Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse City, Michigan, United States

Traverse City’s claim to fame is its position as the largest producer of tart cherries in the United States. The Michigan city hosts annual events to celebrate the cherry harvests, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. The land is also ripe for Traverse City’s numerous vineyards, which place it among the Midwest’s top centers of wine production. After touring the orchards and attending the wine tasting events, head to Traverse City’s freshwater beaches, the National Lakeshore, downhill skiing areas, and verdant forests.

Population:

15.515

Currency:

US Dollar, $1=100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

911

Opening Hours:

Most stores are open seven days a week 10am to 9pm, or later. Bars and clubs tend to close around 2am.

Newspapers:

Northern Express
Associated Press
Grand Traverse Insider
Momstyle News

The City

Traverse City is the largest city in the Northern Michigan region, and it is the largest producer of cherries in the United States. Every July, during the cherry harvest, Traverse City plays host to the National Cherry Festival. This celebration of one of the U.S.'s favorite and most versatile fruits draws approximately half a million visitors each year. It is estimated the the Grand Traverse Region produces 360,000,000 pounds of cherries annually. In addition to cherries, the Grand Traverse region is a top grape-growing and wine-producing region in the United States.

The Traverse City area features varied natural attractions and numerous forests. Named "la grande traverse"(the long bay) by French explorers, this city lives up to its original name by offering all who enter a taste of grandeur and delight. It is home to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the offshore Manitou Islands of Lake Michigan. Some of the activities offered by the great outdoors of Grand Traverse Region include fishing, hiking, skiing, tubing, kayaking, and numerous educational opportunities concerning the area's abundant wildlife and natural resources.

Additionally, Traverse City is a historic and cultural gem of the Great Lakes region. It is home to a number of museums and the location of the Traverse City Film Festival, a week-long celebration of the medium of film co-founded by Michigan native Michael Moore.

Traverse City consistently ranks on the top of lists of places to visit by popular travel sites and publications. It was also listed as one of the top 10 places to retire in the U.S. by U.S. News as well as one of the Top 25 places to retire by CNN's Money Magazine thus proving that Traverse City isn't just a great place to play. It's also a great place to stay.

Do & See

Traverse City is filled to the brim with attractions, courses, art galleries, and even a corn maze! It is also home to a number of annual festivals, including the famous National Cherry Festival, which draws over 500,000 visitors to Northern Michigan to celebrate the cherry harvest each year, and the Traverse City Film Festival, which highlights the work of independent film makers and documentarians every summer. If you are looking for a night of elegance or a day of fun, Traverse City has all you could want plus much, much more.

Dining

No matter what is your preferred cuisine or specialty, Traverse City offers them all. From Asian to Italian, American, French, Mexican or Middle Eastern, you can try something new or a new twist on something you love. This city can take your dining experience to an entire new level.

Cafés

Teas, coffees, and pastries are abundant in this bustling city. Here is a city that is a perfect balance of the familiar, commercial brands with popular local hot spots. If the fast and exciting pace is just too much to handle at one time, you can always sneak away into the nice and calm ambiance of the many cafes in Traverse City.