LANSING, Mich. — Are you planning a weekend or week in Traverse City? Summer is a great time to visit with countless restaurants, beaches, parks, festivals, and more. Regardless if you already visited during the National Cherry Festival or are planning on a trip during the Traverse City Film Festival, there are many fun adventures that await you.
Here are five great things to do in Traverse City with kids and you can checkout the full guide with more fun experiences for the entire family.
1. Do you love live music? Venture down to the Village of Grand Traverse Commons for Concert on the Lawn, which happens every Thursday evening through the summer. Upcoming performances include the Petoskey Steel Drum Band, Cool Lemon Jazz, The Backroom Gang, and more! This is completely free and you can show up with lawn chairs or a blanket, watch the kids play, and grab dinner from local food vendors.
2. Go to a Traverse City Pit Spitters game. Formerly called the Traverse City Beach Bums, this is the inaugural year of the new team, which means new fun! The food menu is blended with local touches, including Moomers Ice Cream, a cherry burger, and adult beverages from local breweries, including Short's Brewing.
3. Catch a movie at the Cherry Bowl Drive-In Theatre in Honor, which is around 30 minutes from Traverse City. This is an annual favorite and you can enjoy this outdoor theatre experience. Arrive early to find a parking spot and play 50-style mini golf, and the playground with slides, play house, hulu hoops, and a concrete tube.
4. With so many great trails to hike, a favorite is the Fairy Trails by the Historic Barns Park. Besides the incredible views overlooking Traverse City, your kids will discover fairy houses along the way that were made by numerous community members. The area surrounding the entry to the trail is welcoming with a botanic garden that volunteers maintain and continue to construct. Bonus: See if your kids can find the giant bird's nest within the trails!
5. Eat ice cream at Moomers. This is not only a local favorite (you can find Moomers ice cream all over northern Michigan), America agrees by voting it USA Today's Best Ice Cream Parlor in 2016. The smell of fresh waffle cones will make the wait go by quickly. The Plummer family is constantly present and working hard to ensure a great experience, not to mention, you can say hello to the cows! They also offer dairy free and gluten free sorbet and most of their ice cream is also gluten free.
Discover more family-friendly things to do with kids in Traverse City while visiting.
I'm the mom of two young girls and we live in Traverse City. Life is busy, but we pack in as much fun during the summer. We are blessed to live in a great community that offers a lot of experiences for families. TheCherryLife.com is here to help you learn about and plan those experiences.
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