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A tale of two peninsulas begins on...M-22 or M-37? Mile for mile, these scenic Michigan highways run the lengths of the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. M-22 follows west Grand Traverse Bay and into Leelanau County, while M-37 goes north into the Village of Old Mission. Both are easy drives from downtown Traverse City and can be explored in one day – or a few if you want to really take it all in. 

Hey, hey, hey, it's summertime in Traverse City! Do you know what that means? Festivals, concerts on the lawn, sips of wine or beer on a patio and street fairs. And, this is only a few of the events happening... 

With summer just around the corner and the arrival of warmer temperatures we are excited about a lot of the activities here in the Traverse City region. Some of our favorites include visiting great wineries, eating delicious meals and spending as many days as possible on the beach.

Straight from a local’s noggin, these nuggets of knowledge might help you curate a new experience the next time you’re in Traverse City. First timer? In that case, be sure to hit up Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Cherry Republic and downtown Front Street. But if you’re here for round two, three or 12 (!!), read on, you serial traveler, you! 

Spring in northern Michigan may be slow to arrive this year, but that doesn't stop us from thinking about the colorful times ahead of us at the Sleeping Bear Dunes. The first signs of the season appear at the park when the snow melts and the dominant colors fall into an earthy palette. Think beige, taupe, brown and steely blue. The landscape itself hasn’t yet awoken, but Lake Michigan’s views sparkle regardless.

Paddle for Pints, Traverse City’s most famous “pub paddle” event, has certainly gotten popular! The first of their scheduled outings begins in June and there's only a couple spots left for the rest of the summer season.

Travel writer Kim Schneider's book, “100 Things to do in Traverse City Before you Die” is being launched this week in local bookstores, kicking off with a Saturday (3-6 p.m.) launch party at Brilliant Books. Since the book highlights the Traverse City region we had a few questions for Kim.

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.

If Northern Michigan wine adventures are on your bucket list, this article is for you! The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail offers an exciting mix of year-round activities. How do you find the events that are right for you? Take a look at the suggestions below. Cheers! 

Despite what you might expect from the snow-covered farmland in Northern Michigan, there is plenty of locally grown food available year-round.