A short time ago I made my first trip to Michigan. My friends in Virginia had told me that Traverse City was one of the best places to visit nearby.
I soon discovered that they were not wrong. From the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan to the wineries and the charming center, there is a lot of fun to be found here.
- Great Lakes and kayak adventures
My first stop was at the Platte River (Platte River), a picturesque place to practice kayaking. To my surprise, the water was warm, so we entertained ourselves with the kayaks for a long time and enjoyed the scenery. You can rent a kayak or bring yours; In addition, there are some lovely areas for a picnic.
After the tour of the river, I drove to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Coast Dunes of the Sleeping Bear). After a short hike through the top of the dunes, I was able to appreciate one of the most breathtaking views you can imagine from 137-meter-high dunes overlooking Lake Michigan. Words like "serene" or "peaceful" are not enough to describe the place. It's incredibly inspiring, to say the least. The 103 kilometers of coastline make you feel as if you were contemplating the ocean; On the other side of the dunes, there are still more landscapes that will leave you breathless. You can walk the steep slope to the base of the dunes and go back up, but today I sat down to enjoy the surroundings and left the others with that task.
- Wine and dinner in Traverse City
When I left the Sleeping Bear Dunes, it was almost 5 o'clock in the afternoon, so I went to the center of Traverse City to see what happened there on a Friday night. The downtown area occupies a few blocks and is an interesting combination of charm and fashion. The streets are lined with eclectic shops, unique restaurants, boutiques, beautiful architecture and lots of lively people. I stopped at Amical, a restaurant known for its menu "from the farm to your table", with all your local products. I drank a fabulous glass of wine and tried several meals, including his famous dish "olive twist" (the touch of olives): puff pastry, feta cheese, olives and a cream of red pepper. It was a delight.
The next day I went to the Black Star Farms Winery (Bodega Black Star Farms). The nice staff offered me ample information about the place and each wine in particular, among other things. I drank many of the wines, from the champagne style to the red wine. All were excellent and I bought several. The winery, which offers spectacular views, is also a hotel.
My last stop in Traverse City was in the town of Grand Traverse Commons, a beautiful combination of shops where you can find extraordinary gifts, pieces of art and clothing.
The city is also very famous for its food and culture I would suggest you to take a food tour of a city. There are many tour operators will organize tours as per your requirement like customized as well as private food tours.
Traverse City exceeded all my expectations. Although I am sad that the trip is over, I plan to return very soon.