Such a fun downtown area up here…read more There's so many wonderful clothing, boutiques, dining, coffee shops, Cherry Republics around the corner from each other, tacos, and gift shops too. Parking is free after 6pm. Use Park Mobile app to pay for parking. Much of the street parking is usually full and the back alley spots tend to be assigned. There are many public parking lots all over.

I love a small airport and TVC is no exception!…read more We recently traveled in and out of TVC as there is a direct flight on Allegian from Mesa AZ to this airport twice a week. Unfortunately on our way in, we had to detour to Flint for a quick stop due to a runway issue, but clearly that was a unique circumstance and I digress... It did take a bit longer than expected to get our checked bags on the way in and the employees were not the friendliest on the return, but rental car process was pretty smooth and who doesn't love Traverse City and the surrounding area. There are not many bells and whistles and the sitting area can get a bit crowded, but bathrooms were clean and you can fill your water here no problem. I think there are some vending machines and one small cafe for food and beverage and possibly a bar too. We were cutting it close on our return so I didn't stop at any of these places, but my son managed to get some popcorn from the vending machine. I would absolutely fly in and out of this airport again in the future.

Our experience at Traverse City Airport was incredibly frustrating. After spending eight hours…read moredealing with delays, our flight was ultimately canceled, which resulted in our entire itinerary being canceled and having to completely rearrange our travel plans. Unfortunately, the airport experience itself didn't make an already stressful situation any better. The last time we went through tsa-precheck security, the TSA agent, homely looking girl in her 20s, was unnecessarily rude and condescending. She stood there repeatedly saying, "Everything in your bags. Everything in your bags. Everything in your bags," over and over, without actually giving us a chance to explain anything. I finally had to interrupt her loudly to tell her that I had water with me for my CPAP, which is medically necessary. Then as I was going through the detectors, I had to take off my shoes for whatever reason and another TSA agent (in her 40s or 50s laughed about it). I understand that TSA has procedures to follow and I have no issue complying with them. What I do expect is to be spoken to like a human being. There was absolutely no reason for an agent to communicate with passengers in such a dismissive and hostile manner, particularly when someone is trying to disclose a medically necessary item. I get their jobs are hard but gosh. They don't need to be like that. Between an eight-hour delay that ended in cancellation and an unnecessarily unpleasant security interaction, this was easily one of our worst airport experiences. PS. only one restaurant to choose from - and virtually no vegetarian or vegan options.

I was having trouble with my Libby app. Kelly at the Woodmere branch was phenomenal. It took an…read morehour and a half but she was successful in the end. I can't thank her enough for her persistence in figuring out the problem. Great job Kelly

Library visit #2 of our trip! This large library is a stone's throw from the downtown Traverse City…read morearea and features a small-ish kids section with a cute boat play installation, small aquarium, friendly staff, clean family bathroom, computers and more. My son and I passed an hour here reading books and playing a puzzle on the computer. The entrance to the library felt like it could use a little more light and energy but once you make your way to the kids section it's more inviting. They also have a little free library out front.

This place was absolutely amazing--an old asylum from 1885-1989 turned into housing, shopping,…read morerestaurants, and offices while maintaining the original structure. I love what they were able to do instead of letting it sit abandoned and decay. The history of mental asylums is so interesting, and they offer 2 hour tours for $30 for those ages 12+. I definitely recommend the tour if you are into history, psychology or healthcare. The tour guide was great, and obviously a true expert in all things regarding the Traverse City State Hospital. The background and experience he had with it made him very trustworthy. He was also just a very funny and friendly guy. The tour takes you outside plus certain areas inside to showcase the restoration process. It also takes you inside of an abandoned and decayed men's cottage. You can only enter this building through the tour. Inside, the guide will show you around and you'll be able to see all the empty rooms and dining area and learn about the history of how they lived. You'll also go up into the attic to see all the pipes. Before the tour ends, the guide takes you into the old brick steam tunnels (which can also only be accessed during this tour). The tunnels are spooky and our guide even turned off the lights for us to experience it in the dark, plus try to catch some photos of orbs with the flash on our phones lol. Overall, it was a super interesting tour and I would definitely come back to do the one at night.

Huge property about 3 miles from downtown travers. A lot of shops and dining to explore while…read morewaiting for your tour. I came for a twilight asylum tour and heard great things about Trattoria Stella so came early for dinner at their bar. Love the dark vibe. Opens between 4-5 depending on day. The property is rather spread out so may be a bit hard to go back and forth of any difficulties walking. The hallways do seem wheelchair accessible.

Take Peninsula Drive. Imagine the lake shoreline meandering…read morealongside you as you drive. Imagine the reds, yellows, greens, and browns of the tree leaves cradling the sky. Imagine deserted sand and the setting sun. Imagine just the right amount of chill in the air. Imagine the radio crooning Adele and Keith Urban. Imagine the window half down. Imagine stopping and sitting on the beaches, watching the water. Imagine the wind blowing in your hair. Imagine the cyclists rocketing past you. Imagine doing 90 up the empty roads, chasing remaining sunlight. Imagine dusk creeping up on you as you arrive at the lighthouse. Imagine the peninsula, and blue water all around the rocky beach. Imagine your shoes sinking in the damp sand. Imagine the wind, again. Imagine the quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you remember who you are. Imagine the quiet, the kind of quiet that makes you realize the beauty of silence. Imagine the ending scene of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Think about the time that he drove you to the beach in the dead of winter. Imagine apple orchards and vineyards guarding the gathering dark on the drive back. Imagine the Michigan stars. When they tell you that the drive to Mission Point is worth it, believe them.

This is the Mission Point Lighthouse and also part of the state park district. This is a quaint…read morelittle lighthouse, situated at the end of the Old Mission Peninsula. The drive up here is absolutely beautiful and well worth the trip. The lighthouse is on a little hill that overlooks the lake with a couple nice places to sit and enjoy the scenery. The charge is $4 to go up the top, which we declined to do, as the place is tiny and super cramped inside. We did though, walk all the way out to the end of the peninsula. It is a bit of a hike, so wear some good shoes. The walk is worth it though, and there are some cool things to see along the way. It takes about an hour there and back, and make sure to stop and throw a rock on the pile!

I came here for a little help from the SCORE folks - they give advice for small businesses. I…read morecannot say enough nice things about them: they were professional, helpful, friendly, supportive. Amazing. Just amazing. Many thanks to the SCORE program itself, and many thanks to the locals that make it what it is here in Traverse City. If you're a small business owner and need any help, they are there for you.

A beautiful venue, impressive! It was a good game. The best part was the Ballpark DJ - this person…read morewas so unhinged with the music and sound effects, it was hilarious and made the game that much more entertaining. 10/10 recommend going to a Pit Spitters game for baseball and comedy!

The staff always work hard, but for the concert tonight, it took 45-60 min to get from the local…read moreback road into the stadium. There was only one poor girl taking money. Even though we had VIP passes, we couldn't enjoy them due to the time it took to park, then another 15 min to get through security, despite prepaying for VIP. Next we were told "no purses" even tiny wallet sized, but none of this was emailed out to the public in advance. Next it took 45 min -- honestly, we timed it... to get a beverage, since we dont drink beer. The staff were great but seriously not worth the time or money. $15.50 for a taco, $3.50 for a tiny cup of cheese.. all after paying $200/ticket to have nothing actually be "VIP". Save your money y'all.