Hello from Vacationland
Relish in the magic of Michigan's pinky finger, including a list of my favorite spots Up North. Plus, a complete list of all of my recipes in one place.
I’ve published a Recipe Index! This page lists of all of the recipes in my newsletter…and more. Save this archive to your favorites to easily find all of the recipes in one place. I’ll update the archive as I publish more recipes.
I wrote this newsletter from my favorite spot in America. This visit, the twentieth anniversary of the summer that I worked up here, confirmed my feelings for Michigan’s pinky finger.
No interstate highway connects this region to other metropolises. The closest medium-sized city, Grand Rapids, is more than two hours away. Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport connects it with many major cities. Still, this remoteness makes it feel tucked away in the hidden world of Vacationland.
You cross some imaginary threshold when you descend into the region. There’s water all around, with Lake Michigan weaving its way around Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. Shining smaller lakes dot the countryside, giving you a choice of warmer inland waters or the wilder chill of the Big Lake and its bays. I relish the region’s August diurnal shift: sunny days hot enough to jump into brisk water and nights chilly enough to bundle up and roast marshmallows.
My husband and I have a routine when we pop up this way. Like any ideal vacation, our activities revolve around water, beach, hiking, food, wine, and friends. We have a worn-out, fifteen-year-old map of the region that we’ve scribbled on, highlighting our “secret beach,” our favorite hikes, and my favorite wineries. We spend mornings on stand-up paddleboards, days on hikes or at beaches or visiting wineries, and evenings making s’mores and playing games with friends.
We’re in the Cherry Capital of the World. Farmers plant the drumlins with cherry orchards—mostly tart Montmorency. (I wrote a lot more about tart cherries in Food & Wine.) I welcome the onslaught of cherry everything: pies, tarts, pastries, ice cream, potato chips—you name it. Peach and apple orchards accompany the cherries in case you’re too late for cherry season. Since the 1970s, vineyards have crawled across the landscape, which boasts an ideal-yet-marginal climate for vitis vinifera. My queen, Riesling, shines above all other grapes here. Fruit thrives here because of the aforementioned diurnal shift, the rolling hills, appropriate soils, and the drying lake breeze that tamps down Midwestern humidity. The lake also moderates the temperature, extending the growing season compared with areas further inland. Wine grapes ripen without getting overheated and peaches hang on long enough to get sweet without turning to mush.
This particular trip was more than just a time for water, wine, and fruit. I (almost) entirely unplugged from social media and technology. You haven’t seen much of me on Instagram. I needed to reset my brain, avert my eyes from little screens, and refocus. My hands stopped picking up my phone at the slightest boredom, and my attention span improved. Yes, I’m typing on my laptop right now, but I can look up and gaze at the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay that I’m about to go jump into. I haven’t even baked this week. Gasp! I toted my kitchen scale and a pie pan with me, but I’ve just been eating peaches and plums out of hand and letting local bakeries and ice cream purveyors provide sweet treats. (Don’t worry, I brought along homemade loaves of Bauernbrot and sourdough.)
A Brief Guide to the Greater Traverse City Area
Here are are a few of my favorite spots, things to do, and places to sip.
Food and Such
This list scratches the surface of the delicious offerings of the region. Don’t forget to take home some dried and/or frozen tart cherries.
Wine (and Cider)
There are dozens of wineries on Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. You can visit many more than those listed here, but these are my favorites. Several of these folks also make fantastic ciders.
Honorable mention: Boathouse Vineyards, Verterra Winery, Chateau Grand Traverse, Tandem Ciders
Fun
Since I’ve only travel to the area during the glorious summer, most of these activities revolve around nature.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (see more below)
National Cherry Festival (July)
The Coin Slot (Pinball!)
Hikes, Walks, Climbs, and Beaches
I won’t divulge the location of my favorite secret beach, but here’s a list of my favorite outdoor adventures.
…really any beach, hike, or walk within the National Lakeshore
That’s all! Stay tuned for a fun summer recipe next week.
Happy Baking
Martin
Great post although I secretly want to keep this area a bit off the radar as it’s becoming more infiltrated (direct flights to TC from LGA 😱). We are up there often and in fact just returned from a week on Little Traverse lake. It’s one of my favorite spots in the entire country. Wanted to mention The Mill in Glen Arbor as well. Recently restored 19th century mill on Crystal River… Has a lovely café where you can sit riverside and new restaurant that’s doing their best to serve high end local wines and cuisine
One of the best places on earth. I’m rarely without American Spoon Foods from home here in my cupboard in Italy.