Group and Bachelorette Planning

A few things make a tasting day go smoothly. Decide on a designated driver before you set out, or plan around one of the area shuttle services, since the loops cross open country roads. Most tasting rooms open late morning and close in the late afternoon or early evening, and hours shift with the season, so it is worth confirming with any room you are set on, especially in spring and late fall. Weekends in summer and during fall color are busy, and larger groups should call ahead for reservations. Build in a real meal rather than tasting on an empty stomach, and leave room for the views, which are a large part of why people come here.

The driving question

If nobody in the group wants to skip tasting, book a shuttle. Traverse City Wine & Beer Tours runs group tours in the area: (231) 499-2656. Otherwise, decide on the designated driver before the day starts, not at the second stop.

Pacing math

Across all 74 venues, suggested tasting stops run from 40 to 50 minutes, with a typical stop around 45 minutes. With drives between rooms, four stops is a full, unhurried day for a group; five is pushing it. Larger groups move slower than they think.

Reservations

Weekends in summer and during fall color are busy, and larger groups should call ahead. Hours shift with the season, so confirm with any room you are set on. Every venue’s phone number is in the hours directory.

Bringing the dog (15 rooms)

45 North Vineyard & Winery, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Chateau Fontaine, Chateau Grand Traverse, Dune Bird Winery, Gilchrist Farm Winery, Glen Arbor Wines, Hop Lot Brewing Co. & Beer Garden, Iron Fish Distillery, Lake Ann Brewing Company, Leelanau Wine Cellars, Rove Winery at the Gallagher Estate, Stone Hound Brewing Company, Suttons Bay Ciders, The Mitten Brewing Company (Northport).

Food on site (54 venues)

Build in a real meal rather than tasting on an empty stomach. Rooms with food on site include Dune Bird Winery (pizza), 45 North Vineyard & Winery (snacks), Blustone Vineyards (snacks), Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery (pizza), Chateau Fontaine (snacks), Shady Lane Cellars (snacks), Gilchrist Farm Winery (kitchen), Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay) (bistro), Green Bird Organic Cellars & Farm (snacks), MAWBY Sparkling Wines (snacks), with the rest in the directory.