In the 1970s, singer James Taylor reminded us that “On the roof is peaceful as can be.” Today, locals and visitors to Traverse City are discovering that the roof is where “the air is fresh and sweet,” and “everything is all right.”
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking over the vast expanse of Grand Traverse Bay, or the vibrant activity below with downtown shoppers. The popularity of rooftop bars has grown exponentially.
The open-air rooftops mostly welcome guests starting in the spring and stay open as long as the weather permits. Usually, they stay open through the fall colors. Rooftop bars are found at Blush above Alexandra Inn, H&L Social at Hotel Indigo, North Bar, and Pangea’s Pizza in downtown Traverse City. In addition to the open-air rooftops Aerie Restaurant at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and the Beacon Lounge at the Park Place Hotel have enclosed rooftops with year-round restaurants. More rooftop bars are planned for new lodging construction currently in development.
“It’s very relaxing and feels like you’re being transported somewhere else,” said Ally Wuerfel, from Blush and the Director of Operations at Alexandra Inn. “It’s pretty amazing. It even surprises me going up there with the crystal-clear water. In the spring you can enjoy the shallow waters. You get into the summer, and everything is vibrant green. In fall you see the fall colors. In all three seasons, they have wonderful views.”
Wuerfel’s Blush has the only open-air rooftop on East Grand Traverse Bay. She and other rooftop operators work to create a casual atmosphere where you can feel completely comfortable if you are stopping after a day at the beach, tired at the end of a busy day of exploring the region, or stopping in with a group of friends after work.
Food offerings become an important extension of the rooftop experience. At Pangea’s, for example, pizza is king. H&L Social serves American cuisine. North Bar has a variety of food that includes something called Animal Fries. For Wuerfel it’s important to connect with local agriculture. While her customers on the roof are mostly local people, they all want a local connection with both the food and beverage. “People like to see things from a local perspective,” she said.
Not all the rooftops have live music, but those that do say it can be their busiest days of the week. Most nights when you walk through downtown Traverse City, you can hear local musicians performing from North Bar.
While these open-air rooftops shut down during winter, there’s still time to go to a place where James Taylor said he found sanctuary in a space where “the world don’t bother me.” That’s up on the roof.
