Back to Michigan: Traverse City to Harbor Springs for Boyne Highlands

I was really excited about my first trip to Boyne Highlands Resort in Michigan. I was especially thrilled that my brother, Mark, was coming with my niece and nephew (although I wished my oldest niece could come too).

The plan was to all fly into Traverse City Airport, have lunch, and then make a visit to Bowers Harbor Vineyards before leaving town.

This was my third trip to Traverse City and while I didn’t have a lot of time, I wanted to at least get one more of their fabulous wineries covered. My friend Mike Norton, Media Relations Manager at Traverse City Tourism, thought Bowers was not only a great winery, but as family friendly as a winery can be.

You know what they say about the best laid plans. I arrived in Traverse City to find out the family had missed their connection.

I knew immediately I where I was when I was looking for a cup of coffee. After all, where else would the coffee machine offer “Cherry Pie Cappuccino” other than in Cherry Capital Airport!

I collected my things and headed downtown. Mike was away on vacation and I arranged to meet with Jennifer Case for the trip to Bowers, but I was running early so I first stopped downtown for lunch at Greenhouse Café.

My Rueben sandwich and potato soup was a perfectly satisfying pair for the cold day. I finished up and walked over to the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau to meet Jennifer.

It was a short walk and she was ready when I got there to take the drive to Bowers Harbor Vineyards on the Old Mission Peninsula.

I had never been to Traverse City before in the snow and it made for quite a beautiful scene, especially and this winery.  

The tasting room at Bowers Harbor is very comfortable and I was surprised at the huge selection of wines.

I wasn’t driving so I tried quite a few. I was especially fond of their Block II Riesling, Unwooded Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer. Even though I’m not a big red drinker,

 I did enjoy sipping their 2012 Wind Whistle Claret. They also had a tasty Blanc de Blanc Sparkling wine.

On the way back to the airport we made a quick stop at one of my favorite Traverse City wineries, Brys Estate.

I had a wonderful visit there with the owners a few years ago and wanted to stop in and visit. They weren’t there, but I did get to enjoy a glass of their Riesling.  

My brother, Jacob, and Moriah had just arrived, but their luggage had not.

We picked up the rental car, but couldn’t leave Traverse City right away to drive to Boyne Highlands Resort because the family’s luggage was arriving on the next plane.

I suggested we head to the Grand Traverse Pie Company.

My niece, Moriah, happens to be a big fan of pie and the rest of us were more than happy to go along for a little something to tide us over.

We decided on an apple crumb pie, and chocolate cream pie, and the February special – cherry pie with a chocolate ganache topping. They were all great, but I don’t think I have to say how amazing that one was.

Jacob also insisted he was hungry enough for a chicken pot pie and we all tasted a bit of that before we hit the road.

It was about an hour and a half to Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan, and the ride was just beautiful through the snow covered rounds and lakes.

We arrived just in time for the welcome reception. We quickly dropped our things in our room and headed to meet Marketing Director Erin Ernst and the other journalists and their families at the Slopeside Lounge.

Erin had set up a nice spread for us that included cheese, pizza, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts. I also sampled a Gingerbread Coffee cocktail, while Mark tried some Michigan beers.

It had been a long day for all of us so we were back in the rooms fairly early, but excited for an upcoming day of skiing, snowboarding, and more fun at Boyne Highlands Resort. 



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Traverse City and Grand Rapids for Michigan Finale

It was time to head home after another adventure with my friend Lisa, but I wanted to squeeze a bit more into the Michigan experience.

We had an early breakfast with J. Michael DeAgostino, Public Relations Manager for Grand Traverse Resort. I wanted to hear about the seasonal activities available here that I might be able to check out on future visits.  

He told me about the exciting winter he was looking forward to at the resort, with snowmobiling, snow shoeing, ice skating, cross country skiing and even dog sledding. All of these winter sports operate out of the golf pro shop, which is a busy spot in the spring, summer and fall as they have three award-winning courses and a golf school here.

We bid J. Michael farewell and made a stop at the Dylan’s Candy Store in the hotel’s lobby. I had never been to this outlet and I definitely felt like a “kid in a candy store” with all these options. I was overwhelmed , and had a long drive ahead of me, so I decided to escape quickly with just a few interesting lollipops while the candy buttons attempted to call me back to my youth.

The drive from Traverse City to home is a long one. Lisa and I decided to break it up by stopping in Grand Rapids. I had never been before and Janet Korn of the Grand Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau invited us to lunch at one of the city’s popular restaurants.

The owners of Bistro Bella Vita are known in Grand Rapids as they also have two other eateries. I can’t speak for those, but I certainly enjoyed this one.  The menu used a lot of fresh local food, including lots of vegetables. We started out with a yummy, house made Hummus Trio and some Mushroom Crostini.

Lisa and I couldn’t decide what to choose from the vast menu so we shared the Harvest Ravioli and Michigan Turkey Sandwich. The ravioli was stuffed with sweet potatoes and mushrooms in a roasted vegetable, honey-truffle sauce. It was unique and incredible. The sandwich – smoked Michigan turkey with cashew butter, red wine-cherry jam and goat cheese on sourdough – was equally satisfying.

We talked about Grand Rapids, which has its own Beer Trail, as well as five museums, antique galleries and high end boutiques, hotels and spas. We also discussed a visit to explore more of it on a return visit (hopefully this spring). It would have been nice to spend more time there, but it was time to go to my favorite place of all… home. 

Wine, Beer & Pigs in Traverse City

We had a full day of Traverse City exploring, eating and drinking that started with a delicious breakfast at the Sweetwater Bistro in the Grand Traverse Resort where we were enjoying our stay. My friend Lisa feasted on the Salmon Eggs Benedict, while I was enthralled with the Cornflake-Crusted French Toast.

It was a short meal as Michael Norton of the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau was waiting to take us around town for the day.  I had met Mike on my last trip here and was looking forward to catching up and seeing what he had scheduled for us for the day.

The first stop was at L. Mawby, known for their sparkling wines. I had visited them a few years ago, but was anxious to taste the latest. The winery had expanded their collection as well as opening a patio for tastings a year ago.

Larry Mawby took us through the selection, which includes: Blanc de Blanc, a very good 100% chardonnay sparkling with a long finish; Cremant Classic, made from vignoles grapes and aged for a bit of wood within the fruity taste; Wet, a pinot gris and Riesling blend filled with apple notes; and the 2011 Reserve Pinot Gris, my favorite, is a combination of peach and citrus.

Our next stop was a catch all as far as Traverse City is concerned. Black Star Farms refers to itself as an “agricultural destination.” Within this property you will find an inn, a cafe, a store/tasting room for wines and spirits made on the premises and a dairy that makes cheese.

We started at Black Star with the wine and I was again impressed with the pinot gris of this area, this time in the 2011 Arcturos. The Rieslings here are equally impressive, with my favorite being the medium dry. I’d also give a big shoutout to the 10 Year Old Apple Brandy as well as the 2008 Accapella, one of the best ice wines I’ve had in awhile.

Before we left Black Star Farms we made a quick visit to the shop next door to taste the Leelanau Raclette Cheese, which was quite good.

The Towne Plaza is a fairly new, rather unique restaurant as its focus is on pork, specifically from Mangalista Pigs.  They are dedicated to fresh, local ingredients in the rather small menu and they got everything we tasted just right. For Lisa, it was a burger made from ground Angus (house smoked) and topped with pork belly and cheddar.  Mike had a charcuterie plate and I went for the pasta choice at the time, orecchiete with house-made sausage, broccolini, tomato and spinach.

We saved dessert for Grand Traverse Pie Company where we shared slices that included one of the best ever -- the Grand Traverse Cherry Crumb. I’m still dreaming about that one!

We soon found out that even Traverse City’s Right Brain Brewery has gotten into the pig business, offering a Mangalista Pig Porter. This unique brew is blended with the thigh and head of a smoked pig.  

I’m glad I was able to capture Lisa’s “priceless” face when she first tasted it, though she did decide she liked the smoky taste once the initial shock of what she was drinking wore off.

Mike took us back to the Grand Traverse Resort after Right Brain. We were pretty worn out from a day of tasting and decided to stay in for the night. In the morning we would be driving home, with a stopover in Grand Rapids for lunch. 

Return to Traverse City

I love to travel and there are so many places I’d have wanted to return to. Unfortunately, I don’t get to do it too often since new destinations are always presenting themselves.

Traverse City was one of the first places I visited as a wine and spirits travel writer and I fell in love with the food and wine, as well as the beauty of Lake Michigan. I vowed I would return someday. It took three years, but I finally got to make that trip.

My friend Lisa and I were staying at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa during this getaway. I had visited it briefly my last time here and was anxious to stay and check out this full service resort.

Our stay started in one of my favorite places – the spa – and it happened that the Grand Traverse Spa has been voted when of the top spas in America so it didn’t get much better than this.

We could see right away how this spa earned its honors. Within 7,000 square feet (on two floors) there were 23 treatment rooms as well as a relaxing area and a salon. There was also a separate area for the gym, tennis and a huge pool, which included a children’s area with slides.

After enjoying the pool, whirlpool and sauna, I settled in with a cup of tea and a book before my scrumptious 80 minute Cherry-Infused Massage.

Lisa hit the jackpot with the Spa Grand Traverse Body Renewal, a spa experience she couldn’t stop raving about. She had an aromatherapy soak, hot stone massage, massage oil application, warm linen wrap and neck, scalp and face massage. All of this was done using local ingredients, such as wild birch and wintergreen native to the area.

We didn’t have a lot of time before getting ready for dinner at Aerie Restaurant. I had eaten at this restaurant before, enjoying both the night views of Traverse City and the fantastic menu. I wasn’t disappointed on my return.

I sipped an Argentinian Sauvignon Blanc from Aerie’s huge wine list as Lisa savored about her Lump Crab Cakes. She continued on the seafood mode as I warmed up with the Gratin of Onion Soup. Our appetizers were served with Aerie’s signature unique breads with (locally made) olive oil and vinegar. On this night it was a Cherry Herb Asiago and a Raisin Bread with Chipotle Olive Oil and Peach Vinegar – a perfect combination.

Both our main courses were just incredible as Lisa had a “melt in your mouth” filet with blue cheese and I enjoyed a flavorful Osso Bucco with a Saffron Risotto. We managed to find a little room left for the Assorted Mini Cheesecakes, which included a tasty Mango with Raspberry as well as a coconut one.

After a nightcap in Jack’s Sports Bar, Lisa and I headed up to our rooms at the Grand Traverse to get some sleep before a full day of exploring Traverse City.

P.S. Thanks to my loyal readers for still being here after my long absence. I am sorry that it's been awhile since I have been producing fresh blogs. It is not a habit I plan on getting into. I faced major surgery in December that was surrounded by complications, but I’m back on the mend and ready to start writing away regularly!

Visiting the beauty of Traverse City & its wine

Updated 7/6/26

Where can you find blue waters like the Caribbean, wineries reminiscent of Napa, chateaus that belong in France, food as varied as the Big Apple and skiing you'd expect in the mountains?  In Michigan, of all places. Traverse City, Michigan to be specific.

As a New Yorker now living in the Midwest, I am constantly surprised by what the world around Lake Michigan has to offer and I was definitely not prepared for what I could find in Traverse City.  The drive through Illinois and Indiana has become a bit more familiar to me and I had even ventured into some of the Wolverine state, but I was prepared for the beauty as I headed north.  The winding rounds and hills gave way to crystal clear water as I entered Traverse City.

Spring through fall, Traverse City looks like it could be any beach town, with resorts lining the miles of sand and fishing boats docked where the jet skis and boogie boards aren’t.  In the winter, it all gives way downhill and cross country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.  But there is something that Traverse City has that you won’t find at a Caribbean island or mountain resort area – wineries, lots and lots of wineries.

Most of the wineries in the Traverse City area are within the Leelanu and Old Mission Peninsula.  I’d like to tell you how many there are, but that number seems to be changing (increasing) all the time.  I can tell you that I managed to visit a dozen in two days – and that was just a sampling!  Of course it helps when you have the Media Relations Director from the Convention and Visitors Bureau as your tour guide (thank you, Mike Norton!), but there are some excellent print guides on the Visit Traverse City site to help you with a tour of your own.  Here is a small sampling from my Traverse City trip that I would highly recommend not missing:

Chateau Chantal

I could have easily mistaken this breathtaking property for one of the chateaus I visited in Cognac, but it isn’t France that the Begins came from, it’s Canada.  That’s where founders Robert and Nadine – a priest and nun respectively at the time -- met.  The couple married and lived out their dream of creating a European style chateau on this 65 acre property.  Originally the plants were all cherries, but they were slowly replaced with grapes and the first vintage was in 1991. 

Today, Chateau Chantal has about three dozen different wines and champagnes.  They grow many of the grape varieties used and import the rest from around the world.  Their Celebrate!, a mixture of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Mendoza Malbec grapes, won three medals in 2009.  The 2007 Proprietor’s Reserve Chardonnay2008 Semi-dry Riesling, which has a unique taste of smoky and sweet, with green apple undertones. deservingly has five prizes to its name, including the Gold Medal from the 2009 Tasters Guild International.  This wine was new oak barreled to give it that strong oak flavor . One of their bestis the 2008 Semi-dry Riesling, which has a unique taste of smoky and sweet, with green apple undertones.

Two Lads

It was from the old world to the new world as I entered Two Lads.  The two lads are Cornel Olivier, raised in the vineyards of South Africa, and Chris Baldyga, a Traverse City native.  This is one of the newest wineries around in a modern building that strongly contrasts the rest of the Old Mission Peninsula.  The other thing that makes Two Lads stand out is their dedication to the reds.  It is their focus and it’s paid off – the 2007 Cabernet Franc, which hits the palate with everything from blackberry to cigar and chocolate, took prizes home that included Double Gold at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.   Also not to be missed is if you are looking for something powerful is the Pinot Noir, a spicy blend with just enough sweetness, thanks to 70% aging in oak and 30% in stainless steel.

Brys Estate
From the old to the new to the familiar.  At Brys Estate you feel more like you are in the family living room than in an “estate.”  Walter and Eileen Brys are the owners and they have a house on the property.  The couple welcomes you into their home to taste their award-winning wines.  It is here in Traverse City, their favorite place to visit, that they began their second lives as vintners and every wine is a part of them. 

The Brys were the first in the area to boldly charge $50 and up for a bottle of wine, like their Artisan-Chardonnay, which carries the vanilla aromas with a smooth finish.  The Brys say it is made “without any malolactic fermentation, to preserve the balance of acidity.”  The one wine that does hit that price range at other vineyards in Traverse City is Ice Wine and Brys Estate had the best I tasted.  It wasn’t quite as sweet as some of the others, yet it was a perfect finish with a slice of cheesecake (how they sample it, only $5 for both).  This wine has received numerous accolades.

Left Foot Charley
My final Traverse City winery was appropriately a combination of many, and it was one of the best.  Left Foot Charley isn’t  located among rolling hills or acres of grapes, it’s in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a former asylum turned shopping mall/restaurant pavilion.  Left Foot Charley doesn’t spend their time growing grapes, Bryan and Jen Ulbrich concentrate on doing justice to the grapes that are already there, from the Leelanau and Old Mission Pavilion, as well as a some from Antrim County.

The formula seems to work for Left Foot Charley.  The must have here is the 2008 Murmur – a combination of Pinot Grigio, Riesling and Traminette that they recommend gets its full flavor with a curry spice, but I think it’s just fine with a serving of The Goat (goat cheese, fig and walnut spread with crostini).  If you happen to be there in the fall, go for some of the Hard Cider, using a mixed variety of apples and finishing with 6.5% alcohol.

As for accommodations, I stayed at the Bayshore Resort, which offers oceanfront (yes, I know it’s not really an ocean, but it certainly looks like one!) accommodations with Jacuzzis and Fireplaces for year round comfort whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a family vacation.  There are incredible views from the balcony and it’s a short walk into town.

Though we didn’t stay there, I got to tour the Grand Traverse Resort (and have a great meal in their rooftop restaurant, aerie).  I would highly recommend this place for a more complete travel experience as they have a selection of accommodations (including condominiums); an indoor waterpark for winter months and outdoor pools & beach for the summer; tennis courts; three championship golf courses; and many more activities. 

If you are looking for the true wine/travel experience for a short visit, it doesn’t get more authentic than Chateau Chantal.  You can stay right at their bed & breakfast where you only have to walk a few hundred feet to your wine tasting.

Photos by Marcia & Samantha Frost