If there’s one thing that can make or break your day at the National Cherry Festival, it’s parking—nearly 500,000 visitors will descend on Traverse City for events like the Cherry Royale Parade, nightly concerts and air shows, and the parking scene is intense. Here’s the parking advice locals would tell a friend:
Take the BATA.
If we could share only one tip, it would be this: During the festival, free National Cherry Festival (Bayline) Shuttles will run every 20 minutes on an east to west loop from 7 a.m. until midnight daily (with the exception of 9 a.m. to midnight on Sunday, June 30). There are several park-and-ride options:
- Meijer (US-31 S.)
- Northern Michigan College (Base of Old Mission Peninsula)
- Woodland Creek Furniture (East Bay)
BATA buses have bike racks, so those wishing to bike around downtown can load their bikes at the park-and-ride stops.
Find accessible options.
If you need ADA/close-in parking, the Cherry Festival provides accessible parking spots behind Arnold’s Amusements in the Public Parking “B” lot, as well as 14 accessible spots over by the marina—these spaces do fill up fast. There are additional accessible city parking spaces at area meters and garages.
Bike it.
If you’re heading to the fest, consider bringing bikes. You can bike in on the paved Traverse Area Recreation Trail (TART) from the Traverse City State Park Campground and hotel district.
Once you arrive downtown, you can park your bike safely at the Norte (a local youth biking nonprofit) bike corral, staffed by volunteer bike valets who will take good care of your ride. Look for the orange tent near the food court, open at noon daily. The valet service is free; it’s lovely to tip the young volunteers if you’re able.
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Go west.
The neighborhood streets and frontage roads along West Grandview Parkway offer a less congested scene for street parking, and it’s a pleasant walk along the bay on the TART trail to the festivities at Clinch Park.
Go up.
If you have to venture closer to downtown in your car, there are two major public parking decks you’ll want to put on your radar:
- Hardy Parking Structure
- Old Town Parking Deck
- Garage Pro tips:
- Event Rates: An event rate structure will be in place during the festival at both garages; however, parkers may pull a ticket and pay the regular hourly rate for the first two hours before event rates go into effect. Events like the Air Show and fireworks have different pricing structures, which you can find here.
- Sara Hardy Farmers Market: On Saturdays until noon, you’ll want to avoid the Old Town structure; the Sara Hardy Farmers market will take place there during Cherry Fest. Those looking to enjoy the market should park on Lake Street or Union Street between 8th and 9th streets for an easy in and out.
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