Traverse City Travel Blog

Quick, name a part of the world known for its wine. For many of us, the answer might be Napa Valley in California or Bordeaux in France. Well, get ready to add Traverse City, Michigan to that elite list.

In 2018, Michigan voters approved legalized cannabis for recreational adult use, and Michigan’s cannabis industry has grown substantially since that time. It is legal to use cannabis in the Traverse City region on a limited basis (details below). There are a number of licensed dispensaries where you can buy cannabis; however, smoking cannabis in public is not permitted and you cannot drive under the influence of cannabis. 

There’s a lot of natural beauty at the Michigan Legacy Art Park, a 30-acre preserve in the Traverse City area with two miles of hiking trails that meander through woods and spring wildflowers up to sweeping views of the Betsie River Valley. 

There also are more than 50 permanent sculptures dotting the landscape and telling stories about the unique history and culture of our state through the eyes of professional artists.

Nearly 100 brewery members of the Michigan Brewers Guild will gather on Saturday, May 13 for the 2nd Annual Spring Beer Festival at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City. Beer lovers will have about 465 different brews (and 76 unique styles) to sample from breweries all across Michigan. Tickets for the festival – one of five hosted each year by the Guild – are available for $50 in advance ($60 the day of) and include 15 tokens each redeemable for a 3-ounce beer sample.

From a distance, it might seem glamorous for an author to take a whirlwind tour around the country signing books for adoring fans in each city they visit. But in Doug Stanton’s experience as a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, it can be more like a marathon of drudgery as you hawk your wares out of a suitcase. 

That’s one reason Stanton and his wife, Anne, started the National Writers Series. The year-round festival in Traverse City invites authors to a different kind of public event that breaks up the monotony of a typical tour. Each event creates space for authors and book lovers alike to get a refreshing breath of fresh air. 

Traveling in and out of the pinky of the mitten?

Keep reading to find the answers to frequently asked questions about Traverse City’s very own Cherry Capital Airport (TVC); the Northern Michigan Connection. 

Hey, it’s that time of year when the days can get a bit dark and dreary, and it seems like the sun hasn’t shone in weeks. All of us Michiganders sure could use a laugh. 

Good thing the all-new Traverse City Comedy Fest is coming up!

The 3-day festival of funny features some of the country’s top standup comics and a variety of specialty shows in a handful of fantastic Traverse City venues Feb. 2-4. You can catch large mainstage acts as well as smaller, more intimate performances with a range of ticket prices all weekend long.

It’s a glowing celebration during December in Traverse City. Streets shine under twinkling lights and there's a festive spirit in the air. Viewing the annual holiday displays around local homes and businesses has become one of the highlights of the Christmas season in Traverse City. 

Some people can’t wait to join a crowd of strangers outside and count down to the New Year. Others prefer to drink and dance the night away indoors with friends, make memories with the family, or maybe just enjoy an elegant evening for two. 

Tickets to “The Nutcracker” at the famed Interlochen Center for the Arts, snowshoeing the trails around the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, spending the night in the historic Hotel Frankfort while it’s all decked out in Christmas décor...the list of unique yuletide experiences in the Traverse City area goes on.