Ann Arbor, MI Road Trips

Ann Arbor is centered on the University of Michigan. The U of M campus intermingles with downtown, and the whole area is walkable, though day buses run between the campuses and the central business district. Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Thomson, Google, and Domino's have a major presence in the area. The university is well known for its medical school complex. Farther out, the city fades into urban sprawl (a mall and business parks in the south), then countryside dotted with towns, and to the east, Detroit suburbs. Bus routes beyond the city limits, except in the direction of Ypsilanti, are lacking; you'll want a car or bike unless you have several hours to spare. On some autumn Saturdays, transport is difficult as 100,000-odd people pour in for university football games. Ann Arbor, or Tree town, is, as one might expect, full of trees; they line the streets, and in summer from the air, or year-round in Google Earth, all that can be seen is a green swath with a few buildings sticking out. (In the early 20th century, after having leveled the forest that once occupied the area, the city instituted an aggressive tree-planting program that's since borne fruit.) The city was founded in 1824 as "Annarbour", named after the two founders' wives (Ann Allen and Mary Ann Rumsey) and an arbor of burr oak trees on the village site (although some have theorized that the name arose from an arbor of roses or grapes). Downtown is a solid block of restaurants and art galleries.

1 Downtown Ann Arbor. Most of the shops and restaurants line State, Liberty, and Main streets, with the quality becoming more upscale as you approach Main. The other popular student hangouts are along South University street. A few blocks north of downtown is the historic Kerrytown district, full of remodeled old homes and pleasant shopping. 2 Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty St, ☏ +1 734-668-8397, +1 734-668-TIME (8463). A restored 1928 cinema, complete with two organs, one of them a vintage 1927 pipe organ. The theater shows mainly independent and foreign films, with special classic-film showings throughout the year. The organ is often played before performances, and during the Michigan Theater's special silent-film showings. The main auditorium also hosts other events throughout the year, particular musical groups and comedy shows, many fairly well-known. 3 State Theater, 233 S State St, ☏ +1 734-761-8667. An art-deco cinema from 1942, the State Theater works in conjunction with the Michigan Theater, and often plays films that have stopped showing at the Michigan. 4 The Ark, 316 S Main St, ☏ +1 734-761-1451. A nonprofit, intimate music club with 400 seats, which usually hosts folk/rock performers. Private club liquor license (membership required for liquor purchase). 5 Michigan Stadium (The Big House), 1201 S Main St. Nicknamed the "Big House", the U-M stadium is the largest football stadium in America, with a seating capacity of 109,901.

Michigan Wolverines, ☏ +1 734-764-0247. Ann Arbor is a college town, and this fact is perhaps no more prevalent than on game day (particularly football where the stadium fills to the largest capacity in the entire nation). UM has one of the most accomplished and competitive athletic programs in the nation. No visit is complete without taking in at least one Michigan sporting event. The football program has won more games in its history than any other Division I FBS program, and sells out every game at "The Big House", capacity 109,901. The men's ice hockey program is a national powerhouse, winning an NCAA record 9 national championships, and packing a boisterous 6,377 sellout crowd into historic Yost Ice Arena. Michigan also has a strong tradition in men's basketball, swimming, baseball, softball, field hockey, gymnastics, cross country and track. Other teams include women's basketball, golf, men's and women's lacrosse, rowing, soccer, diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. 1 Blue Karaoke, 3500 W Liberty St, ☏ +1 734-302-3673. M-Th 6PM-4AM, F-Sa 5PM-5AM, Su 5PM-4AM. 9 private, sound-proofed rooms for groups of 2-30. Over 10,000 song selections in seven different languages. Reservations encouraged, especially for larger parties and weekend nights. $35-100 per hour. 2 Planet Rock, 82 Aprill Dr, ☏ +1 734-827-2680. M-W F 3-10PM, Th 3-11PM, Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Over 22,000 sq ft (2,000 m2) of climbing terrain, with 50-ft (15 m) walls, a motorized climbing wall, three bouldering areas and adventure racing including rappelling.

For a relatively small Great Lakes town, Ann Arbor has a large variety of cheap (and sometimes quirky) eateries (thanks in part to the large student population) such as pizza restaurants, quick Chinese food and lots of sandwich and wrap shops downtown. You'll also notice hot dog and tamale carts on many street corners, particularly in the summer, selling basic fare starting at $1 with complimentary toppings. As alternative to restaurants the regional supermarket Busch's have good salads and sushi. One thing you won't see much of, however, at least on campus and in the downtown area, are popular nationwide fast-food chains. The impression is that Ann Arbor is proud enough of its small independent restaurants that it has no need for mass-produced french fries (although with rental costs rising in the downtown area, many local restaurants — and shops — are being ousted in favor of wealthier small chains, like Bruegger's and Great Wraps). For the more refined palate, there's no shortage of fine dining. Between Ann Arbor's vibrant cultural life and its sizeable international population, there seems to be considerable demand for the fancy and the exotic. There are certainly a few restaurants in town that can empty your wallet singlehandedly, but don't let their reputations scare you away: at even the priciest restaurants, there are dishes that you can order for a more modest fee, if you just want to sample the atmosphere. During warmer weather, be sure to check out the eateries on Main Street that offer outdoor sidewalk dining.

1 Arbor Brewing Company, 114 E Washington St, ☏ +1 734-213-1393. M-Sa 11:30AM-1AM, Su noon-midnight. Happy hour is all day Monday, and Tu-F 4PM-7PM. Known to the pub faithful as ABC, this establishment has outdoor seating in the warmer months and a fabulous block party Oktoberfest celebration in the fall. ABC has good food (especially the nachos) and a good variety of unique brews. They also offer a selection of Belgian-style ales brewed onsite. ABC offers monthly beer tastings ($40), with a schedule posted on their website. 2 Ashley's Restaurant & Pub, 338 S State St, ☏ +1 734-996-9191. M-Sa 11:30AM-2AM, Su 11AM-midnight. A busy establishment with good food and an excellent assortment of beers (over 60 on tap). Ashley's is always a good time and worth the wait on the weekends. Sandwiches, wraps, pub pizzas and main courses. $7-14. 3 Babs' Underground Lounge, 213 S Ashley St, ☏ +1 734-997-0800. Tu-Sa 7PM-2AM, closed Su-M. A popular, low-key, secluded underground drinking establishment known for its cocktails. 4 Brown Jug, 1204 S University Ave, ☏ +1 734-761-3355. Daily 11AM-2AM. Early bird specials are from 2-5PM, happy hour 7:30PM-10PM. A popular hangout since 1938, the Brown Jug offers appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, chicken and fish dinners, and pizza. Beware however that a lot of the food has been frozen. $5-16. 5 Casa Dominick's, 812 Monroe St, ☏ +1 734-662-5414. M-Sa 10AM-10PM, closed Sundays and closed during the winter months.

There are four main hotel districts in Ann Arbor: near campus; in the southern part of town, where State Street meets I-94 (including Boardwalk St, Briarwood Cir and Victors Way); in the southeastern part of town, near the intersection of Washtenaw Rd and US-23 (including Carpenter Rd); and in the northeastern part of town, by the intersection of Plymouth Rd and US-23 (including Green Rd). There are also a few in the northwestern part of town, near the intersection of Jackson Ave and I-94. Accommodations tend to be the most expensive in the campus area, so unless you're here for a conference or business trip that's being paid for, you'll probably want to look further out. Hotels in the campus area are within easy walking distance of downtown Ann Arbor and most of the attractions. The southeastern area is served by two AATA bus lines, route 4 (along Washtenaw) and route 22 (along Carpenter), and the northwestern area is along route 9. The other two areas aren't quite as well linked, although route 2 does go along part of Plymouth Rd, and the commuter 36 stops at Wolverine Tower, which is a short walk from the hotels along State and Boardwalk. However, you'll most likely want to use your car to get around if you're staying outside of downtown. 1 Red Roof Inn Ann Arbor - University of Michigan South, 3505 S State St, ☏ +1 734-665-3500. 108 rooms. Jacuzzi suites available. $50–70. 2 Days Inn, 2380 Carpenter Rd, ☏ +1 734-971-0700. 127 rooms. Complimentary expanded daybreak breakfast, indoor heated pool and whirlpool, sauna, onsite workout facility.

Ann Arbor is bounded by I-94 (between Detroit and Jackson) on the south and west, US-23 (between Flint and Toledo, Ohio) on the east, and M-14 (which leads to Detroit's western suburbs and I-96) on the north. From Toledo and other points south of Ann Arbor, take US-23 north; from Detroit, the airport, and points east, take I-94 west (or I-96 west to M-14 west); from Chicago and points west, take I-94 east; from the north, take US-23 south. There is ample paid parking downtown, but very little is on the curb (most is in parking garages). An option is to use the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) park and ride lots, which lie on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. There are five such lots with free parking around the city, and bus service to each. The nearest major airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW IATA), about 25 minutes away. The best way to get to downtown Ann Arbor is the Michigan Flyer (see below), but there are also several shuttle services (also below) that offer pre-booked trips for $30-35 one-way and $55-60 round-trip, with the cost per person decreasing as the size of the group increases, that will take you to any location in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. Uber will also pick up and drop off between Ann Arbor and Detroit airport, and can be much cheaper than a cab, $25-30 each way. There are quite a lot of airport shuttle services, but the following will give you a place to start: A2 Area MetroRide, ☏ +1 734-709-1204, [email protected]. Airport pickup is also available. Reservations advised. (updated Jan 2026) AirRide.

Downtown Ann Arbor is not large, so it's easy to get around just by walking. In fact, free parking is almost nonexistent, especially when the town is full of students, so you'll probably prefer to walk anyway. Occasionally you'll find an unused parking meter; you'll have to feed it money between 8AM-6PM on weekdays and Saturdays, otherwise they're free. There are parking lots and buildings scattered around downtown; they're free on Sundays, otherwise you can generally expect to pay 80 cents to $1 per hour. 3 Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), 331 S Fourth Ave, ☏ +1 734-973-6500, +1 734-996-0400. M-F 6:30AM-11:30PM, Sa Su 8AM-7PM, depending on the route.. Provides bus service in and around Ann Arbor and downtown Ypsilanti. Adult fares for regular AATA routes are $1.50 each way (free for U-M faculty, staff and students), and the Link is free to ride. (updated May 2010) University of Michigan Buses. Most commonly used by students traveling between the different campuses to and from classes, run on weekday (full) and weekend (reduced) schedules year-round, except for Thanksgiving day Thursday and Friday, Christmas day, and New Year's day. The routes connect the North, Central, and South campuses. Free. Ann Arbor has several reliable 24-hour taxicab companies. You can't hail a cab from the sidewalk, although there are certain spots in town where they often hang out waiting for passengers, notably in front of the Michigan Union on State Street, and the Federal Building on Liberty Street.

Ann Arbor is generally a very safe town, though the usual rules about common sense (being aware of your surroundings after dark and knowing where you are going) apply here as they would anywhere. The only really common crimes in town are those that you find in any other university town. Theft is the biggie, as many university students who leave their bags unattended in the library or those who fail to lock their bikes can tell you. There's also the occasional mugging or sexual assault, but these tend to occur after dark, so if you're not wandering the streets at 2AM, you probably don't have anything to worry about. Having said that, wandering the streets at 2AM in downtown Ann Arbor is generally quite safe and not at all frightening; there are usually enough students out partying or hanging out with friends until the wee hours that you won't feel like a lone target, or like you're in a dangerous crowd. U of M Police, Ann Arbor Police, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff patrol regularly and are not difficult to find — indeed, alcohol violations such as drinking on the street from an open container are vigorously policed. There are emergency phones located all over campus. If you are not used to extreme cold, Ann Arbor in the winter can be brutal. If sufficiently cold, it's easy to give yourself an ice burn by touching metal without gloves on.