Whether you’re new to Michigan or have never been here before, Traverse City (in my humble opinion) has some of the best of what Michigan has to offer. My husband and I vacationed here for a week in the summer, and absolutely LOVED it. Keep reading for our favorites from the area!
getting to Traverse City
Being from West Michigan, our drive to Traverse City was about 2.5-3 hours. Once again, summer is the ultimate Michigan travel time - so expect delays due to construction and a higher volume of traffic in the area. Traverse City does have an airport (Cherry Capital Airport), so it may be worthwhile to check their flight offerings. Grand Rapids’ airport is another option if you’re coming from out of state.
where we stayed
There’s no shortage of places to stay in Traverse City, and we went the camping route! Traverse City State Park is conveniently located in the heart of the city, right across from the Grand Traverse Bay. One big thing to note about Traverse City State Park is it’s located on US-31, the main road in the area. If you book a perimeter site (as we did), you may be dealing with more road noise than an interior site. The bathrooms & showers in the Park are recently renovated, and the sites are very spacious. I’d camp there again any time.
If you are traveling to Traverse City (or its surrounding towns) in the summer, you need to act fast when booking lodging. Traverse City State Park is managed by the Michigan DNR, and their sites open for booking 6 months in advance. Local AirBNBs and hotels will also book fast and be expensive, especially around the time of the Cherry Festival, which is at the end of June / beginning of July. If you’re looking to cut costs, going in the spring or fall may help you avoid high lodging prices.
delicious food & drinks
Whether you’re a wine connoisseur, cider junkie (like me), or foodie, the Traverse City area will have something for you! Here’s our favorite spots:
Blue Tractor BBQ - A bit on the pricier side, but delicious.
Third Coast Bakery - My husband is gluten, dairy & egg free, and Third Coast’s drinks & pastries meet all of those dietary restrictions (while still being delicious). We stopped here several times, and it didn’t disappoint.
Cherry Republic - Glen Arbor (a small town just west of Traverse City) is home to the main Cherry Republic store. They also have a wine tasting room and restaurant on site. I’d highly recommend it!
The Little Fleet - I think we ate dinner here 2-3 times, it was that good! In addition to tacos and margaritas, other cuisines are available in food trucks on the property.
Milk & Honey Ice Cream - Delicious ice cream in the heart of downtown Traverse City. Grab some and take it to the beach!
Mundo’s Coffee - We stopped at the Sutton’s Bay location. The interior was pretty small, but the drinks were delicious - and its location in the heart of downtown makes it easy to grab coffee and walk to the beach or shop.
Farm Club - This is easily one of Traverse City’s most popular restaurants, and for good reason. Be prepared for a long wait, especially on weekends and in the summer.
Moomer’s Ice Cream - You can’t go to Traverse City without stopping by Moomer’s. Their ice cream is to die for (as is evidenced by a usually long line outside the store). Grab a cone and eat outside, with a great view of their farm property and the cows!
Sutton’s Bay Ciders - My personal favorite. Grab a pint of Smitten (my favorite cider) and read a book or chat with friends on their tasting deck (which overlooks the lake), or get a flight and sample a variety of their award-winning ciders.
things we did
As the food, coffee and wine is abundant, so are the things to do. I’ve been to Traverse City a few times, and have found it to be very family friendly and fun! To access some of the national and state park areas, you will need a national park pass (either annual or weekly), as well as a Michigan recreation passport. Check with each trail or beach to ensure you’re not charged extra fees when entering.
Here’s some of our favorite things we did:
Empire Bluff Trail - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore boasts some of the most gorgeous Michigan shoreline. A easy hike with great views is the Empire Bluff Trail. Do this trail in the morning, then hit the beach for the afternoon! If you’re looking for more strenuous hikes, consider hiking the dunes in the national lakeshore, or finding an inland hike.
Lane Road Beach - We stumbled upon Lane Road Beach and spent the afternoon here. I think we were among a dozen or so people on the beach on a summer day. This sand is fairly rocky, so bring chairs if you have them.
Suttons Bay - Suttons Bay is a small town north of Traverse City. We spent a morning here, and had a wonderful time walking, getting coffee, and playing backgammon on their beach. They also have several playgrounds if you have kids to entertain!
Watch a sunset - Sunsets in Michigan are unparalleled to anything else I’ve experienced. Get to a beach, bring a blanket, watch a sunset (bonus points if you’ve got some local wine or cider!).
Old Mission Peninsula - Old Mission Peninsula ends with a lighthouse and beach access. I’ve never been to a winery on the peninsula, but it has several. We love the beach at the end of the peninsula - it’s never super busy and the water is crystal clear and shallow for miles.
Van’s Beach (& Leland) - Downtown Leland is another quaint, gorgeous town west of Traverse City. Van’s Beach was a more populated (but still gorgeous) gem. My husband rock hunted here for a few hours and loved it. Downtown Leland also has several restaurants, coffee shops, and other things to do. We came here more for the beach than anything else, but did enjoy walking around town, too!
Rock hunting - My husband is a huge rock hunter, and northern Michigan’s beaches didn’t disappoint. Find a Petoskey stone (if you’re lucky!), and enjoy the diversity of rocks that you find! My pro tip: bring some sandwich size Ziploc bags and a Sharpie marker - then you can easily store and label the rocks you find.
