A bit closer to home and more affordable for us in the U.S. than Seoul in my previous blog, northern Michigan is another great place to visit. Traverse City, a city on the shores of Lake Michigan, comes to my mind. I think that decent vacations should be relaxing and slow-paced while also being dynamic at times. Traverse City has a mix of both worlds. I had some bad allergies when I was there, but it didn't stop me from enjoying what it had to offer!
Starting in the northwest of Traverse City, there is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. This park is a giant collection of biking trails and beaches next to the beautiful Lake Michigan shore. One thing to do is to climb up one of the park's highest dunes to get a spectacular view of the lake below. I had a bit of trouble climbing the dune because of the loose sand, but the view was worth it in the end. Afterward, I hiked on the dunes along the coast and biked on one of the lower trails. The trails let me take in some impressive views of the rolling hills with the cool breeze of the lake on my side.
Venturing into the city, I found a whole host of things to do. Restaurants fill the streets of downtown Traverse City. There's plenty of food ranging from local fare to sushi. Traverse City is known for its cherries. A lot of its food and souvenirs are cherry-themed, and many orchards near the city allow people to pick cherries. The National Cherry Festival is held in Traverse City every July. It's a festival with cherry themed events, food, and attractions that celebrate the city's cherries. Unfortunately, the pandemic postponed the cherry festival until next summer. The Village at Traverse Commons, once a mental asylum, is now a place for restaurants, shops, and apartments. Passing by, I saw that the buildings were designed like castles. To me, they didn't look as imposing as some of the old European castles, so it would probably be relaxing to spend some time there.
Being next to a giant lake, Traverse City has many things to do on the water. Kayaking in the area was my favorite choice. Other than Lake Michigan, there are countless rivers to kayak in. Also, Lake Michigan is calm enough for wakeboarding and kneeboarding. If you want something a bit more powerful, there are tons of locations with rental jet skis. Of course, if you're looking for something more laid-back to do, beaches like Good Harbor are ideal places to relax.
Traverse City is the ideal relaxing vacation, especially for nature-lovers. Other than being well-known for its cherries, Traverse City is the perfect combination of scenery and town-life. Thank you for reading this guide!