South-East Michigan

Ann Arbor

Places

• Kerrytown -Kerrytown Market
• Farmer’s Market on Wed & Sat
• Spun (best knitting store ever)
• Liberty Street
• Liberty & Michigan historical non-profit movie theaters
• Gamma piercing is excellent
• Main Street / Downtown
• Cherry Republic is great for visitors / gifts. Classic Michigan.
• Ann Arbor Public Library
  • The downtown location has lots of cool events including art workshops
  • My favorite branch to hang out in is the Traverwood Branch
  • AADL summer game is a must if you are in A2 for a summer!
• Bookstores (there are a bunch actually)
  • Booksweet
  • Literati

Nature

• Argo park / nature area (nice walk around the river)
• Gallup park (another nice walk around water)
• Botanical gardens
• B2B trail goes between all of these places and all the way to Ypsi, Dexter and beyond! My favorite biking / running
• Leslie Science & Nature Center
• Pinckney Recreation Area (~20 minute drive from A2 - Dexter is on the way)

Food & Drink

Breakfast

• Jefferson Market (my 100% favorite spot in town in general)

Lunch / Dinner

• Jerusalem Garden
• Jet’s Pizza (Detroit Style pizza yum)
• Buddy’s Pizza (Detroit Style pizza - a little “fancier” than Jet’s)
• El Harissa (absolute favorite place - family owned and really wonderful. Excellent gelato for dessert)
• Frita Batidos (certified GF. Good HH)
• Detroit Street Filling Station (vegan diner - yum!)
• Plate Sushi & Chicken
• Miss Kim’s (A2 generally has very good Korean food - this is the fancy one but others are great too)
• Spencer (absolutely the best restaurant - pricey w a fixed menu but worth it)

Pastries / dessert

• Q-Bakery (new wonderful spot for breakfast pastries, desserts, & lunch)
• White Lotus Farms (best croissants in A2 - sold at the farmer’s market & Argus farm stop, or you can go out to the goat farm)
• Washtenaw Dairy (honest-to-goodness dipped ice cream parlor - serves Michigan-made ice cream)
• Milk & Froth (new excellent “fancy” small batch ice cream w cool flavors)
• DJ’s or Dimo’s Donuts (there are randomly all of these great classic donut shops - get a plain glazed and/or apple fritter)

Michigan Grocery Items

• Arbor Farm Stop (love them - like a year-round market with local produce + pastries + coffee)
• Zingerman’s (IMO the $25 sando isn’t worth it BUT you can get free tastes in their deli + they have an excellent gourmet deli + grocery)
• Plum Market

Coffee

• Roos Roast
• Argus Farm Stop
• DOZER
• Lowertown Bar & Cafe
• Hyperion

Cocktails

• North Star Lounge (amazing queer space + $1 popcorn during HH)
• Ann Arbor Distillery (VERY good / special spirits)
• YORK (a fun place to hang out - they have it all - wine, beer, cocktails, coffee & food)
• Lowertown Bar & Cafe

Beer

• Bill’s Beer Garden (absolute classic - must do. Order Oberon in the summer. BYOF)
• HOMES (serves food and BYOF at the campus location)
• Jolly Pumpkin (sour beer + great fried chicken sandwich)

Warning

I stand by my recommendations of Ann Arbor after living there for five years, but the lists below for the surrounding area just include places that I happened to have gone to and enjoyed!! It not even close to an actual list of all of the wonderful things those places have to offer.

Detroit

Places / Activities

• Motown Museum
  • A must
  • you book a timed guided tour, so plan ahead

Central - by the river

• Detroit Riverwalk
• John K. King Used & Rare Books
• Shinola
• Detroit Grand Prix (once a year in the summer - I happened to be in town by accident and it was cool to see - we just went on the river walk and you could see what was going on without buying a ticket)

East

• The Heidelberg Project
• Eastern Market
• DYNO climbing gym

Northwest

• Detroit Institute of Arts
• Majestic Theater (my favorite venue)

Food & Drink

• Sister Pie
• Ochre Bakery
• Takoi
• Ima (a couple of locations / restaurants)
• Cafe Sous Terre
• Two James Spirits Detroit Tasting Room

Dearborn

Places

• Arab American National Museum
• Dearborn Historical Museum

Food

Tip

There is SO much food in Dearborn. Al Ameer and Shatila are the absolute classics, so I found myself always going there when I was in town. You can find lots of actual recommendations here.

• Al Ameer
• Shatila Bakery
• Detroit Custard Co.

Ypsilanti

Places

• Riverside park / frog island park
• Pop around downtown

Food / Drink

• Basil Babe
• Ann Arbor Brewing Company
• MAIZ
• Dom Bakeries
• Bellflower

Smaller Cities / Towns

Note

I got to know many of these towns right before I left Michigan through the Michigan Book Hop which happens every spring. Independent bookstores in Michigan participate.

I really missed out on not getting to know all of them sooner!

Dexter

• My favorite bike ride is on the B2B to Dexter from A2 and back
• Get a treat at the Dexter Bakery, Dairy Queen or A&W!
• Free Friday concerts in the park in the summer

Chelsea

• Nice downtown with lots of shops!
• Artisan Knitworks (owners are delightful)
• Serendipity Books
• Agricole Farm Stop (sister shop to Argus Farm Stop)
• Chelsea Depot

Brighton

• Nice downtown with lots of shops!
• Dandelion Books
• Brighton Recreation Area
• Kensington Metropark

Milan

• Pronounced meyelan (“my fan” with an “l” instead of “f”)
• Life is Sweet Bakery & Cafe
• Botanical Bakeshop
• Dairy Barn
• Original Gravity Brewing
• Adventure, Ink (bookstore)

Saline

• Fine Print Bookshop
• Salt Springs Brewery

Manchester

• Give it a walk around - they have lots of plaques that explain historical facts about the places around.
• Would recommend going on a Sunday from 1-4 pm when the Blacksmith Museum and Historical Society Museums are open
• Even if you don’t go on a Sunday, pick up a “Barn Quilt Tour” pamphlet from the Historical Museum and then go on a little drive to see them
• Go to the Sharon Mills County Park after driving around a bit to see the Barn Quilts
  • This is one of the nicest parks I have been to
  • Have a picnic - bring a canoe!