Morning: Depart Detroit at 3:00 PM and enjoy a scenic 6½‑hour drive through the Lower Peninsula, stopping briefly for coffee and photo ops along the way.
Afternoon: Take a dinner break in either Mackinaw City or St. Ignace, sampling lake‑front fare before continuing the journey to the Upper Peninsula.
Evening: Arrive at Sundown Lodge in McMillan around 10:00 PM, check in, unwind by the fire, and savor light snacks or music under the starry U.P. sky.
Find HotelsMorning: After a hearty breakfast, drive 1 hour to Kitch‑iti‑kipi in Palms Book State Park, where you’ll board a self‑guided observation raft to admire Michigan’s largest freshwater spring for about an hour.
Afternoon: Continue the 1.5‑hour scenic drive to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, exploring highlights such as Munising Falls, the iconic Miners Castle Overlook, and the forest trail to Miners Falls; consider a Pictured Rocks boat cruise for dramatic cliff views.
Evening: Return to Sundown Lodge around 6:30 PM, relax with friends, share dinner, enjoy a bonfire, and watch the Northern lights if the sky is clear.
Find HotelsMorning: Check out early and drive 2.5‑3 hours to the Mackinaw City ferry dock**, board the 15‑minute ferry to Mackinac Island, and begin exploring the car‑free island, visiting Fort Mackinac and the historic Arch Rock.
Afternoon: Grab lunch at the Fort Mackinac Tea Room or the Pink Pony, then catch the early‑afternoon ferry back to the mainland and head 2 hours to Boyne Mountain Resort for the sunset‑lit SkyBridge Michigan experience.
Evening: Dine at Everett’s or a nearby Boyne City spot, then embark on the 4½‑hour drive back to Detroit, aiming to arrive around midnight.
Find HotelsIf you have extra time, add a night at Boyne Mountain to explore its ski slopes or zip‑line park, or extend your stay in the Upper Peninsula to visit Tahquamenon Falls and the Porcupine Mountains. To shorten the trip, skip the optional boat cruise and bike rental on Mackinac Island, and consider a quicker dinner stop on Friday to give you more evening relaxation back at the lodge.