Free
Clinch Park beach
A downtown beach on West Grand Traverse Bay, steps from Front Street.
Northern Michigan
Traverse City
Michigan's cherry capital, on Grand Traverse Bay, the gateway to Sleeping Bear Dunes and two peninsulas of orchards and vineyards.
Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes above Lake Michigan, en:User:Grod028, Public domain
Traverse City sits at the foot of Grand Traverse Bay, with beaches right downtown. The Old Mission Peninsula splits the bay in two, lined with orchards and vineyards.
Half an hour west, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore piles huge dunes above Lake Michigan. Run down the Dune Climb, then remember you have to climb back up.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
A paved path through the lakeshore from Empire to Glen Arbor and beyond. Park pass needed at some trailheads.
Cheap
Sleeping Bear Dunes: the Dune Climb
Climb a steep sand dune for views of Glen Lake. A national park pass is required.
Cheap
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
A loop road through the national lakeshore with overlooks perched hundreds of feet above Lake Michigan.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Cheap
Mission Point Lighthouse
An 1870 lighthouse at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula, with beaches and trails around it.
Paid
Tall ship sail on the bay
Traditional schooners sail Grand Traverse Bay from town in summer.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Front Street
Downtown's main street of shops, cafés and the restored State Theatre.
Free
The Village at Grand Traverse Commons
A huge former state hospital turned into shops and restaurants, with wooded trails behind.
Paid
Old Mission Peninsula wineries
Vineyards along a narrow peninsula with water on both sides. Plan a driver.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Sara Hardy Farmers Market
Downtown's farmers' market, Saturdays and Wednesdays in season, cherries in July.
Free
National Cherry Festival
A week of parades, air shows and cherry everything, usually in early July.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Tall ship sail on Grand Traverse Bay
Day sails on traditional schooners in summer.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Sleeping Bear Dunes park pass
Entrance pass for the national lakeshore.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Northern Michigan guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Sleeping Bear Dunes is a full day on its own.
- Old Mission's lighthouse and wineries make a second, slower day.
- Summer sunsets over the bay come late, so you'll want to be in town, not on the highway.
Nearby and worth the drive
Glen Arbor and Lelandabout 40 min
Mackinac Islandabout 2 h 30 · Guide ↗Lakeshore villages, and Fishtown's old fishing shanties.
Car-free island via ferry from Mackinaw City.
Ready-made trips with Traverse City
3 days · Traverse City → Mackinac Island
Michigan's northern shores
Sleeping Bear Dunes and cherry country, then a car-free island.
4 days · Holland, Michigan → Traverse City
West Michigan dunes and lighthouses
Big Red and the Dutch windmill, then north to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
3 days · Frankenmuth → Sleeping Bear Dunes (Glen Arbor and Empire) → Traverse City
Frankenmuth to Sleeping Bear
Chicken dinners and Christmas lights, then giant dunes over Lake Michigan.
Good to know
- Tourism: traversecity.com.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes: Park entrance pass required: nps.gov/slbe.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes above Lake Michigan, en:User:Grod028, Public domain
Photo: Mission Point Lighthouse, Old Mission Peninsula, H-Town Native, CC BY-SA 4.0