Short on time for your upcoming trip to Traverse City, Michigan? Here’s a perfect weekend Itinerary for 2 days in Traverse City.
I have to admit, when I first started planning my trip to this town in northern Michigan, I knew very little! I heard this region was known for cherries, and I heard chatter about its up-and-coming wine region. However, I’m happy to report that after just 2 days in Traverse City, my mind was blown! Read below for all the details of this Traverse City itinerary-
After reading this article, check out my guide to Mackinac Island, Michigan (one of the most popular summer destinations in the U.S.)!
Plan Your 2 Days in Traverse City
When to Visit
The best weather in Traverse City is from June to August. Equally as nice is May when spring flowers are in bloom, and during fall in September and October, you can find beautiful fall foliage. If you don’t want to freeze, avoid winter!
For the best hotel rates with nice weather conditions, visit during the middle of May before Memorial Day and after Labor Day through the end of October. We visited in the middle of May and saw less crowds, had great weather, and snagged a great hotel rate!
Getting to Traverse City
- Fly: If you’re coming from farther away, flying will be your best option! You can fly into the Cherry Capital Airport (TVC). The Cherry Capital Airport is a full-service commercial airport serving over 15+ cities with non-stop direct flights across the United States. The airport is conveniently located only 10-15 minutes from downtown Traverse City.
- Drive: Traverse City is a comfortable driving distance from many cities in the Midwest. As you get closer to Traverse City, it’s fun to watch the scenery change to vineyards, rolling foothills, and orchards of cherry trees. It’s the perfect weekend getaway!
Should I Rent a Car in Traverse City?
Yes, I highly recommend renting a car for Traverse City. Parking spots downtown were easy to find and you can pay with a credit card at a meter. Most hotels in Traverse City typically include complimentary parking as part of your nightly rate. Any day trips to wineries or the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park will require a car.
Where to Stay During 2 Days in Traverse City
Chateau Chantal B&B – Boutique Luxury
The elaborate 11 room bed and breakfast at the Chateau Chantal Winery is situated on a hill overlooking vineyards and the Grand Traverse Bay. A getaway at Chateau Chantal combines everything you need for a perfect relaxing vacation: a winery, vineyard, gorgeous rooms, and delicious food.
All the rooms are named after impressionist artists, and each is individually decorated with elegant furniture. The inn itself offers fireplaces, breakfasts, and a friendly staff who will be glad to help with any other arrangements. After a long day exploring the vineyards, cherry orchards and dunes, this B&B Is the perfect place to come back to and truly unwind with a glass of wine and a lovely view from the hilltop.
Rooms book up fast during the summer months. You can look at available rooms and rates here.
2 Days in Traverse City: Day 1 – Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Along the Old Mission Peninsula
Winemakers have a saying that “grapes grow in beautiful places”. The Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, which locals refer to as “Old Mission”, lives up to that saying.
Traverse City runs through the 45th Parallel, the same as the Bordeaux wine-growing region in France. Ten wineries make up the Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail. The Old Mission Peninsula is small enough to cover in a day since it’s only 19 miles long and three miles wide.
Wine grapes, tart cherries, apples, and peaches are among the many fruits that love growing in this region. Therefore, you can’t miss wine tasting along the Old Mission Peninsula! Read on for my favorite wineries (with the best views) in the Old Mission Peninsula.
Brunch at The Town Plaza
Before a day of wine tasting, start your day with a filling brunch! The Town Plaza is known for its comfortable outdoor seating and innovative brunch menu that changes seasonally. They are famous for their pork-centric dishes including Tasso Benedict—Tasso ham, English muffin, poached egg, Cajun sauce, and potato.
Swing by the Mission Point Lighthouse
Start your day on the Old Mission Peninsula by driving up to the top and work your way down. The Mission Point Lighthouse is at the very north end of M-37. You’ll pass by cherry tree orchards and vineyards on your drive up through the Old Mission Peninsula.
Don’t Miss Seeing This: The Mission Point Lighthouse at the peninsula’s tip is on the 45th parallel, which marks the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole. You can take a photo of where the line is!
My Top 3 Wineries on Old Mission
Chateau Chantal – Famous for their Ice Wine!
Chateau Chantal has everything you could want: a beautiful French-style inn, cooking classes, jazz, wine dinners, and cellar tours. If you’re just dropping in for a visit, I recommend ordering a flight to try a variety of the wines. Our favorite was “Celebrate” which we ended up purchasing a bottle of to bring with us up to Mackinac Island!
Chateau Chantal is Michigan’s oldest ice wine producer! Ice wine is made from grapes that have been partially frozen on the vine. Chateau Chantal has been making ice wine since the early 1990’s. Michigan’s climate in this region is one of the few areas in the U.S. that’s ideally suited for the production of ice wine. Save a glass for dessert – it’s sweet but so delicious.
Bonoboo Winery – Best Sparkling Wines and Tasting Room
Bonoboo Winery offers their guests a relaxing atmosphere with fantastic artisan wines made on site. A few of their most popular wines are their Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. This year they just released a new Sauvignon Blanc made from the winery’s own grapes.
What sets Bonoboo apart from the other wineries on Old Mission are their sparkling wines! They make a crisp and refreshing Blanc de Blancs, and a Sparkling Rosé with a smooth dry finish. Both were spectacular and perfect for enjoying on their patio. These were the best sparkling wines we found out of any of the wineries we visited on Old Mission.
I really enjoyed the layout and design of the Bonoboo Tasting room. They have a spacious deck with comfortable furniture on a warm day, or a cozy inside that’s warm and inviting. Bonoboo’s tasting room was specifically designed to provide separate, private areas for groups and couples to hang out while tasting.
Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery – Best Frosé
At over 111 acres, Brys Estate Vineyard is one of the largest vineyards and wineries on Old Mission. I loved their outdoor deck that has gorgeous panoramic views of the vineyards and the Grand Traverse Bay.
Brys has a wide selection for their wine tasting flights and charcuteries if you’re hungry. Brys Estate has a focus on red wines, but features a wide variety of vintages. They are also one of the few wineries that serves a fantastic frosé!
Walkthrough the Cherry Orchards
Traverse City is known as the “Cherry Capital of the World”. Even the airport is called Cherry Capital Airport! The five counties around Traverse City make up the region that produces 40 percent of the annual cherry crop in the United States.
The Old Mission Peninsula is lined with beautiful rows of cherry trees.Take a moment and pull over and take in the beauty of the cherry trees and rolling hills.
Dinner at Trattoria Stella
If you can only eat at one place in Traverse City, make it Trattoria Stella. Trattoria Stella has everything you could want in a restaurant: friendly and knowledgeable service, a cozy and intimate setting, and a menu that will blow you away.
Located at the beautiful and historic Grand Traverse Commons, the restaurant has a cozy intimate feel. Exposed brick and hidden alcoves to dine in make you feel like you are in Italy as soon as you sit down.
They offer about five different seasonal kinds of pasta each night. One of their signature dishes is the grilled octopus. The octopus at Stella’s simmers for 6 hours before getting grilled for the perfect combo of tender and charred. If you haven’t had octopus before, this is the perfect place to try it!
I loved dining here because it gives you a chance to step outside your comfort zone and try something new!
Traverse City Weekend: Day 2 – Explore Downtown and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Brunch at Brasserie Amie
Start your day with brunch at an award-winning Parisian restaurant, Brasserie Amie. The decor here is charming and chic, and the staff was so welcoming. They have an extensive list of specialty coffees and french inspired cocktails. Don’t miss trying their signature crème brûlée latte – a vanilla latte with a caramel crust made by using a culinary torch to caramelize the sugar. The poached eggs with smoked salmon were also delicious!
Shop Downtown
Downtown Traverse City reminds me of the iconic “small town USA” feel. You can browse local independently owned bookstores or antique stores. In July, it’s the main location for the beloved National Cherry Festival that draws thousands of visitors every year.
Ice Cream at Moomer’s
Moomer’s Homemade Ice Cream is the perfect stop on your way to Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.
Their family-run kitchen makes over 160 different flavors of ice cream with 20 rotating flavors available daily. Moomer’s signature flavor is Cherries Moobilee, a mix of black cherry-flavored ice cream with chunks of black and red cherries, chocolate fudge swirl, and chunks of homemade brownies.
Can’t decide? Order one of their ice cream flights and try five different flavors!
Explore Sleeping Bear Dunes
In 2011, Good Morning America called Sleeping Bear Dunes the most beautiful place in the United States. I knew I had to visit this northwest corner of Michigan for myself to see what the excitement was all about. You could spend 2-3 days camping and exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes. However, if you’re looking to see the main highlights of the area, you can’t miss hiking the Empire Bluff Trail and taking the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.
Empire Bluff Trail
This 1.5 mile hike is one of Michigan’s most popular hikes! The views at the top are spectacular overlooking Lake Michigan. There’s plenty of parking at the base of the hiking trail and benches at the top to enjoy the views.
This trail does have a couple of areas with steeper climbs but is overall it is a good family-friendly hike. The hiking trail is easy and well maintained. The flat gravel path that was added is smooth enough that it can be walked in almost any footwear.
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
I loved this beautiful 7.4-mile loop with stunning panoramas of the dunes, Lake Michigan and Glen Lake. They have so many scenic outlooks to stop at and take in the views, it will be hard to pick your favorite!
Stop #1 Covered Bridge
I recommend stopping at Stop #1 to see the Covered Bridge and Stop #9 for the Lake Michigan Outlook. We stopped at the Lake Michigan Outlook near sunset, and it was beautiful to watch the sun sink into the lake on top of the sand dunes overlooking Lake Michigan.
Stop #9 Lake Michigan Outlook
There is an entry fee of $25 per vehicle, that is valid for 7 days.
Dinner at The Little Fleet
In downtown Traverse City, the Little Fleet is a collection of food trucks that reflects the diverse restaurant culture of Traverse City. Run by local entrepreneurs, you’ll find food trucks with food from brick oven pizzas to BBQ. The pizzas from Traverse City Pizza Company, and burgers from Glendale Ave. were two of our favorites!
Traverse City Pizza Company
Glendale Ave. Burgers
There’s a spacious patio seating area with a fire pit and full bar. We saw so many locals with their pets enjoying a summer night out. Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a relaxing casual spot for dinner in Traverse City. You can visit their website here for a full list of their food trucks and events!
2 Days Traverse City Weekend Itinerary: Summary
Traverse City is one of the few places I’ve been that has retained its “real American small town” feel with a thriving community that continues to grow. Bon Appétit named Traverse City one of America’s “Five Top Foodie Towns,”. Even with almost 40 vineyards, and wineries Traverse City is just as well known for its microbreweries and micro-distilleries.
The glacier-carved landscape that results in rolling hills lined with cherry trees is truly spectacular. Traverse City is the perfect place to be outside – whether it’s on a hiking trail or at the beach. Even with just 2 days Traverse City, I guarantee your heart will quickly be captivated , and you will leave already making plans to return back as soon as possible.
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This place looks so charming and I’ve never heard of it! Thank you for sharing! Sidenote: I also love your feature on your the blog that shows where you currently are! So cute!
Author
Haha thanks! I’m so glad you like that feature too!
Wow, Michigan looks like such a beautiful, mesmerising place, I would love to visit someday!!! It seems like there’s plenty to keep a traveller busy 🙂
Author
There really is! You’ll love it when you go!
You have to come back and go to Fish town.
Author
I will! Do you have any recommendations?
Looks like a very photogenic town, i bet its so pretty there in the fall. I’ve tried the Chantal ice wine before and it’s delicious 😋
Author
That’s so cool you’ve tried the Chantal ice wine too!
Wow, never heard of ice wine! Would love to try that out! 😀
Author
Ice wine is amazing!
What an awesome travel guide for Traverse City, Michigan. After reading this, we are definitely going to visit someday. The landscape looks amazing and all of your tips on food to indulge in look so fun!
Author
The landscape is so beautiful! You’ll love it!
The pizza and burger and burger look so delish, and I adore that charming little covered bridge! But I’m really commenting to say how much I like the outfits 🙂
those covered bridges are SO cool! i’d love to spend some time in this charming town… and try that Cherries Moobilee ice cream 🍦 💖
Author
The covered bridges were gorgeous!
Traverse City looks like such a charming, peaceful place! I’d love to sample the wine and the ice crea! I’d also love to enjoy the hike and scenic drive, they look beautiful! I hope I get an opportunity to visit one day. Thanks for the great guide!
Traverse City looks like such a fun and cool place to spend the weekend! I’d love to try the ice wine as that is a wine I haven’t tried. Taking a walk with views of Lake Michigan and seeing those covered bridges would be top of my list. And I’ve never seen a flight of ice cream, I’d have to try that!
I love this area! I’ve been to Traverse City a lot growing up, but I’d love to return now as an adult. The creme brulee looks sooooo good!
I actually haven’t heard of Traverse City before, but it looks like the perfect place to visit for a weekend. Those trips to the wineries look like so much fun, and the food also looks incredible!
Chateau Fontaine, Rove, and Mari are our all time favorites. There are so many wineries that you will for find something you love1
Moomers Homemade Icecream and the Chateau Chantal look amazing! Anytime we can find a winery that’s also an inn is our absolute favorite. It seems like they are always the most peaceful!
Author
You definitely need to visit both when you go! They’re amazing!
We will certainly have to plan a visit to Traverse City in Michigan when the U.S. border opens. I would love to visit an up and coming wine region! Hubby loves his wines sweet so would definitely have to try the ice wines. How fun to stay in a B&B with rooms named for impressionist artists.
I love sour cherries so I would be in heaven here. I bet you can get sour cherry pie at every restaurant in town in late June! Great post.
Author
I didn’t think to look for sour cherries! Great suggestion!
Great post and great photos, especially the food! I’d love to travel around Michigan more.
Author
Thanks! Traverse City was such a great foodie spot!
What a beautiful area, more to do there than I realized! I wasn’t aware it’s the cherry capital of the world!
I am so sad that I never explored more of Michigan when I lived in Ohio! I’m from Toledo, and this was a 5 hour drive from me. You’re really making me want to go back and do a tour of the state of Michigan. There really is so much beauty there!
Author
There is! Lots of hidden gems!
You look like you had so much fun doing this. I love a good winery tour and tasting.
Looks like an incredible 2 days! That covered bridge and hike are so picturesque. But of course I’m going for the wine and ice cream flight 🙂
Author
Same! The best of both worlds!
Travese City is a great place to go anytime from May through October. The fall colors are amazing my favorite restaurant is Apache Grille.
Author
I’m sure! The pictures looked stunning!
Don’t forget the local Airbnb’s. Traverse city boasts the best, friendly hosts. This post is spot on. Stella’s …you need reservations…and they are booked already for August.
Author
Do you have any favorite AirBnb’s?!
This was very lovely to read. Beautiful photos and very informative thanks for sharing.
Traverse city looks lovely and scenic but I don’t think I could handle all the sugary food and drinks :oP
Author
Haha it was a lot of sugar, but it was a fun vacation!
Wow! You fit a lot into 2 days in Traverse City! I live in Michigan and I always feel like there is never enough time to see everything! We just got back from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and it is so beautiful!
Author
It was a busy two days! I’m so glad you liked it too!
I’m in Milwaukee and this looks like a fantastic long weekend destination! What a variety of things to do. Great article, thanks!
Author
Definitely a great weekend getaway from Milwaukee!
The ice-cream flight from Moomer’s Homemade Ice Cream looks delicious. I would love to try that 😍
Traverse City sounds like such an awesome spot, and I keep hearing so much about it! I would love to try that ice cream flight, visit some of the wineries, and hike the Empire Bluff Trail. It’s so scenic! Thanks for sharing this awesome guide.
Ooo, you’ve definitely convinced me to add Traverse City to my Michigan list! I adore those cherry orchards and would love to take that scenic drive!
What a scenic place with yummy looking food! I’ve really had a peak interest in northern Michigan lately!
I’ve never heard of ice wine. I’ll have to find a bottle and give it a try
Author
It’s so good! Sweet, but good!
Me too! I would love to try the ice wine! <3
I visited Michigan last year but didn’t get a chance to go to Traverse City, so I’ll have to go back soon! I love ice wine, so I’m definitely adding Chateau Chantal to my list of wineries to visit
Author
Chateau Chantal was great! You’ll love their ice wine!
I think a visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes is absolutely a must. The hike gives a pretty view and I like that covered bridge, too. Trattoria Stella sounds yummy! My husband will love the octopus.
This looks like an amazing place to visit! All the food, looks so delicious and you can’t go wrong with a wine tour!
Author
We were blown away by all the wines! Highly recommend them!
Wow! This looks like a perfect weekend trip. I’m so glad you had so much fun.
So much to learn from your post. I never knew that Michigan was the cherry capital of the world! And a flight of ice cream–sounds delightful. Your pictures are great and you capture the area perfectly.
Author
Thank you so much! The ice cream flight was the best part!
I grew up in Ohio and had no idea we had wine regions in the area! What an amazing way to spend a weekend!
I have to admit I’ve never heard of Traverse City but you’ve completely sold me on it. I love your itinerary and when the borders to the US open up again, I am definitely adding this place to the list. That covered bridge is just *chefs kisses*. Fantastic guide!
Author
Thank you, Missy! We’re just as anxious to get borders reopened to everyone again too!
I’m a huge fan of sparkling wines so you had me from the beginning!!
Author
Yes! Me too!
Thank you for introducing me to Traverse City, although I think cherries and wines alone are enough reason for me to visit!
Such a complete guide to Traverse City, and the photos are stunning. My family is from Michigan, but it has been years since I have been back. Your post has reinspired me.
Author
Thanks, Faith! I’m so glad to hear that!
This Traverse City guide is incredibly helpful. You’ve really thought through everything you need to know before planning a trip. Thank you for this helpful resource. Saving this guide for later!
Author
Thank you so much!
I love Traverse City and have been wanted to return for years (but then covid). Thanks for this post, it will be a great reference for planning a road trip!
I read this in January when we were dreaming and planning our summer camping travels and made notes! We just visited Traverse City yesterday and here are my additions: Pierce Stocking drive is an hour east from Traverse City, instead of north to the lighthouse so it would be hard to do both in one day. We loved picking our own cherries with a bonus lavender farm! I even bought lavender plants to bring home! Also there are many places to kick off your shoes and walk the sandy beaches, you could even bring swimsuits and hop in the water!
Author
Thank you so much for these comments, Tracy! I’ll need to go back and check out cherry picking and the lavender farm!