NON-BUS Traverse City 3-STOP Old Mission Wine Tour MOVIE STARS, Traverse City

About this activity

THE 3 Stop Wine Tour -

Check out the optional extra stop for lunch! (Brys Estates)

Skip the hassle of a party bus and let us handle the driving! Enjoy stunning views of 3 Iconic Stellar wineries with no buses, and no rush, and visit iconic wineries while savoring stellar wines and receiving 5-star Celebrity customer service. Experience the VIP tour with expert wine connoisseurs and guides – this is not just transportation to wineries, but THE WINE EXPERIENCE, complete with real wine recommendations.

GO to 3 TOP wineries and get dropped off downtown at your favorite food spot!

Our knowledgeable staff knows the wines and tours better than anyone else. Tours are flexible with pickup and drop-off in downtown Traverse City (at select locations).

Wine samples are included, but tastings, wines, and food are not part of the tour price. The tour is semi-private, combining groups of couples or small parties. Larger groups of 6-7 will typically have a private GMC Yukon.

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At a glance

Duration: 3–4 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 12 people
People per booking: 1–12
Guide: English
Operated by: Movie Stars Wine Tours

Ages: Adults (21–100 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Wine Samples/Splashes ARE available on our tour- flights, bottles, food are extra
Included: NON PARTY BUS - semi private, we combine couples, groups of 6-7 most likely have their own vehicle
Included: Luxury SUV - GMC Yukon/Chevrolet Suburban - coming soon Cadillac Escalade
Included: Law Enforcement/First Responder/Military friendly - owned/operated by former Law Enforcement
Included: In-vehicle air conditioning: Air-conditioned vehicle
Included: Expert Wine Tour Guides- Wine enthusiasts, Wine Experts
Included: Local Traverse City Guides - UofM Grads (owner) / MSU, EMU Grads (some guides)

Not included

Not included: Food, flights, bottles, glasses available at extra cost- old former school buses excluded as well

Itinerary

Old Mission Peninsula Wine Trail

Passing by

THE MOVIE STAR EXPERIENCE - Wineries include Hawthorne Vineyards, Mari Vineyards, Bowers Harbor, Chateau Grand Traverse, Brys Estates, Bonobo Winery, and Old Mission Distillery. Semi-Private Day Tours go to 3 wineries/locations.

Don't get TRAPPED on a bus!

Try the Private Tour- go up to 3 stops- want only 2 or 3 stops? Maybe 1 stop and off to dinner? It's on your pace. Groups of 6 or more are usually private and can suggest tour stops. WE ARE THE FLEXIBLE TOUR! Winery selection is based on availability, weather conditions, time of year. Movie Stars Wine Tours guests get pick-up/drop off in Downtown Traverse City. Book the Movie Star Experience! Get to the pickup point, we can usually drop off at hotels/motels after the wine tour. Bought a box of wine? No problem, after the wine tour, go out and experience downtown Traverse City, and pick up your wine the next day. Typical tours go 4 hours depending on the pace of the group.

Add an extra stop for lunch option at Brys Estates
Hawthorne Vineyards

55 min

Tour guests can buy flights, wine by the glass, bottles or join the wine club during the wine tour.

One of the best vineyards in Traverse City, guest can sip, savor and taste some of the best reds and whites on the peninsula. Red wine drinkers can sample Merlot / Cab Franc blend and for the white drinkers try the Auxerrois or Dry Riesling. Guests can get a popcorn flight and even a charcuterie board. One of the newest up and coming wineries on Old Mission Peninsula.

The Hawthorne Vineyards site is arguably the most secluded Old Mission Peninsula tasting room site. The tasting room is location on a high bluff with views of both East and West Grand Traverse Bays. Our visitors will be seeing nature– no view of traffic, no close neighbors -- just vineyard, woods and water.

Guests can see both bays from the tasting room. An outdoor patio area will provide a relaxing environment with stunning bay views and a cozy outdoor fireplace.
Bonobo Winery

55 min

Tour guests can buy flights, wine by the glass, bottles or join the wine club during the wine tour.

A place where guests feel like Movie Stars, with wines you cannot wait to brag about and share...

Bonobo Winery was founded by brothers and longtime Traverse City natives, Todd and Carter Oosterhouse. Stunning views, excellent wines and top notch customer service!

Guests on our tours can sample expert level red wines like the BDX and a top shelf Pinot Noir. White drinkers can sample a bubbly Blanc de Blancs, top notch chardonnays and a Fume Blanc. This is the only winery on Old Mission Peninsula where our tour guests can sample a glass of whiskey! Frozen drink lovers can get a frozen lemonade lavender vodka based frozen drink. Guests can also get some amazing pretzel bites, an expert level charcuterie board or fried goat cheese (food depends on availability). This winery is one of the most memorable locations on our wine tour- it's quite an experience.
Bowers Harbor Vineyards

55 min

This is a seasonal stop-ALTERNATE STOP

Tour guests can buy flights, wine by the glass, bottles or join the wine club during the wine tour.

Bowers Harbor Vineyards stablished in 1991 is one of the original wineries in the area. Initially a horse farm, the estate now boasts 20 acres of vinifera vines. An inviting tasting room is a former horse stable, and a friendly staff will welcome and introduce our tour guests to an extensive selections of top wines by the glass, bottle or by the flight.

Bowers Harbor Vineyards is nicknamed the "dog winery" and guests might see various dogs at the winery.

Bowers Harbor grows Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The real show stopper is the Pinot Secco (bubbly Pinot Grigio) and a Pinot Secco Rose (Magic Mike's pick).

Guests can order wine flights and head to the patio, fire pit, pavilion, and tables tucked alongside the vines on the property.
Grand Traverse Bay

Grand Traverse Bay is an arm of Lake Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some 32 miles long, ranges from 7 to 10 miles wide, and up to 620 feet deep in spots. It is the second-largest bay of Lake Michigan, behind Green Bay.

Grand Traverse Bay earned its name from 18th-century French voyageurs who made "la grande traverse" or a long trek or crossing, across the mouth of bay.

The most famous feature of the Grand Traverse Bay is the division into East and West arms by the Old Mission Peninsula.

During this tour, on the way from Traverse City to Hawthorne Vineyards, our tour guests will see stunning views of the East Bay. Tour guests will be driven right along the shoreline at times. On the drive from Hawthorne to Bowers guests will see views of the West Bay. Tour guests will see views of both East and West Bays during the rest of the tour as well. A very large part of this award winning tour are the views!

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

East side of Hardy Parking Structure near the State Street Entrance next to Middlecoast Brewery, look for some Yukons. Staying local? Let us know, We may be able to get guests back to local hotels after the tour depending on location.

End point

East side of Hardy Parking Structure near the State Street Entrance next to Middlecoast Brewery, look for some Yukons. Staying local? Let us know, We may be able to get guests back to local hotels after the tour depending on location.

Pickup points

Delamar Traverse City
Park Place Hotel & Conference Center
Cherryland Lodge
Hotel Indigo Traverse City By IHG

THE MOVIE STAR EXPERIENCE

Pickup is at Hardy Street Parking Structure, east side of the structure near the State Street entrance next to Middlecoast Brewery, look for some luxury GMC Yukons/Cadillac Escalades. Hardy Street Parking Structure is across the street from Park Place Hotel. For groups, we also pick up at some local downtown Traverse City locations- email or text us your location. Our guests don't have to walk miles to a far-away park to get on some old run-down bus! OR worse, our guests won't have to drive to some park only to drive back to Traverse City after a day of drinking wine! Don't come here on vacation and leave on probation! Movie Stars Wine Tours guests get picked up and dropped off in Downtown Traverse City. Book the Movie Star Experience!

Guests from outside of downtown-

Day tours- we can sometimes pick up before tours at local area hotels, however, traffic gets heavy in the afternoon, so drop off after the day tour would be downtown Traverse City. Day tour guests are strongly encouraged to go downtown Traverse City to eat until rush-hour is over, catch an Uber or hotel shuttle later in the afternoon. Guides have dinner recommendations for guests.

Guests on the afternoon/sunset tours- Plan ahead, get downtown early via hotel shuttles/Ubers- traffic gets heavy in the afternoon. Get to the pickup point (Hardy Street Parking Structure), and we can usually drop off at local hotels/motels after the wine tour.

Bought a box of wine? No problem, after the wine tour, go out and experience downtown Traverse City, and pick up your wine the next day.