Recommended places to stay in Traverse City Michigan on the water?

[WebSnyper]

My wife is taking a girl's trip to Traverse City Michigan and wants to book a place to stay in the next few days. They will be staying for 3 nights and want to be on the water.
Recommended places? Looking for nice, clean, good view and on the water/"beach".

She's been to Michigan before but not this area. I haven't been to Michigan before, so no points of reference on our part.

Let me know what you specifically recommend.

Thank you

 

[EyeCarry]

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[BigRed]

My wife is taking a girl's trip to Traverse City Michigan and wants to book a place to stay in the next few days. They will be staying for 3 nights and want to be on the water.
Recommended places? Looking for nice, clean, good view and on the water/"beach".

She's been to Michigan before but not this area. I haven't been to Michigan before, so no points of reference on our part.

Let me know what you specifically recommend.

Thank you

If I were staying on the water, I would want a boat. Otherwise, it would be pretty wet.

 

[LeverGunFan]

Traverse City has a nice website where you can search for lodging. The last time we stayed in Traverse City, we used a motel that was well off the water, so no help there. If they don't have to stay in Traverse City but can stay anywhere on Grand Traverse Bay, there are more options for lodging. For example, Sutton's Bay is a nice village on the west shore of the bay.

 

[WebSnyper]

Traverse City has a nice website where you can search for lodging. The last time we stayed in Traverse City, we used a motel that was well off the water, so no help there. If they don't have to stay in Traverse City but can stay anywhere on Grand Traverse Bay, there are more options for lodging. For example, Sutton's Bay is a nice village on the west shore of the bay.

Thank you. I will let her know.

 

[Hoosierdood]

US-31 goes through Traverse City and there are many places to stay right by the water. Too many places to list, but a google search will get you started. Warning - everywhere in Traverse City is expensive. I got my wife and her friends a hotel room at the Days Inn for a wine tour coming up in September and it is $235/night. At a freaking Days Inn.

 

[BugI02]

I've stayed at both the Delamar and the Hotel Indigo. Both solid 3 star hotels. The Delamar is on Sunset Beach just east of the Cinch Marina and the Indigo is just across 31 from west beach. Both are in the middle of everything. I probably prefer the Indigo because it is a bit more modern, I think the Delamar used to be a Holiday Inn

Not sure if they still do it, but one thing to be aware of is they used to have official street party weekends in the summer where they would close a number of streets and have live music. It made getting around difficult unless you were walking (and there were plenty of restaurants within a couple of blocks of either hotel) as well as noisy

If they were going to do AirBnB or VRBO, try to get something on the Old Mission Peninsula

 

[LEaSH]

Suttons Bay resort used to be a nice value ($125-135 ten years ago I think). I don't even know if it's there any longer. It's up on the west side of GT Bay.

 

[KittySlayer]

If they get a rainy day have them tour the Insane Asylum. A fascinating tour, especially if you get a good guide. I think it cost extra if you want your wife committed.

Tour – The Village TC

www.thevillagetc.com

With Bug’s warning about street closures I wonder if they might find their car trapped inside the closures.

Definitely a tourist resort town. The hotel will be cheap after you see the charge card bill for shopping.

 

[Twangbanger]

When are they going? There are a ton of places fitting that description, but if the trip is happening anytime soon, she's probably hosed unless she can find an Air BnB that isn't booked and meets their amenity requirements. 20 years ago she might have scored a room at the last minute, but TC has been majorly "discovered" and today, even waiting until March to book is really sketchy if you're reserving for the summer. Anyplace nice will be booked solid during vacay season by April, so she'll just have to start checking places. This will be a matter of what's available, not necessarily what you want. The more expensive waterfront places like Tamarack Lodge on East Bay might be more likely to have an odd room available.

We often stayed at Bayshore Resort on West Bay, when we wanted to be close to town. More recently when we go there, we're ok with finding places farther out, because Leelanau county is really nice and we've done TC upside-down. There's only so many micro breweries and sandwich shops you can take.

If they just want to be together in a lake house and don't care about being right within TC (I know, unlikely), the options open up. Glen Lake in Glen Arbor is a gorgeous cobalt lake with some houses for rent, but they'd be 30~45 minutes from the TC "scene." There are other lakes too.

If they strike out on the summer trip, Fall is gorgeous up there, and the wineries on the Peninsula and shopping in town would still keep first-timers busy, even if it's not beach weather.

Good luck...

 

[WebSnyper]

When are they going? There are a ton of places fitting that description, but if the trip is happening anytime soon, she's probably hosed unless she can find an Air BnB that isn't booked and meets their amenity requirements. 20 years ago she might have scored a room at the last minute, but TC has been majorly "discovered" and today, even waiting until March to book is really sketchy if you're reserving for the summer. Anyplace nice will be booked solid during vacay season by April, so she'll just have to start checking places. This will be a matter of what's available, not necessarily what you want. The more expensive waterfront places like Tamarack Lodge on East Bay might be more likely to have an odd room available.

We often stayed at Bayshore Resort on West Bay, when we wanted to be close to town. More recently when we go there, we're ok with finding places farther out, because Leelanau county is really nice and we've done TC upside-down. There's only so many micro breweries and sandwich shops you can take.

If they just want to be together in a lake house and don't care about being right within TC (I know, unlikely), the options open up. Glen Lake in Glen Arbor is a gorgeous cobalt lake with some houses for rent, but they'd be 30~45 minutes from the TC "scene." There are other lakes too.

If they strike out on the summer trip, Fall is gorgeous up there, and the wineries on the Peninsula and shopping in town would still keep first-timers busy, even if it's not beach weather.

Good luck...

Yeah, it's just my wife and my sister in law (brothers wife) who is coming up from FL and they will want to be in the middle of it, and a regular hotel type room will be what they are looking for.

If more of us were going, then a rental house would be more in line, but not this trip.

I think the Bayshore resort is on her list. They are going in middle of August,and she'll be booking in the next day or 2

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

It's not on the water, but I'll warn you anyway. Stay away from the Baymont. It is a **** hole.

 

[gregkl]

Mom and dad used to live in TC so I'm no help on accommodations since I stayed at their house. Dad managed the Park Place Hotel restaurant until he retired. Not sure the status of that building now. May not even be there.

Yes, it is expensive as is most of western Michigan these days. But, yes I am biased, there is hardly a better place to go in August. There is so much to do there!

A couple good hits: Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Leelanau Peninsula(visit Northport), the bay of course, the marina on the bay(Michiganders like their boats!), and find some of the local restaurants that on the bay.

You can also take a drive to Glen Arbor and Glen Lake. Nice with probably less tourists.

Take sweatshirts or light jackets. It is not unusual for northern Michigan evenings to drop into jacket wearing temps.

 

[BugI02]

but if the trip is happening anytime soon, she's probably hosed unless she can find an Air BnB that isn't booked and meets their amenity requirements.

Just a few minutes ago, about 1410 EDT today 6 July, I checked both the Indigo and the Delamar for Fri/Sat/Sun 28 Jul through 30 Jul (three weekends from now) and they each had several types of rooms available

They were not cheap (which likely has something to do with why they are still available) both averaged over $500 per night. There is still a lot of money in greater Detroit, and it likes to get out of town on summer weekends

 

[WebSnyper]

They decided to forgo the on the water requirement and go more downtown. Believe they booked room at Park Place.

Thanks for the info.

 

[BugI02]

Tell them don't forget to have a piece of cherry pie made with Michigan cherries

 

[diver dan]

I used to work at CHERRY TREE HOTEL , it is a beachfront hotel and is very nice , and a van will take you to downtown TC.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Check out the Blue Tractor while you are there. Bar/grill with good food.

 

[gregkl]

They decided to forgo the on the water requirement and go more downtown. Believe they booked room at Park Place.

Thanks for the info.

So it is still there. It has been a landmark of TC. If you go to the top you will get a nice view of the bay.