American Great Lakes

Spend the day getting acquainted with life on the water. Enjoy panoramic views from the observation deck as Lake Erie stretches out around you.

Toledo provides travelers with a unique blend of maritime charm and Midwestern hospitality. Upon arrival, be greeted by a revitalized downtown waterfront, where modern marinas, public art, and green spaces create a welcoming first impression.

Explore the city or check out a choice of different excursions available to you.

Cruise across Lake St. Clair and into Lake Huron, enjoying a full day on the water. Attend a lecture on Great Lakes history, relax with a book in the lounge, or share conversation with fellow travelers over freshly prepared regional cuisine.

Alpena offers a gateway to Lake Huron’s rich maritime history beneath the waves. At the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, climb aboard a full-size replica schooner and hear the creak of its wooden deck. Glass-bottom boat tours reveal the history of the lake with a fascinating look at a Civil War era wooden ship and the various of remains of the industrial shipping age.

Today the ship continues its passage through the heart of the Great Lakes. Join a morning yoga class on deck, or sip coffee while watching gulls follow the vessel’s wake.

Feel the thunder as 1,000-foot freighters rise and fall in the Soo Locks, one of the world’s busiest waterways. This city, founded in 1668, is Michigan’s oldest. Walk along Portage Avenue where fur traders once passed, or step into the Museum Ship Valley Camp, a retired freighter filled with stories of sailors and storms.

Time slows on Mackinac Island. The rhythmic clip-clop of horses replaces the hum of cars, and the air is sweet with the scent of fudge cooling on marble slabs. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage past Fort Mackinac, where soldiers once guarded the straits, then stand on the world’s longest front porch at the Grand Hotel, looking out across turquoise waters.

Sail south along Lake Michigan’s sweeping shoreline.

Muskegon reveals its maritime might. Step aboard the USS Silversides, a World War II submarine with narrow passageways and echoing metal chambers. Visit the ornate Hackley & Hume Historic Homes, built during the lumber boom, their woodwork glowing with 19th-century craftsmanship. For a change of pace, the broad sands of Pere Marquette Beach stretch as far as the eye can see, the wind carrying the scent of Lake Michigan.

Arrive in Holland, where Dutch traditions shape the town’s identity. Visit the Nelis’ Dutch Village, where costumed interpreters demonstrate wooden shoe carving and cheese-making, or explore the tulip gardens that have made the city famous. The town’s Dutch windmills and bright red Big Red Lighthouse offer postcard-perfect views.

Milwaukee blends tradition and modern flair. Step inside the Harley-Davidson Museum, where gleaming motorcycles trace more than a century of American craftsmanship, or marvel at the Milwaukee Art Museum, its white “wings” opening like a bird above Lake Michigan. The historic Third Ward invites exploration with its converted warehouses, where the aroma of coffee and craft beer fills the air.

After breakfast on board, bid farewell to your ship and fellow travelers. With disembarkation in downtown Milwaukee, you may choose to extend your stay and enjoy the city’s cultural scene, breweries, and lakefront beauty before departing for home.