Are you heading to the University of Michigan? Here's a list of my favorite places to explore in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas for your time in Southeast Michigan!
Map
Sections
4
Places to Eat
What to Do
Where to Shop
Michigan Apparel
Places to Eat
A local favorite for paella and tapas dishes! The food is high-quality and the atmosphere is perfect for date night.
aventura | restaurant | ann arbor, mi
An upscale, yet casual, dining experience in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor!
Black Pearl Ann Arbor
Located on the outskirts of Northern Ann Arbor, the Dixboro Project is a gorgeous, upscale restaurant specializing in wood fired pizzas and seafood dishes. Also makes for a great event space.
Dixboro Project | American Restaurant in Ann Arbor, MI
Cuban-inspired fast-casual burgers and smoothies. It gets really popular when students are back and during lunch/dinner hours!
Frita Batidos - Frita Batidos
A well designed brewery with a great selection of sours, wheat ales, and IPAs that offers Korean-inspired cuisine. There's also great outdoor seating and it's dog-friendly!
HOMES Brewery
With a rooftop patio, wood fired pizzas, and a great beer selection, Jolly Pumpkin is hard to beat!
Jolly Pumpkin - Ann Arbor
The best spot in the area for Korean BBQ!
Korean BBQ | Korean Barbeque | Tomukun Ann Arbor
A perfect basement spot for a night out with cocktails and live music! Bring your chalk and write your name on the ceiling!!
MASH | Ann Arbor Bourbon & Whiskey Bar With Live Music
The best rooftop patio in Ann Arbor! Palio offers a variety of Italian dishes.
Palio Restaurant
Huge, delicious BBQ portions! A must try - recommend splitting a plate.
Ricewood: a barbecue joint
The best local ice cream spot!! They use their own and Stroh's ice cream and the milkshakes are to die for! The donuts are very inexpensive too and great for events.
Washtenaw Dairy
A local brewery with great nachos and a perfect spot to throw some darts!
Wolverine State Brewing Company
A rising star in the Ann Arbor restaurant list, York offers a great coffee bar and cocktail service. It also has a wine bar in the back where you can purchase unique bottles. And lastly, it has GREAT outdoor seating complete with food trucks!
YORK
So good and so much space. Located on the HOMES campus, this is a must see.
Dozer Coffee | Roaster & Café in A2 Michigan
Great brewery with tons of good sours. Plenty of outdoor seating that gets closed in for the summer. A bit off the “beaten path” which can be nice for various reasons!
Mothfire Brewing Co.
What to Do
The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum is perfect for families with children looking for an interactive experience with science and technology! Fun for everyone!
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Argo Park is popular for locals to kayak or float down the river until they reach Gallup Park! The parking isn't great, but the park is wonderful.
Argo Park Canoe & Kayak
Axe throwing located in downtown Ann Arbor! A fun activity for a range of ages.
Axe Ventura - Ann Arbor
Pedal-powered party bikes for rent in downtown Ann Arbor. A fun activity for exploring the town.
Bike Bars & Pedal Parties in Ann Arbor | Pedal Saloon
There's a few really fun escape rooms sprinkled throughout Ann Arbor. My friends and I have done Decode Ann Arbor and had a great experience! Perfect for a rainy day.
Decode Ann Arbor - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Gallup Park is a local favorite for running, walking, biking, and kayaking! Definitely spend a day here if you're looking for a park to relax at.
Gallup Park
High Five Pedal Tours offers 14-person pedal trolley tours to Ann Arbor's breweries, restaurants, bookstores, and more all located downtown.
High Five - Ann Arbor, Michigan
If you're in Ann Arbor, you have to check out a football game at Michigan Stadium!
Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
The arboretum is the perfect place to spend the day immersing yourself in nature amongst a beautiful city!
University of Michigan Nichols Arboretum
Where to Shop
Busch's is a cute grocery store local to Ann Arbor. It's a little pricey, but you'll find fresh dishes and local produce.
Busch's Inc. - Ann Arbor Main St.
The Briarwood Mall is the best shopping plaza in Ann Arbor. It has plenty of high-demand stores like Apple, J. Crew, Victoria's Secret, and more!
Briarwood Mall
A local, trendy clothing boutique located in downtown Ann Arbor!
Ferne Boutique
The parking lot is terrible, but the food can't be beat!
Trader Joe's
A local spot to get fresh produce and other foods!
Argus Farm Stop
Michigan Apparel
Love this Ann Arbor staple crewneck!
Ann Arbor Sweatshirt Collegiate Crewneck Sweater Unisex
A timeless University of Michigan sweatshirt, perfect for game day!
Michigan Wolverines Pressbox Women's Vintage Wash Pullover Sweatshirt - Navy
Love this subtle nod to Ann Arbor :)
Old West Side Ann Arbor Michigan Bella + Canvas T-shirt Eberwhite Bach
A simple, classic “hail” tee for the University of Michigan.
