I relocated to Traverse City, Michigan in May of 1997 to experience the natural beauty of this Region, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, and small town charm atmosphere with big city sophistication. The Grand Traverse Area offers a tremendous quality of life along with an affordable cost of living, good schools, low crime rates and four distinctive seasons. There are miles upon miles of coastline, sandy beaches and recreational trails for biking, hiking, snowshoeing and snowmobiling and x-Country skiing. In addition, there are dozens of World-class wineries, 18-hole championship golf courses, Sleeping Bear National Park and Sand Dunes, crystal clear inland lakes and river and several Alpine Downhill Ski Resorts. Downtown Traverse City has wonderful shopping with its unique boutiques, cafes, microbreweries, pubs and award-winning restaurants. There are many entertainment options including the recently rennovated State Theater, City Opera House, Dennos Museum, Old Town Playhouse and Clinch Park Marina. The National Cherry Festival draws thousands of people each year in early July followed by the T.C. Film Festival.