Traverse City is well-known for two unique hobbies -- cycling and craft beer. We have a vibrant cycling community here, and our weekly rides routinely end at a local craft brewery where we swap stories about the ride. But if you think we retreat to our couches when the snowflakes start to fall, you’d be very much mistaken. In fact, when the temperatures drop, the adventures into the woods take on a more social and leisurely vibe. With the invention of the fat bike, we get to extend our riding (and beer drinking) seasons right through the winter months.
Category - Outdoor Sports

As the weather starts to heat up, so do the trails. The paved Leelanau Trail spans a full 19 miles, flowing through orchards, wooded wildlife sanctuaries, wineries and open meadows – offering miles and miles worth of biking paradise. Every mile has something new to offer for both experienced cyclists and beginners alike. Ready to explore?

In the forests of Northern Michigan, springtime promises the warmth of sunshine, a welcome symphony of birdsong, the brilliance and scent of woodland flowers -- and an eagerly-awaited gastronomic treat.

By MIKE NORTON
Hiking in the Traverse City area can be fun in every season, but spring is one of the best times to be out on the trail!
Why? Well, partly because it’s such a delight to be out on the trail, smelling the scents of spring and enjoying the feel of warmth and damp on your skin after a

Fat tire biking offers exciting winter recreation opportunities. Learn more about them in this guest blog by Suttons Bay Bikes.
Traverse City is home to the largest one-day mountain bike race in America, the Iceman Cometh Challenge. For those with a mountain bike and a network of CamelBak-ed friends, the Iceman is bandied about from the moment snow melts off the trails in the spring. Threats and bets are made amongst

What do you love about Traverse City? Beaches, colorful sunsets, delicious food, award-winning wines, craft brews, four season recreation, and so much more—whatever you favor you will find in "Take Me There"—Traverse City Tourism's new theme song by The Hacky Turtles.
"Take Me There" was selected

It’s sticky-hot, one of the final days of summer, and my feet have a mind of their own -- they’re taking me past my parked car and toward the sparkling waters of West Bay. Water. Cold, refreshing water.
I come to the end of Maple Street, the sweet bakery smells greeting me as I run past Bay Bread

I heard my first loon last night. Far out on the harbor, that strange wild, half-crazy laugh came out of the evening mist. Back from the warm places where they spend their winters, back to join us in the uncertain Northern springtime. I love those big birds.

Guest blogger Dave Barrons explains how the Sleeping Bear Birding Trail from Traverse City to Manistee makes it easier to find the area's best birding sites.
Let's start with this interesting set of facts: Michigan is home to the seventh most sought-after bird in the continental U.S. -- the