The entire reason for this road trip was a conference I was attending in Traverse City. I had never been, nor had I done any research before we went, so I had little to no expectations except to hopefully see some fall color. Well the fall color was nothing short of amazing and each vista truly looked like a photoshopped postcard. But what we weren’t counting on was how much we would love Traverse City and the Old Mission Peninsula’s Wine Trail. I’ll first write about Traverse City. What’s not to love about this hip little town with farm-to-table restaurants, brew pubs, boutique shopping and more outdoor recreational activities than you could squeeze in a weeks’ vacation. Surrounded by lush farmland, vineyards, and pristine beaches, the area is still blissfully quiet and under-the-radar–but not for long I imagine. And then there’s the WOMP (Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula). http://www.wineriesofoldmission.com/local/upload/file/WOMP-Broch-2013.pdf. Be sure to set aside a full day for a drive up the Old Mission Peninsula taking your time to taste each and every wine that the eight wineries offer and savoring the locally grown fruit at the roadside fruit stands. And don’t forget your camera because just as mouthwatering as the fruits and wines are, the views are equally as delicious. Most of the wineries are situated high on bluffs with show stopping views of their individual vineyards and the East and West Bays. Be sure to drive all the way to the end of picturesque M137 for a stop at the decommissioned Mission Point Lighthouse. And, if you are lucky enough to visit all of this in the fall like we were, prepare yourself for an absolute sensory overload. We will definitely be back!