Old Mission Peninsula: Bucket-List Views, Eateries, Wineries, and Beaches
Don't leave Northern Michigan without visiting this otherworldly location!
Grand Traverse County in Northern Michigan, home to famous lakeside vacation spot Traverse City, also includes Old Mission Peninsula. In fact, this drive was voted in USA Today as one of ten of the most scenic coastal drives in the entire United States, alongside drives like Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii.
Alongside being such a gorgeous drive, Old Mission offers everything you could possibly want to do on a Northern Michigan (NoMi) trip -- and you can do it in just a few hours!
From the bottom to the top of Old Mission Peninsula is just around a 30-minute drive. This is one of my favorite drives to do, even just by myself. The best route is to take Peninsula Drive from Front Street downtown. You'll come to a traffic light very quickly that splits Center Road from Peninsula Drive. Stay on Peninsula Drive; it's a slight left. This road will take you along the west side of the peninsula right along the water, providing you with one of the best views of the sprawling beautiful blue Grand Traverse Bay (aka Lake Michigan).
This road is on the skinner side and winding and is frequented by bikers so be cautious and pay attention to the road. This road is residential, too, so there is no place to pull over and sightsee, take pictures, etc on this particular segment. All beaches on this road are private, too. No swimming here, sorry!
Along this road is Buchan's Blueberry Hill, a local farm where you can buy fresh blueberries or even pick your own! Remember to get an ice cream cone while you're here, or there is also Buchan's West Bay -- a delicious same-family-owned ice cream shop -- much closer to town.
Stay on Peninsula Drive as it veers away from the water until you come to Swaney Road; take a right, and then shortly after, you'll meet Center Road again. This time, you're taking it!
Taking a left at Center Road will bring you up to Old Mission Point Lighthouse at the 45th parallel (halfway between the Equator and North Pole), where you can swim at the beach, go inside the historical lighthouse (built in 1870), or hike the beautiful trails.
Following Center Road south will begin to bring you back towards town again. This road doesn't follow nearly as close to the water, but the higher elevation provides an amazing vantage point; this is why I recommend taking Peninsula Drive up and Center Road down -- together they give you the best of both worlds! Along Center Road are the real activities of the peninsula. Here's what I recommend:
1. Breathe deeply and shop lavender products at Harbor View Nursery and Lavender Farm. If you didn't get ice cream at the blueberry farm, or you're a particularly dedicated lover of all things lavender (no shame, me too), I emphasize the need to get ice cream here. It's basically life-or-death; this ice cream is fresh, locally sourced and made, and just so yummy. You can even bring a picnic blanket and sit amongst bushes of bright purple lavender against a picture-esque backdrop. Does it get much better than that?
2. Hand-pick bouquets at Old Mission Flowers. You'll turn onto Ladd Road from Center Road to stop here. Be sure to snap some photos while you're here; you can see on both sides of the peninsula from this garden! The flora in bloom change all the time, so even if you go more than once, it won't be the same experience. Old Mission is entirely self-serve, so please respect the honor system. Cash, checks, PayPal, and Venmo are accepted; price varies on the jar you choose. Expect $5-20 per bouquet.
3. Visit a winery, or two... or three? This area in Michigan is affectionately dubbed the "Napa of the Midwest." Can you really leave Traverse City without sampling from our famous wineries surrounded by such gorgeous views on all sides? (Hello, Instagram selfies!) Much of the peninsula is covered in vineyards, many of which will have surrounded you on both sides of the road. There are a lot of wineries on the peninsula since wine grapes grow very well on the 45th parallel (the same parallel locations like Rhone Valley in France or Piedmont in Italy!) I recommend you do your own research on the wineries available to find one that suits your tastes and goals of experiencing Michigan's best wine scene. Favorites and highest recommendations include 2 Lads Winery, Chateau Chantal, and Bonobo Winery. Remember travelers, drive and drink safely, but don't drink and drive!
4. Stop at Center Road Scenic Outlook. This outlook offers some of the most beautiful views of the peninsula and Lake Michigan from one of Grand Traverse's highest points. If driving south on Center Road (towards town), the turnout will be on the right side of the road. There is a small sign just before it, but it's easy to miss and then need to turn around. For an exact location, the coordinates are 44.8637, -85.519! Tourists and locals alike will often stop and take pictures, eat a quick lunch in the car, or even just hang out and enjoy some of the best scenery in all of Grand Traverse.
5. Roll your windows down and enjoy a world-famous drive. This one speaks for itself!
Have you added Old Mission Peninsula to your travel plans yet? As always, travel safely!
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