Traverse City State Hospital — Attraction in Traverse City

Im not from this area and am visiting my brother who lives here. He did the one hour tour and highly recommended I do the tour. I had the pleasure of taking a tour at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, the 16th, and overall, I really enjoyed the experience. The history and architecture of the site are truly fascinating, and the place itself is wonderful to explore. I also appreciated the opportunity to enjoy some excellent coffee from one of the local coffee shops nearby, which added to the overall visit.

After speaking with my who took the one-hour tour, I felt that he had a more immersive experience. He seemed to see and learn more than I did during my two-hour tour. Aside from spending about 40 minutes at the front of the building, we managed to visit one of the men’s dorms, which was quite interesting, and also explored the tunnel underneath — both highlights.

In terms of suggestions, I believe the tour could be improved by adjusting how information is shared. Currently, a significant portion of time is spent stationary at the front of the building, which might be somewhat inefficient. Perhaps a brief stop of 5-10 minutes at the start, followed by talking while moving to the next location, would allow for a more dynamic and engaging experience.

Lastly, after hearing from others who did the one-hour tour, I felt a bit short-changed. We approached this impressive, beautiful building by vehicle and didn't get the chance to tour the main structure itself, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, I enjoyed my visit but believe there’s room for enhancing the tour experience to ensure visitors get a fuller appreciation of this...

Went on an extended tour. Was shown inside a set of unrenovated state hospital "cottages" from basement to attic. What remarkable buildings. I truly hope they save the remaining buildings because they are absolutely amazing. Could still see some of the original tile and terrazzo floors and the remnants of the old stream heating system. When you learn about the entire campus of the old state hospital, it is beyond impressive. Scott gave us a tour through the B50 store and was a literal encyclopedia of information. He saved the best for last, and we walked through some of the old underground stream tunnels. Learn the history of this ahead of its time, mental health facility, and its founders. Walk through some of the usually unseen areas and see how special this place is. Is gorgeous from the outside with its yellow brick, but the inside is just...

My wife and I took the 11 am tour with Katherine who was very knowledgeable and enjoyable to be with as our guide. The tour takes about 2 hours and involves a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes. The history of this place is truly amazing. There is so much information I couldn't do it justice in a review. I highly recommend the guided tour as you get to see areas you wouldn't be privy to if just walking around on your own. There is some parking challenges if they are busy, but parking is free. You enter and check in at the gift shop. There are clean restrooms at the shop area along with other shops and restaurants. Definitely worth the money and I highly recommend the...