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It is September and our travelers are indeed Leaf Peepers. We’re looking back to September 2010. The scenery always promises to be a highlight this time of year and as our travelers began their trek, it is customary to begin the day with the song, “You are my Sunshine.” As we remember our soldiers who make it possible for us to enjoy freedom in the USA, “God Bless America” is traditionally included.

The first highlight was crossing the “Mighty Mac” Bridge  in Mackinac, Michigan. This suspension bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and extends five miles. It is the largest bridge in the Western Hemisphere, built between 1954 and opening in 1957. The bridge cost over $100 million and took a crew of over 3,500 workers to build. It’s an awesome view.

We next made our way to the charming Bavarian city of Frankenmuth, Michigan, population of 5,400. We identified it quickly by their unique homes, mostly adorned with shutters on their homes. We made a stop at the pretzel factory for a tour and a chance to each roll our own pretzel. We also visited the Glockenspiel, which is traditional for German cities. A city tour with a local step-on guide gave us a real flavor for the area.  Many unique shops are located here along with bridges and abundant flowers. 

Locals dressed in colorful attire, including embroidered vests and men wearing lederhosen with their German hats.

The dinner that evening was their famous Zenders Restaurant, known for serving chicken, homemade butter noodles and home cooked favorites and the ability to serve over 600 people in a sitting.

We then made our way to the world’s largest Christmas store with huge displays.

The following day we crossed the border into Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

The city tours highlighted their many flower gardens, which are provided and designed by their colleges. We viewed the Great George and took to the Skylon Tower for an illuminated falls night time tour. The following day we had a chance to visit the falls on the American side. Not as colorful as the Canadian side, but a real close up view of the falls.

We made our way to Lake Placid, New York, nestled in the Adirondack wilderness. This is the site where the 1978 Olympic games were held. Skiers make practice runs for us to view and we stopped by the Row of Flags at this Olympic site, another camera moment

We continued on to Port Kent and took a ferry boat that shuttled us across Lake Champlain into Vermont, taking in the colorful countryside as it unfolds all the way to New Hampshire.

Our trip will continue in the next column.

Hope you are enjoying the ride.

Trip postponed

The date for our “Jewels of the Rhine” Riverboat Cruise has been moved to Aug. 28, 2021. We do have a few openings available. Please contact me at 507-438-3946 or e-mail me with questions.