What are fun things to do in Traverse City, Michigan?

Originally answered Sep 19, 2019

This answer includes nearby Leelanau and Benzie counties.

Food

1. Apache Trout Grill
2. Trattoria Stella
3. The Cook’s House
4. Slabtown Burgers
5. Scalawags Whitefish & Chips
6. The Omelette Shoppe
7. Food Trucks
8. Gold Baby Biscuits (Sutton’s Bay)
9. The Cove (Leland) for seafood chowder and the Chubby Mary
10. Fischer’s Happy Hour Tavern (Leland)
11. Blu (Glen Arbor) for the early bird special at 5 p.m.
12. Boonedocks (Glen Arbor) for Canadian zander perch and live music on the deck
13. Art’s Tavern (Glen Arbor)
14. Foothills Café (East side of Glen Lake)
15. La Bécasse (Burdickville)
16. Trattoria Funistrada (Burdickville)

Fun

• Downtown Traverse City

1. Shopping
2. Bars
3. Grand Traverse Distillery Tasting Room
4. State Theatre and Bijou by the Bay
5. Traverse City Film Festival
6. City Opera House
7. Live Music

• Sail on a Tall Ship
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

1. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
2. The Dune Climb
3. Empire Bluff Trail
4. Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail for biking
5. The Manitou Islands

• Glen Arbor

1. Shopping
2. Cherry Republic
3. Manitou Music Festival
4. Rent a boat on Glen Lake

— Glen Craft Marina

— On the Narrows Marina

5. Crystal River Outfitters

— Stand-Up Paddle boards

— Canoeing and Kayaking

— The Cyclery for bike rentals

6. Homestead Resort for kayaks, tubes, aqua-cycles, and stand-up paddle boards

7. All About Water for guided kayak tours

• Leland

1. Shopping
2. Fishtown
3. Charter Fishing

• Sutton’s Bay for shopping
• Interlochen Center for the Arts for concerts
• Wineries

1. Old Mission Peninsula
2. Leelanau Peninsula

Golf

1. Arcadia Bluffs
2. The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
3. The Wolverine at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
4. LochenHeath Golf Club
5. Manitou Passage Golf Club
6. Sugar Loaf — The Old Course
7. Bahle Farms
8. Crystal Mountain
9. Pinecroft Golf Course
10. Champion Hill Golf Course

Lodging

1. Park Place Hotel
2. Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
3. Any of the hotels right on the bay in Traverse City
4. The Homestead Resort (Glen Arbor)
5. Glen Arbor Bed & Breakfast (Glen Arbor)
6. Crystal Mountain Resort (Thompsonville)