caffeine, chianti & coastlines ☕🍷🌊
I’m back with another trip itinerary! I spent the past week and a half back in the Midwest visiting family and finally taking a trip that’s been on my bucket list for years—exploring Northern Michigan.
Michigan in the summer is something special. Growing up in Northern Indiana, one of my favorite things to do was drive up to Lake Michigan and spend the day at the beach along the southwest coast. But I’d always wanted to continue farther north, road trip through Traverse City, explore the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, and finally make it all the way to the Upper Peninsula.
Over four days, my sister and I packed in wine tasting on both the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, explored downtown Traverse City, and spent our final day visiting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the UP. I’ve already been to Mackinac Island, so we decided to skip it this time and avoid the peak summer crowds.
The trip ended up being everything I hoped it would be: incredible wineries, cozy coffee shops, amazing food, and some of the most beautiful freshwater coastline I’ve ever seen.
One thing I always notice when I’m back in Michigan is how much slower life feels. The pace is different. People linger over coffee, spend entire afternoons by the lake, and aren’t constantly rushing from one thing to the next. After a busy season, it was exactly the kind of reset I needed.
I’ll be sharing a much more detailed review of each winery in a future post, along with a YouTube vlog from the trip (yes…I’m finally starting YouTube, and I’m stoked about it)!
But for now, let’s get into the itinerary! 🙂
uncommon coffee roasters – saugatuck
Our trip started with a four-hour drive from Northern Indiana toward Traverse City, so naturally we needed a coffee stop about halfway there. We pulled into Saugatuck, one of my favorite beach towns along Lake Michigan, and grabbed lattes from Uncommon Coffee Roasters. I’ve been here a few times before, and it never disappoints. When we arrived around 10 a.m., the line stretched out the door, which honestly is always a good sign. The cafe sits inside an old blue house that feels warm and welcoming, and despite how busy it was, it still managed to feel cozy.
wine tasting on the leelanau peninsula
Once we arrived in Northern Michigan, we headed straight to the Leelanau Peninsula for our first afternoon of wine tasting.
We somehow squeezed four wineries into one afternoon. While it’s definitely possible…I may have been a little too ambitious. We didn’t get to linger as long as I would’ve liked at each stop, but we still had enough time to taste the wines, enjoy the views, and get a feel for each winery’s personality.
chateau fontaine
Our first stop was Chateau Fontaine, one of the original wineries in the region. It’s family-owned and operated, and we had the opportunity to chat with Laura, one of the family members and the tasting room lead. The experience felt incredibly intentional and educational, making it the perfect introduction to Northern Michigan wine.
green bird organic
Next was Green Bird Organic, the region’s only certified organic winery. Owned by a husband-and-wife team, they produce only around 500 cases annually, all sold exclusively at the winery. Between the beautiful farm setting, the wines, and their cider program, this was one of the most unique stops of the day.
mawby winery
Mawby is practically synonymous with sparkling wine in Northern Michigan. They’ve been producing bubbles for more than 50 years, and everything about our visit stood out, from the hospitality to the tasting experience to the wines themselves.
three trees
Our final stop quickly became one of my favorites. Three Trees is one of the newer wineries in the region, and from the moment we walked in, we were welcomed like old friends. We spent time chatting with the owners, admired the beautiful minimalist tasting room, and tasted some of my favorite wines of the entire trip.
little traverse inn
After finishing our tastings, the team at Three Trees recommended Little Traverse Inn for dinner. This Gastro Pub sits inside an old farmhouse and hosts live music on Thursday nights throughout the summer. I’m not exaggerating when I say this was some of the best Irish food I’ve ever had. My sister ordered the corned beef, while I went with the shepherd’s pie, and both were incredible. I’m still thinking about that corned beef.
good harbor grill
Our Airbnb was near Glen Arbor, so we started day two with breakfast at Good Harbor Grill. It’s your classic American diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it was exactly what we needed before another full day of wine tasting. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, bottomless coffee, and patio seating made for a perfect morning.
leelanau coffee roasting co.
By now I’ve learned that one coffee simply isn’t enough before an entire day of winery hopping. After wandering through Glen Arbor (and finding an adorable local bookstore), we stopped into Leelanau Coffee Roasters. I ended up chatting with one of the baristas about their roasting process and coffee sourcing, which I always love learning about. They also offer an impressive selection of rotating flavored coffees, everything from blueberry to cherry to toffee, if that’s your thing.
Leelanau Coffee Roasting website
wine tasting on the old mission peninsula
For day two, we wisely scaled things back to three wineries. The slower pace gave us more time to relax, enjoy each tasting, and appreciate the stunning views overlooking Grand Traverse Bay.
Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail
2 lads
Our first stop was 2 Lads, the northernmost winery on Old Mission Peninsula. I had been especially excited to try their Cabernet Franc Blanc, something I’d never tasted before. The wines, hospitality, and panoramic views all exceeded expectations.
brys estate
Next was Brys Estate, one of the best-known wineries in the region. It was incredibly busy (definitely make reservations), and while it felt a bit more touristy than some of our other stops, the wines and views absolutely lived up to the hype.
mari
Our final winery of the day was Mari Vineyards. Inspired by Italian architecture, the tasting room resembles a castle overlooking the bay. It was another busy afternoon, but the atmosphere felt more relaxed, and the scenery may have been my favorite of the entire peninsula.
That evening we kept things simple with leftovers from dinner the night before and, of course, ice cream back in Glen Arbor. 🙂
mundos coffee
Originally we had planned to spend day three relaxing on the beach in Charlevoix, but rainy weather shifted our plans. Instead, we spent the day exploring downtown Traverse City. Our first stop was Mundos Coffee, and honestly…I was blown away.
I’ve never seen a specialty coffee shop this large—or this busy. The space is beautiful, modern, and full of people working, meeting friends, and enjoying coffee. Even better was the latte. It was easily one of the best I’ve had in a long time. The espresso still shined through the milk, allowing the acidity and tasting notes to come forward instead of getting lost. Exactly how a latte should be.
flying noodle
After spending the morning browsing bookstores, vintage shops, and local boutiques, we stopped for lunch at Flying Noodle, which had been recommended by the team at Chateau Fontaine. The restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine with fresh, house-made pasta. We shared burrata and pasta carbonara, paired with an Aperol Spritz for me and a Campari Spritz for my sister. It was one of our favorite meals of the trip.
panther coffee
Before leaving Traverse City, there was one more coffee shop I absolutely had to visit. Panther Coffee recently opened a location there after expanding from Miami and New York City.
I originally wanted to stop because Panther had collaborated with Mawby to create a sparkling wine finished with a coffee-infused dosage called the Panther Cuvée—a concept I thought was incredibly creative. Coffee and wine together? You already know I’m interested. The cafe interior was cute, the coffee was excellent, and a huge shoutout to Amanda, who made us feel incredibly welcome.
After grabbing coffee for the road, we drove three hours north to our Airbnb in Curtis, Michigan, where we spent a quiet evening relaxing by the lake.
gallery coffee co
Day four started with an early wake-up call for our kayaking tour at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. Strong winds forced our kayaking tour to be canceled, but we pivoted and booked a ferry cruise instead so we could still experience the cliffs from the water.
Before the cruise, we stopped at Gallery Coffee Co. in Munising. This place rocks. The cafe sits inside a beautiful event venue filled with antique décor, lush plants, local photography, vintage radios, and even an entire display of old high school sports trophies.
One thing that especially caught my attention was their tiny coffee roaster sitting right beside the espresso bar. It only roasts five pounds at a time, which added so much character to the space.
east channel brewing company
Our Pictured Rocks cruise ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip. Afterward, we headed to East Channel Brewing for lunch. I ordered a beer flight featuring an IPA, Hazy IPA, blackberry blonde, and orange ale, while we grabbed pizza next door from Cooking Carberry’s.They’re famous for their blueberry pizza topped with ham, bacon, onion, blue cheese, basil, and fresh blueberries. It sounds unusual, but it’s phenomenal.
After lunch, we spent the afternoon relaxing at Miners Beach before returning to Curtis for one final evening. The next morning, we made the six-hour drive back to Northern Indiana.
Cooking Carberry Pizza website
final thoughts
Northern Michigan exceeded my expectations.
As someone whose travels usually revolve around finding great coffee and discovering wine regions, Northern Michigan felt like such a natural fit. I was genuinely impressed by the quality of both the coffee scene and the wineries. Every tasting room welcomed us with genuine hospitality, and nearly every coffee shop had its own personality and story. Those are the places I love writing about most.
What surprised me most, though, wasn’t necessarily the wine or the scenery—it was the overall feeling of the region. Life moves differently here. Everything slows down. People linger over a second cup of coffee or another glass of wine. Afternoons are spent by the water instead of checking the time. There’s a peacefulness that’s becoming harder to find, and I found myself settling into that rhythm almost immediately.
If you’re planning a summer trip and love scenic drives, cozy cafes, local wineries, and beautiful freshwater beaches, I genuinely can’t recommend Northern Michigan enough. Whether you’re coming for a long weekend or an entire week, there’s so much to explore beyond Traverse City itself.
This definitely won’t be my last visit.
Stay tuned for my in-depth winery reviews from both the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, along with another Michigan itinerary featuring Southwest Michigan and more stops along the Lake Michigan coast. And yes…the YouTube vlogs are finally coming soon!
Thanks for reading 🙂
If you liked this post, check out more from my Coastlines series:
3 Day Itinerary for the Central Oregon Coast: Newport, Yachats & Florence
Sips from the Northern Oregon Coast: Coffee, Wine & Coastal Views
Exploring Bars & Coffee Shops in NYC
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