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| Photo by Nicole Rupersburg |
"The rolling hills of Tuscany. The long stretches of scenic two-lane roads winding through Napa Valley. The idea of vacationing in wine country certainly has its appeal — the magnificent natural beauty, the slower pace of life, the wine (let’s not forget the wine). But a leisurely weekend in wine country doesn’t have to mean an expensive plane ticket. A brief four-hour drive north will take travelers right into the heart of Traverse City, an area once known only for its cherries, but now developing a national reputation for its commitment to historic preservation, sustainability, development of the arts and world-class winemaking.
'Situated in the middle of Grand Traverse Bay are the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. At the center of the base of both peninsulas lies Traverse City. Touring Traverse City wine country is as simple as driving 45 minutes from one peninsula to the other, directly through Traverse City. Here oenophiles will find more than 25 tasting rooms where they can sample some of Michigan’s nationally-ranked, award-winning wines, as well as sample farm-to-table cuisine from celebrated chefs. While maneuvering the sharply curving roads, the panoramic views of lush green hills covered in vineyards surrounded by vast, sparkling waters will truly take one’s breath away. Tuscany … Napa Valley … Traverse City? Yes, Michigan..."
Read the rest of the article here. View the four-page spread in PDF form here.
For more photos (taken by Nicole on a separate trip, not for this piece), check out the Flickr set here.
