Cara McDonald

2 days ago | mynorth.com | Cara McDonald

As June comes to a close, one thing is certain—Traverse City is ready to celebrate! The National Cherry Festival has officially arrived. With our home office just two blocks from Front Street we can feel the energy shift as Cherry Fest begins. It’s a buzzy, happy time to be in town—and a little nuts, but super fun if you know how to navigate it. We’ve been loving it for years and know some ins and outs worth sharing. Here, a couple things we never miss: Anything airshow.

1 week ago | mynorth.com | Cara McDonald

Get up close and personal with this coastal region and all the forests, lakes and rivers in between. Choose a weekend night and settle in with a fancy bourbon drink and the region’s best live musicians at Iron Fish Distillery in Thompsonville. The timber-frame barn makes for a magical setting for an evening of music, with a side of wood-fired pizzas and other cozy eats. Get in your jammies and catch a late-night movie at Cherry Bowl Drive-In in Beulah.

1 week ago | mynorth.com | Cara McDonald

Get up close and personal with this region of colorful history and bold natural beauty. Find your Bliss in the tiny town of the same name—the July folk and roots music festival known as Blissfest hosts a three-day multi-stage camping/listening experience with headliners over the years like Shawn Colvin, Leftover Salmon, Marc Broussard. Stop at Pond Hill farm for a farm-to-table lunch, U-Pick whatever’s in season. Adults can enjoy a hard-cider tasting; kiddos can fish in the trout pond.

2 weeks ago | mynorth.com | Cara McDonald

How to get (and keep) the very best berries of the season—and our favorite strawberry recipes. I know we’re sitting snug in the cherry capital here in Traverse City, but it’s strawberry season that gets me flushed with excitement and maybe a little frantic—is it time yet? Am I parked close enough to the farmers market to haul a flat back to the car? ARE THEY OUT OF STRAWBERRIES? The Northern Michigan strawberry season hits right in the third week of June and marks a shift in how I shop for treats.

3 weeks ago | mynorth.com | Cara McDonald

This iconic vacation destination still has delightful secrets to be discovered. 1. Sip a pint in a castle: The new Castle Pub at Castle Farms is open Fridays and Saturdays for wine and cider, cocktails and beer served up in an old-world stone-and-timber setting. 2. Take a stroll along the Jordan River: The Don and Eileen Klein Nature Trail offers a half mile of universally accessible trail along the water’s edge.