Michigan Vacation PackageKathryn Hoyt2023-06-19T11:00:38-05:00
LET TRAVELKATZ PLAN YOUR MICHIGAN VACATION PACKAGE
Travelkatz will put together a Michigan Vacation Package custom tailored just for you. We handle all aspects of your trip so you can sit back, relax and enjoy. We provide three options for every state in the USA. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate in contacting us.
GARDENS
Michigan Gardens
Michigan Gardens – Michigan is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. Its name derives from a Gallicized variant of the original Ojibwe word meaning ‘large lake’. We hope you find this collection of gardens interesting and visit when you can.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens: This garden and conservatory offers sprawling gardens, woods, and prairies, plus a visitors’ center, gift shop and conservatory. The University of Michigan botanical gardens and arboretum has two locations on campus. Featuring a year-round indoor conservatory with tropical, temperate, and desert climates; display gardens such as bonsai, peonies, Great Lakes native plants, children’s garden, and more; and hundreds of acres of trails and natural areas. It is also home to the Campus Farm at Matthaei and offers classroom space and research areas for faculty and students, several outdoor wedding venues, classroom and meeting spaces for the university, local nature-based organizations, and businesses. All this is free and open daily to the university community and the public. You will find this great Garden in Ann Arbor.
University of Michigan Nichols Arboretum: This was right next to the University of Michigan campus. The trails are beautiful and unspoiled, serene, and quiet. It is a great place to go on a hike in the late morning. This is a beautiful park with a lot of different trails. The peonies in spring are a sight to see. Love the grassland area. There are restrooms and benches near the riverbank. The kids can burn some energy on the hiking trails and have fun taking pictures. It feels like you are out in the wilderness even though you are right next to campus. This garden is in Ann Arbor, also.
The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park: This 25-acre botanic garden offers a visitor center, workshops, and guided tours. It is a year-round sanctuary of environmental preservation, recreation, and education, and nurtures the soul, enlivens the history, and promotes Michigan’s natural beauty. There is an emphasis on plant species native to northwest Michigan. The Docent tour is very informative and entertaining. The gardens are lovely even in the winter. The gift shop has some lovely and unique things too. People are very friendly and knowledgeable. Travel to the heart of Traverse City to find this botanical garden.
Dow Gardens: Since being established in 1899, as a home for Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow and family, the 110-acre Dow Gardens now welcomes more than 300,000 guests per year. Visitors are invited to leave the pathway and explore the uniquely designed landscape, take a tour of the historic Pines Home, participate in one of many hands-on educational programs, stroll the nation’s longest canopy walk, and discover beautiful art and music in a relaxed setting. The garden and conservatory display over 1,700 kinds of plants, with tours, classes, and events. You will find this garden in Midland.
Horticulture Gardens: These gardens have something outstanding to see every month with many gorgeous perennials, vines, annuals, trees, shrubs, and veggies to catch your eye. You will find easy, convenient parking too. The many gardens include the Children’s Garden, Water Garden, Rainbow Peace Garden, Annual Trial Planters, and Hosta Garden with interactive sculptures and fountains. Many plants are labeled as well. You will find this garden in East Lansing.
Cranbrook Japanese Gardens: No doubt working with Cranbrook’s head gardener, the Booths laid out the beginnings of a garden that both George Booth and his son Henry soon called Cranbrook’s “Japanese Garden”, a goal which was approved by Cranbrook’s Properties Committee in 2016. Today, they have the support of outside funding. You are invited to explore this idealized representation of nature, follow its winding paths, cross its natural stone bridges, seek shade under the many mature cedars, admire the changing vistas from various viewpoints, and embrace the garden as your own. It is a place of beauty and solace in all four seasons. Travel to Bloomfield Hills to enjoy this garden.
TravelKatz is looking forward to having a call from you at 352-277-7300 so we can help you have a great vacation in Michigan.
STATE PARKS
Michigan State Parks:
Michigan State Parks – Michigan is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Its name comes from the Native American word mishigami, meaning “large water” or “large lake. Knowing that Michigan is pretty much surrounded by a couple of the Great Lakes, it boasts of 74 State Parks, 12 State Forests, a State Reserve, a State Wildlife Area and a State Wildlife Management Area. Let’s see what Sandra has found for us to visit.
Bald Mountain Recreation Area – This area consists of 4,637 rolling acres that are home to extensive trails, inland lakes, trout streams and wild game accented by some of the steepest hills and most rugged terrain in southeastern Michigan. The Park provides year-round recreation opportunities, including hiking, mountain biking, swimming, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hunting and much more. In addition, the park features a beach that was voted “Best of Detroit” by Detroit Monthly. There is no camping available in the park; but there are two rustic cabins available to rent. Water Warrior Island water park features a 20-foot wall, the 25-foot slide and more. The course will challenge your abilities to climb, jump, balance and grip and test your strength. You will find this recreation area in Lake Orion.
Baraga State Park: Overlooking Lake Superior’s scenic Keweenaw Bay, this park is RV-friendly and offers many outdoor activities, such as hiking, swimming and kayaking. The campground boasts 95 grassy campsites, a mini cabin and a tepee! Many family-friendly events are scheduled throughout the summer. The Park is a great basecamp for those touring western Upper Peninsula destinations. The Bishop Baraga Shrine, the Sturgeon River Gorge, Mt. Arvon (Michigan’s highest point), Canyon Falls and other attractions associated with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community are only a few points of interest nearby. If you find the town of Baraga, you will also find this park.
William C. Sterling State Park: This Park is Lake Erie’s only state park that offers one mile of lakeshore with campsites plus wildlife walks and hiking. Great camping, beaching, boating, and cycling options. It’s a good place to walk your dog through the bike trails in the marshlands. You will see bald eagles, muskrat, turtles, and more birds than you thought existed. Also, the bike trail leads to a National Battlefield of one of the most significant battles from the war of 1812. You will find this park in Monroe.
North Higgins Lake State Park: A lakeside park with a swimming beach plus opportunities for fishing, hiking, camping and picnicking. Higgins Lake is so far the most beautiful inland lake that you may see, at least in the lower peninsula of Michigan. There is a narrow bit of sand beach around the edge of the lake, and the bottom of the lake is sand as well (at least at the State Park) which really sets Higgins Lake apart since many inland lakes in the area are rock and mud shore/bottom with lots of plant growth. There are also plenty of trees perfect for putting up a hammock. The water is wonderfully crystal clear. You will find this great park several miles west of the town of Roscommon.
Maybury State Park: There are for hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing, plus a working educational farm. Mountain biking trail is a great one-way loop with several spots to jump in or out and make it as long or as short as you want! Fun playground for the kids as well! Check out the seasonal Maybury Riding Stables (April – November) and Maybury Farm (April – October) for additional recreation and education opportunities. Found in the town of Northville.
Silver Lake State Park: Park offers desert like dune ridges and mature growth forest to explore, plus off-road vehicle area. Silver Lake Sand Dunes is a great place to hike the ever-changing dunes along Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. The more adventurous way to see and enjoy the dunes is by renting a dune buggy, 4-wheeler, or bringing your own 4×4 vehicle. It’s fun for the whole family! You will find fun here in the town of Mears.
Please give us a call at 352-277-7300 or chat at www.travelkatz.com.com with your questions and ideas so we can make a great vacation for you and your family and friends.
MUSEUMS
Michigan Museums:
Michigan Museums will find you touring all aspects of the state and its Lake; from the main part of the state to the Upper Peninsula…It is a state in the Great Lakes and Midwestern regions of the United States. Its name originates from the Ojibwe word meaning “large water” or “large lake”.
The Henry Ford: “One of the world’s coolest museums” – the New York Times. 3 must-see attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village and Ford Rouge Factory Tour. Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is 9-acres of exhibits and artifacts including the Rosa Parks Bus, Kennedy Limousine and Abraham Lincoln’s chair. This place is a marvel of all things that were collected and preserved as part of the record of transportation. You are going to need several hours in this museum at least since there is so much to see. Standing inside Rosa Parks bus, for example, will bring the history to life. Truly this is an amazing place. It should be on your list of things to do in Dearborn area. And do not forget about the Ford Museum in Ft. Myers, Florida alongside the Edison Summer Estate.
Gerald R. Ford Museum: Explore the life and times of Gerald R. Ford, Michigan’s only President. Here you’ll find documents, artifacts, photographs, and videos combine to tell the dramatic story of the Ford Presidency in the mid-1970s. Museum galleries depict Gerald Ford’s rise from a humble youth to Eagle Scout, star football player, World War II naval officer, and U.S. congressman, and the unique way by which he became Vice President and President. Meet the issues of the day – the energy crisis, the Nixon pardon, Vietnamese refugees, and learn about the Bicentennial. Your visit will include a stop in the life-sized Oval Office and Cabinet Room. See for yourself how President Ford shaped our world in Grand Rapids.
Detroit Historical Museum: This Motor City Exhibition is where visitors see how a Cadillac is assembled; is just one of the many interesting displays at this museum dedicated to telling the story of Detroit. The autos always thrill visitors most, but there is the variety of the history before the white man arrived, and manufacturing beyond the cars, too! You will be amazed. Easy to find right along Woodward near the gorgeous library and across the street from the Art Institute, in the city of Detroit.
Michigan Iron Industry Museum: Here is your chance to learn about how the iron industry allowed the Upper Peninsula to develop and prosper. The entire story is fascinating with info on both the mining and also the social side of many cultures coming together. This is an exceptionally well done walk through the history of iron mining. What might initially seem like a mundane subject is brought to life with wonderful exhibits that can be enjoyed by young and old, techy or non-techy. It includes a short educational movie, and many exhibits. And it is free! In the Negaunee part of the Upper Peninsula.
Call of the Wild Museum: This place is a must stop in Gaylord. It is a hometown owned business that never seems to pull you in the door like a great big northern hug, if you have not been in: you are missing out!! They have a very friendly and knowledgeable staff and owner. This small museum is really well conceived. The animal displays are as well presented as one finds in natural history museums in larger cities like Chicago, New York and Washington, D C. And the addition of auditory calls from different animals is a great enhancement to the experience. The gift shop is also nice; with a selection of higher quality items that one comes to expect in many museums located in Gaylord, Michigan.
If Michigan is a place you want to visit, please give Travelkatz a call at 352-277-7300 or go to vacationnationradio.com and chat with us. We will be happy to answer your questions and put a great vacation together for you.
FESTIVALS
Michigan Festivals:
Michigan Fairs and Festivals – Celebrate year-round – If you’re looking for fun things to do in Michigan, time your visit with an annual fair or festival. These events celebrate the state’s cultural and agricultural heritage by showcasing the cuisine, arts and seasons of Michigan – and, above all, the fun-loving spirit you’ll find here.
**In the summer, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a must. Another essential summer to-do is Frankenmuth’s Bavarian Festival, alive with the rhythm of German music and dance – and, of course, traditional foods and beers.
**Come September, county fairs are in full swing. Attend one of the grandest, the Allegan County Fair. For 167 years, established in 1852, its livestock barns and arenas are some of the largest in the state and make a prime spot for witnessing rodeo performances. Nearby, headlining acts perform on the concert stage and carnival rides thrill. Fall also marks the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival, one of the largest culinary festivals in the Midwest. Attendees can sample more than 1,000 wines, beers and hard ciders, including Michigan-made varieties, and taste small plates created by featured chefs. We’ll be there in Sept – suppose we will be able to attend?
**As fall deepens into winter, events such as Zehnder’s Snowfest in Frankenmuth celebrate the season with snow-sculpting and ice-carving competitions.
**In the spring, head to Holland for the award-winning Tulip Time Festival. Spring is also when Ann Arbor hosts its annual Film Festival, the longest running independent and experimental film series in North America.
Petoskey Steel Drum Band and Fireworks
Come to the Village at Bay Harbor and enjoy an always amazing show by the Petoskey Steel Drum Band with an unparalleled fireworks display over Bay Harbor Lake starting at dusk. Come and get your seat on the lawn early, as it’s always a spectacular show for fireworks night – Bay Harbor, July 3 (every year)
94th Annual National Cherry Festival
It’s the biggest and still the champion festival of the region; and celebrates that heritage every year featuring over 150 family activities. Now in its 94th year, the National Cherry Festival is a signature event, drawing as many as 500,000 attendees from around the country. Everything is conveniently located within walking distance, and since almost all the events are free, it offers affordable family fun. You’ll be kept busy watching the festival parades – including the nation’s largest all-children parade, air shows, nightly outdoor concerts, fireworks and race series, or stroll the arts and crafts fair, enjoy amusement rides and elephant ears on the Midway, or indulge in pancakes and other foods brimming with this iconic fruit. Traverse City, July 4-11
Ann Arbor Summer Festival
A boutique music and arts festival, the nearly four-week gathering offers 150+ performances, activities, exhibitions, and some of the best in family entertainment, music, dance, comedy, film, circus and street arts. The Ann Arbor Summer Festival produces two concurrent programs, at various venues and spaces across the University of Michigan campus and downtown. The indoor program, Mainstage series includes ticketed performances of world-class music, dance, theater, and comedy. The outdoor program, Top of the Park, is held along a beautiful campus green and offers admission-free concerts, movies under the stars, open-air spectacles, and unique family attractions. In addition, the festival’s Beyond series includes large-scale outdoor special attractions and unique pop-up events throughout the city. Be sure to check out all the additional activities and opportunities for festival-goers every summer. Ann Arbor
Ready to celebrate? For details on these festivals and additional events, start your Michigan adventure with TravelKatz! We’ll help you with all you need to enjoy a wonderful time in Michigan. Call 352-277-7300.
PLACE OF INTEREST
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island sits in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Mackinac Island State Park, with trails, woods and the limestone Arch Rock formation, covers most of the island. Founded in 1780, Fort Mackinac is a walled cluster of military buildings on a coastal bluff. Fort Holmes, a reconstructed wood and earthen fort built during the War of 1812, stands on the island’s highest point. On the Lower Peninsula, in Mackinaw City, is an 18th-century fort and fur trading village with re-enactments and history displays. The nearby 1889 Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse has restored quarters and views from the top. Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park features an 18th-century sawmill, nature trails and a treetop canopy bridge.
Fort Mackinac: Fort Mackinac is a must see when visiting the island. The fort is very well maintained, and the pride of the staff is evident. You can see how the soldiers lived at the Fort, as well as their families. There is so much history here. The staff is dressed in period clothing and role plays to add to the experience. They have reenactments there all day long, that make you feel like you stepped into the early 1800s. And every kid and adult love the Canon demonstration and the black powder musket portrayal. The gift shop is excellent. The best of all are the views you get up top. Don’t miss visiting the Fort – it is worth it.
Mackinac Island State Park: Whether you like biking or hiking or just being blanketed in the beauty of nature, this is a great place to do it all… or to do nothing at all… Good place to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. Take a great buggy tour of the park on a beautiful day, lots of history and scenery! The guide is very knowledgeable and funny as well!
The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World: If you want to walk thru a magical place where you are kissed by butterflies, this is the spot to do it… There are hundreds of beautiful exotic butterflies flitting all around you … It’s an incredible feeling! It is also fun to see the reptiles and bees they have on display. This is an amazing place for photo shots of beautiful butterflies poised on the flowers, rocks, water fountain, people. They’re everywhere. With the help of illustrated list, they hand out you can identify many of them. The gift shop offers a lot as well. A great place to see on the Island!
Mackinac Island Ferry: Since there are no cars allowed on the island; it’s an easy and convenient way on and off the Mackinac Island, the ferry provides great transportation to and from the island. The employees are very friendly and helpful. The ferries are comfortable with lots of windows. Personal are kind, helpful with those who needed special assistance, professional, and patient.
The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum: The art work is exceptional, and some have interactive narratives. Some of the art depicts what the island looked like back in the 1600 and 1700’s. Also, you will see maps of Michigan as depicted by map makers back in the early days. It’s very interesting to see how they thought Michigan and the Great Lakes looked. Added feature is an area for children’s art activities, making it a good stop on a rainy day for families. Wheelchair accessible via back entrance, elevator inside.
Biddle House: This is a fully restored building which is hundreds of years old… it gives you a chance to step back … way back and get a feel for what island life was like. Be sure to see the blacksmith shop. Parts of Biddle House are thought to be dated to 1780 which would make it the oldest building on Mackinac Island. The name comes from the Biddle family who purchased it in 1831. It is part of a series of historic locations which include Fort Mackinac and the historic Fur Company Store. The property includes the main house which has a first-floor bedroom, eating areas and kitchen, and through the rear yard to the Benjamin Blacksmith shop.
From Tampa, fly to Traverse City and rent a car to the island. Travelkatz will make all your arrangements for a beautiful vacation on the island. Just give us a call at 352-277-7300.
Michigan State Capital: Lansing
In 1848, Lansing, Michigan was named after Lansing, New York, which was named for John Lansing Jr., a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention. A little under a year earlier, officials had named the city Michigan after Michigan state, but soon decided against the eponymous title, changing its name following the wishes of some of the town’s earliest settlers, who were originally from Lansing, New York.
Courthouse Square: The historic courthouse square in downtown Charlotte holds the 1885 Renaissance Revival Eaton County Courthouse. On the National Register of Historic Places, the courthouse is now a museum, featuring the restored interior, circuit courtroom and offices. Exhibits of Eaton County history and culture fill the structure, along with numerous programs.
Autopalooza Events: Lansing celebrate numerous car events all summer long. If you are into old cars, please call TravelKatz to find out when your special interest car event will happen. From energy efficient cars, Olds, Chevy to name a few. How about orphan cars like Plymouth, DeSota, Packard or Franklin. Remember those. The 25th annual car show and swap meet for all Oldsmobile and Oldsmobile-powered vehicles. The event will feature 1967 Oldsmobile celebrating their 50th anniversary and all Curved Dash Oldsmobiles. Classic car show open to all years and all makes of cars, trucks and motorcycles. Over 95 classes and over 200 awards. This show helps support the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
R.E. Olds Transportation Museum: Historic innovation and future inspiration…Explore Oldsmobile from the very first prototype to today’s streamlined automobiles. Discover Lansing’s rich transportation history – the REO Motor Car Company, old-time bicycles and aviation endeavors. A shiny red 1938 Reo Speed Wagon, Model 1D4H, sits on display in a cordoned off area. The Gold Crown six-cylinder, 83 Horsepower fire truck sold for $1,302.73 back then and served the Bainbridge Fire Company in Pennsylvania until 1972. Now it is a part of a permanent first responders exhibit at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
Lying on a wooden “mechanics creeper,” Ken Lovell rolled himself up close to a massive car wheel with a grease pump in hand. It sounds like a typical garage scene — except that today’s cars don’t have grease fittings, and the vehicle he was working on is a 1932 Reo hearse/ambulance at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum, 240 Museum Drive, in Lansing. Lovell has been a volunteer at the museum for 14 years and was working with Tom Morefield, another volunteer, to get the hearse ready to hit the streets. In the summer, they try to get as many (vehicles) out as possible.
Visit the museum Tuesday thru Sunday from 10am-5pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $10 for a family and $3 for students and seniors.
Five must-see vehicles at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum:
- 1901 curved dash Oldsmobile: The curved dash is the car that made Oldsmobile famous and the first to carry the name Oldsmobile. It was the first mass-produced car in America. With a 66-inch wheel base, it weighed 650 pounds and cost $650.
- 1932 Reo hearse/ambulance: In the 1930s, people used the same vehicle to perform the duties of both a hearse and an ambulance, says museum historian Dave Pfaff. lol – “(When it would roll up), you never knew if you were dead or just hurting,” he said. Tom Poole, a Grand Ledge resident, has worked on the doors of “Jesse,” this 1932 Reo model 15 Chassis, and has been a volunteer at the Museum for 10 years.
- 1985 Aerotech Aurora V8: When fourth-graders visit the museum, they run straight for the 1985 Aerotech Aurora V8. The Aerotech displayed in the museum is the car race-car legend A.J. Foyt drove when he set the land speed record in 1987.
- 1953 Oldsmobile 88 Two-Door: As one of the original NASCAR racing cars, it was driven by Dick Passwater in 1953. When Oldsmobile had its centennial in 1997, the museum got Passwater to drive the car — which still bears his name in bright red letters on the roof — in the parade route.
- 1897 Olds Motor Works car: About 20 years ago, the Smithsonian Institution loaned the museum an original car made by Olds Motor Works — before it was called Oldsmobile — made in 1897. The car is kept in a climate-controlled room and no one can touch it.
Volunteers like Lovell, Poole and Morefield help with everything from cleaning cars to managing inventory. Executive Director Deborah Horstick said the museum couldn’t function without them. The museum — formerly a Capital Area Transportation Authority garage — was opened in August 1981 to showcase Lansing’s transportation history. In the building’s showrooms, cars are spread out in chronological order, with memorabilia such as stop signs, license plates, car emblems and photos hanging on walls and arranged in glass cases. A large portion of the displays focus on Oldsmobile and Reo Motor Car Co., the companies started by Ransom Eli Olds, who moved to Lansing with his family in 1880. While the museum mostly focuses on those two companies, there are also other models featured, such as the current General Motors display in honor of GM’s centennial.
Michigan State University: MSU is more than just a Big Ten university. From the exquisite gardens to the awe-inspiring modern art at The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, a new Zaha Hadid-designed contemporary art museum at MSU, is dedicated to exploring global contemporary culture and ideas through art. The museum presents groundbreaking, international contemporary art across all media, and thematic exhibitions that investigate contemporary works within a historical context. Beal Botanical Gardens, founded in 1873, is the oldest continuously operated garden of this type in the United States. It includes over 5,000 species organized in economic, systematic, landscape and ecological groupings.
Lansing has numerous choices for lodging. Just let you know when you want to go and the type of place you would like to stay and TravelKatz will do the rest. We are just a phone call away. 352-277-7300
MICHIGAN VACATION PACKAGE MADE EASY
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