I'm a longtime Michigan resident, and I went 22 years without going to Traverse City. I vacationed in the Upper Peninsula and around Mackinac, and all along the coast of Lake Michigan as a kid. Except TC. Then I went for the first time last summer and fell in love with it. It's pretty much everything that I want from a Lake Michigan vacation spot, plus all of the benefits of a good sized city. I'm a huge foodie, and every single restaurant in town is in direct culinary competition with every other restaurant and the result is that you can walk into or up to every single place that serves food and have your mind blown. Also, I've been in town for the film festival, but never felt like I was in a tourist trap, the way I sometimes do at Mackinac.and if TC is even nicer it probably merits a look.