This upcoming MLK weekend, I’ll be visiting the University of Michigan campus. I live down in Florida, so this will be my only chance to explore the campus before I decide on a school. U of M is my top choice, so this visit is a big deal to me!
Are there any must see spots on campus? Where should I eat? Is there anything you’d recommend as a key part of this visit?
So far, I’m spending a bit of time in Detroit (not exactly a tourist destination on par with Disney Land, but as a student going for my BBA, I will spend a fair amount of time there), touring the general campus, touring Ross, spending some time at the Big House, possibly visiting fraternities, and meeting with admissions officers.
Besides the aforementioned activities, what must I do during my stay in Ann Arbor?!
Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger is amazing (and was featured in a popular Diners Drive-ins & Dives segment) but unfortunately they lost their building to the University and had to close in August. They will reopen elsewhere but thats awhile away yet.
January in Michigan can be very cold. Potentially highs only in the teens, with strong winds just to rub it in. It could also be mild, in the 30s or maybe even 40, and sunny. But come prepared for cold.
Yes, layers are your friend.
Another vote for Zingermans (a nosher so you have room for other goodies around town); I also love Conor O’Neils for their mussels and Woodchuck on tap. Angelosis a good and historic Ann Arbor tradition which has a song written about it. Go to Tioson a week day and you’ll get a great feel for the city’s blend of students, post-grads and folks who work in Ann Arbor (plus it’s yummy and affordable). Nickels Arcade is a nice little row of shops to see, though it’s not enclosed. Even snow-covered, the Quad and the Law School areas are lovely. The Student Union building is historic and handsome, but not exactly hopping. Same w/ the Women’s League. You can see where the creation of the Peace Corps was announced by JFK.
There are approximately a bajillion coffee shops/cafes w/ live music at a third of them at any given time.
All the fountains will be turned off but the sculpture everyone likes to spin should be open and spinnable. The Blind Pig is a bar of historic note, if you’re old enough to go into bars. Look up the Michigan Theatre, see what’s showing when you’re there.
The Nichols Arboretum near North Campus will be peaceful for walking that time of year; in nicer weather you can canoe up and down the Huron on a day trip between Ann Arbor and Milford.
I’m sure you’ve seen this from maps but A2 is not within shouting distance of the city of Detroit; unless you want to rely on Amtrak or Greyhound you’d need a car to get between the two cities.
One neat thing about living in Southeast Michigan (as I did for 35 years) is that you’re also just a 5-6 hour drive to Chicago or Cleveland; this can make for really fun weekend trips.
Also, Windsor, Ontario’s on the other (South) side of the Detroit River and the drinking age there is 19. Some folks may find that useful information.
Have fun!
South University Avenue
State Street, between Williams and Huron
Liberty, between State and Main
Main street between Williams and Huron
Kerrytown (a cozy downtown shopping center, just a block or so west of Zingerman’s)
On these streets you’ll find plenty of restaurants, bars, coffeshops, bookstores, etc. There are others, but this is a good start for a weekend visit, enough to give you a feel for what’s here.
January is unfortunately not the best time to visit, since the outdoor stuff isn’t really happening. Ann Arbor has several nice parks with walking/riding trails near the Huron River.
As Bob Ducca mentioned, Crazy Jim’s has been the quintessential Ann Arbor dining experience for decades. Here’s the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives segment about it. Alas, they are out of commission until the owner can find a new venue, after having recently been booted from his 60-year location by the ever-expanding university. I expect he’ll have it up and running before long, so if you do come here for school, you’l have a chance then.
No, no - I was just going to make an “Ann Arbor is a whore” joke, but didn’t want to shit on your trip with the first response. From what I’ve heard, AA is actually a really fun town, and central Michigan is beautiful. As a Notre Dame alum, I’m required to offer some good-natured resistance to potential UofM students.
As the OP is from Florida, he (she?) should think long and hard about whether he wants to spend four (or more) years suffering through Michigan winters. Also, Michigan is a really big school so also think about whether you want to go to a big school or a small school. Some people can feel lost at one of the giant state schools. On the other hand, I imagine that football weekends must be a lot of fun.
Yes, I agree. I went to school in Troy, New York, which had horrible winters. But we noticed that all of the literature sent to prospective students had photos of the campus in mid-summer, and in fact when I visited in summer between school years, I was amazed at how nice it was.
It helps if the OP likes winter sports like skiing.
The snow around here is pretty intermittent; we often get warm interludes that melt whatever accumulation exists. Moreover, decent ski slopes are a good ways away. If you like cross-country skiing, you might get a little of that in from time to time. If you don’t mind a drive, you can find good snow up in/near the UP. Friends and I used to drive up there once a year to rent snowmobiles for a weekend; good times.
“Horrible winters” is pretty relative. I did my undergrad in North Dakota, where the winters were considerably longer and more harsh than Ann Arbor. Up there, snow and single-digit temps (along with major heat-sucking winds) could persist into April.
My husband grew up in Miami, came to Ann Arbor to go to UoM and stayed because he fell in love with the town. The weather played a big part of that, having four distinct seasons was a novelty for him that he still enjoys twenty years later.
A nice winter’s walk through the arboretum might be just the ticket.
I know you went to the Dam Site Inn…only bar there!
Ann Arbor’s a great town. Diverse, liberal, relatively safe. Since the 70s they’ve had very lax marijuana laws. Possession used to be a $5 fine and was considered a civil infraction, not criminal. I think it got raised to $25, but it depends who does the arresting. Ann Arbor PD means no criminal offense and a small fine. Campus police means prosecution under state laws. I figure this is information that every new student needs
The towns getting gentrified, but it used to attract the likes of the MC5, The Stooges (I think the Ashetons still lived there - well, not Ron anymore), and John Sinclair.
It’s easy to walk around and check things out. Michigan is a big school (45k) but it’s not known as a party school which makes A2 a nice place to hang out. UM has the biggest college stadium in the country, and obviously football dominates the town on game day.
On a side note, Detroit’s hurting but it’s not dead. There’s plenty of music, food, and sights to experience. Catch a Red Wings game, go hit some bars in Hamtramck, see who’s playing in concert, and definitely get a coney dog somewhere. I think the Winter Blast festival is around that time. Just saying, there are good times that can be had in Detroit. People paint it as this post-apocalyptic wasteland (to be fair, there are neighborhoods like that), but the downtown is vibrant and it has one of the best music scenes in the country.
Just curious - why are you visiting Detroit? You can spend your whole life in Ann Arbor without ever going to Detroit. Unless you are going for Lions/Tigers/Redwings.
My kid is a senior at UofM, and we were just there for the Nebraska game. Super fun times on game day. We did go to Detroit to visit relatives and shopped at the nifty boutiques downtown (yes, they are there). But, there’s plenty to do and see in and around A2 without going into Detroit.
Right – especially if you’ve never lived in a winter state. I went to High School in St Pete; a student there also planned to go to UofM. I bumped into him once on campus, and all he could say is “Why the hell didn’t you warn me about the weather?” Well, I was from Saginaw. Ann Arbor is warmer, hey?
Indoor things include the Museum of Natural History (although that may be more for younger kids), or the UofM Art Museum. Both very worth visiting. Anyone who’s too old for the NatHist museum is too old for life.
It’s called the Diag. If you ask anyone where the Square is, they’ll look at you funny.
+1 Ann Arbor winters means freeze/thaw just about every week (or at least, used to. I lived there for 25 years, but moved away in 2000.) The closest downhill skiing is a 4 or 5 hour drive, so you’re not likely to pick up skiing as a UM student. It’s also a bit steep for a typical student budget. XC skiing is fun up at Peach Mountain, where UM’s observatory is, but that’s a 10 minute drive north. Bring friends, dogs, and booze.
Detroit has a lot going for it, even now, but I’d skip it for a limited trip to AA. If you’re a jazz fan, you’ll eventually see acts at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge (if it’s still there and still good and nobody’s been shot there recently). We also used to have occasional trips down to Greek Town, or the Renaissance Center for drinks at the top. (That was back when it was brand new!) If you’re at all interested in engineering, history of manufacturing, autos, trains, or planes, Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn is world-class. In the summer, Greenfield Village is a must-see. But none of these would I do for a short AA trip.
In January, there’s not much reason to see the Big House, other than to walk past it. Football games are a riot, though. Instead, try catching a hockey game at Yost Arena, right around the corner.
A walk in the Arboretum (called the “Arb”) is definitely worthwhile, on a nice day. For most folks, it’s more of a summer thing, but I remember many a winter day or night there. I had a friend who even lived there for a while, sleeping in a jungle hammock. Not since 1970, though!
If the Shelter Dogs are playing anywhere, go see them! They gather an eclectic crowd. Of course, you may also want to check the student haunts, but I don’t know what those would be any more.
Most students spend the first year in a dorm (UM used to encourage that, dunno if they still do.) You might want to check out the various dorms. Most students wind up at Bursley, the massive dorm on North Campus. I did on purpose (my sister was there too) but if I had it to do over again I’d try for a “hill” dorm like Mosher-Jordan or Couzens, and I preferred West Quad of the central campus Quad dorms. Of course, things may be quite a bit different now (gee, only 35 years later!)
