Traverse City rests at the base of Grand Traverse Bay, nestled between the Lelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. The Traverse City area has plenty of hotels, motels and resorts for families on vacation stays and award-winning golf courses too. You'll find two of the most highly acclaimed examples at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa with the Bear, a Jack Nicklaus designed course, and the Wolverine, a Gary Player designed course. Tourists tend to hear the name Grand Traverse and think the resort is located in Traverse City proper, but it is located in Acme, Michigan. If you want to golf in Traverse City, try one of these three public courses, the Bay Meadows Golf Club, Crown Golf Club or Elmbrook Golf Course:
Best Western Four Seasons
The Best Western Four Seasons made improvements to its 50-room hotel between 2008 and 2009 by painting the rooms and adding new artwork, curtains, towels, bedding and mattresses. A typical room includes an alarm clock, coffee maker, complimentary copy of USA Today, DVD player, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, TV and Wi-Fi. Select deluxe rooms include a microwave, jetted tub and balcony. The hotel's amenities include an 11-foot-deep indoor pool, hot tub, arcade games and a pillow bar, where guests can select the firmness of their pillow. The hotel serves a seasonal treat like strawberry shortcake in the evening and a hot breakfast in the morning that includes biscuits and gravy or sausage, eggs and a waffle station. The hotel provides a treat for the family pet with advance notice. The Best Western Four Seasons is located 1 1/2 miles from the shops in downtown Traverse City and 4 miles from the 18-hole Elmbrook Golf Course.
Best Western Four Seasons
305 Munson Ave.
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 946-8424
bestwestern.com
Traverse Bay Inn
The Traverse Bay Inn looks like a motel, but it's actually a 24-unit hotel with spacious quarters for family stays. The hotel's ranch and two-story units range from the one-room Euro-Suite with shared bath to the two-bedroom Townhome Suite with Jacuzzi. The units have alarm clocks and coffee makers, and most suites include a living area with a full kitchenette. The family-friendly amenities include free Wi-FI, a game room, laundry room, outdoor pool and bikes for complimentary use on the Traverse Area Recreation Trail. The hotel is across the street from a beach park and 2.4 miles from the Crown Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course. The Traverse Bay Inn welcomes pets and provides a Stay and Play Golf Package for a one-night stay and 18 holes of golf with a cart at a selected course.
Traverse Bay Inn
2300 US-31
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 938-2646
traversebayinn.com
Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge is a full-service resort modeled after a traditional north woods cabin. The resort offers 280 fireplace and whirlpool loft suites as well as cave, den, tent and log-cabin-themed suites for families with young children. All suites feature a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, microwave, refrigerator and TV. The resort offers a 52,000-square-foot indoor entertainment complex that includes an arcade, bakery, gift shop, spa, snack shop and two casual restaurants. Outdoor attractions include a pool, mini-golf course and a live buffalo. The Great Wolf Lodge is close to the Grand Traverse Mall and 4.5 miles from the Bay Meadows Golf Course, which offers an executive 9-hole golf course and a 9-hole par-3 golf course. The Great Wolf Lodge does not allow pets.
Great Wolf Lodge
3575 N. US-31 South
Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 941-3600
greatwolf.com
About The Author
Renee Vians has been writing online since 2008. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism and language arts certification from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Her articles have appeared on eHow, Garden Guides and a variety of other websites.
