Eastern Michigan Cultural Eats & Experiences
Created by Industry Experts at the Accent Travel Network Conference
Accent East 2024This one-of-a-kind tour invites you to experience the best of Michigan’s rich history, vibrant cities, and charming towns.
Explore Detroit’s storied past, from the Motown Museum to the stunning Meadow Brook Hall. Immerse yourself in the Bavarian charm of Frankenmuth, rolling pretzels and cruising the Cass River. Relax in luxury at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort while uncovering Midland’s lush Dow Gardens and Bay City’s opulent Lumber Baron heritage.
Enjoy unique experiences, from a Japanese tea ceremony in Saginaw to an immersive visit to the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabek Culture. With delightful meals, fascinating tours, and time to soak in Michigan’s natural beauty, this unforgettable adventure promises something for everyone.
Reserve your spot today and create lifelong memories in the heart of the Great Lakes State!
Duration
6 Days /5 Nights
Group size
Min 35
Customization
Available!
DAY 1:
- Whether flying or driving, arrive in Detroit in time to tempt your taste buds with a culturally diverse dining option, perhaps Slows Bar BQ – a local favored food joint, but there are also other relaxed spots to eat in the area.
- After dinner take a driving tour of the area to include the rest of Corktown’s cobblestone streets including the trendy, youthful area with industrial-chic bars, intimate live-music venues, and hip breweries. Thrift stores, quirky boutiques, and secondhand record stores line the streets. The vast, derelict Beaux Arts building housing the Michigan Central Train Depot has been restored and adds a majestic pinnacle to the area.
- Check into a Detroit area hotel for a restful evening.
- Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
- Start your morning in Michigan’s comeback city with a visit to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Our vision is of a world in which the adversity and achievement of African American history inspire everyone toward greater understanding, acceptance, and unity!
- We’ll continue our discovery of Detroit with a visit to Hitsville, USA or more commonly known as the Motown Museum the birthplace of the world-famous Motown Sound. Founded in 1985 by Esther Gordy Edwards—former Motown Records executive and sister to Motown founder, Berry Gordy.
- We will take a short drive to the outskirts of the city & rolling hills of Rochester to visit Meadow Brook Hall, the storied Tudor-revival estate and National Historic Landmark that was the dream of Matilda Dodge Wilson (widow of automotive pioneer John Dodge) and her second husband, Alfred Wilson. The fourth largest historic home in the United States and the largest in the Midwest, Meadow Brook is nearly twice as large as the White House. And yet, for all its splendor, Meadow Brook Hall was home to a growing, modern family and the setting for the innumerable joys, challenges and great celebrations of life.
- Continue your cultural journey north to Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria. From the first moment you enter the city you’ll experience a visual transformation into the Old World charm of this quaint German village. Our Bavarian experience will begin with a hands-on pretzel rolling class at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant while the bakers finish our culinary masterpieces we’ll enjoy an authentic family style German meal with samplings of Kasseler Rippchen, Sauerbraten or Schnitzel – you won’t leave hungry but you will receive your personally baked pretzel as a take home for that late night snack.
- Check into your Frankenmuth area hotel to relax & rejuvenate for tomorrow’s adventures – sweet dreams!
- Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning.
- Your Bavarian experience will continue with a guided city tour of Frankenmuth where we will learn of the courage of the Franconians.
- No visit to Frankenmuth would be complete without a stop at Bronners CHRISTmas Wonderland & Silent Night Chapel – it’s never too early to start your Christmas shopping!
- We will be heading to downtown Frankenmuth for some leisurely on own shopping & browsing. Make sure to grab lunch on your own at any of the local options.
- For an alternate view of Frankenmuth we will be cruising down the Cass River on the Bavarian Belle this afternoon. The “Belle” will be boarded at Frankenmuth River Place Shops so depending on the “all aboard” call we may have time to browse the unique shops & attractions, a couple of my personal favorites are The Michigan Shoppe, LA Crêpe duJour, The Spice & Tea Exchange to name of few.
- After our relaxing cruise we will head across the street to the Frankenmuth Clock & German Gift Company specializes in authentic, handcrafted German items, including Black Forest cuckoo clocks, wall and mantel clocks, miniature clocks, novelty cuckoo clocks, music boxes, incense smokers, nutcrackers, holiday ornaments, German pyramids, and unique German souvenirs. We import items straight from Germany, providing the authentic Bavarian experience.
- Here we have a cross road, you can either bid Auf Wiedersehen to Frankenmuth and head to Mt. Pleasant for your evening respite or stay another night in Little Bavaria.
- Enjoy breakfast at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, the Midwest’s premier AAA Four Diamond gaming and hospitality destination offering top-name entertainment year-round, award-winning dining, high stakes bingo, a full-service spa & a creative culinary team that looks forward to serving your group’s needs with unique & tasty delights.
- We will take a short jaunt over to Midland this morning where we will tour Dow Gardens originally established in 1899, as a home for Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow and family, the 110-acre Dow Gardens now features a dazzling 110-acre display of annuals and perennials punctuated by distinctive bridges, an award-winning children’s garden, towering pines, delightful water features along with Marshall M. Fredericks “Seven Saints & Sinners” sculptures OR we can tour the Alden B. Dow Home & Studio, is the home and studio that were the residence and acknowledged masterpiece of 20th century architect Alden B. Dow. Mr. Dow was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Before we bid ado to Midland we will have lunch at Antonio’s Restaurant where your group will be able to order “off the menu” which is a welcomed pleasure for tour groups.
- We will head to nearby Bay City a diverse community tucked along one of the five Great Lakes; Lake Huron. Originally founded during the Michigan “Green Gold Rush” we’ll begin with a city tour & see some of those majestic Lumber Baron homes still existing today in their beauty & opulence.
- Dinner this evening will be a home-cooked meal with a European flair featuring their authentic Polish cuisine at Krzysiak’s House Restaurant.
- After dinner we will head back to Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort where you can either turn in for the night or spend time with “Lady Luck” and try your hand at one of thousands of slot machines, live table games such as Blackjack, Craps, Roulette & many more including live poker games. Good Luck, good sleep.
- Enjoy breakfast this morning at Soaring Eagle using your dining credits your way; some of your options include Room Service, Central Deli, Native Grind or the Siniikaung Bistro.
- There’s a quick drive over to Saginaw for an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House & Gardens. Saginaw’s Sister City, Tokushima, Japan operate this Tea House as a mutual endeavor. One half of the tea house belongs to Saginaw the other half to Tokushima. The Awa-Saginaw An not only has a traditional tatami mat tearoom but also an adjoining Ryurei-style room. This style was first introduced by the eleventh Grand Tea Master Gengensai for the 1873 exhibition in Tokyo. It deviated from the traditional style by using benches and tables, along with a stand for the tea utensils. We will take part in the Ryurei style westernized ceremony.
- Today we will be enjoying lunch at the SVRC Marketplace where small local vendors offer everything from falafel, tacos and freshly-baked cookies to beads, yarn and custom-made hats. Enjoy a leisurely bite to eat & maybe enjoy a little shopping as well. SVRC is a Saginaw-based nonprofit focused on creating opportunities for and empowering people who face barriers to employment and community access.
- After lunch we will have a brief coach ride back to Mt. Pleasant where we will be immersed in the Native American Culture of the Anishinabek way of life at the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinakbe Culture & Lifeways on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian reservation. The group may take part in a hands-on activity or enjoy a performance from a Native dancer either option will need to be scheduled ahead for your groups.
- This evening we will have a final night dinner at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort for our group with a custom menu created by Chef Betty to possibly include a custom ice cream flavor just for your group depending on the season! Although it’s been a busy day the options are almost endless, pamper yourself with a spa treatment, relax in the indoor pool or outdoor hot tub or try your hand on the casino floor.
- Enjoy breakfast this morning at Soaring Eagle will be using your dining credits your way; some of your options include room service, Central Deli, Native Grind or the Siniikaung Bistro.
- Depart for home. We look forward to seeing you in the heart of Michigan again soon!
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