πΊπΈ A Trip Along Eastern Lake Michigan: Cherry Town Traverse City π
After lunch, we left Charlevoix and drove to Traverse City β the central city of Northern Michigan, nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay. ππ¨ Known nationwide for its cherry production, itβs proudly called the βCherry Capital of the World.β Among Michiganders, Traverse City is a top 5 must-visit destination, thanks to its thousands of miles of hiking trails and stunning Grand Traverse Bay shoreline. ποΈπ£ We drove 1.5 hours through downtown Traverse City to the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula ππ, known for its sprawling cherry and grape farms and numerous wineries. Late June is usually cherry-picking season, but this year the cherries werenβt quite ripe yet. So instead, we picked fresh strawberries for $6.99 β a sweet little harvest! ππ§Ί We continued to the tip of the peninsula to visit Old Mission Point Park β², home to the historic Mission Point Lighthouse β over 100 years old! ποΈπ‘ Next to it stood a charming summer cottage. The beach was lively with families playing by the water, and a few people were fishing farther out on the lake. π£π¨βπ©βπ§ Afterward, we drove 20 minutes to our floral-themed hotel π¨, then 10 more to Costco for gas (almost $1 cheaper per gallon than Chicago! β½π) and some vitamins to bring back home. Around 6 PM, we headed downtown for dinner at the popular pasta spot Flying Noodle π. We had to wait 45 minutes for a table β but it was worth it! We ordered two pastas and some delicious fried squid. π¦π While waiting, we strolled through the vibrant main street filled with tourists. Highlights included the grand opera house π, a large clock engraved with βTraverse,β and a beautiful mural promoting Traverse City. πΌοΈβ¨ #VacationSpot #PureMichigan #TraverseCity #CherryCapital #LakeMichigan #TravelUSA
