Traverse City Travel Blog

Summer in Northern Michigan is beautiful, but fall brings a quiet magic to our corner of the world, with crisp breezes, vineyard harvests, and glorious fall color. One of the best ways to take in the glory of fall is to take a drive up the scenic M-22. This 116- mile highway follows the coast of Leelanau Peninsula, with lake views appearing around each turn. Check out these top spots to stop—including dining, shopping, wineries, and scenic
overlooks—during your leaf peeping tour.

Rain, rain go away…unless there’s something fun to do inside. And when you’re in Traverse City, there are endless indoor activities at your fingertips. Check out 14 family-friendly options below! 

Now that it’s officially summertime in Traverse City, may we suggest one of the best ways to spend the afternoon? 

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of Michigan’s State Parks and several state parks will host special events this summer to celebrate! 

Overcast, drizzly days and it’s-not-letting-up-at-all kind of afternoons definitely can dampen plans for outdoor excursions. And while I’m all about curling up on the couch with a great read and staying warm and dry inside, sometimes it’s just good to get out and about, regardless of what Mother Nature is dishing out.

What’s the best thing about a milestone birthday? It’s a good excuse to wrangle a best friend or 10 and have an adventure together! Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate turning 30, 40, 50, 60 or more in Traverse City. 

Vitamin N: nature. It fills our spirits and makes our bodies strong. And for visitors to the Traverse City area, a beautiful and health-giving year-round daily dose is readily had. Here’s our punch list of possibilities for getting outdoors in every season. 

Northern Michigan is a prime summer spot for visitors, but we locals know it’s really a four-season destination. If you’re staying in the area over spring break, don’t miss these events and deals around town! 

There’s not many vacation plans more daunting to make than those once the kids hit the teenage years. The things that used to work before don’t work as well – and if they do, it’s because you’ve set them free and gone your separate ways. But, never fear. Traverse City is loaded with great opportunities for teens and parents to enjoy outings together – with a little freedom built in.

As couples, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day craziness of life. There’s so much accountability, and too often when we think we’ve found some resemblance of balance among the madness, the universe has a funny way of reminding us that we live perpetually on shaky ground.

No matter how rocky life’s journey becomes, it’s important to maintain our vitality as partners so we don’t get trapped preserving the status quo. For my wife and I, we keep our relationship fresh by tapping into new experiences in Traverse City together – these can be as simple as planning out short day trips (some great ideas and itineraries can be found here), a wine tasting, or riding our bikes somewhere we hadn’t before.