After our unbelievable 40th birthday bash in Sonoma last summer, we were all seeking to re-create the magic with a girls' trip that was drivable from Chicago. It took a significant number of emails, but we finally landed on a weekend in Traverse City, Michigan. We stayed in an adorable Air B&B that accommodated all six of us, and each of us noted how great it would be for a family. It included 7 beds (4 of which were bunks), laundry, a hot tub, two TV watching areas, a full kitchen, a dock, a water trampoline, as well as a paddle board and other beach activities that would serve more active families or couples.
Pictured: 5/6 of the Augustana crew, procuring sustenence from Tim Horton's
Five of us made the road trip from the Chicago area, while the sixth in our party flew into the Traverse City airport. We prioritized finding lunch, since we had only had TimBits and sugary coffee drinks to start the day. We were hoping to try a few recommended places in downtown Traverse City, but between the rain and the crowds, our original plans had to be scrapped, as we wandered farther down the street, hoping to find a restaurant that could accommodate us. This turned into a happy accident as we found ourselves at Barrio.
Pictured: The menu selection from Barrio, the queso and salsa flight from Barrio, the unique mural from Barrio
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch of made to order tacos and a beautiful queso and guac flight, and by the time we finished, the rain had stopped, and we meandered up and down the street, on a quest to procure pie from Grand Traverse Pie Company. This group managed to not only find pie, but delightful souvenirs to bring home to our families (and maybe an item or two for ourselves)!
Pictured: a berry pie from Grand Traverse Pie Company, downtown Traverse City and Traverse Bay
Day 1:
Our first full day in Traverse City included a tour of four wineries thanks to the Magic Shuttle Bus company. Our driver, Andy, was a delight, sharing the histories and stories of each stop, helping us understand each winery's impact on the local economy, as well as favorite experiences at each stop. We opted for the private 5-hour tour. The Magic Shuttle was easy to work with, helping us narrow down our desired tour route (Old Mission vs. Leelanau Peninsulas), as well as the wineries we would like to visit. I only had to call and make one reservation. The others, including the timing, were all taken care of by the Magic Shuttle.
Our first stop was Chateau Chantal. We enjoyed our flights from within the winery, as even though the scenery was divine, the wind and the temperature were quite uncomfortable!
Pictured: 6/6 ladies enjoying flights and the views at Chateau Chantal. And look closely at the image the artist was creating. I'm pretty sure that's me and Jenny on the right side of the photo!
Our second stop was Bowers Harbor Vineryard. Here we also enjoyed flights, but most of us opted for cider this time. We also sat outdoors, as the temps were improving, and the exterior seating included heaters. Bowers does offer some snacks, so we did purchase an absolutely outstanding spinach artichoke dip and some cheese and meat.
Pictured: Augustana ladies savoring the laid back atmosphere at Bowers Harbor Vineyards.
Our third stop was a show stopping scenic delight: Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery. The frose was out of this world, and the charcuterie boards with cheese pairings was a much needed snack at this point in the afternoon. We all agreed that we could have spent much more time here. This winery felt the most like Sonoma!
Pictured: The menu from Brys, in addition to the charcuterie and cheese pairing boards.
Our final stop of the day was at Bonobo Winery. This winery does not offer flights, so it was a much different experience. The wind and cold also prevented us from enjoying our time outdoors; however, we were able to snag a table near the window to enjoy the views.
Pictured: The exterior of Bonobo Winery
We landed back at our Air B&B, hoping for a pizza delivery, but because it was a Sunday night, there were ZERO options for pizza delivery. As it was only 5pm, and because we all were needing actual food, we called on our local expert, Andy the shuttle driver, who discovered that Jett's Pizza was open Sunday nights. While the pizza place was short-staffed, meaning there were no drivers, we had one member of our party willing to pick up our dinner, ensuring we had nourishment after a long day touring the Old Mission peninsula (followed by pie, of course)!
Day 2:
To balance the debauchery from the previous day, we had planned on visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We started at the Visitor's Center, created a game plan, and decided to begin with the Empire Bluff Trail, a relatively easy 1.5 mile out and back that travels through a felled Ash tree forest (so sad, those darn emerald ash borers), and comes up along a dune boardwalk, where the views of Lake Michigan were absolutely incredible. From there, we drove up to the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. We were eager to get to the Sleeping Bear dune, where we were met with a stark warning about what could occur if we failed our quest to get to the bottom of the dune and back up!
Pictured: The Augustana ladies on the Empire Bluff Trail, near the Sleeping Bear dune, and at the Visitor Center park sign
Needless to say, none of us felt particularly willing to forego $3000 for a failed extraction; however, we were able to cheer strangers on. All of that work made us hungry, so we decided to stop at Moomer's for lunch on the way back to Traverse City. I selected a delicious turtle sundae and had no regrets.
Pictured: a Moomer's turtle sundae
After several miles of hiking and enjoying overlooks, with ice cream as our only meal for the day, we were all quite famished, and we were eagerly seeking food options, so we checked out the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. While we didn't land on any of the restaurants there, we did quite enjoy wandering the many shops, while also considering the storied history of the buildings.
Pictured: Augustana ladies outside the Village at Grand Traverse Commons
We headed back downtown to Sorellina's Italian Restaurant where we quite literally licked all of our plates clean. Everything was delicious, and we felt full and ready to consider our next destination!
Pictured: Bruschetta and caprese appetizers at Sorellina's
It is unusual to me that I can feel more myself with this group of women, with whom I only spent a brief moment of my life. I feel so comfortable and at home with all of them, sharing similar lived experiences as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a professional, and a woman. Perhaps late adolescence is a unique time to form friendships. Or perhaps these women witnessed me attempting to try on adulthood. Whatever the case may be, I'm grateful for our annual excursions, allowing me to be reminded of who I am without the label of wife, mother, teacher. In the meantime, I will continue to daydream about our options next year and eagerly await our next adventure!
Until next year, ladies!
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