Two nights, two premier courses, and an afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula. The concentrated Northern Michigan experience for golfers with limited time.
2 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 experience the two courses that define the Lake Michigan coast and to understand why the region commands attention on a national scale. This itinerary pairs Arcadia Bluffs with Bay Harbor, two courses that approach the Lake Michigan shoreline with different architectures and different price points, and fills the non-golf hours with an afternoon on Old Mission Peninsula's wine trail. The estimated cost of $1,500 to $2,800 per person covers two nights of lodging, two rounds, meals, wine tasting, and a rental car.
Fly into Cherry Capital Airport and drive 45 minutes southwest to Arcadia Bluffs for an afternoon round on 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 creates an experience that has earned the course a place in Golf Digest's top 100 public rankings.
The morning is reserved 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 the Traverse City base and drive to Cherry Capital Airport. The drive from Bay Harbor is approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
The trip works with a single base in Traverse City, which is centrally located between Arcadia Bluffs (45 minutes southwest) and Bay Harbor (65 minutes north). A split base, with the first night in Traverse City and the second at the Inn at Bay Harbor, reduces Day 2 driving and places the golfer adjacent to Bay Harbor for the afternoon round. A rental car is essential. The total driving across the trip, excluding the wine tasting, is approximately three hours, spread across three days. Both Arcadia Bluffs and Bay Harbor offer carts and walking options.
$1500–$2800
per person
2 Days
1 nights
2
courses included