Traverse City, MI

Traverse City is a lesser known tourist city in northern Michigan. It sits at the southern most point of Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan.

Traverse City is a wonderful little town in northern Michigan that is (apparently) a well known spot for tourists. This town has all the small town charm with local restaurants, breweries, and tons of local ice cream shops! I visited right around 4th of July which is either the time to go or the time to avoid depending on who you are. I thought it was the perfect time because there was a little hustle and bustle with the local Cherry Festival coming to town. A lot of the locals I spoke with told me that they avoid this time of the year because of how many tourists were visiting.

I camped on a boat ramp nearby and drove to the beach each morning to work during the day. The city has a number of public beaches that are open to whoever gets the parking spots first. There are also walking paths and restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, and so much more within walking distance!

I also was lucky enough to catch the Blue Angels performing the week of 4th of July! Locals know to go to the practice session the day before to watch the air show. It was a really cool experience. Being in Michigan during Fourth of July is big time Americana vibes and I loved it.