Visiting Traverse City this Summer? You need to add these to your list...
A Local's In-Depth Guide to Fully Experiencing Nothern Michigan's Most Beautiful Lakeside City
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Little known to many, tucked away in northern Michigan lies a beautiful, small-town-vibes city by the name of Traverse City.
Michigan is appropriately referred to as a "Winter-Water Wonderland" (Really -- see our license plates!) Traverse City is one of few locations that maintain gorgeous scenery and a lively community year-round.
However, Traverse City's tourist season is definitely in our summer months from May-August with the height falling in June and July. Traverse City's population sits at around 15,000, but hundreds of thousands of tourists migrate through TC each year. TC is great for solo travelers and couples but is also extremely family-friendly in every way for those with children.
Traverse City supplies plenty of activities for every interest; From freshwater beaches and forests at every turn to upscale shopping and eateries downtown to art galleries, theatres, museums, and even an opera house; there's no shortage of things to do no matter what kind of traveler you are.
Traverse City, being just feet from the shores of Lake Michigan, is mostly known for its signature white-sand beaches and outdoor activities. Recently, though, our booming wine and food scenes have also caught international attention! It can be hard to sift through everything TC has to offer when you are only visiting for a couple of days!
Traverse City's downtown is very walkable, but the Grand Traverse area as a whole is not, and public transportation is somewhat limited. If you're flying in and plan on leaving your accommodation -- or even getting to it from the airport -- you'll want a rental car. I personally like Discover Cars because the prices are so much cheaper for the exact same car when compared to other companies I've looked at.
The list below includes the highest-recommended, personal favorites, and non-negotiable must-dos of this wonderland.
1. Cherry Fest: We hold our annual festival during these summer months which often draws big crowds: the Traverse City National Cherry Festival. Cherry Fest runs for a week in early July (often Jul 1-8, but this is subject to change so double-check the date!) TC Cherry Fest 2024 actually starts earlier, running from Jun 29-Jul 6. You might be wondering, "Why a cherry festival of all things?" Well, Traverse City has been donned the title of 'Cherry Capital of the World,' producing upwards of 100 million pounds of cherries each year. This is why you will see a head-spinning number of cherry-theming everywhere. If you are flying in, you will land at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC)! With a traveling carnival, concerts, pie-eating contests, and even a flight show by the United States Blue Angels, there's so much to do and see during this exciting week that it's no wonder tourists flock to make the festival. If you can coincide your trip with at least a few days of the Cherry Fest, I recommend doing so because this is what TC is known for! Someone familiar with TC might remember our annual Film Festival as well, but as of 2023, the Film Festival has closed its curtains permanently.
2. Visit Old Mission Peninsula: See my in-depth post on all Old Mission has to offer... and make sure you plan for a couple of hours!
3. Eat, Shop, Tour, or even Sleep at an Insane Asylum: In 1883, construction of the Northern Michigan Asylum (later the Traverse City State Hospital) began. Two years later, the hospital accepted its first patients. After caring for more than 50,000 patients, the hospital closed for all intents and purposes just recently in 1988. At the time, pharmaceutical interventions weren't particularly used for mental health treatment. Instead, the treatment of choice was "beauty is therapy." The grounds were meticulously kept and every patient room had direct access to sunlight and fresh air. The use of restraints was expressly forbidden except for extreme scenarios. Patient comfort was believed to be of the utmost importance and critical to success. Even so, walking around the abandoned buildings with their graffiti, broken windows, and chained doors can be quite scary! Especially when you take the "Asylum Twilight Tour" which even includes a walk through the underground tunnels, firsthand experiences from former employees, and more...all after dark. See that tour below. However, there's plenty to do during the daytime hours too! In 2002, company Minervini Group bought all 63 acres for -- get this -- $1 USD, renaming the property to Grand Traverse Commons and investing millions into The Village. After a huge (one that is still ongoing) renovation project, The Village now houses everything from private offices and apartments to high-end restaurants and incredible shops. You can even rent a 2-story, 3-bedroom residence in these incredible historic buildings on VRBO for $995 USD a night. See that link below, too. Some of my favorite places to visit in the commons include The Refillery, Red Spire Brunch House, and Moonstruck Gardens.
4. Hike the TART Trail: The Traverse City Area Recreation Trail (TART) is TC's extensive trail system connecting several different areas to Downtown. You'll find every amenity and activity you could want along this trail: bike shops and rentals, watercraft rentals and launches, food, drink, shops, and so much more! Check out my favorite trail and more on the TART by reading my article, linked here:
5. Go to Clinch Park Beach: This one speaks for itself! Northern Michigan, especially the Traverse City area, is known for its stunning white-sand beaches and clear blue freshwater lakes. Clinch Park Beach is a famous favorite due to its central Downtown location, popular volleyball courts, hammocking trees, and beachside cafe (Kayak Cafe) serving drinks, food, and dessert items. TC Swing Dance even hosts free weekly dancing events here, which are super fun and gives you the chance to pick up some new skills!
6. Explore Downtown Traverse City: Downtown is the heart of Traverse City's culture, community, activities, and amenities. There's so much to do downtown, but it's all within a few blocks, so not only is it an extremely walkable area, but you can see almost everything in one day. Downtown TC has so much small-town character in its art galleries filled with work from local artists, long-standing corner coffee shops, and plenty of ice cream and Michigan fudge shops amongst so much more in unique original brick buildings.
7. Enjoy TC's Wine and Beer Scene: Michigan's best wineries exist in the Grand Traverse area, and central Downtown has some of the best bars that TC has to offer. Don't leave Traverse City without doing some wine sampling!
8. Lastly, Leave Traverse City! Traverse City is undeniably a beautiful travel location with so much to do and see, being the biggest city of the north. However, there are so many towns just a couple miles out from TC that I highly recommend making a day trip for. The most popular (and some of my favorite) day trips from Traverse City include Leelanau, Petoskey, Northport, Empire, and Fishtown.
From the pocket of a local, adding as many as possible of these 8 activities to your itinerary is the best way to ensure you make the most out of your Northern Michigan vacation. As always, travel safely!
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