Winery Tour in Traverse City

Wake up and enjoy the warm morning on the wraparound porch at your B&B. Eat breakfast served at the Inn before starting your day further north appreciating the historic shores and indulging at the wineries of Northern Michigan.

Drive north along the M-22 scenic coastal highway until you reach Leland, where you will stop off in Fishtown, a remnant of a 19th-century fishing town. Explore the weathered shanties and connect with the Great Lakes maritime history. You will walk the small historic side street where you can read signs about the preservation and history of the fishing village, and how it provided a livelihood for residents for over a century.

You will continue north until you reach the tip of one of Michigan's little "fingers" at Leelanau State Park. The park offers sprawling views, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum, and a rocky shoreline great for hunting for Michigan's Petoskey stones. The park also serves as a great spot to spot rare birds like the piping plover.

Inside the park sits the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, a beautifully restored lighthouse which you can climb to the top of and tour to learn about the local shipwrecks, archeology in the region, and life as a lighthouse keeper in the late 1800s.

Drive out of the Leelanau region and toward Traverse City, where you will spend the remainder of the day. Traverse City is a popular northern Michigan town known for its beaches and a place where cherry trees thrive, which makes for celebrated cherry wines and cuisine known across the state. Stop for lunch first at Mama Lu's, a popular taco shop in downtown Traverse City, before hitting the wineries on Traverse City's peninsula, Old Mission Bay.
Mama Lu's is closed on Sundays, but there are plenty of restaurants sitting nearby to choose from when the restaurant is closed. We recommend Poppycocks or Grand Traverse Pie Company.

For your first winery of the day, stop in at Mari Vineyards, which features a beautiful, castle-like stone building with panoramic views overlooking the winery and Grand Traverse Bay. The mix of stellar wine varieties, unique architectural design, and lush sea-like views make this vineyard one of the best, and a perfect first stop to begin your winery tour.

Have a wine tasting and a skillfully paired small plate at the bar, then walk out on Bonobo's large deck that overlooks the rolling vineyards. Sit on the patio to soak in the views and sun. You can walk down into the vineyards to explore the roots of their award-winning wines.

For your last winery, stop in at Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, the largest on the Old Mission Peninsula. The grounds include a tasting room with an open-air deck, lawn bar, and secret lavender gardens, which all sit on a restored 1890s homestead. Family-run and operated, the staff and premises always feel inviting and expansive; there are multiple seating areas all with charming settings and unique views. After finishing a glass or tasting here, sit back and soak in the views for a bit before continuing up the peninsula.

After finishing up at the wineries, head out all the way to the end of the peninsula to Old Mission Point Park to relax on the shores and admire the 19th-century lighthouse and log cabin. The lighthouse once served as an important touchpoint for sailors, warning ships of the dangerous shoals off the point of the peninsula.

Check into your hotel for the evening and drop off your car.

Eat at Taproot Cider House for dinner, a farm-to-table tavern offering locally crafted ciders and fare. This brewery goes beyond just an extensive tap list with Michigan-made options, also offering an unparalleled and accommodating menu. They offer plenty of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergy-sensitive options to appease everyone wanting to enjoy a delicious meal.

After dinner, walk over to Clinch Park, which sits sandwiched between downtown and the bay, to watch the sunset over the city and water. Sit on one of the many picnic tables or steps before slipping into your hotel for the night.

Stay the night at Hotel Indigo which is just a few steps from the center of downtown TC. The hotel offers a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi. There are rooms with views of the lake, and you can also take advantage of their rooftop bar onsite.