"Get off the road!" [says passing driver]
Hi I'm Mike of Mike's Road Trip and on this episode I feature Traverse City,
Michigan. Located along the shores of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay,
Traverse City is an incredible road trip destination. For starters, the coastal
roads are simply stunning. And while the city may be well known for its cherries,
it's certainly not defined by the tarte lil red fruit. There are miles of beaches,
biking and hiking trails, and the micro beer, wine, and food scene are
second to none. So come along with me I'll show you around.
Traverse City and its surrounding areas embody everything a road tripper could
want...from curvy roads that induce a desire to see around the next bend, to
self-serve roadside farm stands spilling over with fresh produce, to these
photoshopped sunsets.
During autumn while I was there, the cobalt waters with a backdrop of
hardwood trees set ablaze by the changing season was a sight to behold. My
first day road tripping around Traverse City took me north along scenic highway
22, up the coast of the Leelanau peninsula. Along the way I stopped by
Tandem Ciders for a tasting. Apples of course come in all different types and
flavors. Tandem Ciders has done an excellent job of capturing the splendor
and diversity of the Apple in their ciders with creative and reflective
apple cider names such as, Crabster, Green Man and Smackintosh. Tandem Ciders
is making it hard to resist this refreshing beverage.
My next stop was to Killerman's Christmas Cove farm, which if you're an apple enthusiast, should
definitely be on your bucket list because this place has over 240
varieties of apples, many are considered historical or antique as they were grown
centuries ago in Europe and colonial America. This is obviously one of the
places that Tandem Ciders gets their apples. I actually had a chance to speak
with the matriarch of this fourth-generation farm and learned that
some of the apples are early harvest, which are softer, whereby the late
harvest apples are much firmer and crisper.
As I continued north I found myself at the end of the road at the Grand Traverse lighthouse where the
views of Lake Michigan are just magnificent. After spending a bit of time
exploring the area, I headed back toward Traverse City, but along the way I
stopped by Grand Traverse Bike Tours in Sutton's Bay to rent a bike and explore
the area bit on two wheels. There are more than a hundred miles of
TART trails which stands for Traverse area recreation and transport. This
network of trails can take you just about anywhere and many run through
scenic open spaces away from the roads in the bustle of town.
While I had to pivot from my original plans this morning to go hiking around
Sleeping Bear Dunes because it was snowing, but that's okay because there's
a whole lot to do here in Traverse City, so I've spent the day at the Village of
Grand Traverse Commons which has a fascinating history as a former Asylum.
One of the best ways to learn about this restorative project is by taking a
historic tour this former state hospital opened in the mid 1880s with a treatment
philosophy beauty is therapy the facility closed about a hundred years
later and the compound laid in ruin for many years until a redevelopment effort
got underway in 2000 while not yet complete the Grand Traverse Commons is a
place for living working playing all right in the heart of town
many of these well-built buildings now breathe new life this was once the
laundry facility which is now a boutique winery and this was the old firehouse
which is now one of many restaurants on-site on the tour we also saw some of
the buildings that are still slated for restoration while also going down into
the bowels of the compound within a labyrinth of mysterious tunnels
the next day was glorious just perfect for a scenic drive.
"A dollar for a Honeycrisp, that's not too bad!"
The next day I headed down byway 37 to the end of the second Peninsula in
the Grand Traverse Bay, to the Old Mission lighthouse for some light hiking
and exploration.
"So behind me is an old general store that dates back to the mid 1800s and
it's been in the same family all that time I believe about nine generations
let me show you around inside."
This is like stepping back in time when penny
candy was actually a penny, and a milkshake was just ten cents. And, for
seventy years the price of a Coca Cola was just a nickel and came in these
iconic bottles.
My last day in Traverse City was spent downtown checking out the beer and pub
food scene. I couldn't go back home without a few gifts for friends and
family, and since Traverse City is so well known
for its cherries, I had to check out Cherry Republic, which has hundreds of
cherry infused products. Now a lot of you will ask where I stayed during this trip.
The first couple of days were at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, a
lovely property with lots of on-site amenities. The next couple of days was
closer to downtown at the Cambria Suites, also a great property. I also considered
a bed-and-breakfast or boutique inn, but everything was booked during my visit.
There are however many to choose from if that's your desired choice of lodging.
"Sadly my time here in Traverse City is coming to an end. I have to say
everything about this road trip has exceeded my expectations, from the
dramatic fall foliage, the scenic roads to the incredible beer, wine, and food
scene. I also discovered this destination to be quite affordable from, the food,
fuel, parking to even the lodging, so if you're looking for an incredible
road trip destination, definitely consider Traverse City, Michigan. Until next
time, we'll see on the road... MikesRoadTrip.com