Highlights

U S Tours Flexible Pricing:

• Customizable Comps
• Net Rates
• Luxury or First Class Hotels & Meals
• Motorcoach Transportation & Professional Tour Managers are available

Whatever you want, U S Tours will be happy to structure tour prices to match your needs.  Just let us know!

Itinerary

Day 1 – Door County – Fish Boil Dinner 

Arriving in Door County, WI today, check into Rowley’s Bay Resort for a three night stay.  The Rowley’s Bay Resort is the largest waterfront resort in Door County. The atmosphere is casual, relaxed and friendly.

Dinner this evening will be a traditional Door County Fish Boil. Just as Scandinavian settlers off the Peninsula did 100 years ago, fresh locally caught whitefish are cooked outside over an open fire along with small baby red potatoes and sweet boiling onions. During the cooking process, fish oils naturally rise to the surface which “boil over” along with water in a fiery spectacle signaling the end of the cooking process and the beginning of dinner. (D)

Day 2 – The National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help – Full Day on the Champion Shrine Grounds – Holy Mass in the Shrine Chapel 

After breakfast at the hotel, the majority of this day will be spent at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, this is the only Marian Shrine in America and with Lourdes, Fatima and Guadalupe it is one of four worldwide. Surrounded by Farm Country in NE Wisconsin, this peace-filled holy ground was deemed ‘worthy of belief’ by authority of the Catholic Church, that Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared. Identifying herself as ‘The Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners,’ Mary appeared in October 1859 to a Belgian immigrant named Adele Brise.

According to the direct accounts of those who worked with Adele throughout the years of her mission work, she was instructed, in a series of locutions by Our Lady, to ‘make a general confession, pray and offer communion for the conversion of sinners and to gather the children in the wild country to teach them what they needed to know for their salvation.’ She further instructed Adele, to ‘teach the children their catechism, how to ‘make the sign of the cross’ and how to ‘approach the sacraments.’ Mary ended by saying: ‘That is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing, I will help you.’

Arriving at about 9:00am and staying until 4:00pm, this will give everyone ample time to tour Champion Shrine grounds that includes a Chapel and apparition oratory. In the lower level of the Chapel, a new prayer and events center, outdoor rosary walk and stations of the cross, a welcome center with Shrine history, a gift shop and the original historic schoolhouse building where Adele Brise once taught. The Schoolhouse building contains meeting/ gathering rooms and an onsite cafe. The Chapel, Apparition Oratory, outdoor Stations of the Cross and outdoor rosary walk are open 365 days a year.

After being welcomed by Shrine staff or volunteers pilgrims will receive general information about the Shrine, there is a half-hour history talk with discussion on the process of Apparition approval by the Church.

The Champion Shrine is a sacred place through which the power of prayer to Jesus, under the mantle of The Blessed Mother, has led to many graces. Confessions are before Mass starting at 10:00am and ending at 2:00pm. Rosary in the Chapel begins at 10:30. Holy Mass in the Shrine Chapel is at 11:00am.  Priests with Credentials submitted and accepted may concelebrate/ celebrate a Mass at scheduled Mass times and a Private Mass can be scheduled.

A lunch from the School House Cafe is included in this package. All travelers will have a choices of sandwich, sub or wrap, with a bag of chips and a beverage.

Your afternoon is filled with the opportunity to visit, reflect and pray the many other devotional areas on the Shrine Grounds. That includes Mother of Mercy Hall, Apparition Oratory, Or Lady of Fatima Grotto, The Rosary Walk, St Grotto, the Stations of the Cross and the Welcome Center. Let’s not the Shrine Gift Shop is also open and is a great source of religious gifts, statues, books, videos, music and artwork.

Upon return to hotel, enjoy a free evening. Rowley’s is the largest waterfront resort in Northern Door County and has recreational amenities available to you. You might want to across the street to the marina on Lake Michigan or look for birds in the marsh area of Rowley’s Bay, part of a protected wilderness of the Mink River Estuary.  You will also that Rowley’s Restaurant is available for an evening meal and there are meeting rooms if you want to organize a worship service. (B,L)

Day 3 – Breakfast at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant – Washington Island Ferry – Stavkirke Church – Dinner & Entertainment 

Begin your day with a unique and authentic Swedish breakfast experience at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant where live goats can be found grazing on the sod roof. It’s quite a sight, and it’s made this place one of the most famous restaurants in Door County. Be sure to stop at the gift shop for a special Swedish souvenir to remember your travels.

Following breakfast, you will board the Washington Island Ferry for a half-hour trip across the four mile passageway between the tip of the County and the island known as “La Porte des Morts” or “the door of the dead.” During your boat ride learn the history of the outlying islands and an intro to Washington Island. Upon arrival board the Island’s original open air Cherry Train and enjoy a narrated tour, highlighting island features and attractions. Stops could include Stavkirke Church, Schoolhouse Beach and Jacobsen Museum. Return to the mainland early afternoon and enjoy some free time to explore Door County on your own. Dinner this evening is included at a local restaurant.

This evening following dinner travel to Birch Creek Music Performance Center for an evening of symphony, jazz, or percussion and steel band entertainment. Birch Creek Music Performance Center is where 200 students and 100 faculty members study by day and present concerts by night in a century old, 500 seat Dutton Concert barn. (B,D)

Day 4 – Fish Creek Scenic Boat Tour – Depart for Home

This morning after breakfast take a cruise along the scenic Door County shoreline with Fish Creek Scenic Boat Tours. Be sure to have your camera ready as you cruise past the 145 year old Eagle Bluff Lighthouse . . . learn the history of Ephraim and the millionaire’s estate “Englemar” on Horseshoe Island and more!

Returning from your tour, it is now time to depart for home. (B)

Tour Map