Four Decades of Pirate Fun

Stuff We Love

June 24, 2023

Though the pirates at this mini-golf course are straight out of the 18th century, Traverse City’s beloved Pirate’s Cove Adventure Park celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. What began as a hotel—yes, there used to be a hotel on site!—with a family-friendly putt-putt spot became a tradition for thousands of locals and visitors alike, who came not just for the golf but eventually for the bumper boats, go karts, and game room, too. (And let’s not forget big-time events like Putting for Patriots over Memorial Day Weekend, which has raised over $600,000 for various veteran charities.) Now, general manager Tim Olson says Pirate’s Cove has expanded to 20 locations across the country. As for one of Olson’s favorite anecdotes from the early days…well, let’s just say true pirates would be proud. “Our original garbage barrels came from the Jack Daniels distillery,” he says. “When delivered, they still held some whiskey. The construction crew was missing or hungover the next day.”