Traverse City

Surrounded by a glacier-carved landscape of deep freshwater lakes and rolling hills, the Traverse City area has 376 kilometers of continuous Lake Michigan shoreline that attracts swimmers, sailors, boaters, beachcombers and kayakers. Discover Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a 100-kilometer curve of beaches, coves, islands and hills that was voted “Most Beautiful Place in America” by viewers of the “Good Morning America” TV show.

Three lighthouses – Mission Point, Frankfort and Grand Traverse – paint a serene picture of the past and draw visitors to the tip of scenic peninsulas. In Leland, anglers will enjoy exploring Fishtown, a historic fishing village, before casting their own lines into some of the country’s finest trout streams.

Best known as a fruit-growing region – and the USA’s leading producer of tart cherries – Traverse City is a major wine and craft beer destination. The Traverse Wine Coast, which encompasses the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas, is dotted with more than 40 vineyards and wineries.

• Distance from Chicago: 323 miles northeast, 5-hour drive
• Stay: Wellington Inn, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Hotel Indigo Traverse City - an IHG Hotel