Traverse City Named One of America’s Coziest Fall Getaways

Michigan now has official confirmation of something I've suspected for years: Traverse City knows how to do fall without making it look like it tried too hard.

RELATED: Farmer's Almanac Michigan Fall Forecast Has Hoodie Lovers Smiling

BetMGM Casino ranked Traverse City fifth among America's coziest fall destinations, giving it a Cozy Fall Score of 58.1 out of 100. The study compared 20 popular fall getaways using foliage, rainfall, temperatures, October daylight, and access to coffee shops (because no fall tour is complete without pumpkin spice), bookstores, farmers' markets, pumpkin patches, and parks.

In other words, science has finally weighed in on the most important autumn stuff: leaves, coffee, and places where I can spend $14 on something described as "artisan."

Why Traverse City Is One of America’s Best Fall Getaways

green trees near body of water during daytime

According to the BetMGM study, Traverse City's fall color is forecast to peak around October 27, making it one of the study's strongest late-October destinations. Peak timing can shift with the weather because Michigan trees do not accept appointments.

The ranking also credits the Traverse City area with four to six pumpkin patches and two major farmers' markets. Add crisp northern Michigan air, colorful scenery, and plenty of places to warm up, and the fifth-place finish feels less like a surprise and more like spreadsheets catching up with reality.

America’s Other Coziest Fall Destinations

an aerial view of a river surrounded by trees

So which cities trumped Traverse City for coziest fall destinations in America? Here's the full breakdown of the top five:

1. Bar Harbor, Maine (66.9)
2. Lake Placid, New York (63.3)
3. Galena, Illinois (62.7)
4. Mystic, Connecticut (58.7)
5. Traverse City, Michigan (58.1)

I'll let Maine have first place. Michigan still offers the superior mitten-shaped getaway map.