Up North Guide · Traverse City and the Leelanau Peninsula

The Romantic Getaway Guide.
The Top 7.

a local's guide, not a travel blog

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1879

Year The Mill Was Originally Built

4.5

Miles of Crystal River You Paddle Through the Forest

M-22

The Scenic Route That Ties It All Together

The Guide

Our honest picks.
No sponsors.

A note from us before we begin: Northern Michigan's greatest romantic asset is free. Any secluded bluff, any quiet beach, a bottle of local wine and a picnic — that's an evening that rivals anything on this list. The natural beauty here does the work.

No. 07

Dinner

Trattoria Stella

The Village at Grand Traverse Commons · Traverse City

Trattoria Stella opened in 2004 in the basement of Building 50 of the former Northern Michigan Asylum — now the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The original asylum doctors believed in a 'beauty is therapy' philosophy, and Stella continues that tradition. Chef Myles Anton has five James Beard Award nominations. The menu changes daily: housemade pasta, whole-animal butchery, house-cured charcuterie, whatever is best from local farms. The wine list is one of the most thoughtfully curated in the state. Candlelit, underground, and completely absorbing. The most romantic dining room in Traverse City.

VibeIntimate and exceptional — the room does half the work

What to GetWhatever fresh pasta is on the board and the charcuterie to start. Order a bottle, not a glass.

Insider TipClosed Tuesdays. Reservations strongly recommended. Bar seating is walk-in if you want to be spontaneous.

No. 06

Daytime

Crystal River Kayaking

Crystal River Outfitters · Glen Arbor

Crystal River Outfitters rents kayaks and canoes for the Crystal River — a spring-fed, gin-clear waterway that winds 4.5 miles through old-growth hardwood forest just outside Glen Arbor. The water is rarely more than a foot deep and the current is almost imperceptible. You paddle slowly, stop whenever you want, and spend two to three hours completely alone in one of the most beautiful natural corridors in Michigan. The river's clarity is almost surreal — every pebble on the sandy bottom visible. Bring a dry bag with something to drink and no agenda.

VibeSlow, quiet, and completely absorbing — the two of you and nothing else

What to DoRent a tandem kayak and take the longer route. Stop wherever the light looks good through the trees.

Insider TipArrive early in summer — rentals go fast on warm weekends. It's a paddle, not a workout.

No. 05

Dinner

The Mill — Supper

Glen Arbor · 5440 W. Harbor Hwy

A painstakingly restored 1879 grist mill on the banks of the Crystal River in Glen Arbor. By night, The Mill becomes Supper — one of the finest dinner experiences in the state. Chef Bobby Thoits mills his own flour from house-milled grains, builds menus around micro-seasons, and serves food that Eater Detroit has called game-changing. The dining room holds about 30 people and feels like a private dinner. The sound of the river outside. The light low and warm. One of the most beautiful places to eat in Michigan.

VibeIntimate and exceptional — the river outside, the light low, the menu a conversation

What to GetLet the menu guide you. Ask what Chef Thoits is most excited about that week.

Insider TipReservations mandatory — book well ahead at themillglenarbor.com. About 35 minutes from downtown TC.

No. 04

Daytime

M-22 Scenic Drive

Empire · North to Leland · Back to Traverse City

Put the windows down and drive north on M-22. Start in Empire and follow the road as it climbs and dips through cherry orchards, over dune ridges, past vineyard turnoffs, and along stretches where the lake appears suddenly through the trees. Stop in Glen Arbor. Stop in Leland. Stop whenever something catches your eye. The drive from Empire to Leland is less than 40 miles and takes as long as you let it. The whole point is to have nowhere to be.

VibeOpen road, open windows, nothing on the calendar — the most romantic thing here that costs nothing

What to DoPick a direction and start driving. Pull over when the lake appears. Stop for coffee in Glen Arbor.

Insider TipGo in the morning before traffic builds, or late afternoon when the light turns gold over the orchards.

M-22 scenic drive — fall colors along the lake

No. 03

Sunset

Esch Road Beach

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore · Off M-22, South of Empire

Three miles south of Empire on M-22, turn west on Esch Road and follow it to where Otter Creek meets Lake Michigan. One of the quietest, most beautiful beaches in the park — soft sand, creek-warmed wading water, dunes rising to the south, and a west-facing horizon that lights up completely at sunset. Bonfires are permitted on the beach. Bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, a picnic, and nothing on the schedule. Watch the sun drop into Lake Michigan until the sky goes dark.

VibeQuiet, isolated, and breathtaking — the locals' sunset beach

What to BringA bottle of wine, a blanket, a picnic, and firewood if you want a bonfire after dark.

Insider TipIf the small parking lot is full, you can park along Esch Road and walk in.

No. 02

Sunset

Private Sunset Sail

West Grand Traverse Bay · Traverse City

Several companies in Traverse City offer private two-hour sunset charters on West Grand Traverse Bay. A private sail puts just the two of you on the water as the sun goes down over the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay turns gold, then pink, then deep red. Bring a bottle of something good. The captain handles everything else. It's the kind of evening that doesn't need a caption.

VibePrivate, effortless, and magical — the water makes everything more romantic

What to DoBook a private charter, not a group sail. Two hours is the right amount. Bring your own wine.

Insider TipBook 2 to 3 weeks ahead in summer. Confirm the departure time the day before for the best sunset window.

No. 01

Experience

Chateau Chantal Harvest Dinner

Old Mission Peninsula · Traverse City

Chateau Chantal's Harvest Dinner is a multi-course, wine-paired dinner served on the terrace as the sun sets over the Old Mission Peninsula vineyards and both bays come into view. The kitchen cooks seasonally, sourcing from the estate and local farms. Each course is paired with a wine from the cellar. The setting — long table, candlelight, vineyard rows fading into the dusk — is unlike anything else in northern Michigan. Exceptional food, exceptional wine, and a view that makes the whole evening feel inevitable.

VibeGrand, rare, and deeply beautiful — dinner as an event, not just a meal

What to DoOrder the full pairing. Stay through dessert. Watch the last light leave the vineyard.

Insider TipHarvest Dinners are seasonal and sell out weeks in advance. Check chateauchantal.com for dates.

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Where We Recommend Staying

Streamside — as romantic as the destination itself.

A private woodland retreat tucked into the forest of the Leelanau Peninsula, with a stream running through the property. The hot tub sits beneath the trees. The sauna glows at night. The fire pit is yours alone.

Three bedrooms, total privacy, and the kind of setting that makes the whole trip feel like an escape — not just a vacation. Close to everything on this list.

Hot Tub Barrel Sauna Fire Pit 6 Guests Pet Friendly 5★ Superhost

Discover Streamside →

★★★★★Airbnb Superhost

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Wineries · Bars & Breweries · Foodie Guide · Nature Lovers · Best of Leelanau's Small Towns · The Perfect Long Weekend · Kid-Friendly Spots · Romantic Getaway · Hidden Gems · Fall Colors · Winter Wonderland · Peak of Summer

The Romantic Getaway Guide.The Top 7.

Our honest picks.No sponsors.