My Backyard: Destinations
Work Up an Appetite in Traverse City, Michigan
By Gina DeMillo
Jan 1, 2006, 08:50

buon appetito: You’ll be singing the praises of la dolce vita when you eat at Folgarelli’s, an authentic Italian market. Photo by Bob Hawley

Life is a bushel of cherries for Traverse City residents. More than 250 million pounds of tart cherries are grown here and in neighboring communities in the Lower Peninsula, and residents are always looking for new ways to enjoy them, from cherry salsa to tea, cherry omelets, cookies and more. Full of natural pain relievers and antioxidants, the fruit gives locals plenty of energy to pursue their other passions—paddling Lake Michigan, hiking sand dunes and biking miles and miles of winding country roads.

Work Up an Appetite

Hike Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Undeveloped coastline is a dying phenomenon in the Midwest, but Sleeping Bear Dunes perseveres with an impressive 64 miles of protected shoreline. There’s not a golf course or vacation home in sight, and more than a dozen trails give you full access to coves and the namesake dunes, which are oddly perched atop steep bluffs. Swimming is allowed, so bring your suit. $10 per vehicle entrance fee; 231-326-5134; www.nps.gov/slbe .

Paddle Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan
With fewer motorboats than other areas of Lake Michigan, the western arm of Grand Traverse Bay is ideal for flatwater kayakers who don’t mind a few sea-like swells. Launch at Bowers Harbor on the Old Mission Peninsula and paddle 3 miles out to Basset Island, managed by Grand Traverse Parks and Recreation (231-922-4818). Camp there for $25 per night or circle back to the mainland at sunset. For gear and information, contact Backcountry Outfitters (231-946-1339) in Traverse City.

Indulge

Eat: Antipasto at Folgarelli’s Market in Traverse City
This family-owned market and deli has an olive bar that would make even native Italians drool. Add fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, wine and fine breads to the list, and you’ll want to graze here all afternoon. Salute! 231-941-7651; www.folgarellis.com.

Drink: Wine at Chateau Chantal in Traverse City
This vineyard occupies the same latitude as the Bordeaux region of France, and the similarities don’t end there. The owners replaced hillside cherry orchards with grafted vinifera grape vines, the same species of wine grape grown in Bordeaux. (They kept a few cherry trees around so they could make a sweet dessert wine.) If you go, be sure to taste their dry Riesling and Pinot Noir. www.chanteauchantal.com .

Be Merry: Attend the Annual Cherry Festival
It’s worth timing your visit for late June or early July. The lake will be warmer and the cherries ripe for the picking. The Food Network rated this cherry festival one of five can’t-miss festivals in the US, and you’ll understand why. Air shows. Pet contests. Fishing. Parade floats that actually “float” on the lake. Oh, and then there’s cherry pie.

Digs

Take a trip to old-world France by staying at the Chateau Chantal B&B ($135 and up; 231-223-4110; www.chateauchantal.com). Suites feature whirlpool tubs, private balconies and views of the lake and rolling vineyards. If you’d rather go gritty, find a beach campsite at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore ($5 and up, plus entrance fee; 231-326-5134; www.nps.gov/slbe ).