Traverse City Hotels
Many tourists like to travel to Traverse City. They may want to see the tourist attractions the culture, the architecture, the scenery around the city. Some may go to the city for sports, cultural or historical events in the city. Some may want to get a cheap hotel or luxury hotel. Some may want hotels that have good views good prices and good scenery. Some may want hotels that have good access to parking and transport.
Traverse City is a city in the USA state of Michigan.
It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County although a small portion lies in Leelanau County. Despite its modest population, Traverse City, especially its downtown, functions as the major commercial nexus for a seven county area totaling over 2,700 square miles and, along with cross-peninsula counterpart Alpena, is one of Northern Lower Michigan's two anchor cities.
Traverse City is the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World, holding an annual week-long Cherry Festival the first full week in July to celebrate. Besides cherries, the surrounding Tuscany-like countryside produces grapes, and is one of the centers of wine production in the Midwest. Tourism, both summer and winter, is another key industry. Freshwater beaches, a mild summer climate, upscale golf resorts, vineyards, a nearby National Lakeshore, prodigious snowfall, nearby ski resorts and thousands of square miles of surrounding forests make Traverse City the second most popular tourist destination in the state behind Mackinaw City. In addition, the historic downtown area of Traverse City is the home of many shops, restaurants, and offices. Traverse City is a home rule charter city under the Home Rule Cities Act, incorporated on May 18, 1895.
Traverse City is named after the Grand Traverse Bay, which the city heads. The bay earned its name from 18th century French voyagers who made la grande traverse or "the long crossing" across the mouth of the bay Grand Traverse Bay
In 1847, Captain Boardman of Naperville, Illinois, purchased the land at the mouth of the Boardman River at the head of the west arm of the bay. During that year the captain, his son, and their employees built a dwelling and sawmill near the mouth of the river. In 1851 the Boardmans sold the sawmill to Hannah, Lay & Co (Perry Hannah, Albert Tracy Lay and James Morgan), who improved the mill greatly. The increased investment in the mill attracted additional settlers to the new community.
As of 1853, the only operating post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region was the one located at Old Mission, which was then known as "Grand Traverse." While in Washington, D.C. in 1852, Mr. Lay had succeeded in getting the U.S. Post Office to authorize a new post office at his newer settlement. As the newer settlement had become known as "Grand Traverse City," Lay proposed this name for its post office, but the USPS clerk suggested dropping the "Grand," in the name, as to limit confusion between this new office and the one at nearby Old Mission. Mr. Lay agreed to the name "Traverse City" for the post office, and the village took on this name.
The city sits at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, a long protected water of Lake Michigan. The city sits at the base of the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. The Boardman River forms Boardman Lake in the city before draining into the Bay.
Grand
Traverse Bay is located off Lake Michigan in Northern Michigan. The bay is 32
miles (51 km) long, 10 miles (16 km) wide, and up to 600 feet (180 m) deep in
spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula. Traverse City
is situated at the south end of the bay where the Boardman River empties into
the west arm. Cherry orchards line the bay region, giving rise to Traverse City's
claim to be the Cherry Capital of the World. Several nationally known companies
offer cherry-based products made with Northern Michigan tart cherries including
Traverse Bay Farms, Cherry Central, Fruit Advantage, American Spoon and Cherry
Republic.
The East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay from the east, with the Old Mission
Peninsula in the background. Hills of the Leelanau Peninsula are faintly visible
on the horizon.
The Grand Traverse Bay includes several important smaller bays: Northport Bay, Suttons Bay, Omena Bay, Bowers Harbor, and Old Mission Bay.
Northport Bay, located at the northwest corner of Grand Traverse Bay is about 10 miles long and 4 miles wide. Northport Bay open to the east, except inside the arms at each end, with the Leelanau Peninsula on the West side. There are several shoals in Northport Bay marked by buoys. Bellows Island, a low gravel island covered by shrubs and located near the middle of Northport Bay, is owned by the Nature Conservancy; it is primarily known as a bird rookery, and is sometimes locally called Gull Island.
Cities, villages, and townships in Traverse City region include
; Frankfort, Traverse City (Principal city), Benzonia, , Beulah, Elberta, Empire,
Fife Lake, Honor, Kalkaska, Kingsley, Lake Ann, Northport, Suttons Bay, Thompsonville,
Acme , Almira , Bear Lake , Benzonia , Bingham , Blaine , Blair , Blue Lake ,
Boardman , Centerville , Clearwater , Cleveland , Coldsprings , Colfax , Crystal
Lake, East Bay, Elmwood Charter , Empire , Excelsior , Fife Lake , Garfield ,
Garfield , Gilmore , Glen Arbor , Grant , Green Lake , Homestead , Inland , Joyfield
, Kalkaska , Kasson , Lake Leelanau , Leland , Long Lake , Mayfield , Oliver ,
Orange , Paradise , Peninsula , Platte , Rapid River , Solon , Springfield , Suttons
Bay , Union , Weldon , Whitewater, Bendon, Burdickville, Cedar, Greilickville
– , Interlochen, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Maple City, Old Mission, Omena, Peshawbestown
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