Leelanau Peninsula Wine Tour: VIP SUV, not party bus

Four wineries, expert guides, a luxury SUV instead of a party bus

This is a wine tour of Leelanau Peninsula's best wineries from Traverse City, led by local wine experts in a climate-controlled luxury SUV, not a party bus. You visit four wineries, taste wines at each stop, and can buy flights, glasses or bottles as you go. The tour runs 4.5 hours and groups of couples travel together or small groups get their own vehicle. Minimum age is 21. You choose between a private SUV for your group or joining other wine drinkers in a shared one.

Step-by-step itinerary

Leelanau Peninsula Wine Tour

• Depart from Traverse City
• Visit Shady Lane Winery and taste wines
• Visit Rove Winery and enjoy wine tasting
• Visit Blackstar Farms winery estate
• Visit Silvio “Tony” Ciccone family vineyard
• Return to Traverse City

The experience

What makes this different from the standard wine tour? No party bus, no rush through three stops, and your guide is a real wine expert, not just a driver. Andie, Tony and Kyle know the Leelanau Peninsula vineyards inside out and can point you toward the wines worth tasting. You'll ride in a luxury GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Suburban (Cadillac Escalade coming soon), air-conditioned and comfortable, which means you can relax instead of bouncing around with thirty other people. Groups of couples travel together. If you're a group of six or seven, you'll likely have the vehicle to yourselves.

The four wineries rotate based on what's open, the season and special events: your guide confirms the lineup when you book. Shady Lane is a boutique operation producing 7,000 cases a year, set deep in vineyards and orchards with no highway noise, where red drinkers can taste a Blaufränkisch and white drinkers a Muscat (the first grape Romans brought to Europe). Rove Winery sits at the highest point on the peninsula at the Gallagher Estate, a family farm focused on estate-grown grapes, with views that anchor the afternoon. Blackstar Farms, operating since 1998, sprawls across 160 acres in Suttons Bay and is one of the area's most recognizable names. The fourth stop is often a family-run estate where every step from vine to bottle happens on-site. Wine samples are included. If you want flights, glasses or bottles, you buy them at each winery.

Your guide is a Traverse City local. The owner is a UofM grad, and guides come from Michigan State, Grand Valley, Wayne State and Eastern Michigan. The company is owned and operated by a former law enforcement officer and welcomes first responders and military. The whole tour runs 4.5 hours, and you leave the driving to someone who knows both the roads and the wines.

What’s included

• Wine samples at four wineries.
• luxury air-conditioned SUV (GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Suburban).
• expert local guide.
• pickup from Traverse City.
• 4.5-hour tour with rotating winery lineup based on season and availability.

Options for this experience

2 options

Public luxury SUV tour, join-inGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 13:00Pickup is included

Luxury SUV tour, private optionGuide in English · 12 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:30VIP private wine tour in a luxury GMC Yukon SUV, pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day12 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (21 and older) · Under 21: can't be booked

GroupUp to 22

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 10 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Movie Stars Wine Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the private SUV option if your group wants the vehicle to yourselves and the flexibility to linger at any winery. The join-in tour works well for couples or small groups who don't mind sharing the ride and want a lower price point. Either way, you get expert guides instead of a driver, which is what separates this from the party-bus economy tours.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What's the difference between the private SUV option and the join-in tour?

The private luxury SUV tour is just your group in one vehicle. The join-in public tour combines couples and small groups in the same SUV. Groups of six or seven almost always get their own private vehicle.

Are wine tastings and samples included in the price?

Wine samples and splashes are included. Flights, bottles, glasses and food are available at each winery for extra cost, and you buy what you want as you go.

What kind of wines will I taste at these wineries?

The lineup changes by season and availability, but you'll encounter reds like Blaufränkisch, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blends, and whites like Muscat, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc: all grown or crafted on the peninsula.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the tour?

Pickup is included. The tour departs from Traverse City and your guide handles all the driving between wineries.

Is there a minimum age or any health considerations?

You must be 21 or older to join. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Who are the guides on this tour?

Tours are led by Andie, Tony and Kyle, all local wine experts and connoisseurs with deep knowledge of Leelanau Peninsula vineyards. Guides are college-educated locals from Michigan universities.