Traverse City is the self-proclaimed "Cherry Capital of the World", because it holds a week-long Cherry Festival in the first week of July yearly. It is the largest city in the 21-county of the North Michigan region. The city lies at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, a long protected water of Lake Michigan. This city is named after the Grand Traverse Bay. The bay got its name from 18th century French explorers who made la grande traverse or "the long crossing" across the mouth of the Grand Traverse Bay. This city functions as the major commercial center for a seven-county. It has a land area of 2,700 square miles.

The City is a home rule charter city under the Home Rule Cities Act, integrated on the 18th of May 1895. It is governed by six commissioners and a mayor, elected by its residents. As one they comprised a 7-member legislative body. The appointed city manager or the chief executive is responsible for city operations.

Aside form cherries, the surrounding countryside produces grapes, and is one of the centers of wine production in the country. There are several tourist attractions in the city for both summer and winter that includes, freshwater beaches, upscale golf resorts, vineyards, a nearby National Lakeshore, phenomenal snowfall, nearby ski and snowmobile resorts and thousands of square miles of surrounding forests.