Old Mission Peninsula AVA
Wine Region · Traverse City, Michigan
The Old Mission Peninsula AVA covers a narrow finger of land about 19 miles long that points into Grand Traverse Bay north of Traverse City, designated as an American Viticultural Area in 1987. Water on both sides tempers the climate enough to ripen Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay at roughly the 45th parallel, and cherry orchards and cherry wines are part of the landscape. About a dozen wineries sit along the winding M-37, most with views over one arm of the bay or the other. At the tip stands the Mission Point Lighthouse, at the 45th parallel. It suits visitors who want a compact tasting day close to Traverse City with scenery thrown in. The peninsula is a single road out and back, so a driver matters. Summer weekends and the National Cherry Festival bring heavy traffic. Allow a half day for the wineries and more if you add the lighthouse and a lunch stop. Confirm fees, hours and events first.
Center Road (M-37), Traverse City, Michigan, 49686, United States
There are no regional opening hours; each winery sets its own. Most tasting rooms open daily in summer and early autumn, commonly from late morning to late afternoon, with some open later on weekends. From about November to April many reduce to weekends or shorter days, and a few close for part of the winter. Harvest in September and October can change hours as crews pick. The Mission Point Lighthouse grounds at the tip have their own seasonal schedule, so confirm before you drive to the end. Because the peninsula is one road, plan your stops in order from the base to the tip and back, and check each winery's current hours, tasting fees and appointment policy before you set out, especially on holiday weekends or off-season.
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