Jill MedingerTraveling with four generations,11 opinions, and a dog may cause laughter, exhaustion, and lifelong memories. TRAVERSE CITY delivered.
BY SARAH LESSLER
If you want to test the limits of a family vacation, try planning one for four generations— from a 5-month-old baby to a 76-year-old grandfather, two sides of the family, a dog, and a major bucket-list horse show. Somehow, Traverse City proved to be the rare vacation that checked every box.
My husband’s side of the family are proud Michiganders, but mine had never set foot in the Great Lakes State. After years of hearing him relive his college days in the Upper Peninsula and rave about one of his favorite “up north” spots, we finally made the trip happen. We rented a spacious Airbnb just outside downtown, directly on Grand Traverse Bay, with plenty of room for 11 of us and a perfect place to retreat during infant naps and early toddler bedtimes.
With family flying in from four cities, Traverse City’s easy airport made arrival simple. Walking through baggage claim and seeing banners for Traverse City Horse Shows only heightened my excitement. We arrived after dark, unpacked, and went straight to bed.
The next morning, I slipped out with our dog, Lexi, and a cup of coffee as the sun rose across the bay. Even through the haze from Canadian wildfires, the view was stunning. Our rental had a private beach and a long dock that led into water so shallow and clear it looked transparent. Lexi, exuberant by nature and ecstatic about water, bounded through the calm ripples while I waded out, feeling like the lake might go on forever.
That ritual became the start and end of most days that week. Even my 4-year-old could walk endlessly through the warm, clear water, trying to catch up to Lexi while pretending to be a mermaid or dolphin. Despite being off a main road, our stretch of beach felt blissfully uncrowded—offering lake life entertainment, a quiet spot to nap in a beach chair, and a place to gather for meals and card games.
Traverse City met our multigenerational needs with ease. Some preferred peaceful kayak paddles, while the thrill-seekers set off on high-speed jet skis across the bay. Everyone found their own way to soak in the lake’s magic. The surprisingly warm water was clear as glass and shifted between stunning shades of emerald, turquoise, and sapphire. We even enjoyed a chartered sailboat excursion together. The lake activities felt endless.
A major highlight was Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and its iconic dune climb—challenging and beautiful. In true multigenerational fashion, some of our group stayed at the top, taking in sweeping views of Lake Michigan and holding my sleeping infant, while the rest of us braved the descent. The sign warning “the only way out is up, rescues cost $3,000” wasn’t exactly reassuring, but it didn’t stop us from convincing my dad and our enthusiastic 4-year-old to join in.
Bounding down the dune felt almost like flying, and a plunge in the lake at the bottom was exhilarating. The climb back up—450 feet in full bear-crawl mode—was the hard part. I’ll never forget my daughter racing ahead, turning back to cheer, “You got this, Mommy! Deep breaths!” The 20-somethings made it up in under 20 minutes, my husband and I (with a toddler sometimes on his back) in about 30, and even my dad conquered it in under an hour. A true bucket-list moment I’ll always treasure.
Despite all the adventures, I couldn’t wait to get to Flintfields Horse Park, home of the Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS). Just 15 minutes from downtown and our rental, the location couldn’t be more convenient. My mom and I were met by Gary Howe, TCHS’s marketing and communications manager and a Traverse City local, who gave us an insider tour of the grounds.
Owned and operated by Morrissey Management Group since 2019, TCHS has quickly become one of the top show series in the country. According to Howe, the average competitor stays about 30 days, and the human-to-horse ratio is 5 to 1—well above the industry average of 3.2. More barns are choosing Traverse City as their summer base, and as Howe puts it, “Once people come once, they find a way to come again.”
The community is deeply connected to the show. Every week, 100% of ticket sale proceeds benefit a local nonprofit through the Charity Ticket Program. TCHS also hosts a Farm-to-Stable dinner series featuring local chefs, farmers, and winemakers that celebrates the region’s thriving food culture.
The show continues to expand each year with new permanent barns, beautifully maintained rings and footing (many with Ebb and Flow systems), new trails in the adjacent rolling fields, and even a gated equestrian community, Grand Prix Village North, under development. Between the impeccable grounds, vibrant atmosphere and,—yes—excellent house margaritas, it feels like an equestrian oasis.
Our visit coincided with Major League Show Jumping’s CSI5* week, and I was ecstatic. It’s not every day you get to watch riders like Kent Farrington, Daniel Bluman, and Lillie Keenan in person. That evening, my whole family joined us in the VIP Club for the Grand Prix. The presentation, décor, and food exceeded expectations: an abundant buffet with salads, charcuterie, carving stations, seafood, and even toddler-friendly options like chicken tenders and a s’mores bar. I personally went back more than once for the scallops over risotto and king crab legs.
My daughter spent the evening at the front of the VIP Club cheering for every horse and rider, chasing the unicorn mascot handing out T-shirts, and was lucky enough to give a carrot to a horse settling in for the night.
At the end of our trip, I couldn’t believe that even my mother- and father-in-law said their favorite activity was watching the Grand Prix. They both expressed that the facility, the decadent food, and the class itself exceeded expectations—and that’s high praise from two non-equestrians.
Traverse City’s local farming culture is impressive. The region is known for its fertile farmland, orchards, and vineyards. Small producers supply restaurants, breweries, and markets. Our favorites included Mari Vineyard, Farm Club, and two standouts in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons—a restored and reimagined former asylum—Sugar 2 Salt and Trattoria Stella.
Everywhere we drove, we were surrounded by color: shimmering blue lakes, rolling fields dotted with wildflowers, and tidy gardens spilling over with floral arrangements at every restaurant and storefront.
Traverse City exceeded every expectation I had for a multigenerational family vacation. And next time, I hope to bring my horse along for a Traverse City summer.