Recently, my family and I were fortunate to travel up north towards the beautiful, wine country of Traverse City, MI for Labor Day Weekend. If you are not from Michigan or familiar with this place, it is comparable to the Napa Valley of California- Just on a much smaller scale. Located on Michigan's lower peninsula on Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City is a playground for the great outdoors, divine viniculture scene, and seaside town charm.
Based on our recent travels there, I wanted to share my following recommendations for where to sleep, eat, and play in this beautiful cherry and wine themed place.
SLEEP
There are several great places to stay in Traverse City and my family and I were able to rent an air b and b condo in order to accommodate our larger group size of six, however I would have to say that staying at Hotel Indigo would take the cake. This boutique hotel is located right on the water in the new warehouse district with a hip rooftop eatery and bar that is a popular outdoor scene and safer option for outdoor air circulation during this COVID-19 pandemic. Especially moving into the fall weather now, they are also accommodating with fire pits along the outdoor space to keep warm while being able to enjoy. the wonderful views of the bay. Absolutely breathtaking!
EAT
-H&L Social: Located on Hotel Indigo's rooftop, this was by far our favorite place to eat and drink downtown Traverse City. While it is not a traditional restaurant, it has light fare, ability to order through an app on your phone, and the food brought right to you while being able to enjoy the views of the bay without even getting up and missing a beat. We throughly enjoyed their Caprese flatbread to split between the ladies while we sipped on their signature cocktail blueberry mule pitcher.
-MOOmers Ice Cream: Located on a dairy farm, MOOmers is rated as having the best ice cream in the TC area. It has to be good when USA today had voted this estblishment as the top ice cream in America! A great second runner up that we also enjoyed was the Woodland Sweets Ice Cream shop located closer to our condo as well that had great outdoor space.
- Taproot Cider House: This restaurant easily attracted us while we walked the street downtown TC from the outdoor live music being played, smell of the fresh poured cider, and variety of smells from the fresh and local ingredient dishes. I loved how this restaurant supported local farms and focused on a Earth to table dynamic for GMO free, organic, local, and free range products. I thoroughly enjoyed one of their signature comfort dishes of the Taproot Grilled Cheese because it was unique adding components of apricot preserve, apple slices, and crispy bacon loaded within gourmet cheese on flat bread.
- Aerie Restaurant: If you are looking for something more upscale to celebrate a special occasion, this restaurant is a perfect fit providing New American fare on the 16th floor of the Grand Traverse Resort. We were celebrating my husband's 30th birthday and were open to spending a higher price that evening to make the evening feel special. I would recommend this to couples looking for a romantic getaway spot as the vibe in there is very intimate.
DRINK
-Mammoth Distillery: If you are a whiskey lover or would love to enjoy a unique bar lounge with distilled spirits including vodka, gin, and whiskey themed cocktails, then I recommend checking this location out near the warehouse district. The lounge is a perfect visit for a sip prior to heading out for some dinner or a mid day relaxation experience.
-Brys Estate: What is Traverse City without wine? This was by far our favorite vineyard we stopped at during our winery tour along the Old Mission Peninsula. They are currently offering reservations table service for parties up to 6 people on the outdoor upper deck overlooking beautiful rows of the vines and the bay in the background. If you prefer to do a walk in, they will be able to seat you within their outdoor lawn and tent. Absolutely breathtaking views! If you also have time, they have a cute farmhouse inspired shop on the property located within 12 acres of lavender, flowers, strawberry patches, and herb gardens. They are known for their wine slushies there and also have a variety of small plates to nibble on during your drinking fun.
-Mari Vineyards: This vineyard has acquired a fresh reputation for their red wines nestled along the Old Mission peninsula with an innovative apprach to viticulture. Villa Mari grows their grapes under the protection of heat-capturing canopies. The best views are from the hillside lawn along the property overlooking the bay and we enjoyed the aesthetic of this castle looking villa.
- Bonobo Winery: This rustic, yet elegant atmosphere winery consists of 19 acres offering more dry varieties of wine. We enjoyed a private tasting with some small plates, then ventured to the outdoor open seating lawn with a fun swing to attract as a photo prop. They also have a large deck upstairs that overlooks the rolling vineyards.
For other brewery and beer options, view my list of recommendations below in the play section underneath the Kayak, Bike, and Brew tour.
PLAY
-Sleeping Bear Dunes: These towering sand dunes are nestled on the banks of Lake Michigan and they are a part of a national park system. The park spans 64 miles and offers breathtaking views of varying heights of sand dunes along the shimmering blue lake of Michigan. There are a abdundance of hiking trails and are a great place to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise. Luckily for us, during Labor Day Weekend as well they were offering free admission, which made it a very affordable activity for the whole family to enjoy. Be prepared for very sandy bodies, wind blown hair, and a big smile across your face.
- Downtown Traverse City: The downtown area of TC is a cute community filled with restaurants, shops, and the State Theatre (which was unfortunately closed at this time during the pandemic). This area is a great place to go to walk around, enjoy the fresh air between shops, and head out for a meal. Don't forget to check our Cherry Republic downtown if you had wanted to take home a cherry themed souvenir item. I loved the bbq sauce, cherry rub, cherry spiced wine, and chocolate covered cherries from there. Since Michigan is the nation's leading producer of tart cherries, it only seems fitting to make a stop to the store and enjoy what our state has to offer through cherry themed food, wine, and candy products.
-Kayak, Bike, and Brew Tour: This pedal and paddle pub crawl company with a lounge located within the warehouse district allowed us to enjoy the outdoors and alternative views of Traverse City off the beaten path. We had a guide to ensure our safety while we biked the urban TART trails, paddled along the Boardman Lake and river, and experienced top breweries in the area. The following stops were The Filling Station Microbrewery, Right Brain Brewery, and Rare Bird Brewpub. All of their craft beers were delicious and the flights were fun to try the varieties.
