Blog

Who’s ready for sun and excitement? We sure are, but if you’re not then you may want to stay home because the National Cherry Festival   is almost back! With it comes the annual cacophony of parades, rides, picnics, concerts, and some weird type of fruit that everyone seems to be going on about.

(All photos courtesy of Lake Michigan Whale Migration Station. No claims are made for their accuracy.) The volunteers at the Traverse City Visitor Center can almost always come up with advice for baffled tourists who need directions. However, one question consistently leaves them speechless. It’s the one about whale-watching tours.

I started my adventure from Traverse City and made my way north driving the beautiful M-22 highway for about an hour ending at the area known as Michigan’s “Little Finger." This area is home to the Leelanau State Park and one of Michigan’s oldest lighthouses.

We invited local photographer Heather Higham from Snap Happy Gal Photography to share what she loves about taking pictures in the Traverse City region. Take a look at what inspires her and where she goes to get the perfect shot. 

There’s a saying up here in the dune country. The sand gives, and the sand takes away.

Each day, hundreds of people – especially kids – will congregate along the Boardman River at 118 Hall Street, in the city’s warehouse district. If this season is anything like past years, there will be lots of laughter, jumping up and down, pointing of fingers and juvenile squealing.

Where do you find inspiration in the Traverse City Area? Local painter Adam VanHouten shares a few of his favorite locations that have inspired his Explore Traverse City Plein Air Painting Project. 

It’s easy to get overwhelmed on vacation, and even easier to spend more money than you have. Luckily, Traverse City has plenty of options for families on a budget – and we’ve found the most fun, easy, and beautiful ways for you to enjoy one of the best cities America has to offer. 

You may already have seen them while walking or driving through Downtown Traverse City , spread across the otherwise blank walls of banks, stores and other buildings. A massive portrait of Ernest

You planned. You prepped. You pop out of bed and hear a soft pitter patter. You peer out the window and...rain. Your perfect day outside may be postponed, but that’s okay - now you have a Plan B. A rainy day in Traverse City is full of possibilities.