Five Reasons You Should Book A Traverse City Winter Tour
Traverse City Winter Fun with Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours!
Ahhhhhhhhh just when we weren’t ready to say goodbye to summer, fall barely came and BAM it’s winter. Although we are all sad to see summer and fall go, we can’t wait for the Traverse City winter tour season!
First of all, yes, we give tours throughout the whole year and yes, the wineries are still open. We know in the past many wineries were only open May-October, but luckily many are now open year-round. The only difference is their hours are a bit shorter in the wintertime. Also, the breweries, distilleries and even cideries are open year-round too.
The holiday decorations at the wineries definitely help, but even without them everywhere just feels homier in the wintertime. If you’ve visited in both summer and winter you completely understand, and well if you haven’t, come join us for the first time for a winter tour! Even on a busy day in the winter, you won’t have near as many lines for tastings as you would on a busy day in summer or fall. (Unless you visit for the Mac and Cheese Festival!)
The Views and Snow are Gorgeous
We know many people come up here during summertime for views of the bay but if you haven’t seen it in the winter, we promise it’s worth it. On a beautiful winter day, the bay is awesome to see frozen over and Traverse City gets dumped on with snow so it’s the perfect time to cozy up in a winery or distillery and enjoy! Some establishments even have fireplaces, our favorite fireplaces are at Bowers Harbor, Bonobo Winery, Hope Lot (outdoors) and Suttons Bay Ciders (outdoors).
You’ll Get A More Intimate and Unique Experience
Visiting Traverse City in the summer is amazing but can it also be very busy, especially at the wineries. Come winter, things start to slow down and are a bit more magical and guests are able to spend more time learning about the establishments and their wine because the tasting rooms aren’t as busy. During the winter, wineries offer events and other wonderful winter experiences to keep you busy. One of the most popular activities is snowshoeing around the vineyards, some of our favorite places to do so are at Bowers Harbor, Blustone, 45 North Vineyard and Winery and Black Star Farms.
Winter Inspired Drinks
Ok, this might be the #1 reason to visit Traverse City in the winter! Yes we know, you miss the Frosé. We get it. BUT not to worry, many wineries start serving up mulled cider and winter inspired drinks this time of year and they are to die for! Click here to learn about a few of our favorites (some serve throughout the fall and some the winter so make sure you call ahead or ask us if you have your heart set on a specific one.)
Our current favorites are The Holly Nog at Traverse City Whiskey Co. and the featured drinks at Northern Latitudes Distillery.
Who doesn’t want a s’mores flavored drink!? Imagine getting all cozied up in the adorable Northern Latitudes Distillery with this awesome drink.
They feature a new drink every week and they also have a seasonal menu! Don’t forget to shop for their merchandise and grab some yummy cheese from the cheese lady while you enjoy a cocktail. Here is another one of their featured cocktails.
Many other establishments have winter-inspired drinks, these are just a few of our favorites!
Private Distillery, Winery, Cider Tours
As a tour company, we have many different offerings for our guests. Our most popular tour is to take you to 4 different establishments in 4 hours. But let’s get creative! Recently we had a couple we wanted to spend more time at two specific wineries so they booked private tours with the wineries and we drove them up and then took them to a few distilleries and breweries after. Some of our ultimate favorite private tours in town are Traverse City Whiskey Co., Mari Vineyards, Brys Estate Vineyards, and Chateau Chantal! We couldn’t agree more with The Fresh Exchange when she says distilleries sound so fun in the winter, check out her blog to learn more.
You Can Reserve an Igloo at HopLot
We absolutely love that you can reserve an Igloo at Hoplot again this year! It’s the perfect fit for 4-8 of your besties to hang out and enjoy some local beer. Either call ahead and let us know your reservation number or let us plan your schedule and get it taken care of!
Keep in mind if you are visiting on the weekend HopLot is one of our busiest establishments up here so they are pretty much slammed all year round.
We are so excited that you know more about Traverse City winter time and all the magical events that go on this time of year! We can’t wait to meet you and take you around to see all the beautiful establishments with your friends and family but for now, stay cozy!
Give us a call at (231) 499-2656 to book over the phone or book your next wine or beer tour online HERE. Stay up to date with our latest specials and events on this blog and also check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.