Traverse City Brewery Tour: Honest Review (2024)
Traverse City is known for its vineyards and wineries, but most people don’t realize that it also has many unique breweries. Taking a Traverse City Brewery tour is the best way to experience the variety of breweries because it includes transportation and a local guide that will show you all the best spots.
As a Michigander, I’ve visited Traverse City many times. On my most recent visit, I wanted to try something different from the typical winery tour, so we took a Traverse City Brewery tour instead!
In this post, I’ve reviewed what the brewery tour experience was like, and why it is worth doing. I’ve also provided some alternative options so you can find and book the perfect brewery tour for your next trip.
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Here is the #1 brewery tour in Traverse City:
⭐ Private Traverse City Brewery Tour
Traverse City Brewery Tour Options
I recommend the Magic Shuttle Bus Traverse City Brewery tour because it is highly rated and I’ve had a great experience going on their tour. However, here are all the best options for brewery tours in Traverse City:
Magic Shuttle Bus Brewery Tour – Best brewery tour overall
Kayak Brewery Tour – Unique combination of a kayak and brewery experience
Brew Bus – Best for a public group tour that you can join in
Grand Traverse Tours – Best for a luxury private tour
Traverse City Brewery Tour Review
On my recent trip to Traverse City, I took this Traverse City Brewery Tour to explore some of the top breweries in the area. The tour was honestly so much fun! It was also much easier to be on a tour because we had a private driver who safely transported us to the different breweries so that everyone in our group could sit back and enjoy some tasty beers at each stop.
Why You Should Choose the Traverse City Private Brewery Tour:
✔️ 4-hour private tour for just your group
✔️ Highly rated brewery tour with lots of 5-star reviews
✔️ Friendly guide who drives you to each stop
✔️ Hotel pick up and drop off are included
✔️ Ability to select 4 different breweries or wineries to visit
Brewery Tour Information
The Traverse City Brewery Tour is operated by Magic Shuttle Bus. The tour is a half-day trip (4 hours) that will take you around to breweries, wineries, or even a mix of both.
On the brewery tour, your local guide will drive you around to each stop in an air-conditioned vehicle. The size of the vehicle depends on how many people are in your group, but each bus is spacious and provides a comfortable ride. You can also bring snacks and drinks on the tour bus, as well as connect to the Bluetooth speaker to play music.
This tour allows for private groups of up to 14 people, which is perfect if you are visiting for a special occasion like a birthday party or bachelor/bachelorette party.
However, this is also a great option for couples or smaller groups that want to experience the best breweries and wineries in Traverse City without having to worry about driving.
The tour even includes transportation to and from your hotel, making it super convenient and easy.
One important note is that the tour does not include any food or drinks at the stops. At most places, you can get either a beer or wine sample or opt for a full glass. Many of the breweries also have food menus available.
Brewery Tour Options
Since this is a private tour, you can personalize it and choose up to four different places to stop. After you book the tour, you’ll receive a message from the guide to see if you have specific preferences on where you want to stop, or if you aren’t sure you can ask for their recommendations!
Some of the brewery choices include Brewery Terra Firma, Crafthouse TC, Jolly Pumpkin, Lake Ann Brewing Company, Mackinaw Brewing Company, North Peak Brewing Co., Rare Bird Brewery, Shorts Brewing Co., The Filling Station, and a few other local breweries.
Most of these breweries are close to downtown Traverse City, but there are a few options located in the Old Mission Peninsula or Leelanau Peninsula.
My favorite brewery is the Hop Lot Brewery on the Leelanau Peninsula. This brewery has a scenic and spacious outdoor beer garden. The main building looks like a log cabin, and the beer garden is surrounded by trees, so it has that “up-north” feeling to it. They have several beers on tap, including seasonal beers so there is a lot of variety here. Plus, with the bonfire pits, picnic tables, and outdoor games, this is quite a fun brewery and beer garden to visit!
After visiting the Hop Lot Brewery, you can head back to downtown Traverse City to visit some of the most popular breweries such as the Right Brain Brewery, Workshop Brewing, or North Peak Brewing. Downtown has also some unique spots, including the Filling Station Brewery which is built on a former train station.
If you have anyone in your group who wants to visit a winery on the tour, another option would be to head to the Old Mission Peninsula instead of the Leelanau Peninsula. Old Mission Peninsula is home to some of the best wineries, such as Chateau Chantel, Brys Estate, and Mari Vineyards. This peninsula also is where you will find the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, which is a great Michigan-based brewery to visit on your tour.
There are quite a few options for where to go on your brewery tour, whether you want to visit one of the Peninsulas or stay in downtown Traverse City. The best part is that you get the flexibility to visit 4 places that interest you the most!
My Experience on the Traverse City Brewery Tour
As I mentioned above, I enjoyed this tour and I’d highly recommend it. I think this is the perfect way to visit breweries or wineries in the Traverse City area, especially those that are located on either the Old Mission Peninsula or the Leelanau Peninsula.
One thing that really sets this tour apart from the other tours is that the guides are so friendly and excited to show you around the Traverse City breweries and wineries. Our guide did a great job getting us around safely and also helping us select the best breweries to visit during our tour. It’s easy to see why this brewery tour has so many 5-star reviews!
Conclusion
Taking a Traverse City Brewery Tour is the best way to visit multiple breweries in the area, especially if you want to go to a brewery on either the Leelanau Peninsula or the Old Mission Peninsula. Not only is taking a tour convenient because it includes transportation, but it is also a perfect way to enjoy trying some different beers at the unique breweries in Traverse City.
If you are going to try one of these tours, I highly recommend taking this Private Traverse City Brewery Tour because of the friendly guides, the ability to select your stops, and the overall great experience.
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