Lake Michigan

Twelve nights around Lake Michigan, starting in Chicago and ending in Milwaukee. The American Road Trip Company positions it as a shorter Great Lakes trip, with beaches, small towns and two lively cities at either end, and notes that it can be extended from ten to fourteen nights.

Chicago comes first, with three nights and two full days to explore either side of the river. The car is collected for the drive east to Saugatuck on the Gold Coast, with a full day there, then up the Michigan shoreline through Holland and Ludington State Park Beach to Manistee. Sleeping Bear Dunes follows, then Mackinac Island on Lake Huron for two nights.

From Mackinac the route crosses into the Upper Peninsula for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, then heads south to Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula and finishes in Milwaukee. The operator also lists Indiana Dunes National Park among the highlights. Daily drives range from about 65 to 215 miles, so most days leave time for beaches, short walks and the small towns along the way.

The price shown is a from figure for 12 nights, per person, based on two people sharing, off-peak travel, a standard car, economy flights and two to three star hotels. It covers flights with a premier carrier, accommodation, car rental and a detailed Road Trip Pack with route suggestions and points of interest for each drive. Every trip is built to order, so dates, hotel standard, flight class, car type and the number of nights can all be adjusted, and a one-way rental fee may apply where the start and end points differ. The American Road Trip Company serves customers based in the UK and the EU, so check current quotes and availability with the operator.