Old Mission or Leelanau? How to Plan a Traverse City Wine Day
Plan one relaxed Traverse City wine day: pick Old Mission or Leelanau, follow a simple drive order, book smart, eat between pours, and line up a sober ride.
Traverse City sits between two wine peninsulas, and the easiest way to enjoy them is to give each one its own day. This guide covers picking a peninsula, a simple drive order, booking basics, food between pours, and a safe ride home. For the full list of tasting rooms, use the Traverse City wineries directory or the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsula winery guide.
Pick one peninsula per day
Old Mission Peninsula runs north from Traverse City between East and West Grand Traverse Bay. The Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail has ten member wineries and says all are within about five miles of each other, so it suits a compact, low-driving day. See the Old Mission Peninsula page for parks and other stops.
Leelanau Peninsula is west of town and much larger. The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail lists more than 20 member wineries, so pick one corner rather than touring the whole thing. See the Leelanau Peninsula page for towns and outdoor stops.
Doing both in one day means backtracking through Traverse City. The 3-day itinerary shows how a wine day fits into a longer trip.
When to go
- Weekdays are calmer. Mari Vineyards says Friday to Sunday, July through October, is its busiest stretch, and Bowers Harbor strongly recommends reservations Friday to Sunday.
- Start around 11 a.m. Most sample stops below open at 11 a.m. or noon (Chateau Grand Traverse opens at 10 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays through October).
- Fall is harvest. The Old Mission trail notes private tours and tastings may be limited.
- Recheck hours in November. Several wineries below change hours on Nov. 1, and Chateau Chantal changes on Nov. 8.
More seasonal ideas are in the Traverse City fall guide.
Sample route: Old Mission Peninsula
Drive to the far end first, then taste your way back so the last drive is the shortest. Pick three or four stops, not all five.
- 2 Lads Winery, near the north end, roughly 25 minutes from downtown.
- Chateau Chantal, a few minutes south.
- A food break (see below).
- Bowers Harbor Vineyards, on the west side.
- Chateau Grand Traverse or Mari Vineyards, both on Center Road heading back toward town. Mari is about 10 minutes from downtown.
Sample route: Leelanau Peninsula (Suttons Bay side)
Same idea: head north first, then work back.
- Black Star Farms, whose Suttons Bay tasting room the winery puts about 15 minutes from Traverse City. Allow 20 to 25 minutes from downtown.
- Leelanau Cheese Company, about half a mile away, for a snack.
- MAWBY, a sparkling wine producer.
- Shady Lane Cellars, which borders the TART trail.
- Brengman Family Wines, about five miles from downtown.
To swap stops, pick from the wineries and vineyards directory and stay in the same area. Drive times are rough map estimates; use live navigation.
Posted hours and booking notes
Hours (a.m. to p.m.) are as posted on each winery's website on October 6, 2026. Check again the morning of your trip.
| Winery | Posted hours | Booking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Lads | Daily 11 to 6 through October; 11 to 5 from November | No reservation for flights; guided tastings by reservation |
| Chateau Chantal | Sun to Thu 11 to 5, Fri and Sat 11 to 7 through Nov. 7; daily 11 to 5 from Nov. 8 | Walk-ins welcome; groups can send a courtesy notice |
| Bowers Harbor | Sun to Thu 11 to 6, Fri and Sat 11 to 7 through Oct. 31; daily 11 to 6 in November (closed Thanksgiving) | Walk-ins accepted; reservations recommended Fri to Sun. Cards only |
| Mari Vineyards | Mon to Sat 11 to 7, Sun 11 to 5 through October; Nov. 1 through April, Sun to Thu 11 to 5, Fri and Sat 11 to 6 | Tasting room walk-in only; groups of 10 or more encouraged to reserve |
| Chateau Grand Traverse | Sun to Thu 11 to 6, Fri and Sat 10 to 8 through Oct. 31; from Nov. 1, Sun to Thu 11 to 5, Fri and Sat 11 to 6 | Walk-in tastings; tours by reservation |
| Black Star Farms | Sun to Thu 11 to 6, Fri and Sat 11 to 7 (as posted Oct. 6). Hours change by season; check with the winery after October | Walk-ins welcome |
| MAWBY | Mon to Sat noon to 6, Sun noon to 5 (through Nov. 1). After that, check with the winery or its site | Reservations strongly encouraged |
| Shady Lane Cellars | Sun to Thu noon to 6, Fri and Sat 11 to 7 (as posted) | Reservations recommended for 8 or more |
| Brengman Family Wines | Call 231-421-5611 for fall hours | Reservations available online |
Tasting-room etiquette
- Call ahead with a group. The Old Mission trail says many wineries require reservations for groups of 8 or more and suggests calling a week ahead in summer and fall for 6 or more.
- Budget 30 minutes to an hour per winery, the Old Mission trail's estimate.
- Go easy on fragrance. The trail asks guests to skip strong perfume or cologne.
- Leave your own bottles at home. Shady Lane notes Michigan liquor rules do not allow outside alcohol on winery property.
- Ask about food, kids, and pets. Shady Lane allows outside food; Bowers Harbor does not. MAWBY seats guests with dogs on its lawn, where flights are not served.
Food stops between pours
- Old Mission: Chateau Chantal serves charcuterie and small plates (the kitchen closes an hour before the tasting room), Mari has a small-plates kitchen, and 2 Lads offers charcuterie and packaged snacks. For a sit-down meal, Peninsula Grill is a couple of minutes from Bowers Harbor Vineyards; check with the restaurant for hours. Jolly Pumpkin opens Monday to Friday 3 to 9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9, and Sunday noon to 8, so it suits a late stop.
- Leelanau: Leelanau Cheese welcomes visitors Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed Sunday), with a viewing window; cheese is made on Tuesdays. Shady Lane sells small plates, and Cafe Exalt at Brengman is open seven days, with its full menu Thursday to Sunday. For dinner in Suttons Bay, Martha's Leelanau Table lists evening service Wednesday to Sunday.
Drink water between stops. More ideas are in the Traverse City food and wine guide.
Fall trail events
- Hunt for the Reds of October (Leelanau): October 1 to 31, 2026, noon to 5 p.m. Per the ticket page, tickets include a red wine pour and $10 in "cork cash" and are non-refundable; reservations are highly recommended.
- Toast the Season (Leelanau): November 6 to 8 and 13 to 15, 2026, per the trail events page.
- Mac and Cheese Bake-off (Old Mission): November 28, 2026, per the Old Mission trail.
Shady Lane's Friday Night Live has live music Fridays 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9, 16, 23, and 30 and Nov. 6. No tickets or reservations are needed; seating is first come, first served.
Getting there and back safely
Please choose a designated driver who will not drink at all, or book a tour before the first pour. The Michigan State Police impaired-driving page explains the risks.
The Old Mission trail does not recommend Uber or Lyft for winery days because return rides to Traverse City can be unreliable. The Leelanau trail recommends a transportation company for multi-winery days and lists tour operators, including Movie Stars Wine Tours. Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours is on Chateau Chantal's list of preferred transportation partners. Ask operators whether tasting fees are included and whether they book winery reservations.
Last verified October 6, 2026. Hours, policies, and events change, so confirm with each business before you go.
Hero photo: "Leelanau vineyard" by Iulus Ascanius, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
