Wine Country Getaway: Planning the Perfect Leelanau Vacation

No need to go to Napa when there's an award-winning wine region in your backyard

By Greg Tasker | Jan. 14, 2023

Believe it or not, winter is an ideal season for a wine country getaway on the Leelanau Peninsula. Snow-draped vineyards are as eye-catching in the winter as they are in the summer or fall, and colder temperatures means a welcome change in the cadence of life on the peninsula.

Things slow down, giving us locals some breathing room to enjoy our own backyards. The summer and fall crowds are long gone and tasting rooms are far less busy, allowing the winter-hardy to engage with staff, winemakers, and even owners. Some wineries open their vineyards for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and you’ll find no shortage of outdoor activities amid Leelanau’s rolling hills and frozen lakes. Towns like Suttons Bay are as welcoming as ever, offering shopping and other amenities year round.

In short: There’s plenty to do and explore, whether you’re on a budget or a spending spree.

Step One: Plan Your Stops

The Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail is home to some 20 wineries—visit the trail’s website (lpwines.com) for the full list and accompanying maps. They range from large enterprises like Black Star Farms of Suttons Bay to smaller mom-and-pop operations like Dune Bird Winery, north of Leland. The region has become known for Riesling, but be sure to try other white varietals like Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Red favorites include Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

“Planning is essential for visiting wineries,” says Nicholas Hartmann, managing director of the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. “Because there are so many to choose from, I would recommend looking into which wineries you would like to visit the most and making sure that you don’t need a reservation … if you’re bringing kids or pets, that could change the dynamic of your visit as well.”

Most wineries offer a variety of wine flights, wine by the glass, and specialty seasonal drinks, like mulled wine or cider. (Or the famous frosé of the summer months.) Black Star Farms is cited by many as the most upscale of the peninsula’s wineries with an expansive tasting room and extensive selection of wines, but it is in good company with wineries like Aurora Cellars, Good Harbor Vineyards, 45 North Vineyard & Winery, Blustone Vineyards, Shady Lane Cellars, and Verterra Winery gaining national accolades for their products. (Just to name a few!)

Greg Knorr of Grand Traverse Tours, which offers luxury winery tours on the peninsula, recommends choosing a glass of wine over a more expensive wine flight if you’re looking to stretch your dollar. He also shares this secret: Chateau Fontaine, one of the peninsula’s oldest wineries, offers free tastings. Complementing the tasting is a cheese ball, created from the family’s own recipe and using Chateau Fontaine wine. Less expensive traditional tastings can also be found at Verterra Winery in Leland or Leelanau Cellars in Omena.

Other wineries offer discounts and host special events throughout the winter months, so be sure to stop by their websites when planning your trip. One event you won’t want to miss: the 2023 Sips and Soups Jan. 28-29. The $30 ticket price includes a 1.5oz pour paired with 3oz of soup from each of the 12 participating wineries. Your ticket also comes with $10 in “Cork Cash,” redeemable at participating wineries on certain purchases of bottles, merchandise, and tastings.

Step Two: Get Around

A few of the wineries are close enough to hop from one to the other on foot, fat tire bike, cross-country ski, or snowshoe if you’re up for the workout, but most tasting rooms are far-flung enough that you’ll want motorized transportation.

If you want the safety and confidence of a designated driver, especially on wintery roads, the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail lists six tour companies operating in the area, and you can easily find a few others with some internet sleuthing.

Prices are based on the size of the group, number of stops, and days of the week. Transportation options include everything from funky, kitschy buses to luxury stretch limousines. For a small busload of folks—aka 6-12 people—expect to pay north of $600 for the convenience.

Some outfits, like TC Wine Girl, cater to groups of two or three with an hourly rate ($55-$60/hour) for riding around in one of their SUVs. Another wallet-friendly option for small parties is the “join-in” rate offered by services like TC Brew Bus and The Magic Shuttle Bus, which lets you meet up with a group of likeminded wine-drinkers for a pre-set tour that costs $69-$99 per person without having to fill a whole bus with your own pals.

Step Three: Fill Your Belly

The bounty of land and sea are staples on many Leelanau menus, and for a nice night out, Martha’s Leelanau Table in Suttons Bay has it all, with farm-to-table offerings served with European inspiration. Menu standouts include escargot de Provence, lobster Wellington, and a parmesan and panko-crusted walleye. Don’t be surprised to find owner Martha helping in the kitchen or attending to her guests.

For another upscale option, consider La Bécasse, a French country restaurant in the Glen Lake area. Open since 1980, the cozy restaurant serves French classics like beef burgundy, cassoulet, and veal noisettes, using locally sourced produce and provision. La Bécasse, as you might expect, boasts an encyclopedic collection of wine.

For more casual digs, check out Boone’s Prime Time Pub in Suttons Bay or Boonedocks in Glen Arbor. You’ll find burgers, sandwiches, and classic American entrees at both. Dick’s Pour House in Lake Leelanau is a local favorite—the tavern fare includes pizza, burgers, and Friday night fish fries. For grab-and-go treats, stop by 9 Bean Rows on Route 204. The small farmstead includes a bakery and wood-fired pizza oven. It’s a great place to pick up freshly-baked bread, pastries, and sandwiches.

Keep in mind that some of your favorite summertime haunts (thinking of you, Village Cheese Shanty) may be closed down for the winter months. Be sure to check websites or social media pages for your desired dining spot before heading out into the cold.

Step Four: Lay Your Head

Leelanau is home to a handful of small motels and bed & breakfasts scattered around the peninsula and one resort, The Homestead near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Hugging Lake Michigan, the resort has a variety of room accommodations, restaurants, a spa, and outdoor activities like downhill skiing. Rates range from $185/night midweek to $400+/night on the weekends, depending on the room type.

Another option, and one that gives the full wine country experience, is the Inn at Black Star Farms, Leelanau’s only winery inn. The Kentucky-style estate home is elegantly and classically furnished with contemporary and equestrian touches. There are just 10 guest rooms, some of which include fireplaces, hot tubs, or private patios. Every afternoon, guests enjoy a wine reception in the Pegasus Lounge, with a glass of Black Star’s award-winning wines and freshly-made appetizers. In the winter, guests may snowshoe or cross-country on the estate’s trails, and the heated Terrace Patio is open afterward for mulled cider.

While rates start $275/night midweek and reach $425+/night on the oft-booked weekends, you can take advantage of two off-season specials running at the inn. One is a BOGO 50 percent off deal for the weekday crowd: Book a two-night stay Sunday through Thursday before March 29, 2023, and receive the second night 50 percent off. The other deal falls under the same days and dates as above, but gives you a third night on the house instead of half off your second night. Get the details and promo codes at blackstarfarms.com/package-specials.

Budget-minded travelers can opt for Airbnb or VRBO rentals, far less costly in the winter months, or accommodations at M22 Motel in Suttons Bay and Glen Arbor or Maple Lane Resort in Empire.

“These are more economical places in the off-season,” Knorr says. “A lot of locations are near grocery stores so you can grab groceries and do your own cooking. Each town has its own unique grocery store. It’s a great way to save money.”

Hartmann also suggests stocking up at local grocery stores to save money on meal expenses. Those options include The Leland Mercantile Co,. Hansen Foods of Suttons Bay, Anderson’s Glen Arbor Market, and Tom’s Food Market in Northport.

Step Five: Walk It Off

When you need a break from all the eating and drinking, you won’t be disappointed in Leelanau’s outdoor scene.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage Trail is groomed for skiers when conditions allow. Although closed to vehicle traffic in the winter, the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a challenging climb for skiers, hikers, and snowshoers. Get to the top of the dune and your reward is a panoramic view of Lake Michigan. A park pass ($25/car, or $15 if entering on foot or bike) is required.

For a free and relatively flat alternative, try the Leelanau Trail, which runs from Suttons Bay to Traverse City. If the snow is minimal, grab your hiking boots and check out free trails at these locations: Whaleback Natural Area, south of Leland, and the Houdek Dunes Natural Area and the Clay Cliffs Natural Area, both north of Leland. They’re owned and maintained by the Leelanau Conservancy.

Lastly, Shady Lane Cellars and a handful of wineries open their slumbering vineyards for free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when the snow falls. (What better way to earn a glass of wine?) Other trails can be found at French Valley Vineyards, 45 North Vineyard and Winery, Black Star Farms, and Two K Farms Cidery and Winery. Some wineries have rentals available.

To start planning your Leelanau wine country getaway, head to lpwines.com.