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Michigan, United States

Traverse City

Spend 2–3 days: Old Mission wineries, a full day at Sleeping Bear Dunes, and evenings downtown. This guide pulls together 2 sights, 1 activity and 3 places to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Traverse City with friendsBrowse 10 places
Traverse City, Michigan, United States
Places
10

2 See · 1 Do · 3 Eat · 3 Drink · 1 Shop

Curated routes
1

Great Lakes Hidden Gems

Best season
May – Sep

from our route notes

Warmest month
August

23°C / 74°F avg high

Coolest month
February

-2°C / 28°F avg high

Wettest month
October

about 111 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Traverse City

10 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

The landmarks we would not skip in Traverse City across Old Mission Peninsula and Sleeping Bear Dunes.

  • Mission Point Lighthouse in Traverse CityPhoto: Notorious4life (talk) (Uploads) · CC0
    See

    Mission Point Lighthouse

    1870 lighthouse at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula, with beach and trails.

    Tip Climb the tower; small fee.

    • Old Mission Peninsula
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Afternoon
  • Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Traverse CityPhoto: Clint Stephenson · Google
    See

    Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

    Seven-mile loop through the dunes with overlooks 450 ft above Lake Michigan.

    Tip Stop 9 (Lake Michigan Overlook) is the best view.

    • Sleeping Bear Dunes
    • $
    • 1.5 hr
    • Sunset

Do

Hands-on ways to spend time in Traverse City in Sleeping Bear Dunes.

  • Dune Climb in Traverse CityPhoto: Andy Grabenstetter · Google
    Do

    Dune Climb

    Climb a huge sand dune; the full hike to Lake Michigan is 3.5 miles round trip.

    Tip Bring water and shoes; the sand gets hot.

    • Sleeping Bear Dunes
    • $
    • 2 hr
    • Morning

Eat

3 places to eat across Glen Arbor, Slabtown and West Traverse City, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • Art's Tavern in Traverse CityPhoto: Josh Zacher · Google
    Eat

    Art's Tavern

    Glen Arbor tavern since the 1930s, serving burgers and whitefish near the dunes.

    Tip Cash and card; expect a wait in summer.

    • Glen Arbor
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Lunch
  • Sleder's Family Tavern in Traverse CityPhoto: Sleder's Family Tavern · Google
    Eat

    Sleder's Family Tavern

    Michigan's oldest continuously operating tavern (1882), with burgers and a mahogany bar.

    Tip Kiss the moose head; it's tradition.

    • Slabtown
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Dinner
  • Moomers Homemade Ice Cream in Traverse CityPhoto: Moomers Homemade Ice Cream · Google
    Eat

    Moomers Homemade Ice Cream

    Farm ice-cream shop overlooking pastures, with dozens of flavors.

    Tip Try Cherries Moobilee.

    • West Traverse City
    • $
    • 30 min
    • Summer evening

Drink

3 bars & cafés across Old Mission Peninsula and SoFo for coffee, a round or a nightcap.

  • Chateau Grand Traverse in Traverse CityPhoto: Dana boomer · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Drink

    Chateau Grand Traverse

    Old Mission Peninsula's pioneering winery, known for Riesling.

    Tip Tasting room gets busy on summer weekends.

    • Old Mission Peninsula
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Afternoon
  • Chateau Chantal in Traverse CityPhoto: Chateau Chantal · Attribution
    Drink

    Chateau Chantal

    Hilltop winery-inn with views over both bays.

    Tip Go before sunset for the terrace view.

    • Old Mission Peninsula
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Late afternoon
  • Right Brain Brewery in Traverse CityPhoto: Sandra Bruening · Google
    Drink

    Right Brain Brewery

    Traverse City's original microbrewery, known for oddball beers and arcade games.

    Tip Kitchen closes an hour before the bar.

    • SoFo
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Evening

Shop

1 shop in Downtown for browsing and souvenirs.

  • Cherry Republic in Traverse CityPhoto: Gayle V · Google
    Shop

    Cherry Republic

    Cherry-everything store with samples, from salsa to cherry soda.

    Tip There's also a big location in Glen Arbor.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 30 min
    • Afternoon

How to fit Traverse City into a trip

Traverse City is stop 2 of 3 on our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route. Follow it as-is or lift Traverse City into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Traverse City month by month

Average daily highs run from -2°C / 28°F in February to 23°C / 74°F in August. October is the wettest month, with about 111 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Traverse City weather and the best time to visit →

Near Traverse City

8 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.

Traverse City questions, answered

How many days do you need in Traverse City?

Our route notes suggest 2–3 days in Traverse City. On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 7-day trip. The listed visit times for our 10 places add up to roughly 11 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Traverse City best known for?

Spend 2–3 days: Old Mission wineries, a full day at Sleeping Bear Dunes, and evenings downtown. Standouts on our list: Mission Point Lighthouse (1870 lighthouse at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula, with beach and trails); Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (Seven-mile loop through the dunes with overlooks 450 ft above Lake Michigan); Dune Climb (Climb a huge sand dune; the full hike to Lake Michigan is 3.5 miles round trip).

When is the best time to visit Traverse City?

Our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route is best May – Sep. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in August (23°C / 74°F), the coolest in February (-2°C / 28°F) and the most rain in October (about 111 mm).

What are the best things to do in Traverse City?

Start with Mission Point Lighthouse, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and Dune Climb. Our guide lists 10 places in all, from 2 sights, 1 activity, 3 places to eat, 3 bars & cafés and 1 shop.

Where should a group eat in Traverse City?

Our picks: Art's Tavern (Glen Arbor); Sleder's Family Tavern (Slabtown); Moomers Homemade Ice Cream (West Traverse City). Cash and card; expect a wait in summer (Art's Tavern).

What is near Traverse City?

The closest destinations in our guides are Sleeping Bear Dunes (about 35 km / 21 mi), Door County (about 127 km / 79 mi) and Mackinac Island (about 144 km / 89 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Traverse City with your crew

Open the Great Lakes Hidden Gems route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 10 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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