11/29/2022
CONDE NAST TRAVELER magazine has added Northern Michigan to its
“23 Best Paces to Go in the U.S. in 2023”
We do live in a beautiful, and remarkable place. Enjoy the article below that highlights some special places we all need to visit and enjoy!
Northern Michigan
The shimmering freshwater shores of Northern Michigan have long drawn summer crowds, and now with a host of high-profile restaurant openings and a wine scene that’s gaining national recognition, the “Cherry Capital of the World” is emerging as a must-visit culinary destination. Fine dining meets Midwestern comfort food—think: fried chicken and cheddar bread paired with inventive vegetable sides and natural wines—at Modern Bird on Front Street in Traverse City, which opened in August. A few blocks away, the aroma of spiced potatoes and coconut curry draw hungry brunch crowds to Hexenbelle, a new Palestinian bakery and coffee shop. Also worth bookmarking is dining destination Farm Club, which is equal parts working farm, market, restaurant, and brewery, and is accessible from downtown via the TART bike trail. Coming in late 2022, hotly anticipated Crocodile Palace will offer tantalizing Sichuan takeout with a seasonal flare.
A newcomer to the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, Dune Bird Winery is known for its crisp Pure Leland Sparkling. The scenic route, which includes 24 award-winning vineyards, weaves through bucolic landscapes and charming towns. The trail ends near Glen Arbor, a perfect jumping-off point for exploring the towering sandy bluffs of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Grab lunch nearby at The Mill, an upscale cafe in a painstakingly restored 1897 grist mill, set to open in spring 2023.
Michigan’s fate is inextricably linked to the health of its waterways, and heading the conservation charge is the Tribal Stream and Michigan Fruitbelt Collaborative, a group led by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The Mishigamiing Journalism Project, which launched in June, focuses on empowering Indigenous journalists to report on their own communities with an eye on conservation of tribal lands. —Christine Chitnis