Itinerary

Day 1:

Start your Michigan bike tour with a ride along the scenic 17-mile Leelanau Trail, part of the Traverse Area Recreation Transportation (TART) network of trails, offering picturesque views of Traverse Bay and Old Mission Point. We’ll stop in Suttons Bay for a delightful group lunch before continuing our ride to our final destination, The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor. Upon arrival, we’ll be welcomed with a reception and enjoy a group dinner at Café Manitou, overlooking the magnificent Lake Michigan. The Homestead will serve as our home base until Wednesday morning, providing us with the luxurious amenities of an all-inclusive resort. You’ll have the chance to explore and indulge in the resort’s offerings throughout the week.
Distance: 17, 42 miles, meals: lunch, dinner. Lodging: The Homestead

Day 2:

Sleeping Bear and Glen Arbor – Bike and Hike. This morning, after breakfast, we head out from The Homestead for a stunning loop ride through the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore, voted the Most Beautiful Place in America by USA Today. We’ll ride along the aquamarine waters of Glen Lake and then down to Empire, where we’ll hop on the Leelanau Heritage Trail and onto the 7.8-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Your leaders will treat you to a beautiful lunch on Picnic Mountain, and then you can do a leisurely hike through the dunes on the Cottonwood Trail. Stop at the Dune overlook, where you will get a world-class vista of Lake Michigan from an observation deck at the top of a 450-foot dune. For those who want a different hike option, you can join one of your leaders for a strenuous hike up the dune climb and then about 4 miles through the dunes, reuniting with your bikes in Glen Haven. Glen Haven, the small village on the Lake Michigan shoreline, is a step back when small towns and docks supplied fuel to steamers along the Great Lakes. On the final stretch home, visit Glen Arbor and shop before returning to The Homestead. Dinner is on your own at one of the fine establishments at The Homestead.
Distance: 32 miles, Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. Hike: 1.2 or 4.5 miles, Lodging: The Homestead

Day 3:

Bike, Paddle, or Relax! Today is a day of options. Join your leaders for a bucket list loop ride on Old Mission Point, taking in lakeshore views, orchards, vineyards, and the Old Mission Point Lighthouse located directly on the 45th parallel – halfway between the equator and the North Pole. For those looking for a day on the water, enjoy a kayak paddle down the Crystal River with the local Crystal River Outfitters, followed by lunch on your own in Glen Arbor. Or you can spend the day enjoying The Homestead; treat yourself to a massage at the spa, rent a paddleboard and go out on Lake Michigan, sit on the beach and read a book, or make your adventure. We’ll all convene for a lovely group dinner at Nonna’s Ristorante.
Distance: 41 miles, meals: Breakfast, dinner. Lodging: The Homestead

Day 4:

Off to Petosky! We start the day with one last breakfast at The Homestead, then board the van for a shuttle to Boyne City. Our morning ride will take us 19 miles from the outdoor enthusiast center of Boyne City through rolling hills, farms, and wooded roads to the charming town of Charlevoix, nestled between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix. Enjoy lunch on your own in Charlevoix – pick your favorite or try some Pierogi at Marek’s Harbor Grill or The Back Lot Charlevoix. Explore the town and enjoy a walk out on the South Pier to see the Lighthouse. Shop from a collection of boutiques for clothing, jewelry, or local art galleries. The afternoon consists of a mellow 17.5-mile ride on the Little Traverse Wheelway from Charlevoix to the Stafford’s Perry Hotel in Petoskey. Enjoy a group dinner at the Noggin Room Pub located in the hotel.
Distance: 29, 53 miles, meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Lodging: Stafford’s Perry Hotel

Day 5:

Tunnel of Trees and Lake Michigan Shoreline. Today offers the longest and most spectacular ride option as we head north. We’ll hop on the Wheelway for a few miles as we leave Petoskey behind, pass through Harbor Springs, and onto the 20-mile historic Tunnel of Trees route. In all its glory, Lake Michigan will peek through the trees as we wind north and see summer cottages of all shapes, sizes, and vintage. We’ll pause for lunch in Cross Village at the historic Legs Inn – so named for the woodstove legs that adorn the roofline – and then continue into Mackinaw City on a mixture of quiet roads and bike paths. A quick ferry ride will take us to car-less Mackinac Island, where bikes and horses are the only means of transportation. We stay at the stunning and historic Grand Hotel on the island tonight. Enjoy the pampering and join us for a farewell dinner at one of the hotel’s iconic restaurants.
Distance: 29, 53 miles. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Lodging: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island

Day 6:

On our final day, we’ll enjoy breakfast at the Grand Hotel and board a horse-drawn carriage for a historical tour of Mackinac Island. Following the tour, you can take your bike on a final ride on the 8.2-mile loop around the island or spend your last hours shopping in the downtown area. A short ferry ride back to Mackinaw City will reunite us with the Sojourn van, and we’ll shuttle 2.5 hours back to Traverse City, where we can drop you at the Cherry Capital Airport.
Distance: 8 miles, meals: Breakfast.

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Routes: Cars are not allowed on Mackinac Island. We will transfer your luggage to the hotel while you ride.

Lodging

Included:

• Support of experienced tour leaders from start to finish
• Full van support for a variety of route options
• 5 nights lodging
• All breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners
• All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
• Complimentary use of equipment and bikes: Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105, Customized Fuji Absolute 2.0, E-bike Limited availability on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to reserve at the time of your booking.
• Baggage transfers and porterage
• Daily route directions, maps, and a downloadable GPS

Not included:

• Flights to and from the tour
• Night before and after the tour
• Gratuity guides

Pricing / Tour dates

Tour price 2024: $ 3495.- pp. single fee starts at $ 1000.-
You can avoid a single supplement by sharing a room with another rider.
Rental E-bike: for an extra cost of $300.-
Start & End: We start in Traverse City on Day 1 and drive you back to Traverse City after we ferry back from Mackinac Island at the end of the trip.
Tour dates 2024:
04 Aug – 09 Aug only one spot available
11 Aug – 16 Aug Fully booked
18 Aug – 23 Aug, 2 spots available
Tour dates 2025, Tour price 2025: $3695.- pp
03 Aug – 08 Aug
10 Aug – 15 Aug
17 Aug – 22 Aug

Conditions

Deposit $500.- pp
The deposit payment for a tour must be paid within two weeks after the booking is confirmed.
The remaining payment is due 90 days before the start of the tour.
For tours that are booked within 90 days before the start of the tour you will pay 100% of the tour price

Information

Where does this trip start, end, and go?
We start and end in Traverse City, Michigan, and travel through Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore and along the Cherry Coast to Mackinac Island.
Routes: Cars are not allowed on Mackinac Island. We will transfer your luggage to the hotel while you ride.
Level of Riding: This is rated as an intermediate trip with relatively short rides and a decent amount of climbing. Riding distances vary. Currently, the longest distance you can ride is 53 miles in a single day, but once again, you can choose to opt for as little as you ride.
Meals: All Breakfasts and most dinners and lunches are covered. We leave a few evenings and afternoons open for you to explore the variety of local restaurants. We strongly recommend a reservation for the restaurants you pick.

A Typical Day
While each day of a vacation is unique, there are similar elements to every day. Your tour leaders will share the selection of options with you and guide you through the day. Choose to do it all or customize the options to your personal preference.

THE COOL OF THE MORNING
Rise in time for breakfast with your fellow travelers and tour leaders who will provide an overview of the day. They will share with you the highlights and mix in a bit of local lore.After breakfast you’ll have time to return to your room before you head off on your ride or to another activity. Of course, if you choose, you can lounge by the pool, arrange for a massage, or a host of other things that suit your fancy.A morning ride might take you through a historic covered bridge, past a series of cascading waterfalls, or through a spectacular stand of cacti. Stop to snap some photos, walk along the falls, or perhaps visit an old-time general store. Everyone is encouraged to ride and explore at their own pace.

LET THE SUN SHINE
Leaders will host a gourmet picnic lunch along the ride or you will have opportunity to eat at one of several venues in a small town along the way. Naturally, everyone’s favorite lunch is a spread put on by the tour leaders. It’s always fun to see what they’ve conjured up and enjoy some laughs with your fellow travelers over lunch.You might visit a local museum or winery, or crank out a few extra miles if you choose. Devouring a good book in a lounge chair overlooking the pool or the sea is also a favored afternoon activity. From a short hike to a waterfall to a visit to small family farm, our bike tours offer much more than simply riding down the road.

AS THE MOON RISES
Join your fellow travelers for a delicious dinner either at the inn or a nearby restaurant. Evening meals seem to incite conversation and laughter over the day’s events. You’ll hear stories of spontaneous encounters and great feats such as milking a cow for the first time – you do what?Meals are sumptuous three to five-course affairs and include options for vegetarians. Folks often go for a little evening walk or retire to the front porch of the inn before drifting off to their rooms. Enjoyable hours in the out of doors are the perfect prescription for a good night’s sleep