Cherries & Cheers!

Travelers arrive to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and transfer to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand Rapids Airport.  

 Meet your group and escort in the hotel lobby and enjoy a delightful dinner at the hotel. 

Retire to your room for the evening at your leisure.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.

Embark on a journey to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for a captivating experience amidst art and nature.  Experience the pathways in comfort during a narrated tour ride. 

Explore the Grand Rapids Downtown Market for lunch and leisure time.  The Market is a culinary collective of butchers, bakers, and fishmongers—the Market Hall is filled with artisan cuisine, local grocery items, and specialty food products.  

Visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.  The presidential museum and burial place of Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, and his wife Betty Ford. 

Conclude the day with dinner at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel to rest and relax this evening.

Enjoy breakfast included at the hotel this morning.

Depart for Holland, MI. Discover Holland's history with a local guide. Enjoy lunch on own and free time to explore Downtown Holland, home to more than 100 unique stores including favorites such as the Holland Peanut Store, Cherry Republic, Dutch Village Downtown, Harborwear (for that Holland t-shirt or sweatshirt), and The Outpost. 8th Street is the place to be year-round thanks in part to their heated streets and sidewalks which make a stroll inviting no matter the weather.  

Spend the afternoon visiting Windmill Island Gardens, home to the last working windmill allowed to leave the Netherlands in 1964. The historic windmill 'de Zwaan' is the highlight of the park and stands amongst 36  acres of exhibits, gardens and natural areas. The mill still turns and grinds grain into flour and a tour up 5 floors is the highlight of any visit to the park.  

Conclude the day with a scenic cruise aboard the Holland Princess, an old-fashioned Victorian-style paddlewheel boat. Complete with the "Captain's Feast," relaxing music, and a cash bar. 

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning prior to checking out.

Departing for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Experience breathtaking landscapes and enjoy free time in Glen Arbor the world headquarters of Cherry Republic where you will be immersed in all things cherry. Glen Arbor is also filled with boutique shopping opportunities, is walkable with a Lake Michigan beach within three blocks. 

Visit Cherry Republic and a local winery before arriving at Inn at Black Star Farms for a one-hour guided walking tour through the picturesque 160-acre estate ending with an interactive Charcuterie Board Workshop at Bistro Polaris including instruction, delicious bites, and wine. 

Check in to Park Place Hotel in Traverse City and dine at your leisure. Located in downtown Traverse City, Park Place Hotel it is a boutique hotel overlooking Grand Traverse Bay. This historic hotel is the tallest building downtown. It’s warm and welcoming ambience is topped only by its grand view of the bay from the 10th-floor lounge, which is very popular at sunset.  

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning.

Start the day exploring the Village at Grand Traverse Commons for a bit of shopping and a bit of history.

• The former laundry building houses the Left Foot Charley winery that offers a “Barrel Room” experience and Higher Grounds Coffee that will teach you about coffee from the ground to the cup and behind the scenes tours in conjunction with Left Foot Charley. 
• Restaurants are available for lunch on your own include Spanglish, S2S – Sugar 2 Salt, Red Spire Brunch House, Cuppa Joe Café, Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery, as well as seasonal food trucks.  

Visit the Dennos Museum Center for an enriching experience and enjoy a special behind-the-scenes tour led by the Executive Director and Chief Curator.  Since 1991, The Dennos Museum Center has been surprising guests with visual and performing arts. The museum’s permanent collection and rotating galleries are stunning, not to mention the Museum’s signature collection of Inuit art of the Canadian Arctic. One of the largest and most historically complete collections of Inuit art of the Canadian Arctic is housed at the Dennos Museum these distinctive sculptures and prints in the United States     

Enjoy a special class or demonstration at Northwestern Michigan College. 

Return to the hotel for dinner at your convenience. 

Enjoy breakfast at your leisure this morning.

Begin your morning venturing to Old Mission Peninsula.  Delight in the spectacle of acres and acres of cherry blossoms and simple beauty as the land intersects the water for a perfect microclimate to grow wine grapes, cherries, apples, and many other fruits.  Learn about cherry and wine cultivation with a local guide and explore historical landmarks. 

Visit Seven Hills for an artistic experience and Chateau Chantal Winery for a tour, tasting, and wine-paired dinner overlooking the bays.  A special Chef Presentation with dinner this evening caps off the perfect Farewell dinner on this luxurious and relaxing tour.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning prior to checking out.

Depart for your return flight home.  Cheers!