My husband and I haven’t been to Traverse City in over 10 years and we only had a day to spend in the city at the time. Unfortunately I sprained my ankle on the fifth (and final) day of backpacking prior to visiting Traverse City so we weren’t able to get around as much as we had originally planned. As a young child I also visited Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes so I was thrilled to return with my entire family, including my parents, this summer. We tried doing a bit of everything so I you’ll find quite the assortment of activities to do and places to see below. Check it out!
Location, Location, Location
We stayed at Cambria hotel & suites which was voted the ‘best hotel’ by Choice Hotels International 6 years in a row. And it is no surprise they were voted ‘best hotel’ with their superb hospitality, cleanliness, friendliness of staff and rooms. It’s located just minutes from downtown Traverse City and located right on the main street that runs through downtown. But don’t worry, if you don’t want to spend time (and money) looking for a parking spot near the beautiful sandy beaches and parks just take Cambria’s free hotel shuttle downtown that daily. However, keep in mind if you have young children still in carseats you’ll need to bring those along. So we decided to forgo the shuttle since we have three kids still in carseats and booster seats.
You can’t beat the two bedroom king suite option when you have children. The kiddos had a room to themselves so after they went to sleep, Dan and I could still enjoy the living area, work desk and televisions without disturbing their sleep. As you may guess, the photo of my husband was definitely NOT staged, he was really working and didn’t even realize I took the picture. Yes, attorneys work A LOT. Also, the coffee/microwave/refrigerator area was a huge bonus, especially when you need to prep snacks or to-go lunches for three kids!
Cambria’s full service restaurant, Reflect Bistro, is conveniently located in the hotel lobby and offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and even happy hour! Chef Eric Nittolo serves up fantastic entrees and more daily. Since we were on the go so much we decided to check out their breakfast the morning before we headed back home. Well I’m so glad we did since the food was amazing. I chose the vegetable omelet which comes with three choices of bread, potatoes and fresh fruit topped with a maple cream (so delicious!), Dan chose the eggs benedict, and our kids all enjoyed pancakes and fresh fruit. My parents who had eaten omelets out for breakfast the previous two mornings and said Reflect Bistro’s omelets were much superior to the other two restaurants.
Details not to be overlooked
- All TVs in the rooms have TV guides within the TV. If you’re like us, we can easily see what shows we want to watch using the guide on our TVs at home which most hotels don’t have; however, Cambria hotel & suites has the guide so no flipping through channels!
- Pool and fitness center are open 24 hours per day!
- Coffee shop in the lobby is open 24 hours a day too!
Beaches and Fun Galore
We visited Traverse City Sunday through Wednesday morning so we had no problem getting around town by car. I can imagine wanting to use Cambria hotel & suites’ free shuttle service if we stayed over the weekend to avoid the difficulty in finding a parking spot near the beaches. We visited Clinch Park which has a gorgeous beach, marina, splash pad area, and even a food stand with tons of food options.
The temperature of the water was MUCH colder than we expected (compared to our “small” Lake St. Clair), but the locals said it was normal and they were thrilled it was sunny and that the temps were in the 80’s. I guess that’s northern Michigan 🙂
The kids didn’t seem to mind especially with the splash pad area and huge sandy beach to play in.
Tip: to save money, bring a cooler of food and beverages to the beach (no glass at the beach).
After the beach we visited the famous Cherry Republic in downtown and not only did we get a chance to sample some wine but the kids had a blast too! Yes, this is a ball pit with real cherry pits inside the Cherry Republic store and restaurant.
Wineries and Breweries
It’s quite simple to Google wineries on either Leelenau Peninsula or Old Mission Peninsula. This trip we decided to check out Leelenau Peninsula and visted a few wineries on the way. We stopped at one unique winery, Black Star Farms, that includes a winery, inn and even a farm on the property. The kids had a blast visiting with all the animals. 
And of course I had to stop by and say hi to my favorite farm animal 🙂
We couldn’t visit Traverse City without visiting some wineries, but since we’re much more into beer we also checked out a unique brewery and restaurant combo called the Hop Lot Brewing Co.
We loved their beer selection which was not all ‘hoppy’ as the name suggests but what was even more impressive was the atmosphere. This brewery had almost exclusive outdoor seating which included a beer garden area, a spot for a band and even picnic tables set away from the main seating area which of course we chose since we have three little children. And the best part was they also had cornhole games to amuse the kids while the adults (still supervising) enjoyed beverages and dinner.
Tips: going behind the fenced-in areas where the animals lived is looked down upon at the winery and NOT allowed which we found out after the fact..oops!). Also, make sure to plan your winery visits earlier in the day. Many close by 5 pm and hours vary season to season so call ahead.
National Park Voted Best in the Country
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is located about 30 minutes from Traverse City and is a MUST SEE attraction. Not only because it was voted “Most Beautiful Place in America” by ABC’s Good Morning America but it has some of the most gorgeous views1
I suggest you start at the visitor center in Empire, Michigan. You can purchase a park pass there and get a map of the park. Then follow the directions to the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. It has amazing views of the dunes and Lake Michigan. Here’s one of the outlooks we stopped at to see the amazing views.
The “dune climb” is the location where you’re supposed to climb and I highly recommend it! It’s a fantastic workout!
Tip: If you have the option, visit the dunes on the coolest summer day you can since the sand can get so hot on warm days that you won’t want to climb them without shoes and it’s quite the challenge with them!
As you can tell I’m quite proud of my home state of Michigan and everything it has to offer. I hope you have a chance to visit the Traverse City area sometime or revisit if you haven’t been in quite a while, it’s so worth it!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated to write this post, however our lodging was provided by Traverse City Cambria hotel & suites. And as always, all the opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.
This Summer Travel Fun Awaits in Traverse City post first appeared on Chocolate Slopes.
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