Cruising the Great Lakes: Chicago to Toronto - Eastbound 2020

12 days
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USTOA

Small Ship Cruise
The Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and culture of North America for centuries... and this cruise invites you to explore the storied waters of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – and some of the unique cities and towns that have grown along their shores – with a 7-night voyage between Chicago and Toronto aboard Le Champlain, plus two...

Overview

Trip type
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • The mighty Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and cultural fabric of North America for centuries... explore their storied waters... and unique cities and towns... that have grown along their shores...Enjoy a 7-night Great Lakes cruise between Chicago and Toronto aboard the beautiful yachtLe Champlain
    • plus two-night stays at your choice of premium hotels in these two great anchor cities. You'll sail through Lakes Ontario
    • Erie
    • Huron and Michigan
    • calling on destinations including Detroit
    • Mackinac Island
    • Traverse City and more. Explore urban planning and revitalization in a re-emerging Detroit; celebrate American invention and ingenuity at The Henry Ford in Dearborn; visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; enjoy lunch at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel; ride a dune buggy along the Lake Michigan shore; sample Holland
    • Michigan's Dutch heritage
    • tulips and beer culture; experience an architectural cruise
    • a taste of Chicago in America's 'Second City

What's this trip about?

    The Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and culture of North America for centuries... and this cruise invites you to explore the storied waters of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – and some of the unique cities and towns that have grown along their shores – with a 7-night voyage between Chicago and Toronto aboard Le Champlain, plus two-night stays at your choice of premium hotels in these great anchor cities!

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Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Chicago, Illinois
End CityToronto

Travel Themes

  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

  • North America
  • Canada
  • United States

Attractions

  • Chicago
  • Toronto

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • Private reception and dinner at Casa Loma, a neo-Gothic castle in Toronto Gratuities to Tauck Directors, ship staff and local guides Tauck’s private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $3,162 Two nights in Chicago at your choice of Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park or Four Seasons Hotel Chicago Two nights in Toronto at your choice of Fairmont Royal York or Four Seasons Hotel Toronto Seven nights aboard the luxury small ship Le Champlain, cruising Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan

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Itinerary

Travel Map
Day 1 Arrive Chicago

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park or Four Seasons Hotel Chicago.
A transfer is included from Chicago O'Hare Airport to your choice of two luxury hotels in the heart of downtown: Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park or Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. Settle in and join us for a welcome reception followed by dinner at the hotel. MEALS : D LODGING : Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park PORTOFCALL : Chicago, Illinois, USA

Day 2 Art Institute or Millennium Park
You have a choice of two sightseeing tours this morning. Visit the celebrated Chicago Art Institute, a palatial Beaux Arts-style building on Michigan Avenue that houses more than 300,000 works of art and an architectural school that has had a profound influence on design...
Day 3 Architectural cruise & embark ship
In 1871 the Great Chicago Fire burned a swath through the city center, erasing thousands of buildings and leaving more than 100,000 people homeless.  But the catastrophe left space for new generations of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, and Mies van de...
Day 4 Dutch treats in Michigan
Head out from Muskegon with your choice of activities. Discover Holland, an enclave of Dutch culture, complete with dikes, canals, tulip gardens, and Dutch architecture, settled by Dutch immigrants in the 19th century. Its array of downtown shops even includes a wooden s...
Day 5 Wine & music in Traverse City
Today you have the opportunity to choose from two unique shore excursions as in Traverse City. Join us at the Music House Museum, a treasure-house of working, antique automated music machines. Among the collection, you'll find calliopes, nickelodeons, player pianos, a 19...
Day 6 Timeless Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island has been a popular retreat since the 19th century when wealthy industrialists built imposing summer cottages here.  The island restricts the use of motor vehicles; except in emergencies, the only way to get around is by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carri...
Day 7 A day on Lake Huron
Spend the day sailing Lake Huron down the scenic east coast of Michigan toward Detroit. The eastern shore is called the Sunrise Coast, a long parade of beaches, sand dunes, inlets, small towns, and as many as 30 lighthouses. The vast freshwater lake also encompasses 30,0...
Day 8 The Henry Ford or Detroit sights
In and around Detroit you have a choice of activities. Get a guided tour of the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village – a.k.a. The Henry Ford – in Dearborn... an amazing, award-winning, state-of-the-art museum with interactive exhibits dedicated...
Day 9 Sailing on the Welland Canal
Sail Lake Erie to Port Colborn, then enter the Welland Canal, which links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The 27-mile canal is a marvel of engineering which allows ships to bypass the Niagara River and Niagara Falls.  Through a series of eight locks, your ship rises to a leve...
Day 10 Disembark in Toronto & Niagara Falls
Disembark in Toronto, then drive to Niagara Falls, where you'll see the awesome power of the falls up close aboard a private boat (raingear provided).  The falls on the border between the US and Canada – Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls – pour 6 mil...
Day 11 Discovering Toronto
Take your choice of sightseeing excursions in Ontario's remarkable capital today.  A visit to the Royal Ontario Museum offers you the world under one roof, with 40 galleries and a collection of 6 million artifacts of art, culture, and natural history, from dinosaur fossi...
Day 12 Journey home

Tour ends: Toronto, Canada.
  Fly home anytime.  A transfer is included from the Fairmont Royal York or the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto to Toronto Pearson International Airport. Allow three hours for check-in. MEALS : B PORTOFCALL : Toronto, Canada

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Dates & Availability

Price From $8,390
Price per day$699
Last Updated: 2/17/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Other Tauck Reviews

K

Kurlyk40

May 2024

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Great Scenery but Accommodations Lacking for cost

My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sa...

S

Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Accommodation

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
Trip ID
tauck-GLE2020

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