Traverse City is a small town built by the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. It's known as the Cherry Capital of the World, owing to the fact that as much as three quarters of US cherries are grown in Michigan, and most in the Traverse City area - and it's a great place for a family holiday. Particularly if you like cherries. Aside from the cherries, two great wine-producing areas are close at hand in the form of the Leelanu peninsula and Old Mission peninsula. And with a variety of rental apartments and condos in Traverse City, it can be a surprisingly low cost family friendly fruit-based holiday destination.

Michigan offers a huge variety of activities for a family holiday. There are Victorian landmarks such as the Old Mission Point Lighthouse and the City Opera House to explore, and Lake Michigan provides all kinds of potential for recreational activities, from guided boat cruises of the Lake and Bay area to parasailing, depending on how adventurous you are feeling. To see Traverse City from the air, you can take a hot air balloon ride, or go hang gliding on the sand dunes by the lake's shores. Lake Michigan is also famed among fishing fans for its salmon and lake trout, and chartered fishing trips are available from several companies operating fishing vessels in Grand Traverse Bay. There are also several golf courses in the area, including Highpointe Golf Club. There is certainly more than enough to occupy any family for a solid week or even a fortnight!

With a huge range of rental apartments and condos in and around Traverse City, you can slash the cost of a family holiday - lakeside self-catered accommodation, yards away from sandy beaches and fishing spots, is available with prices starting from around £500 a week for an apartment big enough to sleep a family of four or more. Not only does this compare very well with the price of booking hotel rooms, but the added privacy of self-catered accommodation will enable you to truly relax and enjoy your stay - and it's great for kids. The youngest members of your family will be able to run around and let off steam to their heart's content, without any need to worry about disturbing the neighbours!