Traverse City Wine Tour for First Responders: No Party Bus

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (2 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/17

Duration4h–5h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Taste wines at four Traverse City wineries without the party bus crowd.

This is a wine tour in Traverse City, Michigan, run by former and current law enforcement, designed for first responders, military, and their families. You visit four wineries on Old Mission Peninsula in a luxury SUV instead of a tour bus, with wine tastings led by an expert guide; wine samples are included, though flights, bottles, and food cost extra. Groups of six or more typically get their own vehicle and can suggest which wineries to visit.

4h–5h

Step-by-step itinerary

Traverse City Wine Tour Experience

Get picked up in Downtown Traverse City
Drive along East Bay shoreline
Visit Hawthorne Vineyards tasting room
Enjoy wine samples and views of both bays
Drive to Bowers Harbor Vineyards
Sample wines and relax at patio and fire pit
Visit Chateau Chantal winery
Taste Ice Wine and brandy samples
Stop at Brys Estates winery
Try the Froze' frozen wine drink
Visit Bonobo Winery
Sample red, white wines and whiskey
Return to Downtown Traverse City drop-off

The Experience

What makes this tour different is the vehicle and who runs it. Instead of a party bus, you ride in a GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Suburban—air-conditioned, comfortable, and driven by guides who are UofM or MSU graduates and wine enthusiasts. The tour is owned and operated by former law enforcement, which shapes everything from the pace to the stops. You get picked up and dropped off in downtown Traverse City, and the whole thing takes four to five hours depending on how the group moves through each winery.

The four wineries rotate based on availability and season, but the itinerary typically includes stops like Hawthorne Vineyards (perched on a bluff with views of both East and West Grand Traverse Bays), Chateau Chantal (home to rare Ice Wine that was served at a White House dinner), Brys Estates (known for the Froze', a frozen wine drink), and Bonobo Winery (the only place on the peninsula where you can sample whiskey). At each stop you taste wines—Rieslings, Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and others—and can buy flights, glasses, or bottles if something catches your taste. Snack packs and charcuterie boards are available for purchase. The drive itself matters: you'll see the shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay, which is 32 miles long and divided by Old Mission Peninsula into East and West arms.

Groups of six or seven usually get their own vehicle and can suggest which wineries they want to visit. Smaller groups may be combined with others, but you're never on a crowded bus. Everyone gets a complimentary bottle of wine at the end (Gamay, Secco, or Gewürztraminer, depending on what's available). If you buy wine during the tour, you can pick it up the next day after exploring downtown Traverse City, so you don't have to carry it around for the rest of the afternoon.

What’s included

Wine samples at each winery.
pickup and drop-off in downtown Traverse City.
a complimentary bottle of wine at the end of the tour.
a luxury air-conditioned SUV instead of a party bus.
an expert local guide.
the option to customize your winery stops if you're in a private group.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Movie Stars Wine Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the private SUV option if your group has six or more people and wants to pick which wineries to visit; the semi-private option works if you're a smaller group and prefer to share the cost while still avoiding a crowded bus. Either way, you're riding with people who understand why first responders need a break—the tour is built around that.