Ontario/Michigan/Illinois
Voyage to The Great Lakes: A Small Ship Adventure
Program No. 21866RJ
Explore the pristine beauty of the Great Lakes aboard a small ship, delving deep into the region’s heritage, history and natural wonders.
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11 days
10 nights
29 meals
10B 9L 10D
2
Explore Chicago, Embark Ship
Lake Michigan
3
Cruising Day on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
4
Escanaba, Native American Tribal Dance
Escanaba, MI
5
Mackinac Island, Fort Mackinac, Grand Hotel
Mackinac Island, MI
6
Sault Sainte Marie ,Ontario Canada
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
7
Sailing Lake Huron
Lake Huron
8
Detroit, MI, Henry Ford Museum
Detroit, MI
9
Cleveland, OH, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Cleveland, OH
10
Welland Canal / Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, ON
11
Disembarkation in Toronto / Program Concludes
Toronto, ON
At a Glance
Over 15,000 years ago, retreating glaciers shaped the Great Lakes, which today hold one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water. Embark on this unforgettable voyage from Chicago, exploring the beauty of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Immerse yourself in Escanaba’s cultural heritage with a Native American tribal dance performance, stroll the charming streets of Mackinac Island and marvel at the engineering of the Soo Locks. Explore iconic landmarks like the Henry Ford Museum and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and experience the power of Niagara Falls aboard a state-of-the-art catamaran. This small ship learning adventure is full of discovery, history, and natural wonders.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking and standing for up to an hour at a time during field trips. Embarking and disembarking from the boat up and down steep gangways.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Take in Chicago's amazing skyline during an architectural boat ride along the Chicago River with a local expert.
- Step back in time and enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the picturesque streets of Mackinac Island, a charming Victorian-era haven.
- Experience the incredible power of Niagara Falls up close with an excursion aboard a catamaran.
Suggested Reading List
(22 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Voyage to The Great Lakes: A Small Ship Adventure
Program Number: 21866
Shining Big Sea Water, The Story of Lake Superior
A swift, illuminating history of Lake Superior, from its geological birth and native inhabitants to early explorers and industries, developers, cities and future challenges.
Great Lakes Wildlife
This laminated fold-out card illustrates almost 150 animals in the Great Lakes region.
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasure Great Lakes, Legends and Lore, Pirates and More!
Frederick Stonehouse provides the historical forward to these 21 riveting tales of ships that met their end in the treacherous waters of the Great Lakes, including the sinking of Civil War steamer Island Queen in 1864 and the tanker Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975.
The Middle Ground, Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650- 1815
White takes in the history of Daniel Boone, George Washington, Pontiac and Tecumseh in this scholarly history of relations between Native peoples and Europeans in "pays d'en haut," the region around the Great Lakes.
Niagara, A History of the Falls
Meticulously researched and entertaining, this history of Niagara Falls captures the sideshow atmosphere of the place with its honky-tonk attractions and daredevil feats. An engrossing social history.
Great Lakes Birds
This fold-out reference illustrates almost 150 species in the Great Lakes region. Laminated and pocket-sized, it's a handy item to take along in the field.
The Long Ships Passing, The Story of the Great Lakes
A vivid popular history of the Great Lakes, rich in anecdote, incident and drama. Havighurst recounts the early days of ships and shipping on the Great Lakes from the time of the early French voyageurs through the industrialization of the region at the turn of the century.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Stonehouse presents the circumstances and evidence for the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, which disappeared during a heavy snow storm on Lake Superior in the early evening of November 10, 1975. With no evidence and no witnesses, the captain
and crew of 28 are still listed as missing.
Great Lakes for Sale, From Whitecaps to Bottlecaps
Dempsey calls for action to stop the diversion of water from the Great Lakes watershed.
Lake Superior Flavors, A Field Guide to Food and Drink Along the Circle Tour
In this review of Lake Superior cuisine, the authors focus on local artisans and important dishes from the four regions they visit: Minnesota’s North Shore, Ontario, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Selected Stories
This collection of 28 short stories represents some of Munro's finest work. A powerful range of emotional, evocative tales set throughout the cities and rural towns of her native country.
The Devil in the White City, Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
This fascinating account of Chicago's 1893 World's Fair interweaves the true stories of Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor, who terrorized its visitors.
Mackinac Island
Phipps captures the splendor of the architecture and gardens of Mackinac in this collection of photographs.
Inventing Niagara
A witty, well-researched tale of the transformation of a natural wonder into an engineering feat, spectacle and monument.
Unless
A middle aged mother of three daughters lives a contented life as a writer until her oldest child Norah quits college to panhandle on the streets of Toronto. Norah's only communication with the outside world appears to be a sign she wears around her neck that reads "Goodness."
The Song of Hiawatha
This Everyman’s Library Classic of Longfellow’s epic narrative poem, set along the south shore of Lake Superior and loosely based on the legends of the Ojibwe and other Native Americans, includes an introduction and the latest scholarship on the classic.
Pandora's Locks, The Opening of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway
This detailed history of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which opened in 1959, focuses on the engineering feat's often devastating environmental effects.
The Living Great Lakes
Jerry Dennis, known for his writing on fly-fishing and canoeing, interweaves observation, anecdote and history in this tale of the lakes and his month-long voyage aboard the schooner Malabar.
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Egan explores the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes and their ecologies
using insightful research and political commentary.
North American Indian Tribes of the Great Lakes
Heavily illustrated, this handy primer presents the Native American tribes of the upper Midwest, their cultures, religions, leaders and roles in the colonial wars and the fur trade.
Great Lakes Water Wars
Learn about the controversial history of water use in the area.
The Great Lakes
Wayne Grady showcases the nature and ecology of the Great Lakes, hub of industry and agriculture and home to 40 million people, in this illustrated portrait of the region, including its geological formation, conservation challenges, forests and resources. With hundreds of color photographs and illustrations by Emily Damstra.
