Traverse City Tourism

The Traverse City Pit Spitters is a minor league baseball team that plays at Turtle Creek Stadium just south of Traverse City. The league comprises of 22 teams across the Midwest and Canada. It’s a proven leader in developing elite college baseball players in their quest to make the Major Leagues. It’s more than a baseball game, it’s family fun entertainment where kids get to run the bases, join in mid-inning contests and help with a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.”

Voted by ABC Good Morning America viewers as the “Most Beautiful Place in America,” the Park encompasses more than 70,000 acres of dunes, forests, lakes, bluffs, and wetlands. With 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, inland lakes, and more than a hundred miles of trails to explore, this is always one of the most popular attractions around Traverse City. The most popular activity is the Dune Climb, a steep dune of nearly 300 feet that once you reach the top you get an amazing view of Lake Michigan and Glen Lake. Take the seven-and-a-half-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive with a tree-covered twisting road and multiple scenic lookouts. The Park includes a U.S. Coast Guard Museum and the South Manitou Island Lighthouse. Ferries to North and South Manitou run through Manitou Island Transit. National Park fees apply.

The globally respected Interlochen Center for the Arts has been a driver of the arts culture in the region for generations. Located just southwest of Traverse City, and located on a beautiful 1,200-acre campus, Interlochen hosts thousands of young artists who in just a few short years will be performing on some of the most prestigious stages in the world. Its summer arts festival hosts top-tier performers in the 4,000-seat Kresge Auditorium on the shores of scenic Green Lake. There is nothing that compares to listening to a live concert, watching a theatrical performance, or viewing a variety of artistic talent on different medium while visiting the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

If ever there was a perfect place for a shopping adventure, it would have to be downtown Traverse City. Front Street’s evocative brick sidewalks and 19th-century Victorian storefronts are a wonderful setting, especially throughout the year when the trees overhead show off their natural displays. Spring brings white blossoms, autumn brings rich fall colors and winter shows off fresh snow-covered branches adorned with twinkling lights. Downtown’s 150 shops, boutiques, galleries and restaurants are filled with new discoveries just waiting to be found, and there are also fun events on tap to make things even more interesting, from the Downtown Street Sale in the summer, to Men’s and Ladies’ Nights in December.

Contemporary art comes to life in the permanent collection of 50 works. The outdoor art is framed by 30 acres of a forest preserve. It was voted by USA Today readers as one of the top art parks in the country. The Art Park hosts thousands of visitors and students each year. It features miles of trails, world-class outdoor concerts, art, and nature workshops, plus it includes an extensive education program. The Michigan Legacy Art Park is a non-profit arts organization founded by acclaimed artist David Barr in 1995. His intent was to enrich lives through experiences that connect art with nature and Michigan history. The Park is open every day of the year from dawn until dusk

Along the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are two wine-growing regions that make up the Traverse Wine Coast. Here over 40 wineries produce award-winning wines that are nurtured by a micro-climate of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay. Cool-climate grapes enjoy a temperate growing season and protective layers of snow cover the wintering vines. Wineries here are known for Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Chardonnay, as well as sparkling and fruit wines. Many of the wineries provide tasting rooms that allow for a relaxed and beautiful atmosphere to sample carefully crafted wines.

Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) covers 900 square miles of northwest Michigan and assists with over a half-million annual rides. It serves residents and visitors in Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties. BATA has both loop services with dedicated routes and fixed stopped around Traverse City and the surrounding region. They have introduced programs like Bike-n-Ride, Ski-n-Ride, and easy access to special events like the National Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival. Rates are from free for the Bayline Route, to $1.50 for the City Look, $3 for the Village Loop, and $6 for On-Demand service. Reduced rates are available for students, seniors, active military, veterans, and people with disabilities. Children five and under ride free with a paying adult. Benzie Bus has 22 Traverse City connecting routes that cover areas that include Frankfort and Beulah. Commercial bus service is offered by Indian Trails with a Traverse City hub that connects nationwide. A variety of bus companies offer tour buses that include trips to wineries, breweries, fall colors, or special events like weddings and family reunions. TraverseCity.com connects to bus tour services. Uber and Lyft rideshare services are available in Traverse City as are taxi services. Find them at TraverseCity.com.

A splendid example of adaptive reuse, Grand Traverse Commons is one of the largest historical reconstruction sites in America. Stately buildings, that were once part of the Traverse City State Hospital, have been given new life as residential and retail spaces. With contemporary shops, boutiques, restaurants, beer, and wine tasting, shoppers can find things like artisan-made jewelry, clothing made from natural fibers, handmade soaps, local paintings, and artwork. The Village is set on 480 acres of parkland with features that include hiking and biking trails, a historic barn and community gardens.