How to take a guided Vine to Wine snowshoe tour near Traverse City

TRAVERSE CITY – The scenic vineyards and coastal bluffs of Leelanau County are the setting for this winter’s Vine to Wine guided snowshoe tours. With these popular weekend adventures, wine tasting gets an outdoor twist.

The Vine to Wine Snowshoe Tours are running on Saturdays through March 1. They include stops at two wineries, a cidery, and a catered lunch with soup for a warm-up. Any wine or cider purchases you make along the way will be shuttled to you for pick-up at the end of the day.

Tickets are $79. For more details and information on reservations, check the tour group’s website here or call (231) 421-6815.

“We love sharing our winter wonderland here,” said Nick Wierzba, owner of Grand Traverse Bike Tours, a four-season adventure company based in Suttons Bay. “Snow transforms this area into such a magical place. I can’t wait to get outside and explore from one winery to another. It’s like snowshoeing through a snow globe.”

What’s included in the ticket price:

• Guided snowshoe tour on private vineyard and orchard trails
• Rental of snowshoes and poles
• Catered lunch
• Pick-up service for any wine, cider purchases

What to know about the Vine to Wine Snowshoe Tours:

You can choose from a round-trip tour (5.5 miles) or a point-to-point tour (3 miles) that has shuttle service back to the starting point.

You’ll get help fitting your rental snowshoes and poles before starting the vineyard trek.

The group will snowshoe about 35 minutes between each winery. Scenery will include snow-covered orchards, wooded areas and windswept bluffs.

The winery/cidery tasting tour will include these stops, as described by the tour group:

• Ciccone Vineyard & Winery: Enjoy a cozy, chateau-like experience high on a hill with an indoor fireplace and a variety of estate-grown crisp whites and distinct reds.
• Suttons Bay Ciders: Featuring apples grown on-site, this cidery offers a palette adventure with unique flights and a stunning panorama of Grand Traverse Bay. Keep an eye out for eagles from the tasting room!
• Big Little Wines: Set in a treehouse-like location, this winery serves small-batch, handcrafted wines in a fun, cozy tasting room. Situated in Mawby’s original location, their property overlooks rolling hills dotted with vines and fruit trees.

You can find more photos and updates on the Grand Traverse Bike Tours’ Facebook page here.

Coming to stay and play in Traverse City? Find a big list of overnight lodging options here.