18 Things to Love About Visiting Traverse City, Michigan
There’s a crunchy granola vibe in Traverse City, Michigan, even among the shiny happy families and visitors wandering the Saturday morning farmers’ market.
This hidden Midwestern gem had been on my radar for a long time. I’d been reading stories in food and wine magazines about visiting Traverse City. Friends who had visited raved about the wine, the bike riding and fall color. Sleeping Bear Dunes, just west of town, had even been voted Most Beautiful Place in America by viewers of Good Morning America in 2011.
So I was excited to first visit Traverse City, this charming town up north, in the fall of 2013. And it has proven to be worth every single overwrought adjective. In fact, I’ve spent most summers there since.
This dual-natured community in the pinky finger of the mitten, as residents fondly refer to Michigan (look at a map of the state to know why), still wears a little bit of its old humility, as if some of the locals don’t really understand what happened to their small town.
But it’s definitely on the map and for many reasons, not the least of which is Grand Traverse Bay, bigger than most lakes by a lot but still manageable by boat, with friendly beaches and cool little beach towns sheltered from wild and unpredictable Lake Michigan. Many people visiting Traverse City are there for the water. It’s deep and blue and ever-changing, sometimes calm and sparkling under the mega-watt sun, sometimes rollicking in the angry wind, sometimes frozen so solid that it becomes a shortcut by snowmobile from one side of the bay to the other. On summer evenings it’s a pool of black ink tossing soft waves under a velvet sky studded with a million brilliant stars. It lives and breathes, and everyone in Traverse City lives for a view of the bay.
But you don’t need a boat to be smitten with the mitten.
17 Things to Love About Visiting Traverse City, Michigan
1) Did I mention the food and wine? The region supports a mouthwatering array of agricultural goodness, including cherries — hello, National Cherry Festival — blueberries, peaches, vineyards full of grapes, fields of lavender, hops, herbs and many more fresh-off-the-land ingredients with which master chefs and average foodies can craft unique culinary delights. Some Chicago chefs have summer places in Northport, one of the little towns just bursting with charm on the Leelanau Peninsula stretching north of Traverse City’s West Bay.
2) Filmmaker Michael Moore also had a place near Traverse City, and every summer he still hosts the Traverse City Film Festival, rolling out the red carpet for stars from around the world. There’s good fun for the locals, too, with access to the opening night party and screenings on a catamaran in the bay, on the beach and of course in the two tiny but exquisite historic theaters that he’s outfitted with the best in seating and technology. (See No. 14 below.) It’s quite a hubbub for a wee city such as Traverse, but the town loves a good party.
3) In fact, there’s always a party in Traverse City. There are beer festivals, whiskey festivals, the aforementioned Cherry Festival with its jaw-dropping fireworks shows on the bay, music festivals, art festivals, wine festivals. During the winter, the town erects a ginormous (we’re talking five stories tall) Christmas tree right in the middle of one of the streets downtown; one year it closed the street to put up a sledding hill and a Ferris wheel for anyone willing to brave the wind off the bay at the top of the arc.
4) Summer is high time in Traverse City — the city swells from a population of around 15,000 (150,000 in the metro area) to nearly half a million during the National Cherry Festival — and it’s sweet, bright and fun. But there’s a winter draw, too, with miles of snowmobiling trails punctuated by spots where you can grab a hot toddy by the fireplace. If you don’t mind the bluster, the gray and the snow (they shovel the rooftops here), it can be a wonderfully quiet and cozy place in which to eat, drink and dig in. You can spend days combing through the four floors of Wilson Antiques (I found likenesses of my mom’s mixing bowls and my childhood books there) or grab a book and hit a coffeehouse for a hot beverage on a sofa. There are no lines and no crowds — only the hardy survive.
5) Over the course of several years’ worth of visits, I made it something of a mission to tackle the wine trails of Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula and chat with the good folks pouring samples behind the bars. Be warned: It will take weeks or even months of true effort to get through them all, working your way along the maps. But it’s an endeavor well worth the effort. Each has not only unique pours but also unique personality, and the locals you meet are a source of some of the most interesting conversation you’d ever hope to have.
6) Traverse City is all about being outside. The Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trail, aka the TART Trail, winds from East Bay through town and all the way up to Sutton’s Bay on Leelanau Peninsula north of Traverse City. It’s a gorgeous paved walk or ride through deep woods, over burbling creeks and past rows of cherry trees, hops and grapevines. You can try stand-up paddleboarding in the bay, or kayak from Boardman Lake right through town (with a short portage to reach the river). Boating, biking, waterskiing, swimming, outdoor yoga, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowboarding…you can find the spot and the gear for all kinds of outside adventures when visiting Traverse City.
7) Drive up Old Mission Peninsula. Check out the lighthouse at the northern tip. There’s space to do a little walking around in the woods and on the sandy shore, so bring appropriate shoes. It’s also a great place to enjoy a picnic. Or, if you prefer a restaurant, we like the Jolly Pumpkin. Be sure to hit a few wineries on the way up and back.
8) Spend some time checking out the shops on Front Street. You’ll find lots of clothing and home decor boutiques, souvenir shops, ice cream places, hard cider and whiskey tasting rooms, cherry treats and all kinds of other local businesses catering to Traverse City tourists. Cherry Republic is a great spot in which to sample cherry wines and cherry treats and pick up all manner of cherry-based souvenirs.
9) Hit the beaches downtown. The West End beach features sand volleyball courts, picnic tables and boats docked for hanging out. Clinch Park, the beach area in the center of the shoreline downtown, has a children’s playground/splash pad, and you can rent stand-up paddleboards there. Really, each beach is just down the sidewalk from the other if you want to check out both.
10) Head west to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with miles of hikes and climbs in the trees and on the barren, windswept, sandy rim of the lake. The views are magnificent, and there are all types of trails — paved and not, in the woods and on the windswept hills. While you’re up there, check out Glen Haven Village, where you can see the historic boathouse, general store and blacksmith shop that served the area’s residents in the 1920s cannery era. Stop by the little town of Glen Arbor for dinner afterward.
11) Speaking of bikes, this is a great city for them. The TART Trail provides access to much of the city and Leelanau Peninsula along cherry orchards and lakes. We like to ride up to Hop Lot and grab a beer and a snack. Farm Club is another great stop — just note their limited days of operation.
12) Leelanau Peninsula offers lots of opportunities for exploration all along the famed M22 route. Historic Fish Town is cool for a bit of walking around and fishing in Leland on the Lake Michigan side. Northport is utterly charming, especially on Friday summer evenings when they have outdoor concerts by the marina and fire dancers afterward at the distillery up the road. I recently explored the Grand Traverse Lighthouse park on the very tip of Leelanau Peninsula; it requires an entrance fee, so save it for a day when you have lots of hiking time. And there are tons of wineries all over Leelanau.
13) If it’s raining, see a movie at the State Street Theater or the Bijou. In fact, both are great even if it’s not raining. They’re beautiful historic theaters with state-of-the-art design and sound, thanks to Michael Moore and a team of dedicated volunteers and donors. They’re works of art — be sure to look up in the State Street Theater, where the ceiling looks like a starry night sky.
14) If it’s raining some more, check out the Grand Traverse Commons. It was once a progressive mental hospital back in the day when there was nothing up there. It’s been wonderfully restored into condos, shops, coffeehouses and more with a bakery, a winery and restaurants in the outbuildings. The Historic Barns Park nearby is a lush series of botanical gardens — schedule a free tour to see inside the buildings.
15) Kids might enjoy fishing at one of the marinas or kayaking on Boardman Lake while visiting Traverse City. You can try surfing with Sleeping Bear Surf and Kayak in Empire, parasailing and boat rental downtown, and there’s a tall ship that offers chartered sailing tours in the bay. Or head west and rent a kayak to float on the Platte River. (If you’re a relative newbie, start on the lower Platte to avoid the fast rapids.)
16) Some of our favorite restaurants include Red Ginger’s amazingly fresh and flavorful menu with a sophisticated vibe; the Flap Jack Shack out by the mall for breakfast; Trattoria Stella for exceptional service and delicious fine dining; the food truck scene at Little Fleet on West Front Street for a festive atmosphere, beer and just about any kind of food…the list could go on. The Parlor is the best place for cocktails with atmosphere in Traverse City. Moomers is the yummiest ce cream ever — look for signs around town. You can even visit their dairy farm and take a tour during the summer. Barrio has delicious tacos and an easy, casual vibe.
17) On the Leelanau Peninsula, Sutton’s Bay, Northport, Leland, Glen Arbor and Empire welcome visitors with live music, freshly brewed hard cider and beer, boutiques stocked with locally made goods and dining choices ranging from burgers on picnic tables to fusion cuisine on white tablecloths. Go a little further and you’ll reach Charlevoix and Petosky, sporting their own brand of hip, artsy and interesting. This is the coast with the most, right along the fingertips of the Michigan mitten.
18) Discover the islands that inspired the Legend of the Sleeping Bear. You can take a day trip to South Manitou Island on the Manitou Island Transit Ferry, which departs — exactly on time! — from Leland. Check out the National Park Service website to plan your visit carefully, because there’s only one trip there and one trip back each day, and you want to be on both unless you’re prepared for some primitive, bug-filled camping. You can explore the island on your own, but we highly recommend the historic farm and schoolhouse tours offered by the same family who runs the Manitou Island ferry. The history and the scenery are fascinating. Just be sure to bring sunscreen, bug spray and a chipmunk-proof picnic.
We think you’ll leave your heart in the mitten (so to speak). But don’t take our word for it. Go see TC. We dare you not to fall in love. Spend an afternoon swimming in the waves, sipping hard cider, perusing art and talking to people who craft it. Bike by the cherry trees and hike the sunny dunes. Spend an evening listening to the waves, watching the sun set, sipping some local wine and chatting with the person who made it. After visiting Traverse City, you’ll be smitten with the mitten, too.
Although we strive to provide the most current information, bars, restaurants and attractions mentioned may close at any time, operate with a limited menu or reduced hours, or have takeout options only. We recommend checking individual websites for operating hours, updates, and social distancing measures before visiting. The views expressed on this website represent the opinions of the authors; we encourage you to form your own opinions and confirm any facts.
This post likely contains affiliate links. If you shop or make a reservation through these links, we may make a small commission (for which we are very grateful!) at no extra cost to you. Not all links are affiliates, and we only suggest products and places that we have experienced.
