Midwest

Door County Wisconsin & A Taste of the Midwest

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND FOR 2025…Door County Wisconsin!  Known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” this popular Midwest vacation spot boasts picturesque lakeside villages, an ocean-like shoreline, distinct stone cliffs, lighthouses and turquoise calm waters.  Join us as we explore all along the Door Peninsula with Lake Michigan on one side and Green Bay on the other with stops in some of the charming communities such as Sister Bay, Ephraim, Egg Harbor and Fish Creek.  With Fall just around the corner, we will welcome the cooler late summer temperatures as the average high is in the low 70’s and lows in the 50’s.  Door County highlights include a tour of the beautiful Eagle Bluff Lighthouse perched on the peninsula; Koepsel’s Farm Market, the oldest family-owned market in Door County; Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park overlooking Green Bay’s waters; lunch at famous Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay where you’ll see the “goats on the roof;” and a Ferry Ride over the crystal blue waters of Death’s Door Passage to Washington Island to explore the largest of Door County’s 34 islands!  We love to eat our way across the country on a Daniel’s tour, so we will immerse ourselves in the decadent foods and traditions this region is known for.  Wisconsin has more flavors, varieties, and styles of cheese than anywhere else in the world, so we visit a Cheese Market to learn about the cheese unique to the area, such as cheese curds!  When we think of Milwaukee, we think of Beer!  We will visit a Local Brewery and learn how it is done!  We will enjoy an overnight stay in the heart of downtown Milwaukee with an included dinner of authentic Bavarian German cuisine.  Scandinavian settlers in Door County prepared whitefish outside over a roaring fire using only a few simple ingredients—salt, onion, red potatoes, and butter.  We will enjoy a traditional Fish Boil while in Door County.  The Supper Club is a hallmark of Wisconsin dining – we will visit one of these cozy, family-focused eateries that are simple with delicious food – think Prime Rib – that keep locals coming back again and again.  Other tour highlights include a mid-day Chicago City Tour from the Magnificent Mile to the Chicago River; a guided tour of Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers; and a tour of Fair Oaks Farms Dairy Adventure where we learn about modern Midwest farming techniques and spend the night in a one-of-a-kind modern farm hotel!  This is a fantastic, unique and fun tour!  Includes 14 Meals (7 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 5 Dinners)

Road Trip to the Dakotas

South Dakota is expansive where rolling prairies give way to the dramatic Black Hills National Forest. See the colorful cliffs and canyons at Badlands National Park, explore from the prairies to the mountains at Custer State Park and learn all about their famous bison herd. Mt. Rushmore is a tour highlight! See the amazing carving of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln on the side of the mountain. Visit the Crazy Horse Memorial – the towering mountainside sculpture of the famous Indian Chief. Other South Dakota highlights include the Ft. Hays Western Dinner Show including sets from the movie “Dances with Wolves”, spend 2 nights in Rapid City, visit Deadwood, drive-thru Sturgis, see Sioux Falls, the Statue “Dignity”, Wall Drug and the Corn Palace.  North Dakota is dominated by the Great Plains that give way to the rugged Badlands near the border with Montana where Theodore Roosevelt National Park sits.  Drive along the South Loop road inside the park that winds through the hills and buttes through the ND Badlands.  Watch for wildlife such as elk, coyotes & prairie dogs.  A herd of approximately 300 American bison and a historic demonstration herd of feral horses also call the Park home. We overnight near Medora, ND and experience some of the best dining in the West at Pitchfork Fondue – cowboy chefs expertly load New York Strip steaks onto pitchforks to cook!  Get into the Western spirit at the Medora Musical – a fun & entertaining Country Western Music Revue Show.  The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center has engaging exhibits, hundreds of period artifacts, world-class art collections and friendly interpreters who tell the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition that traversed North Dakota.  The North American Bison Discovery Center in Jamestown, ND is the number one resource for all things related to the restoration of the American bison.  Learn about the animal’s natural history, cultural significance, ecological impact, and view the herds in the pastures.  We will even make a stop to see the ND roadside attraction – the World’s Largest Buffalo Monument standing 26 feet tall! Other places we will visit along the way include Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, drive through eastern Montana, make a stop at the St. Louis Arch and Sioux Falls, SD and Omaha, NE.   A guided tour of Chicago is a tour highlight, enjoy an overnight stay in the top Midwest vacation spot of Wisconsin Dells, WI, visit one of the largest working dairy farms in the U.S. in Indiana, and visit the Mall of America-the largest mall in the US.  This is a Classic Road Trip packed full of so many amazing stops and visits along the way!  Includes 16 Meals (10 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 5 Dinners + 2 Free Drury Inn Dinners) 

Mississippi River Cruise Tour

Join us on the motorcoach as we make our way to the Midwest for a classic Mississippi River Experience!  Visit Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis where the tram will take you 630 feet up to the top of the Arch.  Enjoy the view of the Mighty Mississippi River from the tallest monument in the USA.    Spend some time in Hannibal, Missouri along the banks of the River and see the Boyhood Home of beloved author Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain. See Becky Thatcher’s House, Huckleberry Finn’s House, and learn about the adventures of Tom Sawyer on the Mark Twain Riverboat Dinner Cruise.   Come aboard the TWILIGHT RIVERBOAT in LeClaire, Iowa. Coveted as the “the most elegant riverboat to be launched in the last 100 years,” the TWILIGHT was carefully designed and built to replicate the lavish steamboats popular in the Victorian era. Mile after glorious mile, you’ll enjoy the best of the Mississippi from the towering bluffs, two Locks & Dams, quaint river towns, and fascinating historical narration during a 2-Day Cruise from LeClaire to Dubuque, Iowa. Witness first-hand the importance of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge – a haven for migratory birds. The Bald Eagle is one of the greatest success stories in the recovery of an endangered species, so watch for these majestic birds along the way!  Live entertainment and meals are included onboard the Riverboat both days of the cruise, and you will overnight at a beautiful river-front hotel in Dubuque before cruising back to LeClaire on Day 2. Other tour highlights include the Smithsonian accredited National Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque. Spend the night before the cruise and the night after the cruise in LeClaire along Iowa’s Great River Road in the Quad Cities. Here you will have a chance to “COME PICK WITH THE BEST OF ‘EM” at Antique Archaeology – featured on the History Channel’s American Pickers show. The show’s host, Mike Wolfe is a local in LeClaire. Visit the John Deere Pavilion that showcases the newest and vintage John Deere equipment. Experience history like never before at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield. Step inside key moments in Lincoln’s life, from triumph to tragedy.  Join Daniel’s as we go Riverboating in 2025!  Includes 14 Meals (7 Breakfasts/3 Lunches/4 Dinners)

“One Must Travel to Learn…”

-Mark Twain

SPRING FLING TOUR – Holland Tulip Festival, Churchill Downs & Indiana Amish Tour

WELKOM to TULIP TIME in Holland, MI – heralded as the nation’s Best Flower Festival with over 5 million tulips blooming throughout the city. We will take you right to the heart of the festivities celebrating the town’s Dutch Heritage with the Klompen Dancers in traditional Dutch wear, incredible fields of blooming Tulip Gardens, and the DeKlomp Wooden Shoe & Delft Factory with acres of beautiful blooms and artists that hand carve wooden shoes or hand-paint blue and white delftware. Another Michigan highlight is one of the Great Lakes – LAKE MICHIGAN – with a vast array of impressive freshwater coastal sand dunes thanks to the westerly winds that blow the sand into massive dune formations. Take an exhilarating Dune Buggy Ride across the dunes – you can’t imagine how much fun this is! Venture into the heart of INDIANA AMISH Country with a 2-night stay in Shipshewana and experience the culture of this most welcoming large Amish community as we tour along the Heritage Trail. Find some treasures along the way such as local Amish-made goods and the “Quilt Gardens & Murals” famous in this part of Indiana. Enjoy a live production show at The Blue Gate Theater, and don’t forget about those amazing Amish meals including hearty desserts and homemade breads (no calories when you are on vacation!) Springtime means Thoroughbred Racing at legendary CHURCHILL DOWNS in Louisville, KY and we are off to the races! Learn all about the history of racing at the Kentucky Derby Museum along with a guided walking tour of Churchill Downs and the beautiful grounds in their spring glory! Get race-ready with a quick lesson and tips on Racehorse Betting from a professional handicapper and make your own Derby Hat/Fascinator at Hatitude! With reserved seating in Millionaires Row/Skye Terrace overlooking the racetrack, we are in for a thrilling evening of LIVE THOROUGHBRED RACING and Chef’s fabulous Dinner Buffet!
Get away with us on this exciting SPRING FLING! Includes 12 Meals (6 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 4 Dinners)

Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island has been named the Best Summer Travel Destination by USA TODAY.  No wonder this is a TOP DANIEL’S TOUR! Mackinac Island sits in Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the island, so we park our Motorcoach on the mainland and travel by ferry to the island. Horse and carriage then become our mode of transportation during our 2-night stay at the beautiful historic lakefront hotel, The Island House, built in the mid-19th century. The island is also known for its abundance of lilac trees. See and smell the lilacs in bloom during the 77th Annual Lilac Festival! Enjoy a horse drawn carriage tour of the island, stroll the quaint downtown famous for its fine fudge, and visit the famous Grand Hotel where the movie “Somewhere in Time” was filmed. Explore this magnificent hotel including the Grand Buffet Lunch, a meal you will never forget! Enjoy a slower pace on the island as you sit on the massive front porch at the Island House, watch the horse and carriages go by and see the sun set on Lake Huron. Ride a bike around the island or take a short stroll into town to visit one of the many shops and restaurants. So much more is also included in this tour as we circle Michigan! Visit Sault St. Marie and sail through the Soo Locks to Lake Superior; see the Mushroom Houses in charming Charlevoix, located on the shore of Lake Michigan, take an exciting dune buggy ride on the Lake Michigan Sand Dunes – you will not believe how massive these dunes are! A tour highlight includes a visit to the fascinating Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village where you can explore a fascinating collection of authentic artifacts and stories of America’s ingenuity and innovation.  A visit to Frankenmuth Bavarian Village and Bronner Christmas Wonderland adds to the fun. This trip is a favorite for those who experience it! Includes 16 Meals (9 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 5 Dinners).  This one sells out fast, so don’t miss out on this Top Tour!