Tall Ship Manitou Sailing

The Tall Ship Manitou is a 114-foot, two-masted schooner that sails Grand Traverse Bay from the Traverse City waterfront, and the sunset departure is one of the best two-hour windows you can spend in northern Michigan.

The experience

You board at a dock within walking distance of downtown restaurants, then sail under wind power into the bay. Help with the lines if you want to, or stretch out on deck and let the crew work. Take the sunset sail. The light on Grand Traverse Bay shifts from warm gold to deep orange as the sun drops toward the western shore, and the quiet of moving under sail does something that motorised boat tours never quite manage. The bay opens out enough to feel like proper open water once you clear the harbor. Calm rather than adventurous, suitable for all ages and comfort levels.

Logistics

Sails operate late May through October, with departures typically at 2 PM and sunset. Two hours on the water. Pricing $40 to $65 per person depending on season and sail. Book ahead for sunset sails in July and August. Bring a light jacket; evening temperatures on the water run noticeably cooler than the shore. Dinner on Front Street is the obvious follow-up after a sunset sail.