Great Lakes RV Drive

Day One: Arrive in Chicago

Fly into Chicago where your Great Lakes road-trip gets underway with a one-night room-only stay in a Deluxe King Room at Silversmith Hotel Chicago Downtown. The 'Windy City' of Chicago is your gateway to Millennium Park’s Cloud Gate sculpture, Crown Fountain, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and Lurie Garden; Navy Pier's Ferris wheel, 3D Imax Theater, and Chicago Children's Museum; and the cityscapes from John Hancock Center’s 360 Chicago observation deck.

Days Two to Thirteen: Explore the Great Lakes

Pick up your campervan and start your self-drive adventure around The Great Lakes. Also called the Great Lakes of North America; this series of large interconnected freshwater lakes span the Canada/ United States border and comprise Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is completely within USA territory and Michigan is the only state that touches four of the lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie.

Lake Michigan – spans the entire west coast of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and leads you to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore which boasts dunes taller than you can imagine and awe-inspiring views. Popular attractions include the Dune Climb, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Glen Haven Maritime Museum and Life Saving Station, canoe trips on the Crystal and Platte Rivers, and biking and hiking trails with scenic overlooks like Pyramid Point. Stop off at Sleeping Bear Dunes for an ice cream cone, before driving along the smaller local roads to witness the array of flora and fauna of Leelanau County. Don’t miss the 100+ lighthouses that line Lake Michigan’s beaches, hiring a boat or paddle board on the lake, and visiting the many wineries of the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. 

Lake Huron – forms the eastern outline of Michigan’s ‘Mitten’, including the distinctive ‘Thumb’ which is dotted with port towns and shelters Saginaw Bay. Go boating, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking on Lake Huron. Take a picturesque road trip along Heritage Route 23 that stretches for 200 miles along the lake’s northern coastline. Explore Mackinac Island by bike or horse-drawn carriage. Lake Huron also leads you to the Rockport State Recreation Area, Negwegon State Park, Thompson’s Harbor State Park with their dark preserves; where the dark skies unveil the most spectacular of star shows at nightfall.

Lake Superior – sits above Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Explore more than 30 lighthouses that line Lake Superior’s shore and go hiking in the untouched wilderness of Isle Royale National Park. Kayak along the multicoloured cliffs and discover lesser-known waterfalls at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and learn about the lake’s 300 known shipwrecks and maritime history at Whitefish Point’s Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. And, if you gaze up at the very dark night skies along Lake Superior’s south shore, you may even catch sight of the Northern Lights in the winter months. 

Lake Erie – is the smallest of Michigan’s four Great Lakes and spans a stretch of coastline from the Ohio border to the mouth of the Detroit River in the state’s southeast region. Explore all that Lake Erie has to offer by hiring a boat, cutting through the water by kayak, or trying stand-up paddleboarding; before finding the perfect campsite where you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the Lake Erie shore. You’ll also have easy access to cities like Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo; and attractions like Cedar Point Amusement Park near Sandusky, Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Lake Erie State Park, and Headlands Beach State Park.

Lake Ontario – is bordered on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadia province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the US State of New York. It runs for 300km from the city of Hamilton in the west to the St Lawrence River in the east – with the city of Toronto in between. Experience the best beaches on its shoreline from Toronto’s Woodbine and Toronto Islands to Mississauga’s Jack Darling Park. Hire a boat to go sailing or board a charter fishing boat to fish for the salmon that thrive in Lake Ontario. Toronto leads you to amazing vistas from CN Tower’s Sky Pod, 20,000+ marine animals at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, and shopping at St Lawrence Market. New York is home to the Empire State Building and Times Square and Hamilton hosts the Royal Botanic Gardens, Albion Falls, and Bayfront Park. 

Day Fourteen: Return to Chicago

Arrive back in Chicago for a one-night room-only stay in a King – City View Room at The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown. You’ll have time to explore more of Chicago; perhaps stop by The Art Institute of Chicago, The Field Museum of Natural History, and Museum of Science and Industry or go for a stroll along the Lakefront Trail - taking in Soldier Field, Grant Park's Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, and Lincoln Park's Conservatory and Zoo enroute. Don’t forget to sample one of Chicago’s iconic deep-dish pizzas and Chicago hot dogs if you get peckish!

Day Fifteen: Departure from Chicago

Check out of your hotel and make your way back to the airport in time to board your flight back to the UK – hopefully with many happy memories to look back on of your Great Lakes road-trip.