It’s 45 degrees outside in October, rain is pounding in horizontal sheets onto the plate-glass window nearby, and I’m drinking a Bloody Mary with a smoked fish peeping out at me. Believe it or not, I’m in my happy place, and I’m about to willingly get in a car and be driven into the river.
This is the Leelanau Peninsula, the tippy-top of the little finger of the Michigan mitten. It’s home to Traverse City, of course, but if you’ve only spent time there, I’m here to tell you to broaden your scope. Not that the area is a complete secret: Fish Town in Leland is one of the area’s most photographed spots, with its rustic fishing shanties lining the river now host to fishing charters, gift shops, and candy stores. During my visit, salmon fling themselves up the ladder by the dam in a frantic attempt to reach their spawning grounds upriver.
I’m at The Cove, a restaurant perched on top of the Leland River dam. The Chubby Mary may sound gimmicky, but it turns out that sticking a smoked chub (a small, slightly oily local fish) in the drink as a garnish is pretty darn tasty.
Sitting in a prime spot, watching the salmon leap and struggle, I’m approached by the restaurant’s owner Rick Wanroy, who asks if I’d like to take a ride. We pile into his vintage 1960s-era Amphicar. While tourists and fishermen gawk at us from the shanties, Wanroy gleefully plows the car straight down the boat ramp into Lake Michigan before making a sharp left and steering us into the river at the heart of town. The salmon leap in droves ahead of us, and I’m not sure who’s more startled by the spectacle: me, the spectators, or the fish. It’s a uniquely Michigan experience, and I’m entirely charmed.
On the southern end of the peninsula — where it meets the mitten — lie Sleeping Bear Dunes and the town of Empire, which have been the epicenter of the peninsula’s tourism for generations. Still, there are plenty of chances to find a new favorite spot.
I’ve been in the area several times over the last few years, and it seems that each time I go, there’s a new surprise around every corner. The amber sunlight flickering through the leaves draws intrepid explorers to drive just a little further in search of the next stunning view.
Grabbing a burger for lunch at Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor (bring cash), followed by some charter or fly fishing — or a round (or two) of golf at one of the many courses with expansive vistas — may just make the perfect Michigan day. I’m partial to a stop at Lake Ann Brewing Company for a beer or a visit to Northern Latitudes Distillery for a bottle of Jack Pine Gin, a staple in my home bar. Then, I’ll try my hand at catching the elusive trout, steelhead, and salmon with a fly rod.
And then, of course, there’s the wine. Oh, the wine. The Leelanau Peninsula sits at the 45th parallel, the same latitude as France’s Bordeaux, parts of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and Italy’s Piedmont, all of which happen to make my favorite wines. They’re luscious and complex, and they tell a story of equal winters and summers, layering in the true richness of all four seasons along the way.
But that’s where the parallel — err, similarity — ends. Far more important than latitude is the terroir of a region. That’s what led to the area’s 1982 American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation. Millennia ago, the retreating glaciers that formed the Great Lakes carved out the drumlins, valleys, and hillsides of our state. When they retreated, they left rich deposits of sandy loam. The lake effect generally provides some insulation from the worst winter weather, and the hilly terrain drains well, allowing the vines to root deeply.
The area appeals to both long-serving winemakers and newcomers looking to make a mark. With more than 20 wineries and 1,000-plus acres dedicated to Vitis vinifera, the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail offers plenty of places for visitors to linger. Each stop bears a distinct flavor profile.
“The glacial deposits make for diversity, hill by hill,” says Sam Simpson, co-owner of Aurora Cellars with his sister Taylor. On Aurora’s hills, their 2022 Grüner Veltliner and 2021 Blaufränkisch were recognized by VinePair as among the top 15 in their respective categories.
Accolades for Leelanau wine have been stacking up in recent years. At Shady Lane, winemaker Kasey Wierzba and I sample a sparkling Riesling that’s fruitful and dry, closer to a brut but retaining that Riesling oomph. It’s perfect for my dry, mineral-loving palate. The 2022 vintage won double gold at the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. At the same competition, Leelanau Cellars received 23 awards, the most in its 52-year history. Wineries in the AVA took home dozens of medals, including six medals for Aurora Cellars.
“Some of the wines in this region are aging shockingly well,” Verterra’s Geoff Hamelin tells me.
It’s not just about the wine, although there’s plenty of that to be found at Dune Bird Winery (double gold, dry Riesling NV). The tasting room doubles as a gathering space and coffee shop, so kids or guests who choose not to imbibe can enjoy the frequent musical performances by local artists.
Recently, new “employees” have become star attractions at Dune Bird: Last year, general manager Sarah Peschel brought in Indian runner ducks to help with pest control. Starting with an order of 15 eggs from Metzer Farms in Tennessee, she soon found herself herding 50 of the stump-legged, flightless birds from the vineyard to the barn and back every day.
Peschel holds her arms out in a wide gesture and ushers the ducks through the blustery wind toward the barn. “Working in a sustainable way has always been at the core of it,” she says about her winemaking business. The ducks eat pests and create nutrient-rich waste, lessening the need for chemical intervention.
Blustery or not, in rain, snow, or worse, the Leelanau Peninsula has been enchanting visitors like me for generations. It’s not really about the weather, after all. In Michigan, we can’t always count on the weather to bring the heat. But here at the 45th parallel, the views and experiences shaped by the wind, water, and land will remain unparalleled.
This story originally appeared in the May 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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