Is there anything open on Monday in Traverse City?
Many people come to Traverse City on the weekends and everything is absolutely packed. More recently it seems that people are staying an extra day or two into the week and I am getting a ton of messages and texts saying, “We are here on a Monday and absolutely nothing is open.” Ok, you aren’t wrong that MOST places are closed but there are still plenty of things to do on a Monday in Traverse City! Now, there are many more things you can do, but here is a list of my personal favorites for the next time you visit! Here is a full-day itinerary for what you can do on a Monday in Traverse City.
Breakfast or Brunch at Brasserie Amie
For anyone who loves brunch, I am sure you’ve visited Patisserie Amie in Traverse City. It’s definitely some of the most incredible food you can get in Traverse City. Well, they have moved and rebranded and that deserves a new name, Brasserie Amie. All things, breakfast, brunch, and lunch, this french style restaurant is a must-try when visiting Traverse City, and a bonus, they are open on Monday!
I have tried a lot of things on their menu and have never been disappointed. They also have a ton of GF and vegetarian options and a few vegan options as well!
The most important thing on their menu is their Blueberry Blintz. It’s a crepe filled with warm cheese, fresh blueberries and topped with their homemade whipped cream. Wow wow wow it is so good!
Go On A Wine Tour with Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours
After you have some yummy breakfast or brunch at Brasserie Amie, head on out for a wine tour with Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours. They will even pick you up at brunch if you’d like. I worked for this company for three years and they by far have the best fleet in town! They have so many different-sized vehicles to fit your party’s needs and vibe! Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours operates tours 7 days a week and I absolutely love going on a Monday when the wineries are less busy!
When going on a wine tour I always recommend packing your own lunch or getting sandwiches from a local deli. 1. You’ll need to have food in your stomach and 2. Then everyone can eat whenever they are hungry and you’re not having to dig into precious wine time to coordinate a food stop. Traverse City Wine and Beer Tours is amazing about this and there is always plenty of room for a cooler or two! My two personal favorite places to grab sandwiches from are Folgarelli’s (my favorite is the Foxy Perfection) and Mary’s Kitchen Port (my favorite is The Gobbler) but they are unfortunately both closed on Monday. A great option that is open on Mondays is Chef’s In!
Keep in mind, due to the pandemic, most wineries aren’t doing wine tastings anymore. Most are offering wine by the glass or wine flights like these!
The tour company will help you decide which peninsula you’ll visit and which wineries. They are absolute pros, but if you want my current obsession make your way to the new French Valley Vineyard for their warm pretzel. I tried the charcuterie board with the pretzel or you can just get pretzel and queso, soooo good!
There are so many great places with beautiful views and wonderful wine, cider, and even brandy.
We had 16 people on our tour, had so much extra room, and fit so comfortably with a few coolers. FYI, their largest vehicle can fit 32 passengers!
Dinner at The Little Fleet
This will always be my go-to for casual dinner in the summer. The Little Fleet is the perfect place to come for dinner because you have so many options and everyone can get exactly what they want! They have a fleet of 5 food trucks that offer a wide range of variety for your dinner options. I have tried them all and all of them have amazing options, it just depends on what you’re craving. You can choose from barbecue, pizza, Vietnamese, burgers, or tacos. I love them all, but I have shared my two favorite food trucks below.
Happy’s Tacos
I absolutely love this little taco shop! The Lamb Cheeseburger Taco is everything that is right in this world. When I first saw it on their menu, I thought, “That’s either going to be the best thing I’ve ever had or the worst.” Well, I’m happy to report, it’s the best!!! Keep in mind this food truck used to be out with the others, but they are now inside next to the bar.
This year they have a new spicy shrimp taco and it’s also so dang good!
They also offer some really great daily and weekly specials so follow them on Instagram to stay up to date.
Glendale Ave.
Glendale Ave. serves one of my favorite burgers in town and also my favorite fries! It all depends on my mood but lately, my order has been, one lamb cheeseburger taco and one shrimp taco from Happy’s, an order of parm fries from Glendale, and a margarita from the bar!
Glendale also has an awesome Instagram and even share Smashburger tutorials sometimes!
Champage Sunset Cruise on the NautiCat
When I first moved to Traverse City I wanted to instantly feel like a local. Fudgies get a bad reputation (because they are the worst lol) and I made sure I was doing the cool “local things.” I didn’t do the Nauticat for the first year I lived here for that very reason, well man did I miss out. About a year into living here, I was invited to be a part of a photoshoot for a local company and it was on the Nauticat! Within 30 seconds I knew this was one of my favorite things to do in Traverse City!
They have many cruises offered but this one is my personal favorite because I love being on the bay for sunset. Depending on the cruise you choose you’ll be on the water for 1-3 hours. They serve beverages and it’s the perfect end to a day in Traverse City.
They also have a 5 pm Happy Hour Cruise if you’re wanting to go earlier and watch the sunset from somewhere else. Click this link to book your cruise.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless for a Monday in Traverse City! You’ll probably get done with your day and think, “That was waaaayy too fun for a Monday!” Thanks so much for reading along! What is your favorite thing to do on a Monday in Traverse City? Click this link to read my other Traverse City blogs.
