The definitive northern Michigan itinerary — Old Mission Peninsula wineries, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and farm-to-table dinners in Traverse City.
Get in, get oriented, walk Front Street. The downtown strip has good restaurants, wine shops, and a farmers market on Saturdays. Easy first evening.
If your Day 1 falls on a Saturday, the Traverse City Farmers Market on Grandview Parkway (7am–noon, May–Oct) is one of the best in Michigan. Local cherries, morel mushrooms in spring, Sleeping Bear honey, and artisan cheeses. Stock your cooler for the wine trail the next day.
Morsels on Cass Street does exceptional pastry work — their cherry-filled options are the obvious local flex. Patisserie Amie on Union is French-inflected with better coffee and a quieter vibe. Both are a short walk from the main downtown strip. Arrive before 9am on weekends to avoid a line at either one.
The TART Trail (Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation) is a paved multi-use path that hugs the shore of Grand Traverse Bay from downtown out toward Acme. The morning light on the East Arm is exceptional — flat terrain, easy grade, stunning water views. Rent bikes from McLain Cycle & Fitness on Eighth Street or Brick Wheels near the trailhead. Round-trip from downtown to the bay viewpoint and back runs about 8 miles and takes 60–90 minutes at a casual pace. Lock up near the Boardman Lake connection if you want a coffee pit stop.
Best restaurant in Traverse City. Italian-focused, locally-sourced, housed in the old State Hospital building. Make reservations 2–3 weeks out in summer. The charcuterie board and pasta are the moves.
Right at the base of downtown — a small sandy beach on Grand Traverse Bay with a kayak launch. Rent from Traverse City Kayak or borrow from your hotel. Paddling the bay at sunset with the Old Mission Peninsula silhouette is excellent.
Traverse City is the cherry capital of the world — dried cherries, cherry wine, cherry salsa, cherry jam. Pick some up at the Cherry Republic on Front Street. The cherry dark chocolate is excellent.
The 18-mile peninsula jutting into Grand Traverse Bay sits on the 45th parallel — same latitude as Bordeaux. Six wineries within 30 minutes of downtown. Drive the west bay shore and stop at 3–4.
Old Mission Peninsula wineries open at 11am (some at noon). You can realistically do 3–4 tastings in an afternoon without rushing — a standard tasting flight runs $15–$20 and covers 5–6 wines. Chateau Grand Traverse is the largest and most visited; start here early before the tour buses arrive. Brys Estate has better views and a quieter tasting room. 2 Lads is the most architecturally interesting and also the most experimental winemaking. Peninsula Cellars (in a converted 1896 schoolhouse) is the wildcard value pick — the most unpretentious room on the peninsula. Designate a driver or use a wine tour service from downtown.
Before hitting the Old Mission wineries, grab breakfast at Commons — a casual café in the peninsula's small strip of shops just past the M-37 turn. It's the only decent breakfast option on the peninsula itself; if you skip it, you'll be hungry before the first tasting opens at 11am. Good egg sandwiches, strong drip coffee, outdoor seating when the weather cooperates.
Peninsula Cellars operates out of a converted 1896 schoolhouse at the base of Old Mission Peninsula — the most charming tasting room in the region and consistently the best value. Their dry rieslings compete with the bigger-budget operations up the road at half the pretension. The staff is genuinely local and the portions are generous. This is a quieter, more personal tasting experience than Chateau Grand Traverse's high-volume floor. Open daily 10am–6pm; $10 tasting fee. Picnic tables outside if the weather holds.
Casual farm-to-table spot just off Front Street — good for a mid-day refuel between wineries. The salads use local greens, the sandwiches are generous. Better value than most Traverse City lunch options and faster than a sit-down dinner.
The largest and most established winery on Old Mission. Good Rieslings and Pinot Gris. The tasting room overlooks the bay. Start here to calibrate the trail.
The Dunes are 35 miles west of Traverse City. Plan a full day — the Dune Climb alone is worth 2 hours. Pack water; it's exposed and hot in summer.
The iconic 450-ft sand dune. Climbing up takes 20–30 minutes; running back down takes 2 minutes. Continue past the top to the lake overlook (2 miles round trip) — most people turn around at the crest, which means the lake view is actually not that crowded.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is 30 miles west of Traverse City on M-72 west, then M-22 south. The drive takes about 45 minutes. Entry to the National Lakeshore is $25 per vehicle (valid 7 days) — pay at the Empire Visitor Center or via the America the Beautiful annual pass ($80, worth it if you visit multiple national parks). Arrive before 10am on summer weekends to avoid jammed parking at the Dune Climb.
Post-dunes lunch stop. A local institution since 1934 in the small village of Glen Arbor. Get the perch or a burger. Cash only. Sit on the patio if the line is long.
7.4-mile one-way loop through the park with 12 numbered stops and two Lake Michigan overlooks. Do this after the Dune Climb. The overlook at stop 9 is one of the best views in Michigan.
After a day at Sleeping Bear, decompress with dinner near Glen Arbor before heading back. Art's Tavern in Glen Arbor (already in your plan) is the casual anchor. For something more atmospheric, The Homestead Resort's Nonna's Pantry does wood-fired pizza with views over Lake Michigan from the bluff — open to non-guests. Sunset from the Glen Haven area looking west over Lake Michigan is one of the best light experiences in northern Michigan; build in time to park and walk the beach at Sleeping Bear Point before dinner.
The Leelanau Peninsula is the "little finger" of the Michigan mitten — quieter and more charming than Old Mission, with a strong local food and wine scene.
If you're driving home via the Leelanau Peninsula loop, start with a short hike at North Bar Lake (the hidden inland lake between two dunes — a 15-minute walk from the road yields one of the most photographed spots in the region). Leland has a decent breakfast scene along the Leland River; the Early Bird Café is the local pick. Budget 30 minutes here before winery openings at 11am.
Black Star Farms is the flagship estate of the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail — a full working farm with a creamery, horse stables, a country inn, and one of the most polished tasting rooms in Michigan wine country. The sparkling wines and ice wines are standouts; the hazelnut brandy is underrated. Tasting room opens at 10am daily. Worth arriving early because weekend afternoons get crowded. The farm store sells local cheese, cured meats, and jarred goods — a good final-day pickup. 10994 E Revold Rd, Suttons Bay.
In the village of Leland, overlooking the Leland River. Good for a final lunch before driving back to the airport. The fish tacos and walleye are reliable.
Two of the best-regarded wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula. Black Star Farms also has an inn and a great charcuterie plate. Call ahead — some tasting rooms close on Mondays.
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