Traverse City Wine Tour: 3 Wineries on Leelanau Peninsula

A selection of wineries, a morning of tasting, one shuttle that handles the drive.

A 5-hour wine tour from downtown Traverse City visits three wineries on Leelanau Peninsula with a live English-speaking guide and air-conditioned shuttle pickup and dropoff. You taste wines at Black Star Farms, Shady Lane Cellars and Rove Estates, each stop lasts 80 minutes, and can buy bottles that the driver safely holds until the tour ends. Wineries may vary based on availability, and tastings are purchased individually at each location for $5 to $15 each.

Step-by-step itinerary

Leelanau Peninsula winery tour

• Depart from downtown Traverse City
• Visit Black Star Farms for 80 minutes
• Explore vineyards and tasting room
• Travel to Shady Lane Cellars
• Enjoy 80 minutes wine tasting and vineyard tour
• Proceed to Rove Estates
• Spend 80 minutes tasting wines and viewing scenery
• Return to Traverse City

The experience

The shuttle leaves downtown Traverse City and heads to Black Star Farms, a 160-acre estate where you spend 80 minutes exploring hand-crafted wines and spirits. The winery holds over 50 wines and European-style brandies, and the grounds include an outdoor terrace, seasonal café and scenic trails. From there, the tour moves to Shady Lane Cellars, where 70 acres of sustainably farmed grapes supply the tasting room. You'll have another 80 minutes to walk the vineyards and learn how the winery balances nature with craft: the kind of detail that changes how you taste the wine itself.

The final stop is Rove Estates, perched at 1,165 feet above Leelanau County. The elevation alone shifts the experience: you're tasting award-winning wines while looking across the entire county, and the views are especially vivid during fall colors. This is fifth-generation farmland, and the winery's history runs through every bottle. You get 80 minutes here too, so there's time to sit with the wines and the view without rushing. Bottles you buy at any of the three stops go into the driver's care, so you don't carry them through the rest of the day.

The shuttle is air-conditioned and you can bring food and drinks for the bus ride itself. Appointments are made ahead at each winery, not reservations, so wait times can happen, but the driver coordinates the timing. Most wineries have outdoor seating only, so dress for the weather. Tastings aren't included in the tour price. You pay $5 to $15 per tasting at each winery, and some locations take card payments only. The tour has won the "Best of the Best" award three years running and ranks among America's top 10 wine tours.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned shuttle with pickup and dropoff in downtown Traverse City.
• a live English-speaking guide.
• 80 minutes at each of three wineries (Black Star Farms, Shady Lane Cellars, Rove Estates).
• safe storage of any bottles you purchase until the tour ends.
• snacks and drinks allowed on the bus.

Information

Lasts 5h, runs every day at 12:00 and 11:00, from US$ 79 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 14 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Saturday: 12:00Saturday: 11:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.6 with pickup ›

Book up to3h before

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

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by The Magic Shuttle Bus

Is this one for you?At 5 hours total, the tour leaves your morning or afternoon free. Book it early and you have the rest of the day in Traverse City, or take it in the afternoon and explore the wineries' grounds without feeling hurried. The shuttle handles all driving, so you can taste at each stop without worrying about the road.

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Top questions

What are the three wineries on this Traverse City wine tour?

Black Star Farms, Shady Lane Cellars and Rove Estates. Black Star Farms spans 160 acres with over 50 wines and brandies; Shady Lane Cellars focuses on sustainably farmed grapes across 70 acres; Rove Estates sits at 1,165 feet elevation and offers panoramic views of the entire county. Wineries may be substituted based on availability.

How much time do I spend at each winery?

You get 80 minutes at each of the three stops, giving you time to taste, explore the grounds and learn about the winemaking process without feeling rushed.

Are wine tastings included in the tour price?

Wine tastings are not included. You pay $5 to $15 per tasting at each winery, and you choose which wines to sample. Bottles you purchase are held by the driver until the tour ends.

Where does the shuttle pick up and drop off in Traverse City?

The shuttle picks up and drops off in downtown Traverse City. A parking map is included in the listing images showing the exact location. 10-15 parking spots are reserved for tour customers on a first-come, first-served basis.

What should I bring or wear for this wine tour?

Most wineries have outdoor seating only, so dress warmly for cooler days. You're welcome to pack a lunch: most wineries offer only small appetizers and snacks, not full meals. Bring a card for payment, as some wineries no longer accept cash.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You spend most of the day seated in the air-conditioned shuttle or at winery tables, with optional walking through the vineyard grounds at each stop.