Hey.  My wife and I are planning a trip up north.  She has always wanted to go to Traverse City.  I have been close but not in the city.  A friend of ours said not to go due to the city going down hill and a lot of homeless people in the area after Covid.

We live two miles from Detroit so we see homeless people all the time.  It isn't a deal breaker for me unless Traverse City is now a shithole.

Thanks.

Steve

Just go in the winter.  Snow and cold is like a repellant.  

Up until this year before I moved to Kzoo from Gaylord I would visit TC once a month...Don't remember seeing much homeless.  Maybe an occasional pan handler or street hippy.  Its far from a shithole.

My dad lives up there year-round. It's far from a shithole. There has always been some degree of homelessness. There are definitely worse places in the world. Now you just have to worry about the growing number of progressives and Subarus clogging the streets. Overall, TC is pretty nice.

I like TC. It's pretty up that way. Go explore some of the wineries if you're into that sort of thing. We stayed at the Baywatch Resort the last time we were there. Nice place. We had a lake view with our own balcony to sit on. A little pricey, but I thought it was worth it.

Baywatch Resort

I live there, well south of town a bit, but my address is Traverse City.

I reckon it ain't no more of a shithole here than anywhere else.  Moved up from Westland about 25 years ago.  Not because I like it, because this is where the jobs are.  Doubt you'd really see too many of the homeless....I don't.

On one hand, Traverse is the metro hub up here.....on the other hand it's a tourist trap.  Whether it's any kind of attraction for ya, really depends on sorta thing you're into.  Honestly, I live and work here, but prefer to leave when I look for fun. I wouldn't come here on vacation....but I like things a bit rougher.  Someone mentioned wineries, that ain't my sort of thing.  I like wine, Mogen David grape, next best thing to Ripple..  I've never been to any of the fancy eateries, not my kind of folk there.  I only go to places with drive-thru windows, and prefer a steak on the grill up at the lake to be honest, or wieners on a stick over the fire (with Stroh's)  There's fancy downtown shopping,  I have to go there from time to time, but generally avoid it like the plague. I think there's a Banana Republic for khaki's.  Everything cherry, it's "Cherry Capital" even though there ain't no cherry trees in town. that I've seen (other than some long dead orchards)

Thank you for the replies guys.

Not sure where we are going just yet.  I would be happy driving to Copper Harbor for a long weekend and hang out by Lake Fanny Hoe.

Now Fort Wilkins is much more my style.  If ya go that far, take a trip to 1913, and stop by the Italian Hall Memorial in Calumet as you pass by.

Hit TC and it’s state park last year first time…. Park and waterfront real nice …. Getting around in the city …. A Nightmare!!! Can’t turn left on Main Street ANYWHERE!!  

Go visit the thumb along MI along M25…. Gorgeous!!!

H

Sorry for the late reply but we were just there and I can assure you its not a shithole.  I didn't notice any homeless people but I work in Warren so maybe I'm numb to it?

They're here, little tent camps in a few public wooded areas around town, far enough off that you wouldnt see them.  Also in campers, in Walmart parking lot at times.

We've gone for the past 3 years (pre-Covid) and are FINALLY getting back there in a couple weeks.  The first two years we stayed at a hotel in TC, but after that we realized that we spent most of our time hiking the various trails of Sleeping Bear, so the 3rd time we rented a house in Empire (ended up being cheaper than the hotel).  We're staying at the same place this summer.  

I have a hard time believing that the homeless problem is "that bad" post-covid (MI Winter is a bitch), but then again my perspective is probably a little "off" since I live in the metro DC area and have lived in NYC.

That whole area is freaking awesome

We have a house about 35 min from Traverse Summer is super busy traffic wise, its real beautiful but lots of hipsters and liberals seem to have moved in within the last 30 years.  Like Ann Arbor kinda with better scenery.  We go to the Costco in the summer but try to stay away until off season a bit.

Yeah the first two times we went up we stayed in town.  Last time and this year we’re renting a house in Empire.  Since we spend just about all day every day at sleeping bear it makes more sense anyway (and we can bring the dogs).  We still drive into TC for evening dining (and Costco) etc.  we’re in Bloomfield Hills now visiting the in-laws until we go up North on Friday.  I totally see the hipster thing though, my father in law just told me the Buttigeg just bought a house in TC

You're right!   We did notice the tents in the park on 31.

Many of the restaurants there have locations in AA also.  North Peak/Grizzled Peak, Jolly Pumpkin, and Blue Tractor.

My parents just left TC. Lived there for 6 years. Far from a shithole. It’s booming new buildings and hotels restaurants and brewery s if your into that.