Traverse City, Michigan is the picture perfect small town that we’ve been waiting for. Located on Michigan’s lower peninsula on Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City is a playground for the great outdoors. It has all of the action packed adventure of a seaside town with the charm of small town America. With its beautiful bayside beaches, divine viniculture scene, and endless adventures, Traverse City has the recipe for romance – with a cherry on top.

SLEEP

There are several great hotel choices in the Traverse City area, but the Hotel Indigo takes the cake. This boutique hotel is located right on the water in the warehouse district and it has a hip rooftop eatery and bar that turns up in the warmer months!

EAT

The Little Fleet: The Little Fleet is a cute collection of food trucks offering an extensive assortment of delicious dining options. Visitors can choose from tacos, sushi, ramen, sandwiches, and Buddha bowls in a cute outdoor space on Front Street. Diners also have plenty of libation options with plenty of beer, wine, and spirits.
Amical: Amical is a European bistro located in the heart of downtown Traverse City. It has an extensive wine list and delicious dining options.
H&L Social: Located on the rooftop of the Hotel Indigo, H & L Social is by far our favorite place to eat and drink in Traverse City. While it’s not a traditional restaurant, it has delightful light fare and the best views of Traverse City.
MOOmers Ice Cream: Located on a dairy farm, MOOmers has the best ice cream in Traverse City and some say – in the entire U.S. USA Today voted this family run establishment as the top ice cream in America!

DRINK

Rove: Celebrate your hump day at Rove Estate Vineyard & Tasting Room with Wine Down Wednesday, held every Wednesday from 11 am to 6 pm.
Left Foot Charley: Left Foot Charley is a delicious winery and cidery located in the heart of Traverse City. We highly recommend ordering their Cinnamon Girl Hard Cider.
Jolly Pumpkin: Located on Old Mission Peninsula, Jolly Pumpkin has delicious sour beers and artisan ales.
H&L Social: Have we mentioned how much we LOVE H & L Social? This rooftop bar in the Hotel Indigo has a wide variety of wine, beer, and cocktail options – served with the best view of Traverse City.
Right Brain Brewery: This brewery was made for the inner child in all of us. This is a MASSIVE brewery with dozens of brews on tap, but the best part about it is the plethora of arcade games!
The Workshop Brewing Company: By far our favorite brewery in Traverse City, The Workshop Brewing Company is located in the hip warehouse district, directly across the street from Hotel Indigo. We highly recommend ordering a flight of beers to sample their micro-brews.
BLK/MRKT: While we loved imbibing in the local wines and beers, our favorite place to “drink” was at BLK/MRKT Coffee. This premium artisan coffee shop serves the best espresso based beverages in the mid-west. We definitely recommend ordering a flat white (it’s off menu so don’t spend hours searching for it!).

PLAY

Downtown Traverse City: Downtown Traverse City is a cute community filled with restaurants, shops, and the State Theatre. The majority of shopping and restaurants are downtown and it’s a great place to head out to dinner.

Visit Cherry Blossoms: One of the best times to visit the cherry capital of the world is in the spring season when the cherry blossoms come alive. Two of the best places to see the cherry blossoms are in Suttons Bay or on Old Mission Peninsula.

Beaches: Traverse City is filled with amazing beaches on Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. In the summer months, these beaches are packed with people playing beach volleyball and marinating in the summer sun.

Brewery Bike Tour: Traverse City is the micro-brew capital of Michigan and the best way to visit these breweries is via bike! We went out with Grand Traverse Bike Tours for an incredible day of tastings. Joe and Casey, our trusty guides, taught us all about the history of Traverse City while we sampled delicious local beers from a variety of breweries.

Watersports: Traverse City has an incredible lakefront location so it’s no wonder that summers are spent enjoying watersports on Lake Michigan. Travelers can choose from standup paddleboarding, sailing, or waterskiing on the pristine lakes.

Sleeping Bear Dunes: These towering sand dunes are nestled on the banks of Lake Michigan and they’re a part of the national park system. The park spans 64-miles and offers breathtaking views of sand dunes contrasted with massive sand dunes. With an abundance of hiking trails, the dunes are a fantastic place to enjoy the great outdoors.