During our weekend in Ann Arbor, do you have a suggestions on places to go or things that do that are very %26#39;Ann Arborish%26#39;? In other words, we are really trying to get a feel for the place and what it might be like to spend an extended time there. Parks everyone visits, restros everyone loves, food that is a specialty there, shopping, anything you can think of that will give a real taste of the area. Thanks E~ ps Please feel free to correct my Ann Arborite label - it was a wild guess:)
Living like a Ann Arbor-ite?For food, Zingerman%26#39;s! The bakery is fabulous (in Kerrytown) and the smokehouse is an excellent restaurant choice (off of Stadium on the West side of town or is that that south side of town?) You will be amazed by the service at the Smokehouse. If you want to try a certain barbequed meat with a certain sauce, they bring you a sample. You want to try a certain beer, the bring you a sample. Absolutely wonderful.
Main Street in Ann Arbor is also wonderful. The restaurants are excellent and the area is vibrant.
I have never lived in Ann Arbor but my husband grew up there and my mother-in-law still lives there. We love these areas so much.
Moms
Living like a Ann Arbor-ite?I almost forgot to mention Cottage Inn Pizza, the original location downtown. Great atmosphere and good pizza. I also like their Greek Salad. Moms
How many of you are there, and what ages? (Little kids, potential college students, newlyweds, retirees, etc.)
Lots of Ann Arborites head downtown for dinners out, though there are lots of neighborhood restaurants too. And yep, Ann Arborite is what I%26#39;ve always heard, though I%26#39;m an import to the city. :)
If you%26#39;ve got good weather parks to hit include Gallup, Nichols Arboretum, various woods areas (Bird Park, Dolph Park, Eberwhite Woods).
If you want evening entertainment, see what%26#39;s playing at Hill Auditorium, Lydia Mendelssohn Theater, Michigan Theater, State Theater, Performance Network, The Ark, The Firefly Club, and Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea (about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor, owned by actor Jeff Daniels).
If you want to get a feel for student life as well, head to the area around State and Liberty and also to South University just east of the main campus area for fun shops and restaurants.
Another fun way to get a feel for living here (if it%26#39;s up your alley) is to check out the programs being offered by the public library. There%26#39;s something pretty much every evening, and plenty of really entertaining options, all free. www.aadl.org for more info. Even if the programming doesn%26#39;t suit your needs, three of the branches (Pittsfield, Mallet%26#39;s Creek, and Traverwood) are architecturally interesting if you happen to be in the neighborhoods. And on weekends (but not year round) there%26#39;s a used book store in the basement of the downtown library. www.faadl.org for more info.
If you%26#39;re heading to a movie at Quality 16 on Jackson Road, Carlyle Grill right out in front is our go-to restaurant (movie night or not). Lots of good food at reasonable prices.
For shopping, there%26#39;s certainly the mall, but I avoid it like the plague. We%26#39;ve got plenty of big-box stores on the edges of town and two Whole Foods stores, both of which are very nice. Trader Joe%26#39;s on Stadium is also a good choice for food. But if I%26#39;m just shopping shopping (less for clothes, more for other stuff), downtown it is!
Do you knit? There are a few nice yarn shops in town.
Quilt? Viking Sewing center on Jackson Ave has tons of fabric.
Another recommendation for nice weather, if you%26#39;re really thinking of moving here, is to pick a neighborhood each day and drive there. Park your car, and just get out and walk through the streets. Great way to find a place with the right vibe for you.
If you%26#39;ve got more specific questions, just ask!
Fantastic suggestions. I can%26#39;t believe I forgot the Library!! It is a major hangout where ever we live and my MIL is a librarian. Duh!
We are a couple of old folks and a propective UM student. Also, my husband may been ask to take a job nearby in the next year or so. That makes this a fact finding mission for living as well as for college. We have a campus tour set up but are spending 3 days in the area to see if we would ever consider that job.
Thanks for all your help. Looks like it will be a busier visit than I thought. E~
That would be %26#39;has been%26#39; rather than %26#39;may been%26#39;. Been a long week!:)
If the weather is decent, you have to take a walk in the Nichols Arboretum. Another local%26#39;s favorite is the Washtenaw Dairy (at least when it%26#39;s warm). On campus, check out the Law Library and maybe the Rackham Graduate school, both for the architecture. In the evening, I can highly recommend any concert in Hill Auditorium on campus- best is when the music is without amplifiers (e.g. classical music or jazz). Their cheapest seats are only $10 all the way on the back- you won%26#39;t see much, but the acoustics is out of this world! Check out the website of the University Musical Society for the program and ticket availability.
Zingermann%26#39;s is an Ann Arbor institution- not cheap and often crowded at lunch (at least the Kerrytown location), but the food is definitely good. ';Zingermann%26#39;s sSmokehouse'; on the west side of town is one of my favorite restaurants in AA- skip the drinks, eat some of the free bread and it won%26#39;t break your bank account by any means. For really cheap eats, try Krazy Mike%26#39;s Blimpy burgers (unless you are afraid of clogged arteries) or the not-so-clean-but-funky Fleetwood Diner on Ashley and Liberty (their ';hippy breakfast'; is good).
There are many upscale restaurants to chose from around mainstreet. I find them too expensive and head instead to Grizzly Peaks brew pub, where both food and beer are tasty and reasonably priced. For drinks after dinner, try Ashley%26#39;s- they have an impressive selection of beers and whiskeys. Connor o%26#39;Neill%26#39;s Irish pub on Mainstreet gets rather lively later in the evening on weekends.
I grew up in AA... we call ourselves ';townies';. Townies also live ';in the circle'; which means inside the highways that ring AA.
I%26#39;m glad folks have mentioned the libraries as they are a big part of AA. Other nice places are the UM Botanical Gardens and the UM Natural History Museum.
Great casual townie restaurants are Casey%26#39;s Tavern (by the train station), Red Hawk (on State ST) also Pizza House (on Church St). Great fancy restaurants are Gandy Dancer, Earle and West End Grill.
Did anyone mention the great Farmer%26#39;s Market?
I actually can%26#39;t believe I didn%26#39;t mention the Farmers%26#39; Market, though it%26#39;s primarily a destination from mid-May through frost. I%26#39;ve walked through there in mid-summer practically in tears because it%26#39;s so gorgeous!
Even if you visit town before the growing season is in full swing, you%26#39;ll likely find maple syrup, honey, baked goods, early crops (chives and whatnot) and plenty else to make it worth a visit (not to mention it%26#39;s a stone%26#39;s throw from Zingerman%26#39;s Deli and the People%26#39;s Food Co-op).
Thanks so much for all of the information. Mid-March may not be the best time to visit but it%26#39;s the time we have so we will take advantage of the things that are available. Looks like we will be spoiled for choice on places to eat. Between food and a good book sale, we should be a happy bunch. If everyone is so friendly and helpful as you lot, this should be a great trip! E~
I also grew up in A2. One of my best friends who still lives there hosts an annual %26#39;townie party%26#39; every year in Dec. Anybody here go to Goody%26#39;s event?
My recollections of my younger days included hanging out on the Diag and South U. Favorite Pizza was the Cottage Inn on Washington. The Arb is a great place to go wandering. Kerrytwon and the weekend Farmers Market are the best in the fall. Mostly I miss the Pretzel Bell and the Village Bell. The university dominates the culture there and the campus is mingled within the entire city, but mostly on the east side of town. Visiting the campus will also give you an introduction to most of A2.
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