The best Northern Michigan vacation holiday of the year (in our humble opinion) is quickly approaching. You’ve taken a few days off work, your car is packed, but you haven’t set your schedule—we’re here to help with some Northern Michigan travel ideas tailored to the upcoming event. Below is a list of fun activities that will take you from morning to night so your Traverse City 4th of July holiday is as stress-free and fun as possible. These activities will take you everywhere from the beach to the bar:


1) Get your day started off right with a Brewery Bike Tour of Traverse City. This casual-paced cycling tour will stop at three breweries and includes a bike and helmet rental, a delicious lunch of wood fired pizzas and salads, and a behind the scenes tour. Starting at Left Foot Charley at 11 am and lasting until 4 pm, this is the perfect way to get your holiday started on the right note.

2) Spend your afternoon taking in the breathtaking views of Grand Traverse Bay and downtown Traverse City from the deck of the Franklin. Enjoy a Northern Michigan-made pale ale or cider (or a post-brew tour water) and split a pepperoni flatbread on the outdoor 100-seat patio.

3) In the evening, check out Traverse City’s own baseball team, the Beach Bums as they take on the Windy City Thunderbolts. At this annual homecoming celebration, servicemen and women of the armed forces will be invited down to the field for a moment of commendation, and there will be fireworks after the game. The game starts at 7:05 pm.

4) Beginning at dusk—around 10:30 pm on the 4th—there will be the annual 4th of July fireworks display over West Bay, home to many beautiful Northern Michigan beaches. Head down to the beaches off of West Grand Traverse Bay early to snag a spot, or find somewhere quiet up on a hill that overlooks the water.

5) The Beacon Lounge, on the tenth floor of the Park Place Hotel in downtown Traverse City, is a great place to relax and watch the fireworks display. Listen to live jazz, sip on a martini, and chat with friends as you round out your 4th of July festivities.


More Northern Michigan 4th of July Ideas