Basking in Sunshine and Wine, A Traverse City Guide
We traveled the entire sunset coast of Michigan this summer and while it seemed each tiny beach town was more adorable than the last, Traverse City took us completely by surprise.
You see, I’ve never thought much about the state of Michigan, I don’t know why I just never have. It wasn’t on my must see list and I didn’t know anything about it other than it’s the home of Detroit and the unofficial state bird is the mosquito.
So, you can imagine my surprise when we landed in Traverse City, the realm of beautiful beaches, cherries, wine, micro brews and endless small town charm.
Traverse City has a population just over 14,600, is the largest producer of tart cherries in the United States and is near the 45th parallel (halfway point between the equator and the North Pole). At this latitude the sun is visible for 15 hours and 37 minutes during the summer solstice. This means lots of sweet sun ripened fruit and extended beach time!
We just so happened to visit the week of the Cherry festival (first full week of July) and it attracts a half a million people. Even with the influx of visitors and cheesy carnival rides the town didn’t seem overrun. We choose not to participate in the festival as we only had a couple of days and we were bound and determined to explore as much of the area as possible. This, in hindsight, was definitely the right call!
We created a mixed itinerary of outdoor exploration, food, wine, beer & cider tastings. Here are our favorites…or maybe we should call it our Incomplete Guide to Traverse City Michigan.
Outdoors
Haserot Beach
This is the locals beach (so don’t tell em’ we sent you or we might not be invited back!). It’s a great little spot to sit, enjoy a slice of pie and just relax (or sleep off a serious case of food coma).
Old Mission Lighthouse
We love this quaint historical spot (especially because it’s free). Stroll along the trails, enjoy the beaches and take the self guided tour to learn what life was like for the lighthouse keepers.
Wine
Peninsula Cellars
While these were not our favorite wines, we did love the quaint old school house setting and think it’s worth the stop. If it’s nice outside, grab your tasting and head out to the patio.
Bowers Harbor Winery
Something about this place had a real family feel and the wines were fairly solid and not as overly sweet as some of the others we tasted. Our wine guide was super friendly and gave us the lowdown on some other must-see spots.
2 Lads
Tasty red wines, lovely bubbly, grand views and good sustainable farming practices…its high scores on all levels. And the uber cool contemporary look and feel provided a very different wine sipping experience. Splurge for the chocolate, cheese and nut plate, it’s divine with wine 🙂
Mawby Sparkling Wine
Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles, I love bubbles! This all sparkling wine stop was definitely one of our favorites and it’s where we inevitably spent most of our wine shopping budget! Ooops.
Beer/Cider
Mission Table / Jolly Pumpkin
This stop is a two-fer. The Bowers Harbor Inn Estate houses two distinctly different experiences. Mission Table is an upscale, locally sourced, culinary experience that boasts a wide variety of their crafted wine, beer and spirits. Housed on the other end is The Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant, Brewery, and Distillery with its low key rustic atmosphere. If you’re a craft beer fan like we are, then you’ll dig their oak aged and bottle conditioned brews.
The Workshop Brewing
This is the perfect hang out bar. Anytime you provide a space with good beer, food, lots of room and games; it’s a clear sign they want you to stick around for a while. Plus, you have to love their commitment to using as many Michigan grown ingredients as possible.
Tandem Cider
There isn’t anything better on warm sunny day than a crisp, dry, not too sweet cider. Obviously, we are not the only ones who feel this way. When we were greeted with a long line and full patio, we knew we were in for a treat! These guys feature a wide variety of flavors all expressive of the locally grown apples. I suggest you sample them all and then take your favorites to the beach!
Food
The Little Fleet
One open air central bar with a garden full of food trucks, what’s not to love? It’s kid friendly, casual and the perfect atmosphere for rubbing shoulders with the locals. And Yes, there are a ton of local brews on tap!
Georgina’s
We love a good hole in the wall and this tiny 18 seat Asian and Latin Taquería hit the spot. They have a unique two sided menu, one Asian and one Latin. You can indulge in pad thai and seared tuna tacos all in one place! Oh, and make a reservation, otherwise you could be waiting a long while or might not get in at all.
Coffee Shop / Bakeries
A good local coffee roaster is something we seek out in every great city we visit. We have a deep (obsessive) love for coffee, and nothing pairs better than a gourmet pastry. With that mad love comes a fair amount of snobiness and high expectations, so trust us on these.
Brew
Brew doesn’t disappoint! Located in the historic opera house building downtown, Brew is loaded with character and offers a variety of delicious beverages beyond just coffee. They are big on sourcing local so you’ll find several microbrews and wines along with pastries, grilled sandwiches, soups, salads and so on.
Higher Grounds / Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery
This cozy coffee shop is on the historic grounds of the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. It’s a funky/cute little area that was the former state mental hospital and is now home to one of the nation’s largest historic adaptive reuse projects. The whole village is filled with boutiques, artisan shops and restaurants. Talk about character!
Higher Grounds gave us our first aero-press coffee experience while we chatted up the baristas about their fair trade standards and environmental commitment to no plastic, paper or Styrofoam cups (hence the Christmas cup in the middle of summer).
With our cup of joe in hand, we walked across the lawn to the Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery and scooped up one of their organic cinnamon rolls. Fair warning, everything about this bakery is intoxicating…you will want to walk out with everything they make.
Grand Traverse Pie Company
So many of you suggested this little pie company and to be honest, we were skeptical. We have visited so many disappointing and kitschy pie shops claiming to have the best pie that we weren’t very optimistic. We should have known you wouldn’t steer us wrong! It was a truly sinful experience! However, I have to say I was disappointed in some of their ingredient choices (partially hydrogenated oils, fake coloring’s and flavors).
Have you been to the Traverse City area? Did we miss something we should add to the list for our next visit? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Rita
My husband and I have done some scuba diving off Haserot Beach. A few interesting items to check out, but amazing, Caribbean-colored water was such a treat. More broadly, scuba diving around MI is a unique experience with lots of fresh water shipwreck diving… If you can handle the cold 🙂 Definitely recommend if you’re ever in the area again.
Richard Zielinski
Did you make it to torch lake its about 25 miles north of traverse city, its the 3rd most beautyfull lake in the world
Nikki Wynn
We did and it was stunning!!! But then again we loved everything around there…Michigan is a hidden gem that deserves to be explored.
baron day
HELLO nice write up you did for our state your right it is a hidden gem , but lot’s know it also , we are going to the Cherry festival this weekend, hope you are enjoying your sailboat ( i don’t know the right way to call it but that ) t.c. be safe , have fun bcoz life is short
Mark M
just saw this. Brought back memories. We lived in TC for many years. Our boys were born there. We used to take my oldest to day care at the lighthouse. We lived a couple miles away on a cherry farm.
Thanks. Mark
Dave Harrell
I hope that you don’t mind me sharing your wonderful write up of the Traverse City area with my readers. 🙂
Kerensa
Thought I wrote awhile ago, so please ignore me if you got it twice.
We went to the Cherry Festival last year and you really didn’t miss all that much. There weren’t as many cherry items as I would expect. We still went to the Grand Traverse Pie Company to grab a slice. Although I think the Cherry Hut in Beulah still beat it!
Stephanie
You could get really fat in MI off all the pies & pastries, yum! We did our very first long trip towing a large trailer in October. Started in Colorado, drove to Wisconsin to pickup our camper, drove north along Lake Michigan, up into Door County WI (fantastic…put that on your to-do list),up to Marquette in the U.P., to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, over the Mackinac bridge. Checked out Boyne Mountain ski area, then Traverse City and Sleeping Bears Dunes. Continued south, we enjoyed Holland, MI. Had wanted to do this for years & it was WORTH IT. Loved your post !!!!!
Nikki Wynn
What a great trip! We hit those same stops on our tour and just fell in love with the whole area. So glad you had the chance to experience it and had as much fun as we did! Yeah for road trips!
Diane McWethy
When you visit again, don’t miss Little Bo’s, a TC original on the west side right on Front Street in a neighborhood known as “Slab Town.”. While Sleder’s gets the press for historical eats, the food is so much better at Bo’s. Atmsophere, friendly staff and heavenly eats.
Nikki Wynn
Sounds fantastic! Thanks!
Wolfgang & Janet
We have been following your website and videos for a while and just seen your visit to Traverse City, MI
If you ever visit Michigan again you need to stop at Mackinaw Island including the UP.
There is a nice private campground 505 Second Street in Copper Harbor.
It’s so God’s Country,
Best regards,
Wolfgang
Nikki Wynn
We did make our way that direction and will have lots more Michigan adventures to post over the coming weeks. We loved the entire coast!
Mike Norton
Thanks for sharing your Traverse City discoveries, Jason & Nikki! Looks as though you had an amazing time during your visit. I would have loved the chance to meet you. (Especially since you were basking on the sand in what’s practically my front yard at Haserot Beach. Stop by again, and let me take you out for dinner!
Mike Norton, media relations manager
Traverse City Tourism
Nikki Wynn
We did have a great time. When we make our way back, we will make sure to take you up on the dinner invitation. 🙂
Don Hyrkas
Thanks for the “Traverse Tour” guys! Love your posts…great writing and pics……you’d be cool neighbors! But then….there would be no virtual traveling with you! ; )
Nikki Wynn
We love having you along for our travels but nothing is better than meeting up on the road! Hope to see you out here!
Melanie
I am totally in love with MI . Did you find free camping aka boondocking? if not, where did you park the RV?
Nikki Wynn
We found several great campgrounds/boondocking spots that well will be writing about over the coming weeks…so stay tuned!
Wendy and Mike
Love your post on Michigan. Was not on out to go to list but after reading all the great things to do there, I think we will add it for next spring or fall.
What park did you guys stay at?
Wendy
Jason Wynn
We camped at Sleeping Bear Dunes, which we’ll have a post on in the near future. We also stayed one night at Sam’s Club right near the city.
Jason Stewart
We live just North of Traverse City, in Charlevoix, and having grown up in Northern Michigan I can say that the charm of TC is not so much the city itself (although it has a lot to offer) but all the smaller towns and villages around it. Leland’s “Fish town”, Northport, Suttons Bay, Charlevoix, Glen Arbor… The list goes on and one. Glad you two enjoyed our little slice of The Mitten. Come back soon!
Jason Wynn
We very much enjoyed MI and will be sharing our take on many of the towns in the near future. We felt Fish Town was a little too touristy though.
Don
Hi guys,
I have been following your website and videos for about a year now and cant wait for your next blog/videos each work. This is the first time I have posted a comment.
I have been to Traverse City and there is a great French Bistro there called. Patissiere Amie and Chez Peres. They have fantastic food, pastries and it is off the beaten path in downtown Traverse City. FANTASTIC PASTRIES in authentic French fashion. Keep up the good work.
Don
Jason Wynn
Glad you decided to say hi, and thanks for the french bakery recommendation is sounds lovely.
Robin & Don
Please tell us you made it out to Leelanau county…love love Traverse City…it was our home for 23 years….but Leelanau county is a northern gem! Explore beautiful Suttons Bay….drive out to Omena ….Northport….Leland…Maple City…Cedar….Glen Arbor…Glen Haven….Empire…amazing beaches….restaurants….hikes….wineries …amazing local owned stores….great farmers Market in Glen Arbor….visit the Sand Dunes National Lakeshore….and if you timed it during the fall…the fall color tour along M22 is outstanding. Love Michigan. <3
Jason Wynn
We made it up both peninsulas during our stay and we very much enjoyed our time in the area.