No. 07
Brewery
Lake Ann Brewing
Lake Ann · 20 Miles West of Traverse City
Lake Ann is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it town about 20 miles west of TC, and its brewery is exactly what a small-town taproom should be — unpretentious, warm, and genuinely fun. The building was a long-neglected local café before the owners transformed it by hand with family and friends. Their motto is "great beer without the pomp and circumstance," and they mean it. Live music runs most nights in summer on an outdoor stage, and they have food from The Stone Oven right next door.
VibeRustic, relaxed, and genuinely local — the opposite of a tourist trap
What to GetThe Listen Chief IPA or ask what's on — they rotate frequently and it's always worth asking
Insider TipMake it an evening: music on the patio, food from Stone Oven next door, and no reason to leave early.
No. 06
Cocktail Bar
The Parlor
Downtown Traverse City · 205 Lake Ave
The Parlor opened on December 5th, 2013 — exactly 80 years after the end of Prohibition — and it's been one of TC's best bars ever since. The building is a former cherry warehouse and train weigh station from the 1800s, and it shows: exposed original wood beams, candlelight, vintage furniture, and the kind of atmosphere that earns the word "cozy" without trying. Craft cocktails are the main event, with signatures like the cherry wood smoked bourbon Smoke Stack, but they also have creative thin-crust pizzas and rotating gastro-pub plates that regularly steal the show. Live music most nights. Free parking at 205 Lake Ave.
VibeWarm, candlelit, and unhurried — historic building, great cocktails, live music most nights
What to GetThe Smoke Stack (cherry wood smoked bourbon cocktail) or ask the bartender for a seasonal recommendation
Insider TipFree parking at 205 Lake Ave.
No. 05
Brewery
Loco Boys Brewing
Slabtown Neighborhood · Traverse City
Loco Boys occupies a building in TC's Slabtown neighborhood that has been here since 1932 — locals who grew up coming in still walk through the door and say so. Owner Mike Mohrhardt is a TC native who spent 17 years in LA before coming home to build this: a craft brewery paired with a scratch Mexican kitchen, with award-winning brewer Andy Largent behind the taps. The beer is excellent. The Mexican food is even better — barbacoa tacos, fresh-made chips, and an al pastor that regularly gets called the best in town.
VibeLively, a little loud — Southwestern modern interior with a patio that fills fast on weekends
What to GetEl Mexigander Mexican Dark Lager or the Luna Libra Märzen. Then order the barbacoa tacos.
Insider TipFree parking in the lot next to the building — rare in downtown TC and worth knowing.
No. 04
Experience
TC Cycle Pub
Downtown Traverse City
The TC Cycle Pub is a 14-passenger pedal-powered bar on wheels, and it's exactly as fun as it sounds. Your group pedals together through downtown TC while a driver handles steering and navigation — you just drink, pedal, and make noise. Tours run two hours and start at The Filling Station on Railroad Place. You bring your own beer, wine, or seltzers (no hard liquor, no glass bottles); the driver handles route suggestions and stops at bars along the way. Yes, everyone on the street is staring at you — but they're just jealous.
VibeParty on wheels — loud, social, and guaranteed to be the highlight of the weekend
What to GetFill a growler from The Filling Station before you board — it's the move
Insider TipBook in advance. They sell out weeks ahead in summer. The 14-passenger bike accommodates most groups.
