The 4th Annual Northern Home & Cottage Home Tour in the Traverse area will take place on Saturday, September 19th from 10 am to 5 pm.

Tickets are available at any of the homes tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 19 for $20. Addresses & directions below.

The 2015 tour treats tour-goers to 12 homes, each chosen for their distinctive style and/or innovative lifestyle concept. On this tour you’ll see nationally acclaimed modern design, pioneering NetZero energy efficiency, lovely shingle, coastal looks and more. The tour itself winds around the Leelanau Peninsula, through Traverse City (with a jog out onto the Old Mission Peninsula) and out to Skegemog Point Drive, northeast of Traverse City. Here are some of the high points of the tour:

  • A pavilion shaped like a bolt of lightning touching the ground and fabricated with the same material used to build skateboard parks.
  • Perfectly period balconies off the master suites that harken to Gatsby, Daisy and mint juleps.
  • A whimsical mermaid mosaic-inset, once behind the stove, moved to where she belongs: in the bathroom shower.
  • A lovely light-weight painting in that lifts off to reveal the big screen television.
  • A spa tub at treetop level, offering up glimpses of Lake Michigan through the boughs.
  • State-of-the-art tech allowing homeowners to remotely control everything from turning up the heat to turning on the water fountains.
  • Fine historic architectural detailing manifested in six-inch-thick plaster walls, elegant molding and 22-foot ceilings that amplify the abundance of natural light.
  • A cupola above an outside stone porch. A just-the-right-sized swimming pool that also has a view of the bay.
  • An oversized catwalk roomy enough for a sofa to lounge on while you take in views of Lake Skegemog.

There’s no shortage of water scenery along the way: Glen Lakes, Sleeping Bear Bay, wide open Lake Michigan, East and West Grand Traverse Bays and Lake Skegemog. September, when the summer crowds have thinned, is just the time to make this drive.

From end to end, the tour is about 80 miles—very doable in a day, but it helps to plan your route ahead of time. As always, we’ve kept the ticket prices low so if you can’t make it to all of the homes, you’ll still find full value in your day.

We are so grateful to the homeowners who have so generously opened their homes for this tour that benefits Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. Established in the 1930s, this organization provides crucial services to the children and families of our region.

Read about each home on the Tour in the Home Tour issue of Northern Home & Cottage.

Home #1: Tree Lines
Home #2: Gatsby on Glen
Home #3: The New Beach House
Home #4: American Tradition Meets Scandinavian
Home #5: The View From Above
Home #6: Classic Eclectic
Home #7 & #8: Cordia
Home #9: Zero Energy Bills. Really.
Home #10: Gracious Coastal
Home #11: Simply Perfect
Home #12: Bonne Maison

Interested in volunteering? Fill out the volunteer form here.

Tickets are available at any of the homes tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 19 for $20.

2015 Northern Home & Cottage Home Tour September Driving Directions

1. 2746 Armstrong Lake Trail, Empire
Beginning point: intersection of M-72 and CR 669/Coleman Rd/Maple City Hwy. Drive south on CR 669 0.75 mile. Turn right onto Pettengill Rd. Take the first right onto Armstrong Lake Trail. Turn right at the wooden sign post. 2746 is the first (immediate) left.

2. 7522 Glenmere, Empire
Return to M-72 and turn left. Follow M-72 approximately 6 miles taking care to turn left toward Empire at the flashing light. Turn right onto Benzonia Trail/CR 677 toward Glen Arbor. Turn left at M-22/Glenmere Rd. Drive about one mile. The house is on the right. Watch for the stone marker “Lavender Hill”.

3. 7190 Arbor Pines Dr, Glen Arbor
From home #2 turn left out of the driveway and follow M-22 north. Jog left over the bridge at the Glen Lake Narrows and continue into Glen Arbor. At the intersection of M-22 and M-109 turn left onto M-109 S. Drive 0.7 miles to Shady Lane (watch for the green wooden Arbor Pines sign) and turn right. Follow the circle bearing right to the home at 7190.

4. 7374 Arbor Pines Dr, Glen Arbor
Home #4 is a stone’s throw from home #3. Simply turn right out of the driveway and follow the road to 7374.

5. Vantage Point 19, The Homestead| Woodridge Rd, Glen Arbor
Return to M-109, turn left and continue through Glen Arbor past the Homestead. Although this home is on the Homestead property you will not access it through the resort. After two miles turn left onto Thorson Rd. After 0.8 mile turn right onto Sunset Trail. The house is past where the road ends. If the gate is closed please walk around it.

6. 9637 N Onominese Trail, Northport
From home #5 return to M-22 and continue north through Leland approximately 22 miles, just south of Northport. Turn left onto Carlson Rd and proceed straight on Carlson Rd 1.4 miles. Stay straight and proceed onto the dirt section of Carlson Rd (turning right puts you onto Johnson Rd). You will pass the dead end sign. Turn left onto N Onominese Trail to #9637. Pass the driveway and park in the cemetery lot.

(Hint: If you plan on using GPS systems, use them for Carlson Rd only, then follow the Tour signs. GPS systems may lead you to the wrong Onominese Trail.)

7./8. 600 Cottageview Dr, Private Residences 153 & 334, Traverse City
Back track to Carlson Rd, then head south on M-22 approximately 4 miles . Turn left onto N Eagle Highway. After 0.2 miles turn right to remain on Eagle Hwy. Continue 4.8 miles then turn left onto Eagle Hwy/CR 641. Eagle Hwy/641 will become S Lake Leelanau Drive. Follow this 12 miles when it becomes Bugai Rd. Continue on Bugai for 3.6 miles. You will cross M-72 and Bugai will become Gray Rd. Drive 1.1 miles on Gray then turn left onto Cedar Run Rd. Continue for 2.3 miles where Cedar Run becomes Medical Campus Rd. Turn right onto Cottageview. Cordia is on the left.

9. The Depot Neighborhood, Railroad Place, Traverse City
From Cordia continue driving on Cottageview Dr to the stop sign. Turn right onto Silver Rd proceeding to the traffic light at Silver Lake Rd. Turn left and cross the intersection at Division St onto 14th St. Turn left onto Cass Rd. Continue to the traffic light at 8th St, approximately one mile. Turn right on Woodmere St. Take the first right (unmarked drive before the entrance to the library).

10. 6449 Peninsula Dr, Traverse City
Return to 8th St, turn right and drive east about 0.7 mile to Garfield Rd. Turn left onto Garfield and continue about 1.6 miles passing through the traffic light onto Old Mission Peninsula and bearing left onto Peninsula Dr.

11. 8765 Center Rd, Traverse City
Continue north on Peninsula Dr nearly three miles to Wilson Rd. Turn right and continue until Wilson Rd ends at M-37. Turn right and proceed 0.3 miles. The house is on the right.

12. 9268 Skegemog Point Rd, Williamsburg
Drive south on M-37 back to the intersection of M-37 and US 31, about 4.5 miles. Turn left onto 31 and continue along East Bay for 6.0 miles. Turn right onto M-72 at the traffic light. Drive about 7.0 miles then turn left onto Skegemog Point Rd. The house is on the right about three miles down the road.

Map for Sept. 2015 Northern Home & Cottage Tour

And save the date for our Northern Home & Cottage Kitchen and Home October 2015 Tour, Saturday, October 10th when Northern Michigan’s autumn colors serve as the backdrop to 10 more gorgeous homes. Tickets are $15 in advance.