Guidebook for Traverse City
Food Scene
Just down the street, great coffee and pre-made breakfast burritos for a quick bite in the AM.
Breakaway Café & Coffee Bar
1990 US-31Just down the street, great coffee and pre-made breakfast burritos for a quick bite in the AM.
Casual bar with great food. Ride your bike down the TART trail and pull up to the deck overlooking East Bay.
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Bayview Inn Bar & Grill
5074 US-31 NCasual bar with great food. Ride your bike down the TART trail and pull up to the deck overlooking East Bay.
Upscale restaurant with a bar side that has all day/every day happy hour with great small plates and drinks plus TV's to watch the game.
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McGee’s 72
4341 M-72Upscale restaurant with a bar side that has all day/every day happy hour with great small plates and drinks plus TV's to watch the game.
Authentic Tacos and Homemade Salsas! Restaurant isn't in the best shape, advise take out.
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Osorio Tacos Y Salsas
6037 US-31Authentic Tacos and Homemade Salsas! Restaurant isn't in the best shape, advise take out.
Retro burger diner down the street with great burgers, curly fries and shakes.
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Don's Drive-In
2030 US-31Retro burger diner down the street with great burgers, curly fries and shakes.
Spanglish
1333 Yellow DrAuthentic Tacos at the Grand Traverse Commons.
Mama Lu's - A Modern Day Taco Shop
149 E Front StGreat downtown taco spot.
Very nice tapas restaurant in the Warehouse district.
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Alliance Restaurant
144 Hall StVery nice tapas restaurant in the Warehouse district.
Best burgers in town served up in an old historic house on TC's west side.
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Slabtown Burgers
826 W Front StBest burgers in town served up in an old historic house on TC's west side.
Very nice Italian restaurant in the GT Commons with a great wine bar.
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PepeNero
700 Cottageview DrVery nice Italian restaurant in the GT Commons with a great wine bar.
Can be a little slow but arguably the best brunch spot in TC.
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Patisserie Amie
Can be a little slow but arguably the best brunch spot in TC.
The Towne Plaza
203 Cass StMy go to brunch spot.
Bubba's
428 E Front StGreat burgers downtown.
The Little Fleet
448 E Front StVery cool food truck lot with attached bar.
Very close with good pizza and an attached ice cream shop serving up TC's Famous Moomer's Ice Cream.
East Bay Pizza
4386 US-31Very close with good pizza and an attached ice cream shop serving up TC's Famous Moomer's Ice Cream.
G J's Pizza & Market
2700 Holiday RoadClosest liquor store to the house and also has good pizza!
Fu Hua Chinese Take Out
742 Munson AveGo to close by Chinese takeout spot. Will deliver orders of $20 or more.
Great BBQ right downtown across from the food trucks (Little Fleet)
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Sparks BBQ
201 East Front StreetGreat BBQ right downtown across from the food trucks (Little Fleet)
Good comfort food (BBQ, Burgers Mac & Cheese) with a rooftop bar and Beer Garden in the back.
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Blue Tractor Barbeque
423 S Union StGood comfort food (BBQ, Burgers Mac & Cheese) with a rooftop bar and Beer Garden in the back.
Nice Asian restaurant overlooking the Boardman river with great martinis.
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Firefly Restaurant
310 N Cass StNice Asian restaurant overlooking the Boardman river with great martinis.
Nice upper deck seating area on a summer day to grab a drink and charcuterie.
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The Franklin
Nice upper deck seating area on a summer day to grab a drink and charcuterie.
Drinks & Nightlife
Prohibition themed cocktail lounge with great hand crafted drinks. Happy hour 4-7, 50% off drinks, 25% off food.
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The Parlor TC
205 Lake AveProhibition themed cocktail lounge with great hand crafted drinks. Happy hour 4-7, 50% off drinks, 25% off food.
They have a solid lineup of house crafted brews, plus many other locals on tap as well as a full bar if you prefer a cocktail. Good brew pub food as well, Pork Belly Nachos are my go to.
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Rare Bird Brewpub
229 Lake AveThey have a solid lineup of house crafted brews, plus many other locals on tap as well as a full bar if you prefer a cocktail. Good brew pub food as well, Pork Belly Nachos are my go to.
Great beer and amazing flat breads in the old train depot overlooking Boardman Lake.
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The Filling Station Microbrewery
642 Railroad PlGreat beer and amazing flat breads in the old train depot overlooking Boardman Lake.
Right Brain Brewery
225 E Sixteenth StLarge list of creative craft brews.
Newest downtown brewery that's in a cool indoor marketplace with multiple food vendors.
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MiddleCoast Brewing Company
329 E State StNewest downtown brewery that's in a cool indoor marketplace with multiple food vendors.
Off the beaten path but some really delicious and creative brews.
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Brewery Terra Firma
2959 Hartman RdOff the beaten path but some really delicious and creative brews.
Only brewery out on Old Mission Peninsula and has good food. Known for their sour beers if that's your thing. There is also an upscale restaurant and distillery/tasting room attached called Mission Table.
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Jolly Pumpkin Restaurant & Brewery
13512 Peninsula DrOnly brewery out on Old Mission Peninsula and has good food. Known for their sour beers if that's your thing. There is also an upscale restaurant and distillery/tasting room attached called Mission Table.
Cool hidden spot with Mead (like cider except made from honey).
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Acoustic Tap Room
17140 S Maple StCool hidden spot with Mead (like cider except made from honey).
Great for any whiskey enthusiast (best Old Fashioned in town), and they make a great cherry whiskey sour for those shy about rye.
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Traverse City Whiskey Co.
201 E 14th StGreat for any whiskey enthusiast (best Old Fashioned in town), and they make a great cherry whiskey sour for those shy about rye.
Speakeasy themed cocktail lounge below 7 monks taproom. Take the elevator down 1 floor to find the dark lounge with great cocktails.
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Low Bar
128 S Union StSpeakeasy themed cocktail lounge below 7 monks taproom. Take the elevator down 1 floor to find the dark lounge with great cocktails.
All around great bar. Pool/darts/Foosball in the gaming area, couches and fireplace in the lounge section and stage/dance floor for live music and dancing. Extensive whiskey selection and food menu as well. Usually a small cover charge ($2-3)
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Kilkennys Irish Public House
400 W Front StAll around great bar. Pool/darts/Foosball in the gaming area, couches and fireplace in the lounge section and stage/dance floor for live music and dancing. Extensive whiskey selection and food menu as well. Usually a small cover charge ($2-3)
Bootleggers and Dillinger's aka Boots & Dills aka the Double Wide. Two downtown drinking bars that are connected, cheap drinks, younger crowd. Get the pepper jack cheese balls!
Bootlegger's
119 S Union StBootleggers and Dillinger's aka Boots & Dills aka the Double Wide. Two downtown drinking bars that are connected, cheap drinks, younger crowd. Get the pepper jack cheese balls!
Another cheap downtown drinking bar next to Boots and Dills, has live music/dj's and a small dance floor.
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Union Street Station
117 S Union StAnother cheap downtown drinking bar next to Boots and Dills, has live music/dj's and a small dance floor.
LGBT friendly bar with cheap drinks and a fun dance scene. $5 cover
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SideTraxx Dance Bar
520 Franklin StLGBT friendly bar with cheap drinks and a fun dance scene. $5 cover
Nightclub/dance spot at the Holiday Inn West Bay. Also a good day spot with beach lounges and games.
View Nightclub at West Bay Beach Resort
615 E Front StNightclub/dance spot at the Holiday Inn West Bay. Also a good day spot with beach lounges and games.
Cool brewery with great outdoor space in Suttons Bay, up the Leelanau peninsula. Great spot on a sunny day.
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Hop Lot Brewing Company station
Cool brewery with great outdoor space in Suttons Bay, up the Leelanau peninsula. Great spot on a sunny day.
Cool little cider house with the best view on Leelanau Peninsula. Grab a flight of cider, snag a group picture on the deck overlooking west bay/power island and play fetch with Mark's awesome dog Gordy!
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Suttons Bay Ciders
10530 E Hilltop RdCool little cider house with the best view on Leelanau Peninsula. Grab a flight of cider, snag a group picture on the deck overlooking west bay/power island and play fetch with Mark's awesome dog Gordy!
Best winery on Old Mission. $5 for 5 tastes and you get to keep the wine glass. Known as the dog winery, family owned/operated so it has a very comfortable and casual, laid back feel.
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Bowers Harbor Vineyards
2896 Bowers Harbor RdBest winery on Old Mission. $5 for 5 tastes and you get to keep the wine glass. Known as the dog winery, family owned/operated so it has a very comfortable and casual, laid back feel.
Cocktail lounge on top of the historic Park Place hotel overlooking downtown and west bay.
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Beacon Lounge
300 E State StCocktail lounge on top of the historic Park Place hotel overlooking downtown and west bay.
Head up to the rooftop bar for a drink overlooking West End Beach.
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Hotel Indigo Traverse City
263 W Grandview PkwyHead up to the rooftop bar for a drink overlooking West End Beach.
Everything Else
Brewery set back in the Grand Traverse Commons with good beer and a nice husband & wife owner/operator duo.
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Earthen Ales
1371 Gray DrBrewery set back in the Grand Traverse Commons with good beer and a nice husband & wife owner/operator duo.
Renovated old state hospital is an all in one community with shopping, restaurants and winery/brewery.
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The Village at Grand Traverse Commons
1200 W Eleventh StRenovated old state hospital is an all in one community with shopping, restaurants and winery/brewery.
Parks & Nature
Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area
Red DriveWalk down the end of Pine drive and pick up the trail to this great little nature area with multiple loops ranging from 1/3 mile to 1.5 miles.
George & Ada Reffitt Nature Preserve
West LaneWalk down the end of Pine drive and pick up the trail to this great little nature area with multiple loops ranging from 1/3 mile to 1.5 miles.
Ski/tube the slopes in the winter or hit the zip lines in the summer. Just a few miles from the house.
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Mt. Holiday Ski and Recreational Area
3100 Holiday RdSki/tube the slopes in the winter or hit the zip lines in the summer. Just a few miles from the house.
Great little beach area on East Bay just down the street from the house. Has full restroom facilities, picnic table and charcoal grill. Kind of a hidden spot so rarely busy.
Gens Park
2263 Munson AvenueGreat little beach area on East Bay just down the street from the house. Has full restroom facilities, picnic table and charcoal grill. Kind of a hidden spot so rarely busy.
Sightseeing
Drive up the peninsula and check out the light house, hike the trails and then stop at wineries for tastings on your way back down.
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Old Mission Lighthouse
Drive up the peninsula and check out the light house, hike the trails and then stop at wineries for tastings on your way back down.
Getting Around
The BATA bus is a cheap way to get all around the TC area. The Bayliner route is FREE, runs daily from 7am-11pm, with a 12-15 minute frequency. Picks up at 4 mile/US 31 and will take you downtown. Look for a small bus stop sign and blue/green adirondack chairs to mark the pickup/drop off spots.
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BATA
115 Hall StThe BATA bus is a cheap way to get all around the TC area. The Bayliner route is FREE, runs daily from 7am-11pm, with a 12-15 minute frequency. Picks up at 4 mile/US 31 and will take you downtown. Look for a small bus stop sign and blue/green adirondack chairs to mark the pickup/drop off spots.
Entertainment & Activities
State Theatre
233 E Front StHistoric downtown movie theater, affordable and fun.
Lucky Jack's Bowling Center
1705 S Garfield AveIncredible Mo's
1355 Silver Lake Crossings BlvdMini Golf, Go Karts and a water slide just down the street, (Can walk there on the TART trail)
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Pirate's Cove Adventure Park
1710 US-31Mini Golf, Go Karts and a water slide just down the street, (Can walk there on the TART trail)