Traverse City Travel Blog

Last week, The Oprah Magazine highlighted Traverse City as a top destination for families and couples to get away during the holidays.

The sunny days, cooler nights, and Mother Nature’s dazzling display make the fall a perfect season to meander up the Old Mission Peninsula. Stretching 19 miles north out into Grand Traverse Bay, and only four miles wide at the broadest point, Old Mission Peninsula is a breathtaking travel destination! Take in the frenzy of fall color and do a little wine tasting along the wine trail. Did we mention there are nine distinct wineries to visit? 

It's no secret The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is known for its year-round beauty. And when autumn arrives, the scenery is even further enhanced by nature's color palette. 

When fall temperatures hit in northern Michigan, the craving for fresh local apples rides in off the coat tails of the heat wave.

While the autumn leaves are still shining, grab your camera and head to the quiet corner of Northern Michigan known to locals as the High Rollaway.

There’s no better way to enjoy the magic of a Traverse City autumn than to get out and walk about in it. Photographs are pretty, but there’s really no substitute for smelling the aromas of fallen leaves, listening to them crunch underfoot, and feeling the cool breeze brush your face as you surround yourself with in the sensory overload of this lovely, brief season.

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.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the fall color from below – looking up from the seat of your bike or your car as you pass a blazing hillside of red, gold and orange maples. Hard-core foliage fans, however, won’t be content until they’ve climbed the summits of a few hills to enjoy the autumn display from above.

There are lots of ways to experience fall color in the Traverse City area: driving, hiking, cycling, or simply staring out your hotel window. One of the most rewarding is to combine a color tour with a paddling adventure by canoe or kayak.

If you’re a Sleeping Bear Dunes veteran, chances are you’ve run up and down the Dune Climb or biked along the Heritage Trail. You’ve probably hiked to the top of the Empire Bluffs or visited the Good Harbor Bay Beach, looking to find that famous beauty and stunning serenity that the National Lakeshore holds for anyone who needs it. However, it may be just a bit harder to find that serenity when you’re surrounded by people sprinting down a giant sand dune, flailing their arms and yelling like maniacs. But hey – we’ve all been there. We know how much fun it is!