Skip to content
Locrawl

Traverse City

Traverse City is a scenic city on the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Directly north of Traverse City, the Old Mission Peninsula splits the Grand Traverse Bay in two, with a beautiful windswept landscape and great views of the bay on either side. Slightly to the west, the Leelanau Peninsula, with its charming small towns, forms the "pinkie finger" of the Michigan peninsula, jutting into Lake Michigan. Both peninsulas are prime winemaking regions within the state, and as such are one of the main tourist attractions in the region. Over a million visitors come each year to tour the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a scenic lakeside park with impressively large sand dunes. It's also

See
9
Do
25
Eat
22
Drink
12
Buy
6

74 places

  1. Eat

    Amical

    Open Monday through Saturday from 11AM for lunch and 5 to 10PM for dinner, and Sunday 9AM-3PM for brunch. Eclectic European cuisine. Seasonal menu with dishes like chicken with poblano and mushrooms, fetuccine with pancetta and leeks, and pork with smoky peanut mole. $12 - $30.

  2. Eat

    Aroma's Coffee

    Specialty coffees, teas and a large selection of soups and sandwiches.

  3. Eat

    Bubba's Restaurant and Bar

    Appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, Tex-Mex, desserts. $6.50 - $16.

    Mon-Sat 11AM-midnight, Sun noon-9PM

  4. Do

    Centre Ice Arena

    Home of the Detroit Red Wings training camp, as well as ice skating, hockey, fitness center and hockey camps. It also has a store inside for hockey apparel and various items.

    7AM-10PM

  5. See

    City Opera House

    1891 opera house under renovation and restoration. Theatre productions and dancing.

  6. Eat

    Cooks House

    Fine dining, offering à-la-carte, 5 & 7 courses with optional wine pairing. Michigan cuisine, with techniques and ingredients from Michigan culture.

    Tue-Sat 5PM-midnight$15-180

  7. See

    Dennos Museum Center

    Exhibitions and programs in the visual arts, sciences, and performing arts since 1991. Features three changing exhibit galleries, a sculpture court, a hands-on Discovery Gallery, an Inuit art gallery, the Milliken Auditorium and a museum store.

  8. Eat

    Don's Drive-In

    A 1958 drive-in diner serving soups, award-winning burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, fried appetizers, milkshakes and malts. There's a dining room and a picnic area, but why go to a drive-in if you're not going to eat in your car? Try the half-pound Big D burger and their fruit-laden cherry milkshakes. $3 - 12.

    10:30AM-11PM in the summer, and 10:30AM to 9PM in the winter

  9. Eat

    Grand Traverse Pie Company

    Over 30 varieties of gourmet pie, including five varieties of cherry pie made with local cherries, and six varieties of Michigan apple pie. Baked goods, soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and quiche. Be sure to try the popular Grand Traverse cherry cobbler pie.

    $4 - 6

  10. See

    J. H. Rogers Observatory

    A 1500-square-foot building offering public viewings once or twice a month; check the website for schedules.

  11. Eat

    Middlecoast Brewing Company

    A pub known for its good food and drink, also known for having a generous gluten-free menu. It is accepting of all. It has trivia nights on Wednesdays and live music events. It has an attached restaurant with excellent service. It also has a dog-friendly patio.

    Mon-Thu 4-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun 11AM-8PM

  12. See

    Music House Museum

    A one-of-a-kind collection of rare antique musical instruments and music-making machines, from 1870 through 1930.

    Open 10AM to 4PM most days, May through December

  13. Eat

    North Peak Brewing Company

    Fantastic menu options for the whole family. Award winning handcrafted beers brewed on site!

  14. See

    Old Mission Point Lighthouse

    Built in 1870 on the 45th parallel, and decommissioned in 1933, it now houses township employees. Located at the tip of the Old Mission peninsula, north of Traverse City.

  15. See

    Old Town Playhouse

    Created in 1960 to bring amateur theatre to northern Michigan, now boasting a 358-seat mainstage auditorium and an 80-seat studio theatre.

  16. Eat

    Pangea's Pizza

    Pizzeria using dough & sauce made in house, offering a rooftop deck with panoramic views and outdoor dining and fully wheelchair accessible.

    $10-20

  17. Eat

    The Burrow TC

    The Burrow

    The recommended dishes at this establishment are the Key Lime Pie, Mussels Appetizer, Lobster Roll, Hamburger and Crab Cake.

    Mon - Fri11:30AM–9PM; Sat- Sun 9AM-9PM$20 - $30

  18. Eat

    Trattoria Stella

    "Stellas"

    Italian fare. Wine bar and wine classes available. Antipasti, cheese plates, salads, pasta, and meats inspired by Italian cuisine.

    Fall & spring: Mon 5—9PM, Wed-Sun 5—9PM; summer Sat-Mon 4—9PM, Wed-Fri 5—9PM$7-95; Apps around $18, Entrees $30-90, dessert $20

  19. See

    Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel

    Card games, roulette and craps. On-site Misheekeh Restaurant and Creekside Cafe.

    Open 24 hours a day, year-round

  20. Drink

    Union Street Station

    There's been a bar at this site since 1891, today it's a venue with focus on live music.

  21. Do Not mapped

    Adventure Rentals

    Over 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. 2½-hour 25-mile guided tours available.

    Rentals $145-280, Guided tours $250-350

  22. Do Not mapped

    American Boat Rentals, LLC

    Ski boats, pontoons and wave runners for rent. Hourly, daily and weekly.

  23. Do Not mapped

    Blue Sky Rentals, Inc.

    Or 1995 US-31 N or 2345 US-31 N. Snowmobile, jet ski, water trampoline, deck boat, pontoon boat, jet boat, ski boat and kayak rentals. Guided tours available.

  24. Drink Not mapped

    Bowers Harbor Vineyards

    21 white, rose, red, sparkling and fruit wines, including spiced cherry and Cherritage, made from Old Mission Peninsula cherries.

    Mon-Sat 10:30AM-6PM, Sun noon-6PM

  25. Drink Not mapped

    Chateau Chantal

    Award-winning wines, occasional ice wine, and eau de vie. Tapas tours and cooking classes available.

    Open daily, year round; hours vary by season

  26. Drink Not mapped

    Chateau Grand Traverse

    28 Riesling, Chardonnay, specialty red and white wines, and fruit wines. Try the cherry wine sangria and the spiced cherry wine.

  27. Do Not mapped

    Daydreamer Fishing Charters

    Offers 4-hour charter trips to East or West Grand Traverse Bays or Lake Michigan for salmon or lake trout. $300-400.

  28. Do Not mapped

    Dewitt Marine Inc.

    Bellaire, MI. Full service marina on Torch Lake, Chain of Lakes providing Pontoon Rentals, Guest Slips, Season Slips, Sales, Service, Storage, Parts & Accessories, Convenience Store & Fuel Dock.

  29. Drink Not mapped

    Firefly

    Local and international beers and wines. Five televisions, one fish tank.

  30. Do Not mapped

    Grand Traverse Balloons, Inc.

    Multicolored, seven-story-tall hot air balloons flights over the Grand Traverse Bay area. One-hour sunrise or sunset flights with champagne celebration.

    $245