Stay in one of Chicago's finest hotels and feel the city's vibrant energy. Chicago, with its bold and dynamic character, embodies the spirit of America. Begin your adventure at Navy Pier, surrounded by skyscrapers, and indulging in local cuisine and unique dialects. Explore the iconic Magnificent Mile, and discover hidden mom-and-pop eateries offering the best deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, and classic Chicago dogs. This city captures the heart of the Midwest, promising an unforgettable adventure.

Begin your adventure in Chicago. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago, walk through Millennium Park, and take a river cruise to see the city's architecture. Enjoy excellent dining and nightlife before setting sail.

Less deep, and less cold than its Superior counterpart, Lake bluffs borders this freshwater Michigan, the second largest Great Lake by volume is the only one whose borders lie entirely within the United States. This lake is a conduit for water travelers seeking to visit iconic American largest freshwater island in the cities - Milwaukee, Muskegon, and Chicago.

Explore the natural beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Visit the historic Fayette Historic State Park, hike the trails of Hiawatha National Forest, and discover the region’s rich history at the Delta County Historical Museum.

You'll awaken in the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. With no cars allowed on the island, your horse-drawn carriage tour is a great way to experience the Victorian ambiance of this National Historic Landmark. Learn about the island’s history and see turn-of-the-century summer homes built by early captains of American industry. High atop a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, your tour of Fort Mackinac delves into its strategic importance during the War of 1812. Then take in the views from the Grand Hotel’s verandah, the longest in the world, and enjoy the hotel’s famous Grand Luncheon Buffet. Back in town, you’ll have time to browse through galleries and boutiques. Before sailing this evening, the Grand Hotel’s resident historian Bob Tagatz will come aboard for a colorful talk on the history of Mackinac Island and its world-famous hotel.

Located at the mouth of the St. Mary’s River, the twin - “Soo’s” - of Sault Ste. Marie Ontario and Michigan were originally established as one settlement by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century and remained so until the War of 1812. Today the locks on the American Soo side bypass the St. Mary’s Rapids that fall over 20 feet connecting Lake Superior to Lake Huron and Michigan. The Soo locks are the busiest in the world in terms of tonnage, accommodating  1000-foot freighters. Traveling upstream and arriving at Mackinac Island, the ship will dock on the Canadian side of the river at Roberta Bondar Place, named for Canada’s first female astronaut.

In Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, you will visit The Bush Plane Museum and Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site. The collections and exhibits of the Bush planes tell the story of how these brave Canadians battled Ontario’s many forest fires. At the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site, you’ll find stone buildings and period gardens from the 1800’s. In Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan you will visit The Valley Camp Museum Ship which houses over 100 exhibits in her 20,000 square feet of cargo holds which contains hundreds of interesting artifacts, paintings, shipwreck items, models, and exhibits of objects related to maritime history. In addition, The Edmund Fitzgerald exhibit holds the two lifeboats from the stricken vessel. Torn away during the sinking, these lifeboats are two of very few major artifacts recovered after the tragic demise.

Lake Superior lives up to its name not only in its place as the largest of the Great Lakes but also by its surface area - the largest of any freshwater lake in the world. A traveler on these waters touches nearly 3,000 cubic miles of water. With an average depth of 500 feet, it features a nautical playground for a variety of marine life.

The second largest of The Great Lakes, Lake Huron boasts a surface area of 23,000 square miles. Of the 35,000 islands peppering the Great Lakes, 30,000 spring from Lake Huron. The largest island on the lake also happens to be the largest freshwater island in the world – Manitoulin. It is home to six First Nation tribes and a year-round population in excess of 13,000.

Sailing from Lake Huron to Lake Erie, you will stop in Detroit, Michigan. Just outside of Detroit, you’ll visit the Henry Ford Museum which was created to document the genius of ordinary people. Housed in a sweeping, nine-acre, single-floor space with soaring 40-foot ceilings the museum is dedicated to showcasing the finest collection of its kind. The sheer scope and design of the museum are as grand as the vision that inspired it. Local experts will escort guests to see the museum’s highlights including the limousine that carried President John F. Kennedy on that fateful day in Texas, the bus in which Rosa Parks stood her ground and sparked the Civil Rights movement, and the chair from the Ford Theatre in which Abraham Lincoln was sitting when he was shot.

Lake Erie, the southernmost of the Great Lakes is also the shallowest and smallest in terms of volume. Its size allows it to both warm and freeze rapidly in conjunction with the weather. Its allure draws island hoppers, birdwatchers, fishermen, and one legendary creature - Bessie, a 40-ft. long, a foot-thick serpent.

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland represents the heartland of American life and history. Industrial landmarks from its days as a lakeside manufacturing town still stand in testament to Cleveland’s roots. But the Cleveland of today is also filled with beautiful urban spaces and is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Here in a striking structure designed by I. M. Pei, you’ll discover more than just a museum of rock and roll memorabilia. With our expert guide, you’ll explore the evolution of the musical genre that shaped a generation and track its cultural impact. Among the exhibits are Janis Joplin’s psychedelic Porsche and Michael Jackson’s famous glove. You’ll also explore the wonderful West Side Market, set in a 1912 landmark and home to more than 100 vendors.

Opened in 1829, the Welland Canal continues to play a vital role, allowing goods to travel from Great Lakes ports like Cleveland and Detroit to the ocean ports of Montreal and Quebec City. As our ship begins its canal transit, you’ll step off in Port Colborne for a scenic drive into the vineyard-laced landscapes of the Niagara Peninsula. Then a thrilling Niagara Falls Catamaran Cruise takes you through the Great Niagara Gorge and past Bridal Veil Falls into the very heart
of Horseshoe Falls - where the mighty spray and roar of Niagara virtually envelop you! At the Chateau des Charmes, founded by a fifth-generation French winegrower, you’ll enjoy a tour, tasting, and lunch. You will also have free time to explore Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Lake Ontario, this lake of shining waters - as its Iroquoian name implies - harbors pieces of each of the other Great Lakes within it. All the water in the Great Lakes flows through this body of water. And the dunes, wetlands, and rocky forests that surround it are recreational wonders for guests year-round.

 

End your cruise in Toronto, Canada’s dynamic metropolis. Visit the Royal Ontario Museum, take a ferry to the Toronto Islands, and enjoy the vibrant arts and food scene in the Distillery District. From the iconic CN Tower to the eclectic neighborhoods, Toronto offers something for everyone.