Traverse City sits at the base of two wine peninsulas on Grand Traverse Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan, with Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore about 25 miles to the west. That mix is why it works as a beach weekend, a wine trip, a family vacation, or a home base for dune hikes and island paddles.
This guide covers the best things to do in Traverse City, from bay beaches and Old Mission and Leelanau wineries to paddling out to Power Island, museums, spa days, and a few food stops worth planning around. Venue details were checked against official and local sources in October 2026, but hours and seasonal schedules change, so confirm before you go. For lodging, neighborhoods, and getting oriented, start with our Traverse City destination guide.
Traverse City at a glance:
- Beaches: Clinch Park Beach, Traverse City State Park, and West End Beach
- Wine: Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula tasting rooms
- Outdoors: Sleeping Bear Dunes, Power Island, the TART Trail, and Mission Point Lighthouse
- Culture and family: Dennos Museum Center, the Fairy Trails, and the children’s museum
- Spa: a salt room, float therapy, and massage
- Food: farm-to-table dinner, local burgers, and farm ice cream
Spend a Day at Traverse City’s Beaches on Grand Traverse Bay
Traverse City’s beaches sit on Grand Traverse Bay, which splits into East and West arms around Old Mission Peninsula. The water stays cold well into summer and wind can build quickly on the bay, so check conditions and posted rules before you swim. For more of the state’s shoreline, see our guide to the best Lake Michigan beaches.
Clinch Park Beach
Clinch Park Beach is the easy downtown option: a sandy stretch on the bay at the edge of downtown, with a marina next door, a splash pad for little kids, and direct access to the TART Trail. It works as a short stop between Front Street and dinner. The City of Traverse City lists current rules and amenities on its Clinch Park Beach page.
Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park
The state park sits on the bay just east of downtown along US-31 and is the best option if you want a campground and a beach in one place. According to Pure Michigan, it offers:
- About 75 acres of woodland for hiking, biking, and picnics
- A quarter mile of sandy beach on Grand Traverse Bay for swimming and kayaking
- Picnic areas
- A modern campground and mini cabins
- Trail access to the TART Trail and Leelanau Trail, which together total 27.5 miles
West End Beach
West End Beach is on West Grand Traverse Bay on the west side of downtown, right along the TART Trail. That makes it a natural stop if you’re biking the bay shore, and it tends to be a calmer alternative when the downtown beaches fill up on summer weekends.
Old Mission Peninsula Waterfront
Old Mission Peninsula has quieter waterfront spots. Haserot Beach is often described as less crowded than the in-town beaches, and Bowers Harbor, on the peninsula’s west side, is the usual launch point for kayakers heading to Power Island (see below), with views across West Bay. The whole peninsula is also one of the best scenic drives in Michigan.
Taste Wine and Craft Drinks Around Traverse City
Wine is one of the main reasons people visit. Northern Express counted about 11 wineries on Old Mission Peninsula and 28 on Leelanau Peninsula in mid-2026, along with breweries, cideries, and distilleries across the region. Old Mission is smaller and closer to town, so it’s the easier first trip. Leelanau is larger and takes more planning.
Tasting rooms are busiest on summer and fall weekends, and some ask for reservations, so check ahead. Plan a designated driver, a shuttle, or a guided tour. For deeper dives, see our guides to Old Mission Peninsula wineries, Leelanau Peninsula wineries, and Traverse City breweries.
Left Foot Charley (In Town)
Left Foot Charley is the easiest winery stop if you’re staying in town. Its tasting room is at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a few minutes from downtown, and it makes wine and hard cider, with a patio for warm days. Its vineyards are on Old Mission Peninsula. See the winery’s website for current hours.
Chateau Grand Traverse (Old Mission Peninsula)
Chateau Grand Traverse, north of town on Old Mission Peninsula, is one of the area’s pioneering wineries. Founder Ed O’Keefe started planting in the early 1970s, and the winery celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. It is best known for Riesling and makes a straightforward first stop on the peninsula wine trail. Read the winery’s story before you go.
Ciccone Vineyard & Winery (Leelanau Peninsula)
Ciccone sits on Hilltop Road near Suttons Bay, just off M-22 on the Leelanau Peninsula. It offers estate-grown wines in a European-style tasting room, with a turn-of-the-century barn on the property and views over Grand Traverse Bay.
45 North Vineyard & Winery (Lake Leelanau)
45 North in Lake Leelanau sits right on the 45th parallel. Besides wines and ciders, it has a post-and-beam tasting room, a café serving picnic-style food, and maintained trails through the vineyard for hiking and biking in warm months and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.
Shady Lane Cellars (Suttons Bay)
Shady Lane Cellars covers 150 acres near Suttons Bay, including a 52-acre estate vineyard. The tasting room is a century-old fieldstone former chicken coop, and a large covered patio pavilion has fire pits and an outdoor fireplace, which keeps it comfortable into the shoulder seasons. Expect hilltop views of the Leelanau Peninsula.
Get Outside: Dunes, Islands, Trails, and Water
Traverse City is a major draw for Michigan family vacations, and the outdoor options run from a flat bike path to a national lakeshore.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is about 25 miles west of Traverse City, which makes it an easy day trip if you have a car. It is a National Park Service lakeshore rather than a national park, with roughly 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, the Dune Climb, the 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, and two campgrounds.
A vehicle pass is required, and the scenic drive is only open to vehicles from spring to late fall, so check the National Park Service for current conditions before you go. The dunes are also one of the unique attractions in Michigan you won’t find anywhere else.
Bike the TART Trail
The TART Trail follows the bay through town, past West End Beach and Traverse City State Park. At the state park it connects with the Leelanau Trail for 27.5 combined miles of trail, so a bike rental makes a good half-day plan. For longer rides, see our guide to northern Michigan biking trails.
Paddle or Boat to Power Island
Power Island is a county-owned park of about 200 acres in the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay. Most paddlers launch from Bowers Harbor on Old Mission Peninsula, roughly 3 miles away. From Clinch Park Marina downtown it’s about 6.5 miles. The island has trails, beaches, and rustic campsites: 10 on Power Island and 5 on neighboring Bassett Island, which connects by a sandbar when water levels are low. Camping is reserved through Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation.
Bowers Harbor itself is sheltered, but the open crossing to the island is exposed to wind and waves, so check the forecast and go with a guide if you’re not an experienced paddler. Kayak, paddleboard, and boat rentals and guided tours operate around the bay in season, so ask your lodging for current operators. For more paddling ideas, see the best kayaking in Michigan.
Mission Point Lighthouse
Mission Point Lighthouse sits at the northern tip of Old Mission Peninsula, about 17 miles north of downtown Traverse City at the end of M-37. Built in 1870 and deactivated in 1933, it is now part of a township park with a beach and trails. The grounds are open, while tower and museum access varies by season. The drive passes farms and wineries, which is why many visitors pair it with tasting-room stops.
Villages on the Leelanau Peninsula
For small-town charm, head across the bay to the Leelanau Peninsula. Suttons Bay has a walkable downtown with boutique shopping, Leland is home to historic Fishtown, Northport sits near the peninsula’s tip, and Glen Arbor is the usual stop on the way to Sleeping Bear Dunes. See our Leelanau Peninsula guide for the full picture. Farther north, Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs make longer day trips, so allow well over an hour each way.
Art, Culture, and Family Attractions
Downtown Traverse City has Front Street shops, the State Theatre and City Opera House, and a handful of museums and gardens that are worth a rainy day or a break from the beach.
Dennos Museum Center
The Dennos Museum Center is on the Northwestern Michigan College campus and opened in 1991. It is best known for its collection of Canadian Arctic Inuit art, one of the largest in the United States. The permanent collection holds nearly 3,000 works, and the building includes a sculpture court and a hands-on Discovery Gallery. It expanded in 2018 and became a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2021. Check hours and admission on the museum’s website.
Great Lakes Children’s Museum
The Great Lakes Children’s Museum now operates as The Curiosity Place inside the Grand Traverse Mall, after leaving its longtime home at Discovery Pier. In 2026 it opened Shipwreck at Curiosity Bay, a hands-on exhibit where kids climb aboard a replica vessel and investigate Great Lakes shipwrecks. Check hours and admission at greatlakeskids.org.
The Fairy Trails at Historic Barns Park
At the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park (1490 Red Drive), the Fairy Trails are a short loop, a little over a tenth of a mile, lined with fairy houses that community members build from natural materials. Houses are cleared each spring and rebuilt each season, so the trail looks different every visit. Bikes aren’t allowed on the trail. The garden’s 25 acres are also worth time; see the Botanic Garden’s website for hours and events.
Village at Grand Traverse Commons
The former Traverse City State Hospital campus is now a mix of shops, restaurants, and housing, and it is home to Left Foot Charley. It’s a good rainy-day stop, and the Botanic Garden is nearby. If the history interests you, see our guide to the Traverse City asylum.
State Theatre and City Opera House
The State Theatre on Front Street hosts Traverse City Film Festival screenings, which moved to a weekly Tuesday-night format in 2026. The City Opera House downtown hosts concerts and events, so check both calendars while you plan.
Unwind With a Spa Day in Traverse City
Traverse City has a good mix of massage, salt therapy, and float spas. For a statewide roundup, see the best spas in Michigan.
Urban Oasis Salt Spa
Urban Oasis Salt Spa is on West Bay Shore Drive and is known for its Himalayan salt room. It also offers massage, including a couples’ room that overlooks West Bay, plus facials and ion foot detoxes.
Solitude Float & Wellness Spa
Solitude Float & Wellness Spa bills itself as Traverse City’s only float spa. Float sessions use pods filled with more than 1,100 pounds of Epsom salt, and the spa also offers therapeutic massage and Himalayan salt detox body wraps. Book ahead in summer.
Local Food Stops Worth Planning Around
Traverse City’s food scene leans on local farms and orchards. Reservations matter at the small, popular places, especially in July and on fall weekends. For more picks, see our guides to downtown Traverse City restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream.
The Cooks’ House
The Cooks’ House is a small, farm-to-table restaurant in a white clapboard house at 115 Wellington St., with a seasonal menu built around local and foraged ingredients. Seating is limited to roughly 26 people, so reserve well ahead. Dinner service has run Tuesday through Saturday, but confirm current hours with the restaurant.
Slabtown Burgers
Slabtown Burgers at 826 W. Front St. serves hand-pattied burgers, fresh-cut fries, and shakes, along with salads, wraps, and sandwiches. It’s a casual, family-friendly lunch or dinner stop with seasonal outdoor seating, and it’s closed Sundays.
Moomers Homemade Ice Cream
Moomers makes ice cream on a working farm at 7263 N. Long Lake Rd., a short drive west of downtown, with a deck and picnic tables overlooking the fields. Cherry flavors are the local favorite. The farm location closes for winter, though Moomers ice cream is sold in shops around the area year-round.
Raduno
Raduno is a neighborhood Italian deli and café known for house-made pasta, sandwiches, and a charcuterie selection. It’s a good pick for a casual lunch or an easy dinner away from the busiest downtown blocks.
Plan Your Trip to Traverse City
Looking for a place to stay? Our guide to Traverse City’s top hotels is a good place to start, and the Traverse City destination guide breaks down neighborhoods and seasons.
What is Traverse City best known for?
Cherries come first. Traverse City calls itself the Cherry Capital of the World, and the National Cherry Festival draws huge crowds every July. The area is also known for its Grand Traverse Bay beaches, the Old Mission and Leelanau wine peninsulas, and as the closest city to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, about 25 miles west.
How many days do you need in Traverse City?
A long weekend of two to three days covers the beaches, a winery route, and downtown. Add a full day for Sleeping Bear Dunes, and more time if you want to explore the Leelanau Peninsula towns, bike the TART Trail, or paddle out to Power Island.
Do you need a car in Traverse City?
A car is the easiest way to reach the wineries, Old Mission Peninsula, and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is minutes from downtown, and BATA runs a free Bayline bus route along the main corridor, plus an on-demand Link service. Ride-hailing exists but driver availability can be limited. Amtrak doesn’t serve Traverse City directly; intercity buses run from Grand Rapids and connect to Amtrak in southwest Michigan.
When is the National Cherry Festival?
The National Cherry Festival is held in early July. The 100th festival ran July 4 to 11, 2026, and the 2027 festival is scheduled for July 3 to 10. Check the festival’s official site for the current schedule and book lodging early.