6 Things to Do After Work in Traverse City, Michigan
When your workday ends, the fun begins – create a work-life balance in Traverse City.
Whether you’re analyzing spreadsheets, teaching the next generation about the water cycle, taking patients’ vitals or monitoring sales calls, everyone deserves to wind down after a long day of work.
Fortunately, Traverse City is a beautiful community with rolling hills, dazzling Lake Michigan beaches, trendy eateries, and a variety of entertaining events and attractions. In other words, residents are never at a loss for what to do. Ahead, find six things to do after work in Traverse City, Michigan.
In This Article
1. Catch a Show at The Dennos Museum Center or City Opera House
If you love art or live music, keep an eye on the show schedule at The Dennos, an art museum tucked away in Northwestern Michigan College’s campus. The museum’s concert hall, Milliken Auditorium, welcomes musical variations of blues, folk and jazz. Additionally, The Dennos hosts the International Affairs Forum, where locals can attend foreign policy discussions with global policy experts. The museum invites those who arrive early to events to roam the galleries, ooh-ing, ahh-ing and hmm-ing like any sophisticated art connoisseur would.
City Opera House is another fantastic place to spend your evening. This historic, Victorian-style concert hall is located in the heart of downtown and hosts popular music performances, comedy nights, theater productions and author lectures. Many National Writers Series events are hosted here.
“The Opera House is absolutely beautiful inside,” says Macrina Cipa, who has been a Traverse City resident for eight years. “It’s cool that you can just be walking down Front Street, and it appears out of nowhere. You would never really even know it’s there.”
To romanticize the evening a little more, take a post-show stroll to the scenic boat dock at Clinch Park, which sits less than half a mile from the opera house.
2. Bike Along the TART, Boardman Lake Loop, or Leelanau Trails
If you prefer to release tension with a bit of exercise, bring a set of workout clothes to work and head to the Traverse Area Recreation Trail (TART) when the clock strikes 5 p.m. This designated pedestrian path stretches 10+ miles across Traverse City and connects to the Leelanau Trail. After an invigorating ride, what better way to reward yourself than with a heaping plate of pizza or a pint of craft beer? If you opt for pizza, the TART will take you to Hopscotch Brick Oven & Taproom, which is east of downtown.
“My neighborhood sits right in front of the TART. I’m a 5-to-10-minute ride from Hopscotch, which offers outdoor seating all year long,” Cipa says. “If you want to do an activity along the way, you can stop at Pirate’s Cove to play [mini-golf].”
If you’re looking for a more rustic atmosphere, the TART will also take you to Farm Club, a rural restaurant that channels the endearing charm of a country home. It offers expansive yard seating and a delicious farm-to-table menu. Be sure to bring a backpack to pick up some fresh produce from Farm Club’s market on the way out.
3. Paddleboard or Kayak Traverse City’s Serene Waters
“I like to have my paddleboard strapped to my car at all times during the summer,” Cipa says. “You can just pull over after work and head out on the water. My favorite place to paddleboard is East Bay’s Haserot Beach.”
Haserot Beach sits near the tip of Old Mission Peninsula, about 20 miles north of downtown Traverse City. Have your beachiest playlist ready and consider taking East Shore Road to soak up the waterfront sights along your route.
Closer to downtown, you can follow the winding waters of the Boardman River. Lots of “paddlers” stop to refuel at The Little Fleet, where an artillery of food trucks set up shop each day, encouraging a casual stop-and-go for anyone passing through.
4. Gather a Team for Trivia Night at Lil Bo and Rare Bird
Trivia nights are a fun (and surprisingly effective) way to get to know new coworkers and friends. The game serves as the perfect icebreaker, while hot food and cold beer keep everyone happy and full.
“You can sit with a group of people that you barely even know and learn their interests based solely on their strong suits in the trivia game,” Cipa says.
Locals head to Lil Bo each Tuesday to team up and take on trivia. This neighborhood bar, established in 1932, features a menu of classic burgers, po’boy sandwiches and late-night cravings, such as hot pretzels and egg rolls.
At Rare Bird Brewpub, trivia is held every Tuesday night between November and the end of April. Located downtown in a restored, 1931 brick building, Rare Bird serves tacos, handhelds, salads, gluten-free and vegan options, and its own beers.
5. Network with Other Career Professionals
In a small yet active community like Traverse City, it’s helpful to connect with other individuals in your career field, whether you’re looking for a new job or just hoping to branch out and make friends. The Fresh Coast Quarterly Club is a free community event that invites entrepreneurs, remote workers and newcomers to network in a casual, welcoming environment. This local meetup doesn’t require fees or commitments – if you try it once, and it’s not your thing, that’s OK! If you are totally invested, but have a busy schedule, you can skip an event here and there without worry, as well.
6. Watch a Free, At-Home Movie
While there are plenty of things to do after work in Traverse City, sometimes all you want to do at the end of the night is lounge on the couch with a late-night snack or a cup of tea. Traverse Area District Library offers free movie streaming services for anyone with an account. For a selection of international and hard-to-find films and television series, stop by the library on the way home and check out a few DVDs.
This article was sponsored by Traverse Connect.