Grand Traverse: Experience the Shoreline, Nature, and Culture

Grand Traverse offers nature and cultural experiences on several scales. Grand Traverse County has more than 1,600 acres of parkland and 20 miles of trails. The varied options include shoreline trails, loop routes, a paved corridor for urban transportation and recreation, and cultural offerings. This lets you plan your trip around the activities that interest you.

Nature and Shoreline

Maple Bay Natural Area covers 450 acres. Its hiking trails lead to 2,586 feet of shoreline on East Grand Traverse Bay. The area also includes sensitive zones where several endangered plant species are found. Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park lies on the eastern arm of Grand Traverse Bay and has a quarter-mile-long sandy beach.

The Natural Education Reserve trail network extends across more than 500 acres in the Boardman-Ottaway River valley. Power Island is designated as a quiet nature preserve; it has ten primitive campsites. The areas therefore differ significantly in their stated features: shoreline and sensitive plant zones at Maple Bay, a sandy beach at the state park, and a trail network in the river valley.

Trails and Activities

The TART Trail is 10.5 miles long and paved; it serves urban transportation and recreation. The Vasa Pathway’s loop routes offer a different way to navigate: they include 3K, 5K, 10K, and 25K routes. The trail is suitable for cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, running and walking, as well as snowshoeing. The different distances help you gauge the planned route length; activities range from hiking and mountain biking to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Civic Center Park has a one-mile walking path. The amphitheater in the same park hosts several outdoor concerts in summer. Visitors can hike, bike, and cross-country ski year-round in Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area. Those weighing trails against events will find a range of options here: a specific trail length at Civic Center Park, summer concerts, and activities available year-round at Commons Natural Area.

Medalie Park is the southern starting point of the mostly paved Boardman Lake Loop Trail. At the Boardman-Ottaway River, Beitner Park serves as a launch and takeout site for paddlecraft. So, alongside the trails described, there are also destinations connected with the water.

Culture, Concerts, and Wine

Dennos Museum Center has three rotating exhibition galleries, a sculpture court, and an interactive Discovery Gallery. Milliken Auditorium is a 367-seat concert hall that presents an annual concert series focused on world music, jazz, and blues. These venues offer different cultural experiences for museum visits and concerts: rotating exhibitions and an interactive gallery at one, and a recurring annual concert program at the other.

The Village at Grand Traverse Commons was formerly Traverse City State Hospital. An exclusive tour takes visitors through an 1883 brick tunnel; tour availability depends on the date. Mari Vineyards offers guided wine tastings and curated wine flights. There are also behind-the-scenes tours of the production facility and underground wine caves. A culinary wine experience combines a guided cave tour with a seated tasting afterward and seasonal culinary creations. Reservations and seasonal operations may change; check current options before your visit.

The National Cherry Festival takes place annually in Traverse City, Michigan. Dates and program vary by year.

Discover more destinations: Traverse City, Fife Lake, Roscommon County, Luce County, Sanilac County, Ingham, Benzie County, Emmet.

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