The holiday season is finally here in Traverse City and we are as excited as ever! What starts with Thanksgiving will end with a giant New Year’s celebration. This year, take your family on a wonderful vacation getaway to Traverse City where you can enjoy a variety of New Year’s activities. The city is known to bring in the new year in style and fun so make sure everyone is in tow for the fun. Here is how you can plan ahead for an incredible trip to Traverse City for New Year’s.
Whenever you visit Traverse City for the first time you will quickly find out that we are the cherry capitol of the country. Cherries continues to be our biggest produce grown here in the state and makes for a perfect theme for annual events. The summer season is known for our annual National Cherry Festival that takes place over multiple days and features a variety of events including big name musical cats. We do not limit the cherry fun to just the summer as you will find that Traverse City hosts our very own cherry themed ball drop, The CherryT Ball Drop. Similar to the big ball drop taking place in New York City this event will feature a “ball” that will drop as the countdown reaches midnight on New Year’s Eve. The massive cherry will replace the typical ball allowing this event to continue our long standing tradition. The CherryT Ball Drop benefits a variety of nonprofits in the area as each attendee is asked for a $5 donation for the event. The CherryT Ball Drop takes place at the intersection of Cass Street and Front Street where you will have the best viewing of the cherry drop. The streets will open up at 10:30 PM where you can enjoy a live DJ keeping the crowd entertained. The event will end shortly after the cherry drop at 12:20 AM so you can head back to your vacation rental. This local event is a fun way to celebrate the new year right here in Traverse City!
While it is always fun to experience the cherry drop of CherryT Ball Drop from the street it is even more exciting to see it up high. Specifically, from the rooftop deck bar found over at North Bar just across the street. This local spot hosts their New Year’s Eve Celebration where you can enjoy the amenities while watching the cherry ball drop during the evening. North Bar will provide you with a champagne toast and light snack board to enjoy throughout the evening. Check in your coat at the door and get a few pics taken over at the photo booth. You can also purchase additional beverages throughout the evening. Tickets are already on sale for the New Year’s Eve Celebration at North Bar and run $65 per person. Purchase tickets early before December 26th for early bird pricing before they go up to $75 per person. This is a great way for the adults to have a little fun on New Year’s Eve.
There are plenty of additional activities to enjoy here in Traverse City as well. The Grand Traverse Commons is a popular attraction to visit that is a historic psychiatric hospital that has been repurposed into a sprawling entertainment district. The Village is one such district located here that features an abundance of restaurants and shops you will want to check out. Many of these boutiques offer incredible gifts found nowhere else. Local restaurants offer a stop to give yourself a shopping break and indulge yourself in delicious cuisine. Or just walk around the Grand Traverse Commons to see the beautiful building up close. A little post holiday shopping never hurt!
New Year’s is in the middle of winter so you can still enjoy a variety of winter activities that the area has to offer. One such location we highly recommend to see in the winter is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This local attraction features tall sandy dunes right on the shore that are majestic to see. They are even more impressive in the winter covered in a short layer of snow that makes it easier to hike up the dunes. You can also explore the 8 different trails in winter by snowshoeing or cross country skiing around. Local shops have all the gear you need for a wonderful winter exploration.
Make the most of your New Year’s excursion by finding our vacation rentals here in the area. We offer all of the fun you come to expect for Traverse City rentals. Contact us to book your stay today. Browse our rentals by amenity here.
As the end of year comes sliding into place, we often find ourselves contemplating the months that have passed in a blur, remembering the good, trying to forget the bad, and wondering what we can do to make 2024 shine even brighter. In our experience, we have always found that a great vacation to an exciting new place sets the path for the next 12 months of our lives and we would like to invite you to spend New Year’s Eve in Traverse City. This guide will help convince you as to why we think it is a fantastic idea to end the year in homes that provide comfort, style, and all the warmth you may not find outside the doors of our properties!
We all have those special holiday traditions we engage in every year, but maybe 2024 should be the start of some new traditions as well. Rising early to greet the sun, walking in the predawn cold along paths through bare trees in our country homes, sitting on the front porches or back balconies of our town homes, or sitting on the deck overlooking a beautiful lake, watching the world awaken around you is one of life’s greatest luxuries. On this, the last day of 2023, these quiet moments (spent well bundled up, of course) can bring you clarity and peace and may be the perfect time to jot down some of the resolutions you want to make for the year ahead. (Watching sunrises may be number one on that list)
Another popular resolution is saying farewell to bad habits and often, one of the top resolutions is to eat better. We are all for anything good for your health, of course, but we also think the best way to start new habits is by ending the old ones with a hearty farewell, perhaps even a gigantic breakfast at J&S Hamburg? Offering two locations in Traverse City, the original one downtown is our favorite, serving up plate-sized pancakes, flaky biscuits drowning in creamy country gravy, and just about all your favorite not-so-healthy breakfast foods!
Since you aren’t having to cook and clean for a huge party in your own home, it is the perfect time to explore a little of what Traverse City has to offer. Some of our more popular attractions may be closing early for the holiday, and the cold weather may encourage you to stay inside where it is warm and cozy, but a walk along the streets of downtown, dipping in and out of the shops and boutiques still dressed in their favorite holiday “apparel” may be just the thing you need to send 2023 off with a proper goodbye. When it gets a little chilly, stop by Morsels for a hot chocolate and a snack, savoring the sweet break in a day filled with sweet moments.
When it is time to start celebrating the reason you are here, the Cherry T Ball Drop is destined to become a new tradition for your New Year’s Eve celebration. Who needs to watch the ball drop in New York City when you have the opportunity to gather on Front Street in the Cherry Capital (that’s us; Traverse City is the Cherry Capital of the nation, in case you were wondering) watching a glowing red cherry descend into the new year? The party starts at 10 p.m. and donations of $5 per person are requested as the proceeds of the Cherry T Ball Drop go to charity. (See what they did there?) After the cherry drops, fireworks will light up the sky, intoxicating revelers with their color and beauty.
For many of us, the thought of venturing out into the cold on the last night of the year does not bring joy, even when on vacation. Thankfully, our Elevated holiday havens offer a beautiful blend of creature comforts and modern conveniences making them the perfect option for ringing in the new year comfortably.
Go ahead and watch the crystal ball drop in Times Square on state-of-the-art televisions, use the kitchen to create your favorite “lucky” foods, or heat up frozen appetizers for an elegant night of snacking, sipping champagne, and wearing your pajamas instead of ballgowns, and maybe even watch the fireworks display from your patio or balcony if the home you choose is near the festivities.
Every holiday tradition will be your favorite (including that first kiss of the new year) when you choose Elevated for your New Year’s celebrations. Contact us to reserve your favorite escape today and fall in love with Traverse City and our Elevated sanctuaries!
