United States.
As the largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial
“Capital of New England” for its economic and cultural impact on the entire
New England region. Boston is the
city where America’s roots were formed and driving through it is like reading
the pages of an American history book. Our
guide will point out sights along the Freedom Trail, as well as the Boston
Commons and Public Gardens, the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the gold-domed State
House.
We
enjoy free time for lunch and shopping at historic Quincy Market and Faneuil
Hall. There will be time for a photo
stop at Cheers.
A visit inside Old North Church is included.
This is the site where the sexton (a person who takes care of a church
and rings the bells, etc.) , Robert Newman, climbed the steeple to hang the two
lanterns which were the signal to Paul Revere.
It was the warning that the British were marching upon Lexington and
Concord to seize the colonist’s military store there.
This led to the “shot heard around the world” in Concord and started
the American Revolution on that fateful night of April 18, 1775.
The Church was built in 1723 and is the oldest church in Boston and still
in operation, having an active congregation.
Paul
Revere House Tour: “On the night
of April 18, 1775, silversmith Paul Revere left his small wooden home in
Boston’s North End and set out on a journey that would ultimately make him a
legend. Today that home is still
standing at 19 North Square and has become a national historic landmark.
It is downtown Boston’s oldest building and one of the few remaining 17th-century
dwellings in a large urban area in the United States.”
Quote excerpted from internet site.
Lunch
on your own at Quincy Market. For
over 250 years, the marketplace has played an integral role
in the life of
Boston’s residents. You will feel
the cobblestones beneath your feet, see roaming performers, and be able to taste
the wonderfully diverse ethnic foods available to you.
There are 100
shops, carts, and artisans to offer treasures for you to take home with you.
You will have time to visit Faneuil Hall, which has served as a meeting
hall and a place where merchants can market their wares since 1742.
Today the first floor is still a marketplace and the second floor is
where you can see many a lively Boston debate!
JFK Library and Museum:
The museum at the Kennedy Library captures the powerful story of the
Kennedy years, giving visitors of all ages an uplifting “first-hand”
experience of President Kennedy’s life, leadership, and legacy.
Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day
4, Aug. 9: Breakfast at
the hotel this morning before visiting the Charlestown Navy Yard run the by
National Parks Service where you will see the USS Constitution Old Ironsides.
“Located I the Charlestown Navy Yard, the USS Constitution was launched
in Boston on October 21st, 1797 and is the oldest commissioned
warship afloat in the world. Today,
she is manned by an active U. S. Navy Crew.
We will have time to visit the Constitution Visitor’s Center with
memorabilia and gifts, and the USS Constitution Museum, a private, non=profit
museum which includes a theatre, over 3,000 historical artifacts, interactive
exhibits and a gift shop. Self-guided
tours are available of the USS Cassin Young, a World War II Navy destroyer.
NOTE:
All persons age 18 and older must present a valid Federal or State-issued
I.D. or Passport to board the ship.
Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum: We
will have a personal “colonial character” guide.
The museum features full-scale replicas, artifacts, and interactive
elements. Meet “Sam Adams” and
participate in the re-enactment of the destruction of the tea.
Board a tall ship and marvel at one of the only two known surviving tea
crates.
Sandwich Lunch is included at Abigail’s Tea Room, at the Tea Party Ships and
Museum.
We board an excursion vessel for an amazing experience of Whale Watching as we
travel into the natural habitat of a diverse marine environment including birds
that migrate here from all over the Atlantic, and fish which use these shallow
waters to feed. Try to spot a
Humpback, Minke, and Fin Whale going about their daily business.
An onboard naturalist will introduce us to everything we see and will
answer any questions about the whales, birds, fish, and lighthouses.
Tavern Night Dinner at the Boston Tea Party Ships
Tavern: “The Boston Tea Party
Ships and Museum invites you to a night of colonial merrymaking!
Leave your 21st century troubles and cares behind, grab a mug
of ale, and join the Sons and Daughters of Liberty for the best hospitality in
all of 18th century Boston! Revel
with Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Dorothy Quincy, Paul Revere, and other
prominent Bostonians as they lift their glasses in celebration, raise their
voices in song, and determine the fate of Colonial America!
Enjoy a savory colonial dinner, play authentic games, learn boisterous
songs and cheerful dance in a spirited colonial tavern atmosphere.
Let joy be unfettered and laughter unchained with the Sons of Liberty and
Daughters f Freedom!” Excerpt from Boston Tea Party Ships
(This is the same room we have lunch in today, but is a totally different
menu and experience). Sample Rustic
Fare, Revel with Prominent Bostonians, and the Best Hospitality in all of 18th
Century Boston.
Day 5, Aug. 10:
Breakfast at leisure at the hotel.
Fenway Park Tour: See behind the
scenes at Fenway Park, home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.
No two tours are alike and our group will see such things as the
“Green Monster”, press box, Red Sox Hall of Fame Club which highlights 102
years of Red Sox history, priceless photos, memorabilia, Fenway’s 406 Club,
the luxurious seating that also doubles as a tribute to Ted Williams and more.
Depart to return to the Buffalo Grand Hotel.
We will enjoy dinner at the Buffalo Grand Hotel, as we feel you will be
happy to have a day with fewer activities after such hectic touring in Boston.
Day 6, Aug. 11:
Breakfast at the hotel before departing for home.
Walk Rate = 4
$1,867.00 per person/double occupancy
$2,475.00 single
Deposit:
$300.00 per person with booking
Final Payment Due:
June 26, 2020
Includes:
Overnight room for 5 nights
5 breakfasts
1 lunch
5 dinners
JFK Library and Museum
Historic Boston Tour and Photo Stop at Cheers
Old North Church
Paul Revere House
Quincy Market
Faneuil Hall
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
Charlestown Navy Yard with USS Constitution Tour
Whale Watch
Fenway Park Tour
Baggage handling
Motor Coach Transportation
Driver tip
Disclaimer:
TravelStarz reserves the right to refuse service to any passenger
who has been a nuisance, uncooperative or disruptive on a previous trip.
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
On April 23, we will make the short trip to Memphis and tour Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. This is a walking audio tour through the main level of the house, as well as the basement area where they held recording sessions. There are out-buildings which hold Elvis's father's office, another building with Elvis's performing costumes, Gold records, and Elvis and Priscilla's personal clothing.
Elvis's resting place, along with various family members, are outside before exi