Traverse City Travel Blog

I first graced the slopes of Hickory Hills as a wobbly-kneed two-year-old, nineteen years ago. By ‘slopes’, I mean the tow-roped Bunny Hill... But let us not be derailed by minutia. I may not remember the moment my parents strapped the toddler version of me into a hot pink training harness and let

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? 

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

A sunlit Lake Effect storm seen from the Open Space on West Bay

By MIKE NORTON

Midwinter sunshine is a precious thing, and here in “lake effect country” it can be especially fleeting. So when that January sun peeks out – especially on a weekend – we tend to drop everything and get outside to

Looking north over Sleeping Bear Bay.

By MIKE NORTON

For such an austere place, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore can give you a major case of sensory overload. All that sky, water, sand and light… those blue immensities of air, those tawny curves of earth…

And, of course, the wind…

The welcoming bridge at Veronica Valley Park

By MIKE NORTON

One of the crazy things about being a travel writer is that you sometimes find yourself doing more writing than traveling. You’re whacking away at a keyboard, answering phone calls and emails and wondering what happened to your joie