Pin itTwo nights, two premier courses, and an afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula. The concentrated Northern Michigan experience for golfers with limited time.
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3 Days
Bucket List Trip
$1500–$2800/person
2
Moderate
Two nights is not enough time to see all of Northern Michigan, but it is enough to play the two courses that define the Lake Michigan coast and to grasp why the region pulls national attention. This trip pairs Arcadia Bluffs with Bay Harbor, two courses that approach the same shoreline from different architectures and different price points, and fills the non-golf hours with an afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula's wine trail. Budget $1,500 to $2,800 per person for two nights of lodging, two rounds, meals, wine tasting, and a rental car.
Northern Michigan, Michigan
Trip at a Glance
Fly into Cherry Capital Airport and drive 45 minutes southwest to Arcadia Bluffs for an afternoon round on Arcadia Bluffs, The Bluffs. Warren Henderson and Rick Smith placed this links-style course on 200-foot bluffs above Lake Michigan, and the combination of lake views, firm turf, and persistent wind has earned it a place in Golf Digest's top 100 public rankings.
The morning is for Wine Tasting on Old Mission Peninsula. The 18-mile peninsula extends into Grand Traverse Bay from Traverse City, with more than 10 wineries producing cool-climate Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and ice wines.
Check out of the Inn at Bay Harbor or your Traverse City base and drive to Cherry Capital Airport. From Bay Harbor it is about an hour and 30 minutes.
Trip Logistics
Plan the Practicalities
The trip works with a single base in Traverse City, centrally located between Arcadia Bluffs (45 minutes southwest) and Bay Harbor (65 minutes north). The Park Place Hotel handles that single-base option. A split base, with the first night in Traverse City and the second at the Inn at Bay Harbor, cuts Day 2 driving and puts you adjacent to Bay Harbor for the afternoon round. A rental car is essential. Total driving across the trip, excluding the wine tasting, is roughly three hours spread across three days. Both Arcadia Bluffs and Bay Harbor offer carts and walking options.
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