The 10 Best Things to do in Grand Traverse County, Grand Traverse County

Welcome to Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery. Spanning 91 acres, Brys Estate is one of the largest contiguous winery estates on Old Mission Peninsula. Opened in 2005, we're a family-run business that crafts wines from our 58,000 vines planted less than a mile from Lake Michigan. The Brys experience includes an old-world tasting room, unique Upper Deck, and a barn-turned-guest house that offers panoramic views of the bay and Old Mission Peninsula.

Grand Traverse Distillery is Michigan's oldest craft distillery and we are family owned. We use 100% locally grown wheat, rye, corn and barley to distill our award winning spirits which include the True North Vodkas [Rye, Wheat, Cherry, Chocolate & Chipotle], Gin, Rum and our Whiskies [Ole George 100% Rye, Bourbon, Cherry Whiskey as well as many small batch specialty ones]. We also offer unaged whiskey to age your own at home. We have 5 Tasting Rooms located throughout the state in Traverse City (on 215 E Front St) Frankenmuth, Kalamazoo, Leland, Suttons Bay (located in Black Star Farms), and Mackinaw City so you can stop in and have the Grand Traverse Distillery experience. Our Main Distillery Tasting Room, located off of 3 Mile is open Monday through Saturday 11-a.m. to 5:30-p.m and is closed Sundays. We offer tours 6 days a week at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm from May 1 through August 31. October 1 through April 30 tours are offered only on Fridays and Saturdays. Cheers, Kent Rabish!

Old state asylum that is being renovated into shops, restaurants, wineries, and more...lots to look at, including tons of trails to walk, bike, ski, etc.

We are a boutique winery located in Northern Michigan on picturesque Old Mission Peninsula. Our cool-climate viticulture experience coupled with our hard work proves to produce superior quality Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and our signature meritage blend the 2896, Langley. A visit to our quaint tasting room will afford you the opportunity to taste our sparkling wines, red wines, white wines, and view the quiet loveliness of Bowers Harbor. Wine tasting is comfortable and inviting at Bowers Harbor Vineyards; no need to be intimidated! Join us in the Bowers Harbor Tasting Room to try the latest Award-Winning wines! - Wine Tasting - Wine by the Glass. We highly recommend reservations.

Chateau Chantal is a unique development that combines a winery, vineyards, bed and breakfast, residence, six private home sites, and winding roads, all of which combine to create an experience in Northern Hospitality. The 65 acre site sits high atop a ridge 12 miles north of Traverse City, Michigan on the beautiful and historic Old Mission Peninsula. Chateau Chantal crafts many styles of wine, allowing the grape to dictate the style. The location’s unparalleled views and outstanding staff play host to B&B activities, cooking classes, wine education opportunities, Tapas Tours, conferences and meetings, small weddings, and friendly regional wine events.

Mission Point Lighthouse has been a Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula icon for decades. Located at the north end of a picturesque drive along M-37 through cherry orchards and vineyards, Mission Point Lighthouse stands as a classic piece of Michigan history. While it no longer guides mariners through West Grand Traverse Bay as it did from September 10, 1870 until it was decommissioned in 1933, Mission Point Lighthouse now offers visitors a peek into what life was like around the turn of the century for lighthouse keepers and for others who lived and worked in the area at the time. Self-guided tours of the lighthouse museum for daily visitors in May-October, and weekends in November.

Mari Vineyards founder Marty Lagina made the (some would say) crazy choice to grow grapes that shouldn't grow in Michigan, with the belief that he could produce world class wines that otherwise couldn't be made here. So, true to his Italian heritage, he planted exotic varieties like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and others. Combined with a little creative grape growing and a lot of attention, today his dream has become a reality. Along with classic area grapes like Cabernet Franc and Merlot, Mari Vineyards produces a wide variety of red wines unlike anything else produced in Michigan. Our first vineyard was planted on Old Mission Peninsula over a hot and frantic weekend in 1999. With thousands of vines - including some of the more uncommon varieties mentioned above - waiting to be planted and either baking in the sun or soaking up too much water, things had to happen fast. Marty and family called in as much help as possible, but in the rush to get the vines planted mistakes were made. Roughly the first seven rows of the vineyard are made up of a random assortment of grape varieties, grabbed haphazardly from their soaking tanks and planted before we realized our mistake. To this day, we do not know exactly what vines are planted in these rows. What seemed to be a disaster back in 1999 proved to be good fortune. 2006 marked the first official production of our flagship wine, named Row 7 in honor of the first seven mysterious rows in the vineyard and produced exclusively with grapes from that area. True to its origins, Row 7 was unlike anything else we had tried in Northern Michigan, with a flavor all its own. Building on the success of our first vintage, Mari Vineyards now has over 50 acres of vineyards planted entirely on the Old Mission Peninsula, with more being added every year. Our wines are already available in Traverse City area stores and restaurants, and our brand new winery and tasting room is now complete on Old Mission Peninsula. Until you get a chance to visit, we invite you to explore our website and learn more about our truly unique and exciting Michigan wines!