International travellers planning a trip to Michigan may be tempted to discount Traverse City in Northern Michigan as a small, albeit scenic, lakeside destination and bypass it altogether.
I urge you not to do that because, though it has a small-town feel, Traverse City has gorgeous freshwater beaches, rolling hills, vineyards, wineries and a Downtown area replete with leafy Victorian walkways hemmed with pretty cafes, a great foodie scene and a variety of independent shops. And most famously, Traverse City is the cherry on the Michigan cake, both literally and metaphorically.
Traverse City is mostly known for its abundance of juicy cherries. These luscious ruby red fruits have been growing here for over 150 years, today producing 50 per cent of the country’s cherries. A fun fact is that more tart cherries are made (and consumed) here than anywhere else in the world.
Cherry Republic, Glen Arbor
That’s why a visit to the whimsical Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, and its trio of wood-laden structures, the Great Hall, restaurant and winery, is unmissable. Just follow the crooked flagstone path passing lush flower beds to the store. Everything on sale contains cherries in some form, and thanks to tasting stations, I got to try out cherry jams, chocolates, salsas, beers, and ciders. I came away with delicious chocolate-covered cherries and a jar of hot cherry salsa.
Cherries do very well in the region and the area’s unique microclimate, courtesy of the surrounding Great Lakes, is perfect for growing grapes as well. Michigan is abundant with vineyards and wineries, and is the fourth largest wine-producing region in the country.
Patrick Brys, Operations Manager, Brys Winery
One of the most decorated is the family-run Brys Winery (sounds like “eyes”) the largest winery estate in the region. I visited one sunny day and took part in a Wine Wagon Tour of this 155-acre rolling estate on Old Mission Peninsula. It has 50 acres with 53,000 vines and 900 apple trees that go to make sensational cider, as well as a secret lavender garden.
Brys grows eight grape varieties and has won 500 medals in national and international competitions. Of course, we tasted several of the varieties; Pinot Blanc, their Naked Chardonnay 2023, their Dry Riesling 2023 and their Signature Rose 2023, the latter a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.
Frosé wine slushy
Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Hosted by charismatic operations manager Patrick Brys, we took lunch – a cheese and charcuterie board – on the huge Upper Deck area built over the vines and overlooking the magnificent Old Mission Peninsula. A real treat was the delicious Frosé wine slushy, a frosty and heady blend of Pinot Noir/Riesling with strawberry and lemon.
Brys is a lovely place, and hard to leave, so you can spend the night in their guesthouse if you want to extend your visit. The whitewashed property offers two bedrooms and two bathrooms overlooking the vineyards. The nightly rate is $475 per night.
Heading to Leelanau Peninsula, winding along the Manitou Trail, M-22, along Lake Michigan, we arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It’s a beautiful vision of undulating dunes and cliffs, sometimes barren and sometimes lush with forestland that plunge towards waters so crystal blue that I could have been looking at the Caribbean.
A Chippewa (aka Ojibwe, indigenous people of the Great Lakes) legend tells of a mother bear and cubs fleeing a forest fire across Lake Michigan; the Great Spirit turned the mother into the dunes and the cubs into the Manitou Islands. Or it may just be that the largest dune once resembled a sleeping bear. In any case, North Manitou Island and South Manitou Island offer great hiking trails that will elevate you 200 feet above Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan flows onto a soft sandy beach at the base of the Grand Traverse Bay. It was pretty much empty of people on the day I visited, and I had a serene moment with its rolling waves that tapered as they reached further onto the sand, tickling my bare toes.
We popped by the River Club around 45 minutes northwest of Traverse City, for some chef-driven “Mexigan” brunch (a fusion of Michigan and Mexican influences) and to just chill for a couple of hours while listening to toe-tapping live music.
The River Club is a fun riverside spot, and while some were playing mini golf on an 18-hole course, which turned out to be more challenging than expected, others simply relaxed and absorbed some rays by the Crystal River in pillow-lined faux boats with their tipple of choice in hand.
In between Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas, and just a scenic 15-minute drive up M-22 from Downtown, is Black Star Farm winery and distillery. This family-owned 160-acre winery in Suttons Bay offers a tour of its winery and an in-depth explanation of how red, white and sparkling wine is made, and why the grapes are hand-harvested.
Black Star Farm won several awards for mastering the region’s most popular grape, Riesling, a German and spectacularly versatile grape that can be turned into a sparkling wine, dry table wine, and even a sweet dessert wine.
The tour is followed by a wine and cheese tasting, featuring Swiss-style Raclette cheese paired with a sparkling Riesling, and, of course, as a nod to the region’s most famous produce, a Cherry Fromage Blanc, paired with an incredibly easy-to-drink 2022 Acturos Pinot Noir Rose. Turns out this is the only place in the region where these cheeses are made, courtesy of the milk of local cows.
On-site, there is a luxury 10-room boutique inn featuring fireplaces and a sauna, as well as a Bistro Polaris restaurant serving cheese dishes and wines, and activities that include goat yoga and horseback riding.
At the very tip of the Old Mission Peninsula, at the edge of M-37 drive, near the 45th Parallel between beach and forest, is the iconic Mission Point Lighthouse. It was built in 1870 and has been guiding ships into West Grand Traverse Bay right up to 1933.
Today, Mission Point Lighthouse functions as a museum, and its location means you can spend time by the beach or hiking in the forest. Incidentally, there is a resident lighthouse keeper, and you can apply for the job on their website.
Trattoria Stella is a romantic, family-owned, fine Italian dining restaurant tucked into the basement of a historic building at the iconic Village at Grand Traverse Commons.
Boathouse Restaurant is on the shores of beautiful Bowers Harbor, and its wide-open windows mean you get to dine with a view of the docks and water.
Sisters Restaurant is perfect for breakfast or brunch in downtown Traverse City. Clad in funky pink hues, Sisters offers a hip vibe with classics such as Brunch Deviled Eggs and Chicken with waffles.
Delamar Traverse City is a beautiful hotel with views over Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. Great service, stylish decor and great amenities including an outdoor heated pool and just a short walk to downtown,
Getting There: Fly into Detroit and hire a car.
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