Two Days in Traverse City

You feel that? That’s us high-fiving you for your weekend ahead in a northern paradise. With 48 hours on the clock, you’ll get a nice bite out of the region, but make no mistake, you’ll be ready for another round real soon. And make no second mistake, we’ve got more itineraries for that, too.

DAY 1 MORNING:

Eat/drink: Grab breakfast in Downtown Traverse City at the Greenhouse Café. Get a protein packed omelette or choose from classic breakfast options. Pro tip: be sure to share one of their enormous muffins with your travel buddy!
Explore: Pack up the car and head to the west side of town for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Pack the cooler with a few sandwiches from Mary’s Kitchen Port before you leave Traverse City. And if the season’s right, bring a swimsuit, a bike, XC skis or snowshoes. You’ll want to spend a good chunk of time on the Heritage Trail in the park.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

DAY 1 AFTERNOON:

Eat/drink: Break up your adventures on the dunes with those sandwiches from Mary’s. Still needing a little refreshment -- and maybe dessert? Time for Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor.

DAY 1 EVENING:

Shop: Back in downtown Traverse City, find a sweet treasure to take home from the shops on Front Street.
Eat/drink: You moved around a lot today. Fuel up on a killer burger and hand-punched fries at Slabtown Burger on the west side of town.
Ice cream run: Get your Cherries Moobilee on at Moomer’s -- voted the best ice cream scoop in America! You’ll need your car for this one.

DAY 2 MORNING:

Eat/drink: It’s a heavy breakfast kind of day. Get something downright pork-laden and decadent at Towne Plaza.
Taste/tour: Most tasting rooms on the Traverse Wine Coast open at 11 am, so get a head start and drive up the Old Mission Peninsula. Plan at least one hour per winery. How many stops? Three wineries in a day is a good goal. And if you need to hire a driver, we’ve got a lot of options here.

DAY 2 AFTERNOON:

Taste/tour: You’re still sipping and giggling. Clink!
Eat/drink: Early dinner anybody? Stop at Jolly Pumpkin Brewery on Old Mission Peninsula. Great views, awesome atmosphere, phenomenal food and drink. Don’t skip out on the curry chips.

DAY 2 EVENING:

Rest: If you’re visiting in the summer, time to grab a towel and enjoy a little siesta on the beach.
Late snacks/drinks: Super casual and ready when you are, head to The Little Fleet downtown for food truck grub and creative cocktails. In the winter, the food trucks leave but Happy's Tacos is still cooking up something good inside.