TRAVERSE CITY

holiday events

Visit MyNorth.com/Events and dda.downtowntc.com for Santa sightings, tree lightings and more. Grand Traverse Bay winks in the background as shoppers and revelers dip in and out of Front Street stores, sip coffee and browse the boutiques in the trendy Warehouse District and delight in a winter wonderland at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Spend a day enjoying each of the unique locales.

PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

DOWNTOWN DESTINATIONS Front Street’s shops and restaurants are wonderfully festive during the holidays. Start your day on the east end at Bubbie’s Bagels. Then head downtown to the cheery boutiques and galleries between Boardman Avenue and Union Street. Finish on the west end: The Cheese Lady’s store is downright jolly, as is owner Tina Zinn, and her team will help you pick out goodies for the best-ever charcuterie board to serve with your holiday meal. SANTA’S SECRET The Warehouse District, tucked just off Front on Hall and Garland, is edgy yet cozy. Your must-stops: Warehouse MRKT (for breakfast at BLK\MRKT and shopping), Antiquities Warehouse of Grand Traverse (it’s a treasure trove of oneof-a-kind architectural pieces and furniture) and Mammoth Distilling (on Mondays, make your own whiskey blend from the hundreds of aged barrels in the distillery’s rick house; reservations required). MERRY MAKING The Village at Grand Traverse Commons looks like a scene from a snow globe. Get pastries and pancakes at S2S or Red Spire Brunch House, roam the one-of-a-kind shops in the Mercato and glide along cross-country ski trails at The Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area behind Building 50. thevillagetc.com O’ CHRISTMAS TREE Robinson Family Christmas Tree Farm (6777 Herkner Rd.), Clark’s Family Farm (10151 N. Long Lake Rd.) and Schmuckal Christmas Tree Farms in neighboring Kingsley (5719 Schneider Rd.) are all favorites. Follow them each on Facebook for this year’s festivities (Santa visits, cocoa, cookies!).