Michigan Old U.S. 27 Motor Tour

August 19th-25th, 2024

Join us on the 18th year of the tour!!!

ABOUT THE TOUR

Every 3rd week of August we do a 13 City 6 day Motor Tour of Historic Old U.S.27 in Michigan.

We hope you can join us for this fun event…

Take your vacation in your cruiser and explore Historical Old U.S.27 in Michigan. As long as your cruiser has wheels we welcome you on the cruise! 

Craig Parrish 1953 - 2021

The Old U.S. 27 Motor Tour was the brainchild of one very remarkable man, Craig Parrish. Craig was born in Lansing, Michigan to a family deeply embedded in the car industry and his love and passion for automobiles grew from that family heritage at a very young age (at the age of 4 he could identify cars by their tail lights). In his teens, like most, he would drive his car to downtown Lansing and “Cruise the Gut”. Later in life, while reminiscing about how much fun they had on Friday nights “Cruisin the Gut”, he came up with the idea of restoring the cruise in the form of a car show during each summer months. He worked tirelessly with the City of Lansing and the downtown merchants to organize and host the Cruises during summer for ten years.

In the early 2000s, Craig had the idea to have Old U.S. 27 in Michigan become designated as a historic highway and went about making that happen. In 2010, that dream became a reality as the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution sponsored by Lansing Representative Joan Bauer to officially designate the route as a historic highway.

As part of the historic designation of U.S. 27, Craig had the vision to create a Motor Tour along the route from Coldwater to Cheboygan, like the Route 66 experience, driving a piece of US history. He went to communities along Old U.S. 27 to ask if they would be interested in having their town participate in a week long traveling car show with a police escort from one town to the next. He told them, “I will bring the cars and the people, you bring the party”.

The Tour began as an dream of Craig’s in 2006 with the first cruise taking place in 2007.  The event has evolved into a summer highlight in the State of Michigan for car enthusiasts as well as anyone looking to come out, view the amazing cars that come into town, and capture a bit of history.

Throughout the years, the Old U.S. 27 Motor Tour has helped to bring life to the small-town communities in Michigan as well as to bring people together to drive the old road, forge strong friendships and have fun together.

We are forever thankful too Craig for his vision and his passion. Craig lost his battle with cancer on July 29, 2021, but his dream lives on.

We want to thank our brave officers in blue who help to make this event safe and enjoyable!

Jump to: Itinerary

Itinerary

Registration fee is $20.00 per vehicle, payable at the city you join the tour (registration is open the first hour we are in each town) - receive the event lanyard and gift.

Please keep your lights on while driving!

Please -
Stay close behind the car in front of you to ensure we are one long, continuous parade of cars with no large gaps. If there are, the police assume the parade is over and leave remaining cars behind. Remember, you are responsible for staying close to the car in front of you. Be kind and courteous of the car in front and behind you, as well as the volunteers parking cars. Grandstanding is not allowed! We will ask you to leave the tour!
Monday
Aug 19th
5 - 8 pm
Cruise-In

Kilgore International, 595 W Chicago St. Coldwater
Passport stamping on-site

Overnight in Coldwater

Holiday Inn & Suites - Host hotel while in Coldwater

Tueday
Aug 20th
9:45 am
Drivers Meeting

Drivers meeting in the parking lot behind Broadway Grille, 19 Monroe St. (Where we leave on Wednesday)

10 am
Leave for Waterloo, Indiana

Leave for Waterloo, IN on Old 27

11 am - 1:30 pm
Lunch

The historic train depot Waterloo. Indiana on Old US 27

3 - 5 pm
Free Time

Head out to Adventure Zone for some fun: 125 W. Chicago Rd. Coldwater (Go-Kart races, Putt-Putt)

Try out the new upgrades. They are so much fun!

Head downtown for some great shopping

5- 7 pm
Cruise-In

Performance Plus Quick Oil Change | 775 E Chicago St.

Food Trucks on Site.

Passport stamping on-site

7 - 8:30 pm
Ice Cream and Root Beer, Shorts Root Beer Stand

378 W Chicago St, Coldwater, MI
Passport Stamping: on-site at each activity

Overnight in Coldwater

Holiday Inn & Suites - Host hotel while in Coldwater

Wednesday
Aug 21st
10 am
Poker Run and/or Scavenger Hunt

Registration at 9:45 in front of the Holiday Inn Express, 389 N. Willowbrook Rd, Coldwater

12 - 2:30 pm
Lunch

Broadway Grille. 19 S Monroe St. Coldwater

Photo in front of restaurant at 2:30 pm

3:00 pm
Leave for DeWitt

With police escort

4:15 pm
Potterville Rest Stop

Rest stop with Michigan State Police escort

5 - 7:30 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Dewitt
Passport Stamping: at the welcome tent.
Overnight in DeWitt
Thursday
Aug 22nd
8-8:20 am
Drivers Meeting

Drivers meeting & Line-up @ Meijer Parking Lot, 12821 Crossover Dr, on Old US 27

Leave with police escort

8:30 am
Leave for St Johns

With police escort

9 - 10:45 am
Cruise-in Downtown St Johns

Passport Stamping: Nina’s Notions, 100 N Clinton Ave

                                             Whimsical Party Gallery, 315 N Clinton Ave

10:45 am
Leave for Ithaca

With police escort

11:15 am - 1 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Ithaca
Passport Stamping: Under Pavilion (next to welcome table) 
1 pm
Leave for Alma

With police escort

1:30 - 3 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Alma

Passport Stamping: TBD

Public Restrooms:    Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce: 127 E. Superior St.

Passport stamping: Edward Jones, 102 E. Superior St. (also Welcome Table)

3 pm
Leave for St. Louis

With police escort

3:15 - 5 pm
Cruise-in Downtown St Louis

Live Band downtown

Public Restrooms: St. Louis City Hall

Passport Stamping: Flegel Tech Repair/Mom N Dad’s – 134 N. Mill St.

5 pm
Leave for Clare

With police escort

6:15 - 8 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Clare

(Boy Scout bellhops for the Doherty Hotel)

Live Band - Night Shift in the Doherty Hotel Lot by the patio

Public Restrooms: Corner of 4th & McEwan 

Passport Stamping: Calla Lily Mercantile, 515 N. McEwan St

                                           Ruckle's Pier, 405 N. McEwan St.

Memorial Bench placement will be in front of the Doherty Hotel just south of the front entrance.

Overnight in Clare
Friday
Aug 23rd
10 am
Drivers Meeting

At the intersection of 5th St. & McEwan 

Friday
Aug 23rd
10:30 am
Leave Downtown Clare

With police escort

11 am - 3 pm
Cruise-in at Harrison & Street Fair

Passport Stamping: at the welcome table

4 - 8 pm
Grayling Downtown Cruise-in

Actives being planned!      

Passport Stamping: at the welcome table

Overnight in Grayling
Saturday
Aug 24th
9:00 am
Drivers Meeting

At the Grayling High School,  1135 N Old 27

9:30 am
Leave Grayling High School

With police escort

10 am - 1:00 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Gaylord
  Passport Stamping: 45th Life - 149 W Main St.
                                             White Birch Outfitters – 302 W Main St
1:00 pm
Leave Downtown Gaylord
With police escort
1:30 - 3 pm
Cruise-in Downtown Wolverine

Live Band

Passport Stamping:  Downtown Market – 12961 S Straits HHY (Old 27)

3 pm
Leave Downtown Wolverine

With police escort

4 to 8 pm
Cruise-in at the end of Old 27 in Cheboygan

End of the Road Celebration @ at the Eagles FOE 626 N. Main St. Cheboygan
Dinner, Awards, Cash Bar

Group Photo Op under the Arch shortly before dinner @ 5:30 

**Passport rewards will be done after dinner

Overnight in Cheboygan
Sunday
Aug 25th
8 – 10 am
Final Goodbyes of the cruise Breakfast at Alice’s Restaurant

Breakfast at Alice's Restaurant: 116 S Main St, Cheboygan

Final group photo in front of the End of the Road Sign after breakfast

10 am
Enjoy Your Drive Home - Thank you for attending and keeping Craig's dream alive!

Please contact me for any questions: Contact Kim Davis - kim_davis@yahoo.com

Hotels

Coldwater

Coldwater

Hampton Inn

391 North Willowbrook Road
Coldwater, MI 49036
Phone: (517) 279-9800

Coldwater

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

389 North Willowbrook Road
Coldwater MI 49036
Phone: (517) 924-1700

Lansing

Lansing

Best Western Dewitt

1055 Aaron Drive
Dewitt, MI 48820
Phone: (517) 374-0000

Lansing

Sleep Inn of DeWitt

1101 Commerce Park Dr.
DeWitt, MI 48820
Phone: (517) 351-8181

Clare / Harrison

Clare

Best Western – Clare

10100 S. Clare Ave.
Clare, MI 48617
Phone: (989) 229-3000

Clare

Historic Doherty Hotel & Conference Center

604 N. Mc Ewan Street (Old U.S. 27)
Downtown Clare
Clare Michigan 48617
Ph. 989-386-3441

Celebrating our 100 Year Anniversary this year!  

Lakeside Waterfront Lodging
Harrison

Lakeside Motel & Cottages

515 E Park St
Harrison, MI 48625
Phone: (888) 999-1145

Clare

Quality Inn

10318 S Clare Ave
Clare, MI 48617
Phone: (989) 386-1111

Grayling

Grayling

Grayling Super 8 Hotel

5828 Nelson A Miles Pkwy
Grayling, MI 49738
Phone: (989) 710-2087

Call for special event pricing

Grayling

Ramada Inn

2650 I-75 Business Loop (OLD US 27)
Grayling Michigan 49738
Ph. 989-348-7611

Cheboygan

Cheboygan

Best Western River Terrace

847 South Main Street
Cheboygan MI 49721
231-627-5688
Toll free: 877-627-9552

Cheboygan

Continental Inn

613 N. Main Street
Cheboygan MI 49721
231-627-7164
Toll free: 888-543-3102

Cheboygan

Fleetwood Inn

889 S. Main Street
Cheboygan MI 49721
231-627-3126
Toll free: 888-705-4085

Cheboygan

Secrets On Main Bed & Breakfast

314 S Main Street
Cheboygan MI 49721
Phone: (833) 832-8963

Registration

Entry fee for the tour is a 1 time $20.00 fee, not per city.
You can register in person at any town on the tour you wish to start at.

Thank you so much for keeping Craig’s dream alive! Please do your part and support the tour.