M-22 Point Betsie Lighthouse Sleeping Bear Dunes Pyramid Point Trailhead Fishtown Leelanau State Park Traverse City Ale Trail Night 2 Torch Lake Elk Rapids Michigan Wine Trail Traverse City Ale Trail Night 3
Day/Night 1: Road Trip to Traverse City
With a last name like Travers, we had to check Traverse City, Michigan off of our travel list! We hit the road for our 6 hour drive up to Traverse City on a Thursday evening in October for 3 nights. We booked the cutest tiny AirBnB cottage that was the perfect fit and location for the two of us - highly recommend - Island View Cottages. We stayed in Cottage #1 - which slept 2 people and wouldn't fit much more - but it was exactly what we needed! The location was AMAZING! We could walk right out to the private beach on The Grand Traverse Bay for stunning water views and beach bonfires. We arrived to the cottage around 10pm, so we just settled in for the night.
Day 2: M-22 Scenic Drive in Northwest Michigan
We started our morning with a (huge) bagel sandwich from Bubbie's Bagels on our way to the M-22 Scenic Roadway. The M-22 is a 116-mile stretch of highway that winds along the Lake Michigan shoreline and through the scenic countryside of Northwest Michigan. There are so many sights and landmarks along the way it was breathtaking. (Unfortunately, we are there a bit too early for peak foliage, but this area would be amazing at peak.)
Point Betsie Lighthouse
Our first stop along the M-22 was at Point Betsie Lighthouse. Driving up here, you feel like you are in a different country. I just kept saying 'I can't believe this is in Michigan!' The water is so clear and you can search along the beach for Petoskey stones. This is Michigan's official 'State Stone'. They are a unique fossil rock with a pattern formed by coral. There are tours, a gift shop, and galleries at this location. (Pro-Tip: They do close for the winter season, so check the website before planning your trip) On our way to Sleeping Bear Dunes, we passed through this tiny town, Empire, and a great chocolate shop - Grocer's Daughter Chocolate Shop.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore
Next, the M-22 took us into the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a 7.8 mile loop road through the Beech-Maple forest and sand dunes with spectacular overlooks of the Glen Lakes, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Lake Michigan. It is a busy area, but we didn't find it a problem getting around or parking at the overlooks. The Sleeping Bear Dunes Overlook is indescribable. You park and walk up a short distance (in sand) to the top of the dune overlooking Lake Michigan. Words can't describe the color of this water. We watched people make the trek down - and back up - the dune to the water below. We did not attempt - the warning sign saying it would cost $3,000 for a rescue if you couldn't make the hike back to the top made us happy to enjoy the view from the top!
Pyramid Point Trailhead - Sleeping Bear Dunes
Our next stop on the M-22 was Pyramid Point Trailhead. This short hike (roughly 0.6 miles) through the forest (at a pretty steep incline) took about 20-25 minutes but the views were magical. The shades of the blue of the water still take my breath away. It was a 'bucket list' place for me to see. The water of Lake Michigan looks like the Caribbean Ocean.
Fishtown - Leland, MI
At this point, it was nearing 3pm, and Ben was questioning me about continuing on this road all day long, but we pushed on to Fishtown - Leland. We got some coffee at a cute little coffee/souvenir shop to re-energize. It was definitely worth the stop. This was the coolest little fishing town. You feel like you are walking back in time. Sitting along the Leland River that feeds into Lake Michigan, there are such cute shops, restaurants, and lodging. It was nice to just have a cup of coffee and watch the boats go in and out.
Leelanau State Park - Grand Traverse Lighthouse
Our final stop along the M-22 was Leelanau State Park and The Grand Traverse Lighthouse. The views were again, breathtaking. I've said it multiple times, but the views truly make you question what country you're in! The water is just like glass and the most beautiful shades of clear blue.
Our 100-mile tour on the M-22 took us about 6 hours. We started at Point Betsie Lighthouse around 11am and ended back in Traverse City around 5pm. You could definitely spend so much more time exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore, but with our time in Northern Michigan, we truly saw some amazing sights in a half a day!
Night 2: Downtown Traverse City & Breweries
The Traverse City area is home to over 20 microbreweries, brewpubs and craft brew taprooms, known as the Traverse City Ale Trail. After our day on the M-22, we came back to the cottage to get ready for dinner. We called an Uber, and waited a long time for someone to finally accept our ride. We walked up to the street for pickup, and watched the driver drive right past us and then cancel the ride. (Pro-Tip: Ubers and Lyfts are pretty hard to come by, so order them early or have a different transportation plan). We finally got a new driver to accept our ride (and actually stopped to pick us up).
We started our evening at North Peak Brewing Co. for dinner and drinks. The food was delicious and the beers were great. Next, we walked to The Workshop Brewing Co. and enjoyed a beer and some live music. We then walked into the Mammoth Distilling Cocktail Lounge, which was actually connected to The Workshop through a back hallway. The atmosphere was great and they also had live music that we enjoyed with our cocktail. Our next stop was at 7 Monks Taproom, where they had a huge selection of beers and also a full menu. This was more of a bar atmosphere and busier crowd. They were also open later than many of the breweries. A couple of the other breweries we wanted to stop at were already closed for the evening, so I'd recommend checking the hours of places depending on the time of year of your visit. Our last stop was at Fresh Coast Beer Works. This was a quiet, nice spot for our last beer of the evening. Since we had such a debacle getting a ride for the way there, we decided to just walk the 15-20 minutes (under a mile) walk back to the cottage.
When we got back it was a beautiful night, so we headed out to the private beach for a bonfire for a few hours. There is really nothing more relaxing than listening to the water lapping on the beach and the crackle of a burning fire. It was the perfect end to our day.
Day 3: Torch Lake
We brought our fishing gear to try to find some good spots to throw in a quick line. Ben ran to the local Bait & Tackle shop - TC Bait & Tackle - to get some recommendations. He bought some lures and bait and we set out for the day. We took a 1/2 hour drive up to Torch Lake, because it's ranked by National Geographic as "the third most beautiful lake in the world." It is known to have a deep Caribbean blue color water, and is Michigan's longest inland lake. Unfortunately, it was a very overcast day when we visited, and we did not get to experience the 'breathtaking blue water'. We also found that there aren't many public access points to enjoy the lake, as it is mostly surrounded by private property. I would love to go back in the summer and really get to experience the beauty of Torch Lake to rent a boat, fish, and swim in the crystal blue waters.
Elk Rapids
We explored a few of the small inland lakes around that area - Birch Lake, Elk Lake, and stopped to fish in the small port town of Elk Rapids. We found a little harbor area on the Elk River and relaxed and fished for awhile. The water was crystal clear and we spotted many fish, but they outsmarted us and weren't biting.
Michigan Wine Trail
After our morning fishing, we stopped back at the cottage to change gears, and head up to check out The Michigan Wine Trail - "Located on the same 45th parallel as the wine regions of France and Italy, the Traverse City area boasts a unique microclimate that produces some of the country’s best wines. Two distinct wine trails are home to over 40 wineries and tasting rooms, and awe-inspiring hilltop settings provide a unique wine tasting experience."
We ventured up the Old Mission Peninsula to our first winery stop at Mari Vineyards. Any fellow 'The Curse of Oak Island' fans will know that the brothers, Rick & Marty Lagina, own Mari Vineyards, so we wanted to visit. The winery looks like a castle sitting atop a large hill overlooking the Grand Traverse Bay. The grounds were beautiful. The winery was pretty busy and longer lines to get tastings, but we were able to sit at a picnic table and take in the views while sipping our wine. We also bought some souvenir t-shirts and a bottle of wine to take home.
Our next stop on the Old Mission Peninsula wine tour was at 2 Lads Winery. This winery had a much more laid back feel. They had chairs on the lawn and some cornhole boards. The building is more modern looking and they offer tours of their on-site wine making facilities. The wine was great and views were stunning.
Chateau Chantal Winery was our next stop and this was by far the fanciest winery that we visited. They are located pretty far north on the Old Mission Peninsula and have a stunning patio overlooking water on both sides - The West Arm & East Arm of The Grand Traverse Bay. They had tour buses of people checking in for tours and lines for entry at the door. Luckily, we were able to get a seat on the patio and enjoy a flight!
Our last winery stop was at Bonobo Winery, which was centrally located on the peninsula. This was my favorite stop. The grounds were stunning. They had live music, a swing overlooking the vineyard, relaxed seating areas, and you were basically free to roam the vineyards. Our favorite wine is Sauvignon Blanc, and theirs has won many awards. I bought one of my favorite souvenirs from here - a t-shirt that says "Be Nice. Drink Wine. Pet Dogs."
Night 3: Downtown Traverse City Dinner & Breweries
After our afternoon at the wineries, we were ready for some dinner. We got an Uber to Firefly Restaurant where we had some drinks while we waited for a table. Once we got our table, the menu looked phenomenal. We had some sushi and potstickers, and then we got the flank steak and NY strip for our entrees - delicious. After our meal, we walked to Rare Bird Brewpub. It was pretty busy, but we found a picnic table on the patio and enjoyed a beer. We made another stop at 7 Monks Taproom to try another beer from their wide selection that we both really enjoyed. Our next stop was at The Grand Traverse Distillery Tasting Room. They had so many interesting cocktails. I had a "Boozy Autumn Slush" - Bourbon paired with apple cider, cinnamon and frozen lemonade and Ben had a "Cherry Harvest" - Cherry vodka topped with lemonade from Northwoods Soda. As we were making our way back towards the cottage for the evening, we were passing by Middle Coast Brewing Co., and we heard some loud music playing and what sounded like a good time. To our surprise, we stumbled upon an Oktoberfest event. We bought some tickets and had some beers under the tent listening to the live band. It was the perfect way to end our evening - and trip - in Traverse City.
Trip Takeaways:
Traverse City is a very nice 'getaway' city. It is not super expensive and easy to get to from many different areas. There are lots of things to see and do for all types of travel - hiking, biking, fishing, beaching, relaxing, etc. Huge varieties of restaurants, wineries, and breweries.
Sleeping Bear Dunes is A MUST SEE! The views a unlike anything I have ever seen.
I highly recommend traveling the M-22. It takes you past some really awesome sites, and directly through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.
Uber & Lyft are hard to get (at least at the time of year we were there), so plan ahead or plan different transportation.
There are so many wineries, that I would love to plan another trip up here and just focus on wineries and explore more of those.
I want to come back in the summer and stay at one of the campgrounds at Sleeping Bear Dunes, experience more of Torch Lake, and go further north to Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula.
Until next time, Traverse City!
We look forward to sharing our next adventure with you!
-Steph & Ben
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