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City of Ann Arbor
—  City  —
Nickname(s): A2 ("A" Squared), Tree Town, Ace Deuce
City of Ann Arbor Location of Ann Arbor within Washtenaw County, Michigan.
Coordinates: 42°16′53″N 83°44′54″W / 42.28139°N 83.74833°W / 42.28139; -83.74833Coordinates: 42°16′53″N 83°44′54″W / 42.28139°N 83.74833°W / 42.28139; -83.74833
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Washtenaw
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- Mayor	John Hieftje
- City Administrator	Roger Fraser
Area
- City	27.7 sq mi (71.7 km2)
- Land	27.0 sq mi (70.0 km2)
- Water	0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
Elevation	840 ft (256 m)
Population (2000)
- City	114,024
- Density	4,221.1/sq mi (1,629.9/km2)
- Urban	283,904
- Metro	341,847
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	734
FIPS code	26-03000[1]
GNIS feature ID	0620133[1]
Website	http://www.a2gov.org/

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a population of 114,024, of which 36,892 (32%) are university or college students.^[2] The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 114,386, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan. The city is part of the Detroit – Ann Arbor – Flint, MI CSA.

Ann Arbor was founded in 1824, with one theory stating that it is named after the spouses of the city's founders and for the stands of trees in the area.^[3] The University of Michigan moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor in 1837, and the city showed steady growth throughout the 1800s and 1900s, with a decline during the Depression of 1873. During the 1960s and 1970s, the city gained a reputation as an important center for liberal politics. Ann Arbor also became a locus for left-wing activism and served as a hub for the civil-rights movement and anti-Vietnam War movement, as well as the student movement.

Today, Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, which is the dominant institution of higher learning in the city. The university shapes Ann Arbor's economy significantly as it employs about 30,000 workers, including about 12,000 in the medical center. The city's economy is also centered on high technology, with several companies drawn to the area by the university's research and development money, and by its graduates.^[4] Ann Arbor has increasingly found itself grappling with the effects of sharply rising land values and gentrification, as well as urban sprawl stretching far into the outlying countryside.^[5]

Contents 1 History 2 Geography and cityscape 2.1 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Economy 5 Culture 6 Media 7 Law and government 7.1 Politics 8 Education 8.1 Higher education 8.2 Primary and secondary education 9 Health and utilities 10 Transportation 10.1 Surface roads 10.2 Bus service 10.3 Airports 10.4 Railroads 11 Sister cities 12 See also 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links

History

Ann Arbor was founded in 1824 by land speculators John Allen and Elisha Rumsey. On May 25, 1824, the town plat was registered with Wayne County as "Annarbour"; this represents the earliest known use of the town's name.^[6] There are various accounts concerning the origin of the settlement's name; one states that Allen and Rumsey decided to name it for their wives, both named Ann, and for the stands of burr oak in the 640 acres (260 ha) of land they purchased for $800 from the federal government at $1.25 per acre.^[3] Regional Michigan Ojibwa named the settlement kaw-goosh-kaw-nick, after the sound of Allen's sawmill.^[7]

Ann Arbor became the seat of Washtenaw County in 1827,^[8] and was incorporated as a village in 1833.^[9] The Ann Arbor Land Company, a group of speculators, set aside 40 acres (16 ha) of undeveloped land and offered it to the state of Michigan as the site of the state capital, but lost the bid to Lansing. In 1837, the property was accepted instead as the site of the University of Michigan, which moved from Detroit.^[10]

Since the university's establishment in the city in 1837, the history of both the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor are closely linked.^[11] The town became a regional transportation hub in 1839 with the arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad, and a north—south railway connecting Ann Arbor to Toledo and other markets to the south was established in 1878.^[12] Throughout 1840s and the 1850s settlers continued to come to Ann Arbor. While the earlier settlers were primarily of British ancestry, the newer settlers also consisted of Germans, Irish,^[13] and African-Americans.^[14] In 1851, Ann Arbor was chartered as a city,^[15] though the city showed a drop in population during the Depression of 1873.^[12] It was not until the early 1880s that Ann Arbor again saw robust growth,^[16] with new immigrants coming from Greece, Italy, Russia, and Poland. Ann Arbor saw increased growth in manufacturing, particularly in milling.^[17]

During the 1960s and 1970s, the city gained a reputation as an important center for liberal politics. Ann Arbor also became a locus for left-wing activism and served as a hub for the civil-rights movement and anti-Vietnam War movement, as well as the student movement. The first major meetings of the national left-wing campus group Students for a Democratic Society took place in Ann Arbor in 1960; in 1965, the city was home to the first U.S. teach-in against the Vietnam War.^[18] During the ensuing fifteen years, many countercultural and New Left enterprises sprang up and developed large constituencies within the city.^[19] These influences washed into municipal politics during the early and mid-1970s when three members of the Human Rights Party (HRP) won city council seats on the strength of the student vote. During their time on the council, HRP representatives fought for measures including pioneering antidiscrimination ordinances, measures decriminalizing marijuana possession, and a rent-control ordinance;^[20] many of these remain in effect in modified form. Alongside these liberal and left-wing efforts, a small group of conservative institutions were born in Ann Arbor. These include Word of God (established in 1967), a charismatic inter-denominational movement;^[19] and the Thomas More Law Center (established in 1999), a religious-conservative advocacy group.^[21]

In the past several decades, Ann Arbor has grappled with the effects of sharply rising land values, gentrification, and urban sprawl stretching into outlying countryside. On November 4, 2003, voters approved a greenbelt plan under which the city government bought development rights to pieces of land adjacent to Ann Arbor to preserve them from sprawling development.^[5] Since then, a vociferous local debate has hinged on how and whether to accommodate and guide development within city limits.^[22] Ann Arbor consistently ranks in the "top places to live" lists published by various mainstream media outlets every year. In 2008, it was ranked 27th out of 100 "America's best small cities."^[23]

Geography and cityscape

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 27.7 square miles (72 km²); 27.0 square miles (70 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) or 2.43% is water, much of which is part of the Huron River. Ann Arbor is about 35 miles (56 km) west of Detroit. Ann Arbor Charter Township adjoins the city's north and east sides. Ann Arbor is situated on the Huron River in a productive agricultural and fruit-growing region.^[24] The landscape of Ann Arbor consists of hills and valleys, with the terrain becoming steeper near the Huron River. The elevation ranges from about 750 feet (230 m) along the Huron River to over 1,000 feet (300 m) on the city's west side, near I-94.^[25] Generally, the west-central and northwestern parts of the city and UM's North Campus are the highest parts of the city; the lowest parts are along the Huron River and in the southeast. Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, which is south of the city at 42°13.38′N 83°44.74′W / 42.223°N 83.74567°W / 42.223; -83.74567, has an elevation of 839 feet (256 m).^[26]

Ann Arbor's "Tree Town" nickname stems from the dense forestation of its parks and residential areas. The city contains more than 50,000 trees along its streets and an equal number in parks.^[27] In recent years, the emerald ash borer has destroyed many of the city's approximately 10,500 ash trees.^[28] The city contains 157 municipal parks ranging from small neighborhood green spots to large recreation areas. Several large city parks and a university park border sections of the Huron River.^[29] Fuller Recreation Area, near the University Hospital complex, contains sports fields, pedestrian and bike paths, and swimming pools. Nichols Arboretum, operated by the University of Michigan, is a 123-acre (50 ha) preserve that contains hundreds of plant and tree species. It is on the city's east side, near the university's central campus.^[30]

The Kerrytown Shops, Main Street Business District, the State Street Business District, and the South University Business District are commercial areas in downtown Ann Arbor. Three commercial areas south of downtown include the areas near I-94 and Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Briarwood Mall, and the South Industrial area. Other commercial areas include the Arborland/Washtenaw Avenue and Packard Road merchants on the east side, the Plymouth Road area in the northeast, and the Westgate/West Stadium areas on the west side.^[31] Downtown contains a mix of 19th- and early-20th-century structures and modern-style buildings, as well as a farmers' market in the Kerrytown district.^[32] The city's commercial districts are composed mostly of two- to four-story structures, although downtown and the area near Briarwood Mall contain a small number of high-rise buildings.

Ann Arbor's residential neighborhoods contain architectural styles ranging from classic 19th-century and early-20th-century designs to ranch-style houses. Contemporary-style houses are farther from the downtown district.^[31] Surrounding the University of Michigan campus are houses and apartment complexes occupied primarily by student renters. Tower Plaza, a 26-story condominium building located between the University of Michigan campus and downtown, is the tallest building in Ann Arbor.^[33] The 19th century buildings and streetscape of the Old West Side neighborhood have been preserved virtually intact; in 1972, the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is further protected by city ordinances and a nonprofit preservation group.^[34]

Climate

Ann Arbor typically has a Midwestern humid continental seasonal climate, which is influenced by the Great Lakes. There are four distinct seasons; winters are cold with moderate snowfall, while summers can be warm and humid. The area experiences lake effect weather, primarily in the form of increased cloudiness during late fall and early winter.^[35] The highest average temperature is in July at 83 °F (28 °C), while the lowest average temperature is in January at 16 °F (−9 °C). Summer temperatures can exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and winter temperatures can drop well below 0 °F (−18 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm), with the heaviest occurring during the summer months. Snowfall, which normally occurs from November to April, ranges from 1 to 10 inches (2.5 to 25 cm) per month. The highest recorded temperature was 105 °F (41 °C) on July 24, 1934, and the lowest recorded temperature was −22 °F (−30 °C) on January 19, 1994.^[36]

Climate data for Ann Arbor, Michigan

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high °F (°C)	30 (−1)	34 (1)	45 (7)	58 (14)	70 (21)	79 (26)	83 (28)	81 (27)	74 (23)	61 (16)	47 (8)	35 (2)
Average low °F (°C)	17 (−9)	19 (−7)	27 (−3)	37 (3)	48 (9)	58 (14)	62 (17)	61 (16)	53 (12)	42 (6)	32 (0)	22 (−6)
Precipitation inches (cm)	2.24 (5.69)	2.04 (5.18)	2.78 (7.06)	3.36 (8.53)	2.97 (7.54)	3.38 (8.59)	3.16 (8.03)	3.71 (9.42)	3.38 (8.59)	2.50 (6.35)	2.99 (7.59)	2.84 (7.21)
Source: Yahoo Weather[36] December 2009

Demographics

Historical populations
Year	Pop.	%±
1845	3,030	—
1854	3,339	10.2%
1860	5,097	52.7%
1870	7,363	44.5%
1880	8,061	9.5%
1890	9,431	17.0%
1900	14,509	53.8%
1910	14,817	2.1%
1920	19,516	31.7%
1930	26,944	38.1%
1940	29,815	10.7%
1950	48,251	61.8%
1960	67,340	39.6%
1970	100,035	48.6%
1980	107,969	7.9%
1990	109,592	1.5%
2000	114,024	4.0%
Est. 2008	114,386	0.3%
Sources: Michigan State Census[37] (before 1860) United States Census[38] (1900-2000)

As of the 2000 census,^[39] there were 114,024 people, 45,693 households, and 21,704 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,221.1 people per square mile (1,629.9/km²). There were 47,218 housing units at an average density of 1,748.0 per square mile (675.0/km²), making it less dense than inner-ring Detroit suburbs like Oak Park and Ferndale (and than Detroit proper), but denser than outer-ring suburbs like Livonia. The racial makeup of the city was 74.68% White, 8.83% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 11.90% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population. 14.9% were of German, 8.5% English and 7.9% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 80.6% spoke English, 3.2% Chinese or Mandarin, 3.1% Spanish, 1.9% Korean, 1.2% German, 1.1% Japanese and 1.0% French as their first language. Because of the pull of the university, the city has one of the highest foreign-born populations in the state, at 16.6%.^[40]

Out of the 45,693 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.5% were nonfamilies. 35.5% of households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.90. The age distribution was 16.8% under 18, 26.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% were 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males; while for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.^[40]

The median income for a household in the city was $46,299, and the median income for a family was $71,293 (these figures had risen to $51,232 and $82,293 respectively as of a 2007 estimate).^[41] Males had a median income of $48,880 versus $36,561 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,419. About 4.6% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.^[40]

Ann Arbor's crime rate was below the national average in 2000. The violent crime rate was further below the national average than the property crime rate; they were 48% and 11% less, respectively.^[42][43]

Economy

The University of Michigan shapes Ann Arbor's economy significantly. It employs about 30,000 workers, including about 12,000 in the medical center.^[44] Other employers are drawn to the area by the university's research and development money, and by its graduates. High tech, health services and biotechnology are other major components of the city's economy; numerous medical offices, laboratories, and associated companies are located in the city. Automobile manufacturers, such as General Motors and Visteon, also employ residents.^[44]

High tech companies have located in the area since the 1930s, when International Radio Corporation introduced the first mass-produced AC-DC radio (the Kadette, in 1931) as well as the first pocket radio (the Kadette Jr., in 1933).^[45] The Argus camera company, originally a subsidiary International Radio, manufactured cameras in Ann Arbor from 1936 to the 1960s. Current firms include Arbor Networks (provider of Internet traffic engineering and security systems), Arbortext (provider of XML-based publishing software), JSTOR (the digital scholarly journal archive), MediaSpan (provider of software and online services for the media industries), and ProQuest, which includes UMI.^[46] Ann Arbor Terminals manufactured a video-display terminal called the Ann Arbor Ambassador during the 1980s.^[47]

Websites and online media companies in or near the city include All Media Guide, the Weather Underground, and Zattoo. Ann Arbor is also the site of the Michigan Information Technology Center (MITC), whose offices house Internet2 and the Merit Network, a not-for-profit research and education computer network.^[48] The city is home to the headquarters of Google's AdWords program—the company's primary revenue stream.^[49]

Pfizer, once the city's second largest employer, operated a large pharmaceutical research facility on the northeast side of Ann Arbor. On January 22, 2007, Pfizer announced it would close operations in Ann Arbor by the end of 2008.^[50] The facility was previously operated by Warner-Lambert and, before that, Parke-Davis. In December 2008, the University of Michigan Board of Regents approved the purchase of the facilities, and the university anticipates hiring 2,000 researchers and staff during the next 10 years.^[51] The city is the home of other research and engineering centers, including those of General Dynamics and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Other research centers sited in the city are the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory^[52] and the Toyota Technical Center.^[53] The city is also home to NSF International, the nonprofit non-governmental organization that develops what are considered the generally accepted standards for a variety of public health related industries and subject areas.^[54]

Borders Books, started in Ann Arbor, was opened by brothers Tom and Louis Borders in 1969 with a stock of used books. The Borders chain is still based in the city, as is its flagship store.^[55] Domino's Pizza's headquarters is near Ann Arbor on Domino's Farms, a 271 acres (110 ha) Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired complex just northeast of the city.^[56] Another Ann Arbor-based company is Zingerman's Delicatessen, which serves sandwiches, and has developed businesses under a variety of brand names. Zingerman's has grown into a family of companies which offers a variety of products (bake shop, mail order, creamery) and services (business education).^[57] Flint Ink Corp., another Ann Arbor-based company, was the world's largest privately held ink manufacturer until it was acquired by Stuttgart-based XSYS Print Solutions in October 2005.^[58] AvFuel, a nationwide supplier of aviation fuels and services, is also headquartered in Ann Arbor.^[59]

Many cooperative enterprises were founded in the city; among those that remain are the People's Food Co-op and the Inter-Cooperative Council at the University of Michigan, a student-housing cooperative founded in 1937.^[60] The North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) is an international association of cooperatives headquartered in Ann Arbor. There are also three cohousing communities—Sunward, Great Oak, and Touchstone—located immediately to the west of the city limits.^[61]

Culture

Many Ann Arbor cultural attractions and events are sponsored by the University of Michigan. Several performing arts groups and facilities are on the university's campus, as are museums dedicated to art, archaeology, and natural history and sciences. Regional and local performing arts groups not associated with the university include the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, the Arbor Opera Theater, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the Ann Arbor Ballet Theater, the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet (established in 1954 as Michigan's first chartered ballet company),^[62] and Performance Network Theatre, which operates a downtown theater and frequently offers new or nontraditional plays.^[63]

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, located in a renovated and expanded historic downtown fire station, contains more than 250 interactive exhibits featuring science and technology. Multiple art galleries exist in the city, notably in the downtown area and around the University of Michigan campus. Aside from a large restaurant scene in the Main Street, South State Street, and South University Avenue areas, Ann Arbor ranks first among U.S. cities in the number of booksellers and books sold per capita.^[64] The Ann Arbor District Library maintains four branch outlets in addition to its main downtown building. The city is also home to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.^[65]

Several annual events—many of them centered on performing and visual arts—draw visitors to Ann Arbor. One such event is the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, a set of four concurrent juried fairs held on downtown streets, which began in 1960. Scheduled on Wednesday through Saturday in the third week of July, the fairs draw upward of half a million visitors.^[66] Another is the Ann Arbor Film Festival, held during the third week of March, which receives more than 2,500 submissions annually from more than 40 countries and serves as one of a handful of Academy Award–qualifying festivals in the United States.^[67] One event that is not related to visual and performing arts is Hash Bash, held on the first Saturday of April, ostensibly in support of the reform of marijuana laws.

Ann Arbor has a major scene for college sports, notably at the University of Michigan, a member of the Big Ten Conference. Several well-known college sports facilities exist in the city, including Michigan Stadium, the second largest American football stadium in the world^[68] with a 106,201 seating capacity.^[69] The stadium is colloquially known as "The Big House."^[69] Crisler Arena and Yost Ice Arena play host to the school's basketball and ice hockey teams, respectively.^[70] Concordia University, a member of the NAIA, also fields sports teams.^[71]

A person from Ann Arbor is called an "Ann Arborite", and many long-time residents call themselves "townies". The city itself is often called A² ("A-squared") or A2 ("A two"), and, less commonly, Tree Town.^[72] With tongue-in-cheek reference to the city's liberal political leanings, some occasionally refer to Ann Arbor as The People's Republic of Ann Arbor^[73] or 25 square miles surrounded by reality,^[74] the latter phrase being adapted from Wisconsin Governor Lee Dreyfus's description of Madison, Wisconsin. Ann Arbor sometimes appears on citation indexes as an author, instead of a location, often with the academic degree MI, a misunderstanding of the abbreviation for Michigan.^[75]

Media

The Ann Arbor News, owned by the Michigan-based Booth Newspapers chain, was the major daily newspaper serving Ann Arbor and the rest of Washtenaw County. The newspaper ended its 174-year print run on July 23, 2009, due to economic difficulties. It has been replaced by AnnArbor.com, which has a bi-weekly print operation in addition to its website.^[77] Another Ann Arbor-based publication that has ceased production was the Ann Arbor Paper, a free monthly.^[78] Currently-established publications in the city include the Ann Arbor Observer, a monthly magazine with features covering local culture, politics, family life, business and history, as well as a comprehensive calendar of events; Current, an entertainment guide; and the Communicator, a local high school paper. The University of Michigan campus area is served by many student publications, including the independent Michigan Daily. The Ann Arbor Business Review covers local business in the area. The Ann Arbor Chronicle is an online newspaper that covers local news, including meetings of the library board, county commission, and DDA.^[79] Car and Driver^[80] magazine and Automobile Magazine^[81] are also based in Ann Arbor.

Four major AM radio stations based in or near Ann Arbor are WAAM 1600, a news and talk station; WLBY 1290, an Air America Radio affiliate; WDEO 990, Catholic radio; and WTKA 1050, which is primarily a sports station.^[82] The city's FM stations include NPR affiliate WUOM 91.7; country station WWWW 102.9 and adult-alternative station WQKL 107.1. Freeform station WCBN-FM 88.3 is a local community radio station operated by the students of the University of Michigan featuring noncommercial, eclectic music and public-affairs programming.^[82] The city is also served by public and commercial radio broadcasters in Ypsilanti, the Lansing/Jackson area, Detroit, Windsor, and Toledo.

WPXD channel 31, an affiliate of the ION Television network, is licensed to the city. Community Television Network (CTN) is a city-provided cable television channel with production facilities open to city residents and nonprofit organizations.^[83] Detroit and Toledo-area radio and television stations also serve Ann Arbor, and stations from Lansing and Windsor, Ontario, can be heard in parts of the area.

Law and government

Ann Arbor has a council-manager form of government. The mayor, who is elected every even-numbered year, is the presiding officer of the City Council and has the power to appoint all Council committee members as well as board and commission members, with the approval of the City Council. The mayor of Ann Arbor is John Hieftje (Democrat), who has served in that capacity since the 2000 election. The city council has ten members, two from each of the city's five wards, with the mayor wielding the tie-breaking vote. Council members serve two-year terms; half the council is elected in annual elections.^[84] City operations are managed by the City Administrator, who is chosen by the city council.^[85]

Ann Arbor is in the 15th Congressional district, and is represented by Representative John Dingell (Democrat). On the state level, the city is in the 18th district in the Michigan Senate. In the Michigan State House of Representatives, the city of Ann Arbor is in the 53rd district, while northeastern Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor Township are in the 52nd district.^[86] As the seat of Washtenaw County, the city is the location of the county's trial, civil, and criminal courts. Ann Arbor is the site of a United States district court for the Eastern District of Michigan courthouse.^[87]

Politics

Left-wing politics have been particularly strong in municipal government since the 1960s. Voters approved charter amendments that have lessened the penalties for possession of marijuana (1974),^[88] and that aim to protect access to abortion in the city should it ever become illegal in the State of Michigan (1990).^[89] In 1974, Kathy Kozachenko's victory in an Ann Arbor city-council race made her the country's first openly homosexual candidate to win public office.^[90] In 1975, Ann Arbor became the first U.S. city to use instant-runoff voting for a mayoral race. Adopted through a ballot initiative sponsored by the local Human Rights Party, which feared a splintering of the liberal vote, the process was repealed in 1976 after use in only one election.^[91] As of August 2009, Democrats hold the mayorship and all council seats.^[92]

Education

Higher education

The University of Michigan is the dominant institution of higher learning in Ann Arbor, providing the city with a distinct college-town atmosphere.^[93] Other local colleges and universities include Concordia University, Ann Arbor, a Lutheran liberal-arts institution, a campus of the University of Phoenix, and Cleary University, a private business school. Washtenaw Community College is located in neighboring Ann Arbor Township. Ann Arbor was once home to Ave Maria School of Law, a Roman Catholic law school established by Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan. Opened in northeastern Ann Arbor in 2000, the law school moved to southwest Florida in 2009.^[94] Thomas M. Cooley Law School has acquired the law school buildings for a branch campus.

Primary and secondary education

The Ann Arbor Public School District handles local public education. The system—which enrolls 16,539 students (September 2008 head count)—consists of twenty-one elementary schools, five middle schools,(Forsythe, Slauson, Tappan, Scarlett, and Clauge) three traditional high schools (Pioneer, Huron, and Skyline), and three alternative high schools (Community High, Stone School, and Roberto Clemente).^[95] The district also operates a K-8 open school program,^[96] Ann Arbor Open, out of the former Mack School. This program is open to all families who live within the district. Ann Arbor Public Schools also operates a preschool and family center, with programs for at-risk infants and at-risk children before kindergarten. The district has a preschool center with both free and tuition-based programs for preschoolers in the district.^[97]

Ann Arbor is home to more than 20 private schools,^[98] including the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor, Clonlara School and Greenhills School, a prep school near Concordia University. The city is also home to several charter schools. One such school is Washtenaw Technical Middle College, a school where students earn an associate's degree at Washtenaw Community College and a high school diploma at the same time.^[99]

Health and utilities

The University of Michigan Medical Center, the preeminent health facility in the city, took the No.14 slot in U.S. News and World Report for best hospitals in the U.S., as of August 2009.^[100] The University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) includes University Hospital, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital in its core complex. UMHS also operates out-patient clinics and facilities throughout the city. The area's other major medical centers include a large facility operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor,^[101] and Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in nearby Superior Township.^[102]

The city provides sewage disposal and water supply services, with water coming from the Huron River and groundwater sources. There are two water-treatment plants, one main and three outlying reservoirs, four pump stations, and two water towers. These facilities serve the city, which is divided into five water districts. The city's water department also operates four dams along the Huron River, two of which provide hydroelectric power.^[103] The city also offers waste management services, with Recycle Ann Arbor's handling recycling service.^[104] Other utilities are provided by private entities. Electrical power and gas are provided by DTE Energy. AT&T, the successor to Michigan Bell, Ameritech, and SBC Communications, is the primary wired telephone service provider for the area. Cable TV service is primarily provided by Comcast.^[105]

Transportation

Surface roads

The city is belted by three freeways: I-94, which runs along the southern portion of the city; US 23, which primarily runs along the eastern edge of Ann Arbor; and M-14, which runs along the northern edge of the city.^[106] Other nearby highways include US 12, M-17, and M-153.

The streets in downtown Ann Arbor conform to a grid pattern, though this pattern is less common in the surrounding areas. Major roads branch out from the downtown district like spokes on a wheel to the highways surrounding the city. Several of the major surface arteries lead to the I-94/M-14 juncture in the west, US 23 in the east, and the city's southern areas.^[107] The city also has a system of bike routes and paths^[108] and includes the nearly complete Washtenaw County Border-to-Border Trail.^[109]

Bus service

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), which brands itself as "The Ride", operates public bus services throughout Ann Arbor and nearby Ypsilanti. AATA has recently introduced hybrid electric buses to its fleet of 69 and is the first public transit operator in the Midwest to state its intention to convert to all hybrid electric buses.^[110] A separate zero-fare bus service operates within the University of Michigan campuses, and the AATA ran a free Link Bus connecting central campus and downtown during the school year until August 20, 2009.^{[111][112][113]}

A downtown bus depot served by Greyhound Lines provides out-of-town bus service, and is the city's only remaining example of the Streamline Moderne architectural style.^[114] Megabus has twice daily direct service to Chicago, Illinois, while a bus service provided by Amtrak connects to East Lansing and Toledo, Ohio, though only for rail passengers making connections. The Michigan Flyer, a service operated by Indian Trails, offers bus service to Detroit Metro Airport, Jackson, and East Lansing.^[115]

Airports

Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is a small general aviation airport located south of I-94. Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the area's large international airport, is about 25 miles (40 km) east of the city, in Romulus.^[116] Willow Run Airport east of the city near Ypsilanti serves freight, corporate, and general aviation clients.^[117]

Railroads

The city was a major rail hub, notably for freight traffic between Toledo and ports north of Chicago, Illinois, from 1878 to 1982; however, the Ann Arbor Railroad also sold 1.1 million passenger tickets in 1913.^[118] The city was also served by the Michigan Central Railroad starting in 1837. Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Street Railway, Michigan's first interurban, served the city from 1891 to 1929.^[119]

Amtrak provides service to Ann Arbor, operating its Wolverine three times daily in each direction between Chicago and Pontiac, via Detroit. Rail service is provided at the Ann Arbor Train Station; the present-day station neighbors the city's old Michigan Central Depot, which was renovated as a restaurant in 1969.

Sister cities

Ann Arbor has seven sister cities:^[120][121]

• Belize City (Belize) since 1967
• Dakar (Senegal) since 1997
• Hikone, Shiga (Japan) since 1969
• Juigalpa, Chontales (Nicaragua) since 1986
• Peterborough, Ontario (Canada) since 1983
• Remedios (Cuba) since 2003
• Tübingen (Germany) since 1965

See also

• List of people from Ann Arbor
• Metro Detroit
• Ann Arbor staging
• Ardis Publishing

References

Further reading

• Fisher, Dale (1996). Ann Arbor: Visions of the Eagle. Grass Lake, MI: Eyry of the Eagle Publishing. ISBN 096156234X. 
• Marwil, Jonathan (1991). A History of Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-06463-0. 
• Schmittroth, Linda (Ed.) (1994). Cities of the United States (4th ed.). Detroit: Gale Group. 
• Shackman, Grace (2006). Ann Arbor Observed. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0472031757. 
• Encyclopedia of Michigan. St. Clair Shores, MI: Somerset Publishers. 1981. ISBN 0403099951. 
• Michigan Gazetteer. Wilmington, DE: American Historical Publications. 1991. 
• "Pictorial History of Ann Arbor". Ann Arbor District Library. 2003. http://moaa.aadl.org/moaa/pictorial_history. Retrieved 2009-11-08. 
• "Social Characteristics of Ann Arbor". US Census Bureau. 2000. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US2603000&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_DP2&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-_lang=en&-_sse=on. Retrieved 2009-11-08. 

External links

• City's official website
• Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau
• AnnArbor.com - online newspaper
• Ann Arbor Chronicle – online newspaper
• ArborWiki – A wiki for Ann Arbor
• Ann Arbor travel guide from Wikitravel

	Lansing	Flint
	Jackson, Kalamazoo		Ypsilanti, Romulus(Metro Airport), Detroit
		Ann Arbor
	Adrian	Toledo, Ohio	Monroe

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Municipalities and communities of Washtenaw County, Michigan County seat: Ann Arbor Cities Ann Arbor | Chelsea | Milan‡ | Saline | Ypsilanti Villages Barton Hills | Dexter | Manchester Charter townships Ann Arbor | Augusta | Pittsfield | Superior | York | Ypsilanti Civil townships Bridgewater | Dexter | Freedom | Lima | Lodi | Lyndon | Manchester | Northfield | Salem | Saline | Scio | Sharon | Sylvan | Webster Unincorporated communities Delhi Mills | Dixboro | Whittaker | Whitmore Lake‡ | Willis Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

From Wikitravel

Ann Arbor [1] — often abbreviated as AA or A² — is a city 35 miles north of the Ohio border and 45 miles west of Detroit, near where the furthest exurban fringes give way to country and small towns. Founded in 1824, it was originally named "Annarbour" 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). Today the city has a population of about 115,000 people, not including the transient college students, or the thousands of visitors who come to town for football games and various festivals.

Ann Arbor is a picturesque city surrounding the University of Michigan. It has a strong bent toward the arts, and an attractive and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Visitors enjoy the city's wonderful sidewalk cafe dining, unique shops, lots of bookstores, and abundant cultural opportunities.

Ann Arbor is centered around the University of Michigan [2]. The U-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, Domino's, and Borders Group 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. Buses beyond the city limits, except in the direction of Ypsilanti, are sparse or nonexistent; you'll want a car 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.)

Like most of Michigan, summers can be hot and humid, with temperatures occasionally hitting 90 degrees, but averaging in the mid 80s. Winters are fairly normal for the lower Great Lakes region, which enjoys 4 seasons. It starts to be chilly in late October and it begins to warm up again in mid-March (but the occasional early April snowfall is not unheard of!). Average winter temperatures are generally in the range of 30°F and in January temps can dip below 20°F, or even lower if it's windy. Summers can get quite hot; in mid-July it can hit high into the 90's with high humidity.

Downtown is a solid block of restaurants and art galleries. The university hosts cultural events, and venues such as the Michigan Theater host first-run independent films and high-profile music groups. The original Borders bookstore is also here, as are several good independent bookshops, and the Ann Arbor Art Fair draws over half a million visitors each summer.

• Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau, 120 W Huron Street, ☎ +1 734 995-7281 or +1 800 888-9487, [3].  edit

Get in

By car

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) 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.[4]

By plane

The nearest major airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (IATA: DTW, ICAO: KDTW), about 25 minutes away, from which it will probably be necessary to rent a car or have a friend pick you up. A taxi will cost you in the neighborhood of $45 one-way; alternatively, several shuttle services 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. There are quite a lot of airport shuttle services [5], but the following will give you a place to start:

• Ann Arbor Airport Shuttle, ☎ +1 734 394-1665, [6]. 24hr Phone Service. Reservations should be made at least one day in advance. 1 passenger is $35 one-way, $60 round-trip.  edit

• Ann Arbor - Detroit Metro Airport Shuttle, ☎ +1 734 507-9220, [7]. 1 passenger is $35 one-way, $55 round-trip.  edit

• Custom Transit, ☎ +1 734 971-5555, [8]. $57 round-trip.  edit

• Michigan Flyer, ☎ +1 888 643-5637, [9]. This is a scheduled coach service rather than a taxi service, and so is significantly cheaper. Drops you off at the Sheraton Four Points hotel; use AATA route 36 (weekday only) to get to U-M central campus and downtown. $30 round-trip.  edit

• SelectRide, ☎ +1 734 663-8898 or 866-663-8898, [10]. Reservations should be made at least two days in advance. $29.50 per person to the airport, $36.50 per person from.  edit

Ann Arbor Airport (IATA: ARB), (intersection of State Street and Ellsworth Road) ☎ +1 734 994-2841, [11] is a small 24-hour airport that handles business, corporate, public and private flights, air ambulance service, flight instruction and charter services.

• Amtrak, 325 Depot Street, ☎ +1 734 994-4906 or +1 800 872-7245, [12]. daily, 7AM-12AM; ticketing is available from 7:15AM-11:30PM. The station is located within walking distance of downtown, just beyond the Kerrytown district. You can also take bus route 1 to downtown, and there are usually taxis waiting outside the station. The Ann Arbor stop is situated on the Wolverine line, which travels between Pontiac (north of Detroit) and Chicago. There are three westbound and three eastbound departures daily. Detroit is about 1 hour away by train, and costs $10 - 15 one-way. The train is about 4:45 hours from Chicago, and usually costs between $25 and $50 one-way. The train from Chicago generally arrives fiteen minutes to half an hour behind schedule.  edit

• Greyhound, 116 W Huron Street, ☎ +1 734 662-5511, [13]. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa-Su 9AM-4:30PM. The bus station is located downtown, near Main Street. Detroit is a little over 1 hour away via bus; a one-way ticket costs $7 - $8, round-trip is $13 - $15. Chicago is 5 to 6.5 hours away; a one-way ticket is $34 - $37, round-trip is $65 - $70.  edit

• Megabus, ☎ +1 877 462-6342, [14]. Service available between Ann Arbor and Chicago, fares start at $1. Buses arrive and depart at the University of Michigan's State Street Commuter Park & Ride lot. The lot is on the west side of South State Street about 0.5 mile north of Eisenhower Parkway. The bus stop is on the east side of the parking lot between the entrance and exit. Take AATA route 36 (weekdays only) to campus and downtown.  edit

• Michigan Flyer, ☎ +1 888 643-5637, [15]. Bus service from Detroit Metro to Lansing MI via Jackson MI. Connects with the Ann Arbor Transit Authority 36 route at the Sheraton.  edit

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 around 80 cents to $1 per hour.

• Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), 331 S Fourth Avenue, ☎ +1 734 973-6500 or +1 734 996-0400, [16]. 6:30AM-11:30PM on weekdays, and 8AM-7PM on weekends, depending on the route.. Provides bus service in and around Ann Arbor and downtown Ypsilanti. During the school year, the city also operates an express service called the Link, a fleet of purple buses that only travels between Central Campus, the downtown area and Kerrytown. Adult fares for regular AATA routes are $1 each way (free for U-M faculty, staff and students), and the Link is free to ride.  edit

• University of Michigan Buses, [17]. 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.  edit

By taxi

Ann Arbor has several reliable 24-hour taxicab companies. Note that 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.

• Amazing Blue Taxi, ☎ +1 734 846-0007, [18]. Also offers flat rates to destinations around Michigan and nearby major cities.  edit

• Ann Arbor Yellow Cab Company, 2050 Commerce Drive, ☎ +1 734 663-3355.  edit

• Blue Cab Company, ☎ +1 734 547-2222, [19].  edit

• University Taxi of Ann Arbor, ☎ +1 734 368-4800, [20]. Safe & Clean cab company that strives to provide Smoke-Free ride & Courteous Service. Offers flat rates to Airpot and other destinations around South-East Michigan. Special Discounts to University of Michigan Students & Faculty.  edit

• Across Town Cab, ☎ +1 734 216-5932 (office@acrosstowncab.com), [21]. 24. Ann Arbor's newest taxi service serving Ann Arbor and surrounding area.  edit

• Wonder Wheels Segway Rentals, Tours, Sales, 338 Catherine Street, Apt #4, ☎ +1 313 318 6159, [22]. Segway rental and tour company, if you want to explore Ann Arbor without the hassle of parking fees. $0.45 (1 hour), $0.65 (2 hours), $20(daily).  edit

See

If you want to know what's going on in town, the best guide to the entertainment scene in Washtenaw County is the Current, 212 E Huron Street, ☎ +1 734 668-4044, [23]. There's information on music, films, dance and theatre events, poetry and novel readings, lectures, art exhibits, festivals, and more, as well as restaurant reviews, general information about the town, and so much more. If you're interested in the Ann Arbor arts scene, this should be one of the first things you pick up; one easy spot to find copies is outside the Michigan Theatre on E Liberty Street.

• Downtown Ann Arbor. Most of the shops and restaurants line State [24], Liberty, and Main [25] streets, with the quality becoming more upscale as you approach Main. The other popular student hangouts are along South University [26] street. A few blocks north of downtown is the historic Kerrytown district [27], full of remodeled old homes and pleasant shopping.  edit

• Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty Street, ☎ +1 734 668-8397 or +1 734 668-TIME (8463), [28]. 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.  edit

• State Theater, 233 S State Street, ☎ +1 734 761-8667, [29]. 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.  edit

• The Ark, 316 S Main Street, ☎ +1 734 761-1451, [30]. A nonprofit, intimate music club with 400 seats, which usually hosts folk/rock performers.  edit

• University Musical Society, ☎ 734-764-2538, [31]. The University Musical Society annually presents a series of concerts by world-renowned artists at Hill Auditorium, the Power Center, the Michigan Theater, or Rackham Auditorium. Price varies according to performance.  edit

• University of Michigan Stadium, 1201 S Main Street, [32]. Nicknamed the "Big House", the U-M stadium is the largest American football stadium in the world, with a seating capacity of 107,501. Home games are played in autumn on the well-known "Football Saturdays", when thousands of visitors clog the Ann Arbor streets to watch the Wolverines (or their opponents) play.  edit

• The University of Michigan Law School Quadrangle, on South University Street between State Street and Tappan Street, [33]. The Law School's "Quad", nationally renowned for its serene environment and beautiful gothic-style architecture, is situated just south of the center of campus. Built in the early twentieth century, the Quad is comprised of Hutchins Hall — the main law school building — the reading room and the U-shaped Lawyer's Club. The reading room (open to visitors) is an enormous cathedral-like building with stained glass windows featuring the colors of major universities in the US and around the world. The underground law library is naturally lit by enormous windowed shafts just beyond the Quad. The Quad itself is a grassy open space ringed by trees and seasonal flower beds. During the warmer seasons, students relax and toss the ball around, or sit and study in the Quad, making it an integral part of the Law School. Many locals consider the Law Quad to be the most beautiful part of Ann Arbor.   edit

• University of Michigan Diag, between N University Street and S University Street. The heart of the University of Michigan's Central Campus, the Diag is the main quadrangle around which most of the key buildings on campus are arranged. Its name comes from the primary walkway that runs from the northwest to southeast corners of the Diag. In the middle of the Diag, just in front of the graduate library, is a brick courtyard with a brass M in the center; according to student legend, if you step on the M during your first semester at the university, you are doomed to fail your first exam. The Diag is often used for demonstrations, booths or student fairs, and is a popular hangout in warm weather.  edit

• The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Tower, at the center of the North Campus of the University of Michigan, [34]. A 165-foot tall structure which houses an operational carillon. The tower is open to visitors when the bells are being played, with two floors accessible by elevator. The top floor allows the visitors to see the carillonneur playing, while the lower floor provides a view of the carillon bells, as well as a skyline view of the Ann Arbor area. The current operational hours are posted at the base of the tower.  edit

• Domino's Farms, US-23 and Plymouth Road, ☎ +1 734 930-4425, [35]. A large office park in a pastoral location, home to the world headquarters of Domino's Pizza. Visitors will go mostly for one of two attractions:  edit
  • Ave Maria Fine Art Gallery, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, ☎ +1 734 930-2514, [36]. Tu-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-2PM, closed Su-M. The largest art gallery in Michigan, specializing in eary 20th century and Old World art.  edit
  • Domino's Petting Farm, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, ☎ +1 734 998-0182, [37]. M-F 9:30AM-4PM, Sa-Su 10:30AM-5PM. 15 acres of land with farm animals from around the world, including rare and near-extinct species, like the French Poitou donkey (only 200 reportedly in existence), African watusi cow, Horned Dorset ram, and Tibetan yak. The barn was once part of a working 1925-era farm, but was opened as a petting zoo in 1984. Tours, hay rides and educational presentations available. $5 adults, $4.50 children and seniors.  edit

• Ann Arbor Alpacas, 4805 Stone School Road, ☎ +1 734 369-3200, [38]. Visitors can watch the alpacas being shorn at the end of May, or attend the open farm days on the second Saturday of the month from April through July.  edit

Ann Arbor has a number of public sculptures and murals that can be viewed both on campus and downtown. Of these, several are particularly well-known:

• The Cube, Maynard Street and E Jefferson Street (Regents Plaza north of the Michigan Union), [39]. A 15-foot-tall, 2400-lb glossy black cube created by Tony Rosenthal; there's an identical one in the East Village of New York City. The Cube spins on its axis when pushed, which is a tradition among U-M students. Folklore has it that the university's president "starts" the university each day by turning the cube early in the morning.  edit

• The Wave Field, Hayward Avenue (in the courtyard outside the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud building), [40]. Created by Maya Lin, the Wave Field is an earth sculpture, 90 feet by 90 feet square, consisting of a series of fifty grass waves in eight rows.  edit

• Alley mural, E Liberty Street, by the Liberty Square parking structure. The alley mural began as a one-man project in the 1980s and became a popular spot for graffiti artists. The city took the spot over in 1999 by hiring artist Katherine Tombeau Cost to paint over the original mural and graffiti with a new 5,000-square-foot mural. The graffiti artists haven't entirely relinquished their claim to it, meaning that Cost's mural has been partially defaced with large bubble lettering, but it's still an interesting (and out-of-the-way) sight. Be sure to seek out the "trippers'" bubble gum wall toward the back. During warmer weather, you'll often find musicians or dancers putting on solo performances in the alley entrance, hoping to glean donations.  edit

• Bookstore mural, corner of E Liberty Street and S State Street. Painted in 1984, when the corner location was still occupied by David's Books, this mural depicts the five authorial visages of Woody Allen, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Hesse, Franz Kafka, and Anaïs Nin.  edit

• Painted fixtures, throughout downtown. Fire hydrants and transformers, painted in bright colors by local artists and schoolchildren.  edit

• Fairy Doors, throughout downtown. Keep your eyes near the ground for fairy doors-- miniature colorful doors through which fairies can enter local businesses. According to Jonathan B. Wright of urban-fairies.com [41], the doors began appearing around town in the early 1990s.  edit

Ann Arbor has 147 city parks, ranging from less than a block wide to over 100 acres. Some of the more prominent ones include:

• Nichols Arboretum, 1610 Washington Heights, ☎ +1 734 647-7600, [42]. "The Arb" comprises 123 acres of hilly woodland along the Huron River, with collections of North American plants interspersed throughout. Peony garden, prairie, constructed wetland and Appalachian plant collection. At night you can see all of Ann Arbor from the top of the hill.  edit

• Matthei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Road, ☎ +1 734 647-7600, [43]. The grounds are open daily from 8AM-dusk. Conservatory and gift shop open Tu & Th-Sa 10AM-4:30PM, W 10AM-8PM, closed Mondays. A 300-acre site with outdoor display gardens, a 10,000-square-foot conservatory filled with tropical plants, and miles of nature trails. Free (gardens), $5 (conservatory, but free on Fridays from 12PM-4:30PM).  edit

• Gallup Park, 3000 Fuller Road, ☎ +1 734 662-9319, [44]. A 69-acre park along the Huron River and Geddes Pond, and Ann Arbor's most popular recreation area. Walkways with pedestrian bridges over the water, two playgrounds, picnic areas, open fields, over 3 miles of asphalt trails. Canoe, kayak and paddleboat rental (canoes can also be taken from the Argo Park livery, 1055 Longshore Drive, +1 734 668-7411, to the Gallup livery).  edit

• Buhr Park, 2751 Packard Street, ☎ +1 734 971-3228, [45]. A 39-acre park with picnic areas, children's play area, softball diamond, soccer fields, outdoor tennis courts, 25-yard swimming pool, children's wading pool, outdoor ice arena for public skating and ice hockey, cross-country ski center, and snowmobile trails. Ski and skate rentals available.  edit

• Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, 220 E Ann Street, ☎ +1 734 995-5439, [46]. Nine galleries with more than 250 interactive science demos and exhibits, on topics from physics to health to nature to mathematics. Kids will like it a lot; adults will be fairly entertained. $7 (donations gratefully accepted).  edit

• Artrain USA, 1100 N Main Street, ☎ +1 800 ART-1971 (278-1971), [47]. Check the website to see if the Artrain will be in town during your visit. A traveling art museum, housed in vintage rail cars, that tours the nation but is based in Ann Arbor. Each exhibition tours the country for three to four years, offering creative partnerships with local artists at each stop along the tour.  edit

• Cobblestone Farm Museum, 2781 Packard Street, ☎ +1 734 994-2928 or +1 734 973-7267, [48]. Tours offered 10AM-1PM on the last Saturday of the month, beginning in May. On-site gift shop open during tours or by appointment. An 1845 two-family home, notable for its façade made of cobblestones in herringbone rows, now restored and interpreted to give a view of past rural life in Washtenaw County. $2.  edit

• Kempf House, 312 S Division Street, ☎ +1 734 994-4898, [49]. Tours offered 1PM-4PM on Sundays, September through December and March through June, or by appointment. A restored Greek Revival house museum from 1853; once home to Reuben and Pauline Kempf, prominent Ann Arbor musicians, now offering guided tours and a glimpse into Victorian life in Ann Arbor. $1.  edit

• Leslie Science Center, 1831 Traver Street, ☎ +1 734 997-1553, [50]. Park open daily sunrise to sunset; Critter House open Su 12PM-3PM. 50 acres of fields, woods and prairie, featuring outdoor, hands-on and discovery-based educational programs. Features an environmentally-friendly Nature House; a Critter House with frogs, turtles, snakes, and rabbits; live birds of prey, including owls, falcons, kestrels, hawks, vultures, and a bald eagle; and a mile-long trail through the Black Pond Woods. Free (donations gratefully accepted).  edit

University of Michigan Museums

Open to the Public

• Exhibit Museum of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Avenue, ☎ +1 734 764-0478, [51]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. Exhibits on natural sciences and anthropology, including prehistoric life, Michigan wildlife, Native American and other cultures, and rock and mineral specimens. Free (donations gratefully accepted).  edit

• Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, 434 S State Street, ☎ +1 734 764-9304, [52]. Tu-F 9AM-4PM, Sa-Su 1PM-4PM, closed Mondays. Galleries featuring nearly 100,000 artefacts from Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Near Eastern civilizations. Free (donations gratefully accepted).  edit

• Museum of Art, 525 S State Street, ☎ +1 734 764-0395 or +1 734 763-UMMA (8662), [53]. Building Hours: Daily 8AM-12AM, Gallery Hours: Tu-W 10AM-5PM, Th-F 10AM-10PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. Collections of African, American, Asian, European, and Middle Eastern art; modern and contemporary artwork; prints, drawings and photographs; and frequent rotating collections. Gift shop on-site. Free ($5 donation suggested).  edit

• U of M School of Art and Design, 2000 Bonisteel Boulevard, ☎ +1 734 764-0397, [54]. M-F 9AM-5PM. Exhibitions by art students and faculty in two galleries on North Campus: the Warren Robbins Graduate Center and the Slusser Gallery. Also check out their small downtown gallery "Work". Free.  edit

• Work Gallery, 306 S State Street, ☎ +1 734 998-6178. Tu-Th 12PM-7PM, F-Sa 12PM-8PM, Su 12PM-5PM, closed Mondays. Run by U of M School of Art and Design, it's smaller, downtown, and much the same. Free.  edit

• Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, 1011 N University Avenue (School of Dentistry, room G532), [55]. M-F 8AM-6PM. Over 10,000 artifacts focused on the history of dentistry, with particular interest in dental practice and technology in the United States and Michigan dating from the 18th century to today. Free.  edit

• Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments, 1100 Baits Drive, ☎ +1 734 764-0583, [56]. M-F 10AM-5PM. Housed in the School of Music, the Stearns Collection holds over 2500 pieces of historical and contemporary musical instruments from all over the world. Free.  edit

Closed to the Public

Several of the University collections are hosted by institutions that are primarily research-oriented, and so generally don't have exhibits on permanent display. However, it may be possible to arrange to view the collections through contacting the curators.

• Herbarium, 3600 Varsity Drive, ☎ +1 734 764-2407 (fax: +1 734 647-5719), [57]. Collections of algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, monocots, dicots, fungi and lichens.  edit

• Museum of Anthropology, 1109 Geddes Avenue, ☎ +1 734 764-0485 (fax: +1 734 763-7783), [58]. Archaeological collections of pottery, flaked and groundstone tools, animal bones, ethnobotanical and sediment samples, and accompanying field notes, site and survey maps, photographs, and other relevant documents and records; ethnographic collections of pottery, basketry, textiles, wood, and many other materials; and extensive photographic collections.  edit

• Museum of Paleontology, 1109 Geddes Avenue, ☎ +1 734 764-0489 (fax: +1 734 936-1380), [59]. Collections of paleobotany, micropaleontology, invertebrate paleontology and vertebrate paleontology.  edit

• Museum of Zoology, 1109 Geddes Avenue, ☎ +1 734 764-0476 (fax: +1 734 763-4080), [60]. Collections of birds, fishes, insects, mollusks, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.  edit

• UM Athletics, ☎ +1 734 764-0247, [61]. 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 it's history than any other Division 1-A program, and sells out every game at "The Big House", capacity 107,501. The 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, rowing, soccer, diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.  edit

• Blue Karaoke, 404 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 302–3673, [62]. 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.  edit

• Pinball Pete's, 1214 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 213-2502. Large video arcade featuring pinball machines, air hockey, pool tables, shot clock basketball and football, ticketed games, Dance Dance Revolution, and classic arcade games from the 1980s as well as popular new fighting games.  edit

• Makielski Berry Farm, 7130 Platt Rd (1 mile S of US 12), ☎ +1 734 572-0060, [63]. Daily 8AM-8PM. Mid-July through the end of October, pick your own insecticide-free blackberries ($4/qt) then red, yellow, or amber raspberries ($3/Qt). The owners also sell raspberry honey. Children welcome, no pets; working farm dogs on premises may sometimes be aggressive. (42.2013,-83.6999) edit

• Planet Rock, 82 Aprill Dr, ☎ +1 734 827-2680, [64]. M-Tu, W F 3PM-10PM , Th 3PM-11PM, Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Over 22,000 sq ft of climbing terrain, with 50-ft walls, a motorized climbing wall, three bouldering areas and adventure racing including rappelling. Day passes $15, climbing lessons $39-$50.  edit

• Zap Zone, 2809 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 930-6670, [65]. M-Th 4PM-10PM, F 3PM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-9PM. Multi-level laser tag and an arcade. Laser tag $7, bumper cars $3.  edit

• Canoeing is popular in the area through the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.

• Kensington Beach is 20 minutes north of Ann Arbor.

• Play the Bells in the Tower at Kerrytown, 407 N Fifth Ave (Next door to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market), ☎ +1 734369-3107, [66]. Sa 10:30AM, W, F noon. Play the charming melodies of the Kerrytown Chime - a seven ton, world class musical instrument made up of 17 bells in a tower. Choose from over 100 songs. Play by number. Kerrytown Market and Shops is one of the only places in the world where such an instrument is accessible to the public. It is easy and tons of fun for all ages. Free.  edit

• Ann Arbor Film Festival, 203 E Ann St, ☎ +1 734 995-5356, [67]. Held during six days in late March at the Michigan Theater (603 E Liberty Street). The oldest festival of its kind in North America, showcasing over 100 independent and experimental films and videos annually, since 1963. Over 20 prizes are awarded to the best films. Passes are available for single screenings, single days, weekends or the entire week.  edit

• Hash Bash, University of Michigan Diag near State St and N University St, [68]. Held the first Saturday in April. The Hash Bash began when poet John Sinclair was jailed for marijuana possession, leading John Lennon and Yoko Ono to headline a protest rally in Ann Arbor in 1971. Beginning in 1972, it became an annual event to commemorate the occasion and support the reform of marijuana laws. The Hash Bash is a gathering point for thousands of cannabis aficionados from all around, with guest speakers in the Diag attracting large crowds. Given the nature of the event, you probably will see people smoking marijuana; those who do light up tend to take advantage of the difference in fines between the town ($25) and the university ($100 and possible jail time), which basically means that your punishment depends on which side of State Street you stand on. Vendors sell everything from hemp bracelets to "glass art" (actually pipes and bongs, but who's quibbling?), bongo drums are played, and people-watching can be an event in itself.  edit

• Naked Mile, University of Michigan campus. Once held in mid-April at midnight on the last day of classes. A tradition at the University of Michigan which began in 1986, in which hundreds of students - traditionally graduating seniors, although in practice there's a broader spread - ran across campus naked, while spectators cheered them on, to celebrate the end of the school year. Although technically illegal, it was tolerated by local police until 1998, when they began attempting to strongly discourage continuation of the Naked Mile, fueled in part by concerns over outsiders videotaping the event and selling the recordings online. In recent years, to avoid being arrested, students have run the Mile in body paint, underwear, or a day earlier than usual.  edit

• Ann Arbor Book Festival, 311-315 S State St, ☎ +1 734 369-3366, [69]. Held in mid-May. First organized in 2004 to promote reading, heighten awareness of literacy challenges, and showcase the rich culture of the written word in Michigan and beyond. The festival features a bookstore crawl, antiquarian book fair, author readings, symposiums and panels on literacy and writing, tours of the U-M library conservation and preservation lab, and a street festival.  edit

• African American Downtown Festival, E Ann St and N Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 769–0288 (cplfestival@att.net). 10AM-8:30PM. Held the first Saturday in June since 1995. Crafts, merchandise, food, live music.  edit

• Taste of Ann Arbor, Main Street. Held the first Sunday in June 11AM-5PM. Kiosks along Main Street offer people the chance to sample menu items from over 35 local restaurants. Also includes three stages of live music, dancing and more. Admission free, although tickets to trade goodies ($0.50 per ticket, or $10 for a sheet of 20, with most items ranging between 3-11 tickets apiece).  edit

• Shakespeare in the Arb, 1610 Washington Heights, ☎ +1 734 647-7600, [70]. Shows begin at 6:30PM. Annual outdoor Shakespearean production since 2001, held on weekends in June. Roving performance requires the actors and audience to shift locations throughout the Arb from scene to scene. Previous productions have included A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and Love's Labour's Lost. $15.  edit

• Ann Arbor Summer Festival, 522 S Fourth Ave, Ste B, ☎ +1 734 994-5999, [71]. Held from mid-June to mid-July. An annual event since 1983 with different nightly indoor cultural performances: singers, musical bands, dancers, comedians, plays, and other acts including acrobats and animal handlers.  edit

• Top of the Park, Ingalls Mall, [72]. Held from mid-June to early July. Nightly local and regional live bands, outdoor film screenings at 10PM, and concession booths from eight local eateries. Traditionally this event was held on the upper level of the Fletcher parking structure, next to the Power Center - hence the name - but it has been temporarily moved outside the Rackham School of Graduate Studies. In inclement weather, performances and films may be cancelled. Free.  edit

• Ann Arbor Art Fairs, ☎ +1 734 994-5260 (toll free: +1 800 888-9487), [73]. One Wednesday through Saturday in late July. W-F 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-6PM. Held throughout downtown, four juried art fairs that display and sell art: the original Ann Arbor Street Art Fair [74] along N University; the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair [75] along Main, Liberty, William and State; the State Street Area Art Fair [76]; and the South University Art Fair [77]. In practical terms, it's all one great big fair that takes about a full day to explore if you move quickly and don't look at every booth. Prices are generally rather high, as befitting an art show of this calibre, but there are definitely bargains to be found, as well as some less expensive non-juried booths that tag along for the ride. Loads of concessions, live entertainment, and booths with great sales from local businesses are scattered throughout. During the Art Fair, hotels are generally booked up and parking can be difficult to find, so book a room early (by February or March) and find a spot at one of the park-and-ride stops to catch a bus into downtown.  edit

• University of Michigan, ☎ +1 734 764-1817, [78]. A highly-ranked research university with a strong athletics tradition, the University of Michigan has been located in Ann Arbor since 1837 and is deeply intertwined with the town, being one of the major employers in the area. It offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in social sciences, sciences, humanities and arts, engineering, law, business and medicine. The average student population is around 40,000, with about 5,000 faculty members. There are three campuses - North, Central, and South - with downtown Ann Arbor being adjacent to, and somewhat intermingled with, Central Campus.  edit

• The University of Michigan and the infrastructure and support services for it are major employers in Ann Arbor.

• Borders Group Inc., 100 Phoenix Drive, ☎ +1 734 477-1100, [79]. Borders Group owns Borders Books & Music stores, as well as Borders Express and Waldenbooks. The corporate office is on the south side of Ann Arbor and employs hundreds of people.  edit

• Google, 112 S Main Street, 2nd floor, ☎ +1 734 332-6500 (fax: +1 734 332-6501), [80]. Google opened the headquarters of AdWords, their advertising system, in the McKinley Towne Centre building in 2007; currently they employ about 150 sales and customer services representatives, with plans to expand their workforce to between 850 and 1,000 by around 2012.  edit

It's been said that Ann Arbor has more bookstores per capita than any other town in the US – certainly a walking tour of downtown will take you past quite a few, although the number is beginning to slowly dwindle.

• Borders No. 001, 612 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 668-7652, [81]. M-Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 9AM-9PM. The flagship Borders bookstore, although it's moved a block away from its original location since the store opened in 1971.  edit

• Aunt Agatha's, 213 S Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 769-1114, [82]. M-Th 11AM-7PM, F-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 12PM-5PM. Specializing in new and used mystery, detection, and true crime books.  edit

• Common Language, 317 Braun Ct, ☎ +1 734 663-0036, [83]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-7PM. The only gay-owned-and-operated bookstore in Ann Arbor, specializing in gay, lesbian, and feminist works, with books, magazines, gifts and cards.  edit

• Crazy Wisdom Bookstore & Tea Room, 114 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 665-2757, [84]. Specializing in spirituality, psychology and integrative medicine. Also carries gifts, cards, jewelry, crafts, art, music, incense, ritual items, candles, aromatherapy, body tools, and yoga supplies. The tea room, on the second floor, is quite good, though not cheap.  edit

• David's Books, 516-B E William St, ☎ 1 734 665-8017, [85]. In business for over 25 years, David's buys and sells used, rare, and out of print books. They also have an online store, if you want to do some virtual shopping.  edit

• The Dawn Treader, 514 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 995-1008, [86]. M-Th 11AM-8PM, F-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 12PM-5PM. A great place to browse – probably has the largest and widest selection of the downtown used bookstores.  edit

• Kaleidoscope Books & Collectibles, 200 N 4th Ave (at Ann), ☎ +1 734 995-9887. Packed full of rare & used books, including vintage pulps, children's titles, mysteries, science fiction, modern firsts, vintage paperbacks with some really amusing pulp fiction titles, 1000s of postcards, sheet music, collectibles and memorabilia, movie posters, action figures, classic toys, and more.  edit

• Motte & Bailey, 212 N 4th Ave, ☎ +1 734 669-0451, [87]. Specializes in history.  edit

• West Side Book Shop, 113 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 995-1891. Used and rare books, maps, and photographs. A strong literary bent.  edit

• Encore Records, 417 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 662-6776, [88]. M-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 12PM-5PM. One of the best used record stores in the country. Encyclopedic staff.  edit

• PJ's Used Records & CDs, 617 Packard St (upstairs from Subway between Hill Street & State Street), ☎ +1 734 663-3441. Very friendly staff, amazing selection of vinyl in excellent condition and fairly priced.  edit

• Wazoo Records, 336 1/2 S State St, ☎ +1 734 761-8686, [89]. M-F 10AM-8PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 12PM-6PM. New and used CDs and vinyl. Small but very well-picked selection.  edit

• 16 Hands, 216 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 761-1110, [90]. M-Th 10AM-6PM, F-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-5PM. Offers fine furniture, lighting, jewelry, wearables, housewares and gifts by artists throughout the United States.  edit

• Dixboro General Store, 5206 Plymouth Road, ☎ +1 734 663-5558, [91]. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, F 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-5PM. One of the busiest country gift and furnishing stores in Michigan, located in a historic store in the village of Dixboro. Furniture, candles, collectables, garden decor, tabletops, bath and body supplies, home accessories, lighting, and edible goodies.  edit

• Four Directions, 329 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 996-9250, [92]. A great gift store offering jewelry, crystals, minerals, fossils, and gifts from around the world. Their jewelry is very pretty and generally at quite reasonable prices. If you want something local to the area, you can find samples of Michigan greenstone aka chlorastrolite (the state gem, from Isle Royale, which is fairly pricey), Petoskey stone (the state stone, usually found loose rather than in jewelry) and native Michigan copper (as bookends or free-flowing verdigris-encrusted sculptures).  edit

• John Leidy, 601 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 668-6779, [93]. M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su noon-5PM. Fine gifts including china, stemware, flatware, ceramics, metalware, woodware, giftware, collectibles, jewelry, clothing, and textiles.  edit

• Middle Earth, 1209 S University Avenue, ☎ +1 734 769-1488. Wacky and kitschy gifts, home decor, handcrafted contemporary and fashion jewelry, fashion accessories, T-shirts, books, candy, toys, and much more. It's a must-see if you're looking for something out of the ordinary.  edit

• Motawi Tileworks, 170 Enterprise Dr, ☎ +1 734 213-0017, [94]. M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-3AM. Low-relief and polychrome tiles, using locally-produced clay and glazes, which can be purchased as individual art pieces or for installation. Guided tours available (free at 11AM every Thursday, or $5 per person for tours of 4 or more people by appointment).  edit

• Occasionally, 223 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 769-5151, [95]. The best place in town for local and Michigan gifts, including T-shirts, food, Michigan lighthouses, and gift baskets.  edit

• Selo/Shevel Gallery, 301 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 761-4620 (info@seloshevelgallery.com, fax: +1 734 761-4308), [96]. M-Th 11AM-6PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-6PM. The gallery specializes in ceramics, woodcraft, mixed media, folk art, textiles, Judaica, glass art and jewelry.  edit

• Ten Thousand Villages, 303 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 332-1270, [97]. Su-M noon-5PM, Tu-Th 11AM-7PM, F-Sa 11AM-9PM. A non-profit retail store staffed by volunteers, featuring fairly-traded handicrafts from around the world.  edit

• Acme Mercantile, 111 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 213-3722, [98]. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. Constantly adding new playful and useful items such as mystery grab bags and local favorite Mighty Good Coffee, as well as keeping old favorites in stock, like 7 Days of Moustaches and stylish Readers and Sunglasses. The inventory now includes over 4,000 items available both in store and online at [99]. They're all about function and fun. They have hardware items, office supply items, health and beauty aids, pet supplies, books and stationary, kitchen and household items, cleaning and laundry supplies, men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, candy and toys as well as gifts, cards and gift wrap. They have exclusive lines including Flax clothing for women and Chilewich bags. They also offer many natural and organic items for pets, people and their homes. They also gift wrap for free and validate parking!  edit

• Downtown Home and Garden, 210 S Ashley St, ☎ +1 734 662-8122. M-Sa 7:30AM-7PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Gardening, greenhouse, cookware, and housewares, in a historic livery stable.  edit

• Morgan and York, Fine Wines and Specialty Foods, 1928 Packard St, ☎ +1 734 662-0798, [100]. M-Sa 9AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. Known as the Big Ten Party Store until 2005, the name change better reflects the quality of the merchandise. Long popular with locals of discriminating taste, Morgan and York is one of the best spots in town to find a broad selection of wines, spirits, and beers, as well as cheeses, imported candies, and other quality foods.   edit

• Vault of Midnight, 219 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 998-1413, [101]. M-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Comic books, graphic novels, trade paperbacks, manga, action figures, board games, statues, DVDs, T-shirts, posters, art prints, stickers and toys. The store also hosts art exhibitions, signings, and regular board-game nights with a selection of in-house games.  edit

• Kerrytown Market, 407 N Fifth Ave, ☎ +1 734 662-5008, [102]. Over 20 shops and restaurants, including a very nice produce and seafood market.  edit

• Ann Arbor Farmer's Market and Artisan Market, 315 Detroit St, ☎ +1 734 994-3276. Spring through Autumn, W Sa 7AM-3PM (Farmer's Market), Su 11AM-4PM (Artisan's Market). Local farmers bring fresh produce, baked goods, and plants to the Farmer's Market for sale at excellent prices, while the Artisan Market features the work of local craftspeople.   edit

• Nickels Arcade, between State St and Maynard St S of Liberty St, ☎ 1 734 995-7281. Shops and galleries housed in a historic indoor walkway with a glass atrium-style ceiling, built in 1915 and modelled after a European arcade.  edit

• Briarwood Mall, 100 Briarwood Cir, ☎ +1 734 761-9550, [103]. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Over 125 shops and restaurants.  edit

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.

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. It's a popular alternative, especially for the locals who have just suffered through six months of winter, and even though you're sitting right by the street, it's more relaxing than you might expect.

If you're looking for an Ann Arbor specialty, the fragel — a raisin bagel that has been deep-fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar — seems to have originated here. Once available all over town, now you can only find them at the Bagel Fragel on Plymouth Rd or certain Paneras.

• A Knife's Work, Kerrytown Market and Shops, ☎ +1 734 827-9463 (info@aknifeswork.com), [104]. M-F 9AM-7PM, Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 12AM-5PM. Offers delicious take-home meals prepared with local, organic and hormone-free ingredients. The seasonal menu changes weekly representing the most creative and honest food being made in Ann Arbor today. Meals are sold at Everyday Wines in the Kerrytown Market and Shops. $5-$13.  edit

• Angelo's, 1104 E Catherine St, ☎ +1 734 663-7222, [105]. M-F 7AM-4PM, Sa 7AM-3PM, Su 7AM-2PM. Popularly known as the best breakfast spot in town, offering eggs, omelettes, waffles, pancakes, French toast and lots of sides. They also serve soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers. Be sure to try the homemade raisin bread they're famous for. $4-$9.  edit

• Asian Legend, 516 E William St Ste A, ☎ +1 734 622-0750. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-10:30PM, Su 11AM-9PM. Taiwanese and Szechuan cuisine, with a separate menu of over 50 traditional Taiwanese dishes. The salt-and-pepper crispy chicken wings are one of their most popular dishes. $4-$12.  edit

• Ayse's Courtyard Cafe, 1703 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 662-1711. M-F 11AM-2PM, Sa 11:30AM-3PM; M-Th 5PM-8PM, F 5PM-9PM; closed Su. Ann Arbor's only Turkish restaurant, offering soups, salads, pilavs, boreks, lamb, beef, chicken, and many vegetarian stews. $7-$10.  edit

• Bagel Fragel, 1754 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 332-1555. M-F 6AM-3:30PM, Sa Su 6AM-3PM. The only place left in town where you can buy fragels, a delicacy that was apparently created here in Ann Arbor. It's best to go early and get them piping hot.  edit

• BTB Burrito, 810 S State St, ☎ +1 734 222-4822, [106]. Daily 11AM-4AM. Salads, nachos, burritos, chimichangas, quesadillas and tacos, made with fresh ingredients and fresh salsa. $3 regular-$9 giant.  edit

• Bubble Island, 1220 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 222-9013. M-Th 11AM-2AM, F Sa 11AM-3AM, Su noon-2AM. Hot and cold milk tea (black or green), calpico, Thai iced tea, coffee and frozen smoothies, with black or rainbow pearls, mango stars and lychee jellies. Drinks come in a variety of cream-based and fruit-based flavors, with the cream-based taro being especially popular. They also offer snacks like chicken wings, fried foods and mochi ice cream. Students often hang out in the lounge to play board games. $2-$5.  edit

• Cafe Felix, 204 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 662-8650, [107]. A French-style cafe with the best morning cappuccino in town. Food is great including the evening tapas menu and excellent wine and martini selections. Come sit and read, drink, and people watch. Breads and pastries, soups, salads, omelettes, crepes, gourmet sandwiches and entrée croissants. $2-$8.50 lunch, $4-$9 tapas.  edit

• Cafe Habana, 211 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 332-6046. M-F 7AM-2AM, Sa 8AM-2AM, Su 8AM-10PM. Traditional Cuban and Latin American dishes.  edit

• Cafe Japon, 113 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 332-6200 (fax: +1 734 332-6262), [108]. M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su closed. French pastries and bread; Japanese entrées, soups, sushi, and teas; fusion sandwiches. The breads and croissants are outstanding. If you dine in, the entrées are tasty and exquisitely presented. No liquor license. $2-3 breads and pastries, $6 sandwiches, $10 entrées.  edit

• Cafe Verde, 214 N Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 302-7032, [109]. M-Sa 7AM-9:30PM, Su 9AM-8PM. Next to the People's Food Coop, this is a vegetarian-friendly hot bar and salad bar and cafe featuring local, organic and fair trade items.  edit

• Cake Nouveau, 206 N Fourth St, ☎ +1 734 994–4033, [110]. M-Sa 10AM-7PM, closed Su. Artistic wedding and party cakes that have been featured on the Food Network; the storefront also sells four varieties of cupcake (chocolate truffle, vanilla beany and two weekly-rotating flavors). Cake slices, cookies and drinks.  edit

• China Gate, 1201 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 668-2445. Great food with fast service, and relatively inexpensive. $9.  edit

• Cottage Inn, 512 E William St, ☎ +1 734 663-3379, [111]. The first pizza restaurant in Ann Arbor, established in 1948. Salads, subs and pasta as well. $6-$10, $11-$19 specialty.  edit

• Earthen Jar, 311 S Fifth Ave, ☎ +1 734 327-9464 (fax: +1 734 327-9346), [112]. M-Th, Sa 11AM-8PM, F 11AM-9PM, closed Su. This tiny restaurant is full of flavor and the only all-vegetarian Indian restaurant in town. Family recipes may surprise. Catering. salad bar $5/lb.  edit

• Eastern Accents, 214 S Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 332-8782. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-midnight, Sa 8AM-midnight, Su 10AM-7PM. A Korean-run Asian bakery specializing in baked filled buns (the custard is especially delicious), egg tarts and light Chinese and Korean lunches.  edit

• Everyday Cook, 407 N Fifth Ave (2 floor above Hollanders), ☎ +1 734 827-COOK, [113]. Tu-Sa 11AM-2PM. Rotating menu daily with a focus on fresh, local ingredients and a wide range of international approaches to food. Check website for daily selections. $6-$16.  edit

• Exotic Bakeries, 1721 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 665-4430, [114]. M-F 11AM-8PM, Sa 11AM-6PM, closed Su. Featuring Syrian vegan, vegetarian and meat dishes, as well as cakes ($25) and traditional Middle Eastern sweets. $1 baked goods, $5 sandwiches.  edit

• The Fleetwood Diner, 300 S Ashley St, ☎ +1 734 995-5502. Daily 24 hours. Because it's Ann Arbor, there are many vegetarian options. You can't miss the shiny metal exterior, and will most likely leave with a story. Try the Hippie Hash, a mixture of potatoes, vegetables and cheese. $4-$7.  edit

• Great Lake Seafood Restaurant, 2910 Carpenter Rd, ☎ +1 734 973-6666. M-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Su 11AM-2AM. Hong-Kong style cuisine specializing in seafood; dim sum is served through the early afternoon. $5-$14.  edit

• Jamaican Jerk Pit, 314 S Thayer St, ☎ +1 734 995-JERK. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-midnight, Sa 10AM-midnight, Su 11AM-7PM. Jamaican food including soups, salads, patties, seafood, sandwiches, jerk chicken and pork, and more. $5-$9.  edit

• Jerusalem Garden, 307 S Fifth Ave, ☎ +1 734 995-5060, [115]. M-Th 10AM-9PM, F 10AM-9:30PM, Sa 11AM-9:30PM, Su noon-8PM. Palestinian restaurant highly popular for its cheap but tasty falafel. Consistently voted the best Middle Eastern and best cheap eats in Ann Arbor for over a decade. $4-$6 sandwiches, $8 combination plates.  edit

• Kai Garden, 116 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 995-1401. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM. Lighter, healthier Chinese fare incorporating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Highlights are their clay-pot dishes, their fruited entrees (beef with strawberry, chicken with mango or pineapple, prawns with papaya) and the to-die-for eight-treasures rice pudding. Be sure to look at the Chinese menu as well. $8-$13.  edit

• Kagayaki Sushi, 4037 Carpenter Rd (technically in Ypsilanti), ☎ +1 734 677-2688, [116]. M-F 11:30AM-2PM 5PM-9PM, Sa-Su noon-9PM. A lot of fun – sushi goes past you on a conveyor belt, and you simply grab the plates you want. You can also order from the menu like in a normal restaurant – the tempura is very good. $2-$4 small plates, $4-$8 maki.  edit

• Kang's, 1327 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 761-1327. M-Sa 9:30AM-8PM, closed Su. A popular restaurant among Korean students, serving traditional favorites along with some Japanese food. $6.  edit

• Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger, 551 S Division St, ☎ +1 734 663-3103. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-8PM. Despite the official slogan ("Cheaper than food since 1953"), the food's great. Infinitely customizable within the burger-and-fries milieu (plus sandwiches, deep fried vegetables, etc.). Make sure to bring cash, as they may or may not be taking credit cards. They are also known for giving change in interesting denominations (ie two dollar bills and fifty-cent pieces). $5-$10.  edit

• Le Dog, 306 S Main St (indoor location), 410 E Liberty St (outdoor kiosk), (+1 734 665-2114). M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM, closed weekends and intermittently during the winter. As the name suggests, they do sell hot dogs, but the true star of the show is the rotating selection of 84 homemade soups, of which around 6 are available on any given day. Try the Tuscan squash with blue cheese, the curried winter melon, the pozole or the famous lobster bisque, which is only available on Thursdays and Fridays. Their fresh-squeezed lemon and orangeades are also delicious. $5-$7 soup.  edit

• Madras Masala, 328 Maynard St, ☎ +1 734 222-9006, [117]. M-Th 11:30AM-3PM, F 11:30AM-3PM ; M-F 5PM-10PM, Sa noon-10:30PM, Su noon-9:30PM. South Indian, Indo-Chinese and Moghlai dishes, with a daily lunch buffet. The Manchurian cauliflower is delicious, and they have a wide variety of dosas and uttappams. Try the rose milk. $10-$12.  edit

• Maru, 414 E William St, ☎ +1 734 761-1977. M-F 11AM-9:30PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-9PM. A tasty Korean restaurant in the downtown area, specializing in stews and traditional entrees. Also serves lunch specials and many types of bibimbap. $8.  edit

• MisSaigon, 4085 Stone School Rd, ☎ +1 734 971-8880, [118]. M-Sa 11AM-9PM, closed Su. Appetizers, soups, pho, Vietnamese crepes, rice plates, vermicelli noodles, rice stick and noodle soups, Vietnamese lo mein, pan-fried noodles, beef, poultry, seafood, pork and vegetarian dishes. $7-$11.  edit

• No Thai!, 1317 S University Ave, 226 N. Fourth Ave, (+1 734 2130808), [119]. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-10PM. Opened a few years ago, has quickly become one of the most popular restaurants on campus. Pad Thai is excellent, so expect crowds during lunchtime and dinnertime on the weekends. $8 main, $4 sides.  edit

• New York Pizza Depot, 605 E William St, ☎ +1 734 669-6973, [120]. M-Sa 10AM-4AM, Su 11AM-4AM. Considered by some to be the best pizza in town. Pizzas (including stuffed and Chicago-style), calzones, salads, subs, chapatis and entrées. Gets crowded 1:30AM-3AM on Th-Sa nights. Note: South U location is now closed. $7-$14, $10-$22 specialty.  edit

• Pita Kabob Grill, 619 E William St, ☎ +1 734 622-8082. M-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-8PM. Middle Eastern salads, sandwiches and traditional dishes at very reasonable prices (most sandwiches are under $6), and the owner is extremely friendly. Their vegetarian pitas are unusually diverse; try the makalee pita (cauliflower, potato, hummus, lettuce, pickles and garlic sauce) and the riz b-harr pita (spicy eggplant, potato, cilantro, garlic, rice, lettuce, tomato and pickles). $3-$12.  edit

• Pizza Pino, 221 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 994–9858. Daily 10:30AM-4AM. Pizzas, calzones, subs, sandwiches, entrées and soups. Wide range of toppings.  edit

• Raja Rani, 400 S Division St, ☎ +1 734 995-1545. M-F 11:30AM-3PM, Sa-Su noon-4PM lunch buffet; daily 5PM-10:30PM dinner. North Indian cuisine. Frequently voted the best Indian restaurant in town. $7-$11.  edit

• Chicago Red Hots, 629 E University Ave, ☎ +1 734 996-3663. M-F 11AM-8PM, Sa noon-8PM, Su noon-6PM. Serves delicious Chicago style dogs. Was formerly known as "Red Hot Lovers", but has reopened under new management despite serving the same menu.  edit

• Rich JC, 1313 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 769-2288. M-F 10:30AM-8:30PM, Sa 11AM-8:30PM; closed Su. Korean food in a casual diner-style setting, and the only place in town where you can get pot bing su (a dessert of ice cream, shaved ice, tropical fruits, sweet beans, rice cake and flavored syrup) in warm weather. $5-$9.  edit

• Sabor Latino, 211 N Main St, ☎ +1 734 214-7775, [121]. M-W 11AM-11PM, Th-F 11AM-3:30AM, Sa 9PM-3:30AM, Su 9AM-11PM. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, enchiladas, tamales, and other Latin American specialties. $2-$9.  edit

• Sava's Cafe, 211 S State St, ☎ +1 734 623–2233. M-F 10:30AM-9PM, Sa-Su 8:30AM-3PM. Soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers, with an emphasis on Mediterranean food. $5-$10.  edit

• Shalimar, 307 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 663-1500, [122]. Daily at 11:30AM. Typically cited by locals as the city's all-around best Indian food. Authentic Indian and Tandoori dishes, Indian and domestic beer served. Full bar. Carryout and catering available.  edit

• Silvio's Organic Pizza, 715 N University Ave, ☎ +1 734 214-6666, [123]. M-Th 10AM-midnight, F-Sa 10AM-3AM, Su 10AM-10PM. Probably the only authentic Italian pizza in Ann Arbor; the owner is from Abruzzo, where he baked pizzas for 25 years. The pizza is made from organic flour, herbs and tomatoes, with lots of organic toppings including zucchini, potatoes, asparagus, rapini and shrimp. Stuffed pizzas, pasta, soup, salad, calzones, sandwiches, and a wide variety of Italian pastries are also available. $10-$14, $9-$20 specialty.  edit

• Stucchi's, 302 S State St., 1121 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 662-1700 (+1 734 662–1716), [124]. (Summer 11PM Su-Th, 11:30PM F-Sa). An award-winning Ann Arbor ice-cream chain started by two brothers in 1986, with several franchise locations in southeastern Michigan. 65 flavors of super-premium ice cream, 50 flavors of gourmet frozen yogurt and 6 flavors of sorbet and sherbet.  edit

• Sushi.come, 715 N University Ave, ☎ +1 734 213-3044. Very popular among university students. Good sushi at good prices; consequently there can be a wait at lunch. Nice selection of specialty rolls, always fresh. $2-$10 maki.  edit

• Sushi Town, 740 Packard St, ☎ +1 734 327-8646, [125]. M-F 11AM-11PM, Sa 5PM-midnight, Su 5PM-10PM. Appetizers, soup, sushi and sashimi, with a broad selection of rolls and combos. Try the Florida Beach roll (tuna, mango and avocado wrapped with kiwi), the Dynamite roll (special california topped with cooked mixed seafood and spicy sauce), or create your own roll. $2-$9.  edit

• Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea, 123 W Washington, also in Kerrytown Market, ☎ +1 734 769-2331, [126]. A fantastic collection of exotic teas and intricate coffees. Soothing atmosphere, free Wi-fi and great locations. $2 - 8.50.  edit

• Tio's, 333 E Huron St, ☎ +1 734 761-6650. Daily 10AM-4AM. Appetizers, salads, breakfast dishes, nachos, burritos, fajitas, dinners, desserts, milkshakes, and other Mexican-American favorites. Popular with students for their low prices and late-night delivery. The store also stocks 300 varieties of hot sauce. $2-$15.  edit

• Totoro, 215 S State St, ☎ +1 734 302-3510. Excellent downtown sushi restaurant, also serving tempura, a wide variety of udon, and bento. $2-$11 maki.  edit

• University Cafe, 621 Church St, ☎ +1 734 662-7162. M-F 11AM-9:30PM, Sa noon-9:30PM, closed Su. Claimed, by some Korean students, to be the best Korean restaurant in town, with a wide selection of favorites like bibimbap, oh moo rice, spicy entrees, stews, noodles and ramen. $5-$9.  edit

• Washtenaw Dairy, 602 S Ashley St, ☎ +1 734 662-3244, [127]. Daily 5AM-10PM. Delivering quality dairy products to Washtenaw County for over 70 years. A popular local hangout, the shop carries fresh homemade doughnuts, hand-dipped shakes, malts and ice cream sodas, and over 30 flavors of Stroh's ice cream.  edit

• Za's, 615 E University Ave, ☎ no phone. Daily 10AM-9PM. Traditional Italian restaurant with pasta, gourmet pizza, salads and sandwiches with a twist: you can either select from the specialty menu, or you can create your own meal from their custom list of ingredients, sauces, cheeses, meats, vegetables and toppings. Desserts, fruit smoothies and ten varieties of coffee also available. $4-$6.  edit

• Amadeus, 122 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 665-8767, [128]. An Eastern European cafe with an emphasis on Polish and Hungarian food, and a Viennese patisserie. The pierogies and goulash are delicious, as are their homemade soups. It's best to go for lunch, when the food is practically identical but the prices are much lower. $9-$21.  edit

• Argiero's, 300 Detroit St, ☎ +1 734 665-0444. M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su noon-9PM. Family-owned southern Italian restaurant. Appetizers, soups, salads, pizza, meat, fish, Italian entrees, sandwiches and desserts. Try the pasta with spicy eggplant sauce. $6-$16.  edit

• Banh Na, 4837 Washtenaw Ave, ☎ +1 734 528-2336. M-F 11AM-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-9PM. Mostly Thai food but with quite a few specialties from Laos as well, such as salads, Laotian sausage, and fried rice. $11.  edit

• Blue Nile, 221 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 948-4746, [129]. Ethiopian cuisine, with both meat and vegetable dishes served in their all-you-can-eat feast options. All meals are served with traditional bread called injera, and Ethiopian coffee and tea are also available. Try the honey wine.  edit

• Chia Shiang, 2016 Packard St, ☎ +1 734 741-0778, [130]. M-Sa 11:30AM-9:30PM, Su 12PM-8:30PM. Chinese, Taiwanese and Malaysian cuisine and dim sum, with a vast vegetarian and vegan menu. Lots of interesting dishes, like amazing sue rou (a soybean product), Shanghai-style vegetarian salad, stir-fried lima beans with mixed pickled vegetables, and laksa. $6-$19.  edit

• Heidelberg Restaurant, 215 N Main St, ☎ +1 734 663-7758, [131]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-2AM, Su 3PM-2AM. American and German specialties, including sauerbraten, rouladen, sausages, spaetzle, salads, pasta, sandwiches, beef, poultry and seafood. An upstairs club features nightly entertainment. $6-$18.  edit

• Lotus Thai, 2803 Oak Valley Dr, ☎ +1 734 668-2828, [132]. Tu-F 11AM-2PM and 4:30PM-9:30PM, Sa-Su 11AM-9:30PM, closed M. A U.S. branch of a genuine Thai restaurant chain, so the food is as authentic as you're likely to find. The som tam is delicious, and the Lotus tofu - a stew of tofu, chicken, crabmeat, white asparagus, ham, sausage and shiitake mushroom - is a dish that people tend to order repeatedly. $7-$19.  edit

• Marnee Thai, 414 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 929–9933. M-Th 11:15AM-2:30PM 5:30-9:30PM, F 11:15AM-2:30PM 5:30-10PM, Sa 11:15AM-10PM, Su 5:30-9:30PM. A downtown branch of Lotus Thai, featuring a nearly-identical menu. Try the grilled seafood with herbs.  edit

• Mediterrano, 2900 S State St, ☎ +1 734 332-9700, [133]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su 10:30AM-9PM. Specializing in the cuisines of the Mediterranean, with appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, seafood, steaks, and regional Mediterranean entrees. Try their tortilla de camarones and Moroccan seabass fufarran. The complimentary taramosalata is excellent, and they're justifiably proud of their bright green extra-virgin olive oil, which you can also buy at the restaurant. $11-$23.  edit

• Metzger's, 305 N Zeeb Rd, ☎ +1 734 668-8987, [134]. M-W 11AM-9PM, Th-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Traditional German cuisine since 1928. Appetizers, soups, salads, seafood, chicken, American entrees, wursts and platters, sandwiches, German side dishes, desserts, beers and spirits. Traditional German entrées include sauerbraten, rouladen, schnitzel, cabbage rolls and chicken livers. $7-$24.  edit

• Middle Kingdom, 332 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 668-6638. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-9PM. Specializing in Cantonese, Szechuan, Shanghai, Hunan and Beijing cuisine. Dishes include chicken breast sauteed in white wine with fresh tofu and Chinese greens, spicy Tangerine Beef, and homemade Silver Noodles. $8-$18.  edit

• Pacific Rim by Kana, 114 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 662-9303, [135]. M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM, M-Th 5PM-9PM, F-Sa 5PM-10PM, closed Su. Originally an upscale Korean restaurant called Kana, the owners branched out into pan-Asian cuisine (largely Korean and Thai) and tweaked the name. Excellent food in a relaxing setting. Be sure to try the homemade, naturally-sweet hot ginger tea. $12-$22.  edit

• Paesano's, 3411 Washtenaw Ave, ☎ +1 734 971-0484, [136]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM. Family-owned Italian restaurant featuring appetizers, salads, pasta, Italian entrées, desserts, and an award-winning selection of Italian wines. Try their rigatoni with country greens, sausage and hot peppers. $10-$23.  edit

• Palio, 347 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 930-6100 (toll free: +1 888 456-DINE), [137]. M-Th 5PM-10PM, F-Sa 5PM-11PM, Su 4PM-9PM. Appetizers, salads, pasta, fish, meat and desserts. $12-$25.  edit

• Prickly Pear Southwest Cafe, 328 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 930-0047. M 5PM-9PM, Tu-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-8:30PM. Southwestern food. Try the black bean rellenos and the empanadas. $10-$20.  edit

• Red Hawk, 316 S State St, ☎ +1 734 994-40046, [138]. A contender for the best burger in town, Red Hawk also features a large variety of American classics, as well as a large beer selection. $8-$15.  edit

• Saigon Garden, 1220 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 747-7006. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sa 11:30AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM. Offers Chinese cuisine as well, but Vietnamese is definitely the reason to come here. Excellent dishes include the pho, grilled meat vermicelli, hot pots and the cilantro chicken. Be sure to try the Vietnamese-style coffee. $5-$18.  edit

• Seoul Garden, 3125 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 997-2121, [139]. M-F 11:30AM-10PM, Sa noon-10:30PM, Su noon-10PM.. The only Korean place in Ann Arbor where you can have Korean-style galbi grilled right at your table. Ban-chan (side dishes) are authentic Korean style, and group tables (4-60) available. Wider selection of food such as galbi, galbi-jjim, boiled mixed seafood, bulgogi, and tofu-kimchi. $12-$25.  edit

• Seva, 314 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 662-1111. M-Th 10:30AM-9PM, F 10:30AM-10PM, Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 10AM-9PM (Sunday brunch 10AM-3PM). With entirely vegetarian cuisine (and many vegan options, too), this is one of the best restaurants in Ann Arbor. Their creative dishes are inspired by Mexican, Italian, North African, Indian, Asian and American cuisine. Tons of options, some delicious offerings and generous portions, though the prices can be surprisingly high (such as $14 for grilled eggplant, steamed broccoli and brown rice with cilantro-peanut sauce). The butternut squash enchiladas are one of their best-sellers. $8-$14.  edit

• Tuptim, 4896 Washtenaw Ave, ☎ +1 734 528-5588, [140]. Tu 5PM-9:30PM, W-Sa 11AM-9:30PM, Su noon-9PM, closed M. Housed in an old Long John Silver's, Tuptim quickly became a local favorite for its high quality Thai cuisine. $10-$15.  edit

• Yamato, 403 N Fifth Ave, ☎ +1 734 998–3484, [141]. Tu-Th 11:30AM-2PM 5PM-9PM, F 11:30AM-2PM 5-9:30PM, Sa noon-2:30PM 5-9:30PM, Su noon-2:30PM 5-9PM, closed M. Appetizers, salads, tempura, teriyaki, rice and noodle bowls, sashimi, sushi and dessert. $10-$18 main, $3-$11 maki.  edit

• Yotsuba, 2222 Hogback Rd, ☎ +1 734 971-5168, [142]. M-F 11:30AM-2PM 5PM-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-9PM. Broad menu including an array of authentic appetizers, teriyaki and tempura entrees, donburi, udon, curry rice, noodles, sushi, ochazuke, nabemono and bento. $8-$23 main, $3-$13 maki.  edit

• Zingerman's Delicatessen, 422 Detroit St, ☎ +1 734 663-DELI, [143]. Daily 7AM-10PM. Vanity Fair called it "the best deli in America." The prices are higher than at a typical deli, but so is the quality of the ingredients, although some people find the serving sizes to be small. Sandwiches, hot dogs, soups, salads, traditional Jewish favorites, breakfast foods and desserts. Baked goods, ice cream and chocolates are also available on the premises, and you'll enjoy browsing their world-renowned selection of gourmet groceries with the help of their very knowledgeable staff. Sandwich # 55, Gemini Rocks the House, comes highly recommended by locals, and is vegetarian so nobody should miss out. $5-$14.  edit

• The Chop House, 322 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 669-8826 (toll free: +1 888 456-DINE), [144]. M-Th 5PM-10PM, F-Sa 5PM-11PM, Su 4PM-9PM. Appetizers, soups, salads, steaks, chops, poultry and seafood. One of Ann Arbor's priciest restaurants, so many people only visit on their birthday, when their entree is free! If you just want a little something sweet, gourmet pastries and desserts are available in the adjacent La Dolce Vita for around $7 each (try the crème brûlée with fresh fruits). There's also a cigar lounge downstairs for sipping and smoking. $10-$50 appetizers, $25-$44 main.  edit

• The Earle, 121 W Washington St, ☎ +1 734 994-0211, [145]. Provincial Italian and French country cuisine. The escargots in puff pastry are delicious. $18-$30.  edit

• Eve, 415 N Fifth Ave, ☎ +1 734 222-0711, [146]. Contemporary cuisine based on the philosophy of French cooking, with influences from north and west African, Cuban, and Vietnamese. Appetizers, salads, entrées and dessert. Try the jamtini, made with homemade Michigan plum jam. $22-$32.  edit

• The Gandy Dancer, 401 Depot St, ☎ +1 734 769-0592, [147]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sa 3:30PM-11PM, Su 10AM-2PM 3:30PM-9PM. Great seafood (check the buffet) in a former train station. Eat here and watch the tracks or, if you're broke (and you will be after the meal), walk along the tracks and watch the diners.  edit

• Gratzi, 326 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 663-6387 (toll free: +1 888 456-DINE), [148]. Northern Italian cuisine, featuring no spices other than saffron. Rotating menu featuring appetizers, salads, soups, vegetables, pizza, pasta, risotto, fish, chicken and beef. $16-$32.  edit

• Knight's Steak House, 2324 Dexter Ave, ☎ +1 734 665-8644, [149]. M-Sa 11AM-11PM; closed Su. The place where locals go for excellent steaks, prime rib and veal, along with salads, side dishes, seafood and desserts. $5-$33.  edit

• Lord Fox, 5400 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 662-1647. M-F 11:30AM-2PM, M-Sa 5PM-10PM, Su 3PM-9PM. Located in an 1880 farmhouse on 6 acres near Dixboro, which has been operating as a restaurant since the 1920s, when Henry Ford used to dine here. Rotating seasonal menu featuring steaks, poultry, wild game, seafood and an extensive wine list. Classic dishes include their veal Oscar and beef Wellington, and the flaming desserts (including baked Alaska and cherries jubilee) are worth the trip all by themselves. $15-$25.  edit

• Rush Street, 314 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 913-0330, [150]. M-Th 4PM-10PM, F-Sa 4PM-11PM (Cocktail lounge until 2AM on weekends). Hot and cold small plates, salads and entrées. $4-$12 small plates, $11-$29 main.  edit

• Weber's Inn, 3050 Jackson Ave, ☎ +1 734 665-3636, [151]. M-Th 6:30AM-10PM, F 6:30AM-11:30PM, Sa 8AM-11:30PM, Su 8AM-9PM. Featuring prime rib, steaks, seafood and an award-winning wine cellar since 1937. Appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, pasta and desserts. Sunday breakfast brunch served from 9:30AM-1PM for $9.25. $14-$35.  edit

• Zingerman's Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave, ☎ +1 734 663-FOOD, [152]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 10AM-9PM. Serving "really good American food", including regional specialties from around the country with an emphasis on down-home Southern food, spicy Southwestern and fresh Californian cuisine. Soups, salads, $16 burgers, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, desserts and $8 cocktails. $10-$19 lunch, $10-$27 dinner.  edit

• Arbor Brewing Company, 114 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 213-1393, [153]. M-Sa 11:30AM-1AM, and 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.  edit

• The Arena, 203 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 222-9999, [154]. M-Sa 11AM-2AM, Su 12PM-12AM. Sports bar featuring pub appetizers, soups, salads, steaks, chicken, fish, pasta, sandwiches and desserts. $7-$20.  edit

• Ashley's Restaurant & Pub, 338 S State St, ☎ +1 734 996-9191, [155]. 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 entrées. $7-$14.  edit

• 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.  edit

• Brown Jug, 1204 S University Ave, ☎ +1 734 761-3355, [156]. Daily 11AM-2AM. Early bird specials are from 2PM-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. $5-$16.  edit

• Casa Dominick's, 812 Monroe St, ☎ +1 734 662–5414. M-Sa 10AM-10PM, closed Sundays and closed during the winter months. A popular hangout south of campus next to the Business School and Law School, with lots of outdoor seating on the two porches or in the rear garden. Mostly Italian food, with pizza, pasta, subs and salads. The sangria, served in Mason jars, is very popular. Service can be hit-or-miss.  edit

• Casey's Tavern, 304 Depot St, ☎ +1 734 665-6775 (info@caseys-tavern.com), [157]. M-Sa 11AM-11PM (bar open until midnight F-Sa), closed Sundays. Non-smoking tavern near the Amtrak station. Soups, salads, snacks, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and entrées, with beers for $3.25-$4.95. Very helpful wait staff who will gladly steer you away from items they don't recommend. $6-$12.  edit

• Conor O'Neill's, 318 S Main St, ☎ 1 734 665–2968, [158]. Daily 11:30AM-2AM. Food is served Su-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-midnight. Serving wine, beer, Irish coffee and other hot drinks. The menu is a mixture of pub food (burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads) and traditional Irish favorites (mussels, shepherd's pie, boxty, fish and chips, and more). The strawberry and rhubarb crumble is delicious. $6-$10.  edit

• Good Time Charley's, 1140 S University, ☎ +1 734 668-8411, [159]. M-Sa 11AM-2AM, Su noon-midnight. A popular undergraduate hangout with a menu featuring breadsticks, pub food, salads, pizza, sandwiches and burgers. Popular for their bombs, Long Island iced teas and specialty drinks. $4-$8.  edit

• Grizzly Peak Brewing Company, 120 W Washington St, ☎ +1 734 741-7325, [160]. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 12PM-11PM. Features a number of their own brews. In addition to its brews, Grizzly Peak has excellent food and friendly wait staff. In the fall, Grizzly Peak and other area breweries host an Oktoberfest block party, and last year celebrated the season with drink specials and an Oktoberfest beer glass. American cuisine featuring pizza, burgers, ribs, fresh fish, pasta, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. The cheddar ale soup is not to be missed! $5-$15 lunch, $10-$20 dinner.  edit

• Melange Bistro, 314 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 222-0202. Asian-French fusion cuisine in a subterranean bistro and wine bar, with a separate sushi menu and an extensive wine and martini selection. Live music or DJs in the lounge W-Sa 10PM-2AM. On Mondays they host a movie night featuring salad, entrée and dessert, followed by a screening of a classic or contemporary film. Try the Pasta Va-Va. $5-$30.  edit

• Half Moon Cafe, 207 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 994-8484. Daily 5PM-2AM. Salads, sandwiches, burgers, fajitas and specialty margaritas. 11 billiard tables.  edit

• Old Town Tavern, 122 W Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 662-9291, [161]. Appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, Southwestern entrées, rotating weekend entrées, and a broad selection of mixed drinks. Popular but non-rowdy watering hole for townies. Smoky in the evenings. $6-$10.  edit

• Scorekeepers, 320 Maynard St, ☎ +1 734 995–0581. M-Th 5PM-2AM, F-Sa 11:30AM-2AM, closed Su (except during NFL season). Food is served until 10PM M-W, and midnight Th-Sa. Sports bar serving burgers, chicken and sandwiches.  edit

• Vinology Wine Bar and Restaurant, 110 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 222-9841, [162]. Seasonally-rotating menu with inventive small plates, specialty artisan cheeses, traditional entrées with a twist, and housemade desserts. Extensive wine list and full bar. Small plates $5-$11, platters $9-$16, entrées $14-$29.  edit

• Aut Bar, 325 Braun Ct, ☎ +1 734 994-3677, [163]. M-Sa 4PM-2AM, Su noon-2AM. Food is served M-Th 4PM-11PM, F-Sa 4PM-1AM, and on Sunday, brunch 10AM-3PM, dinner 4PM-11PM. Ann Arbor's main LGBT bar, with a cafe serving largely Mexican food, including burgers, burritos and sandwiches.  edit

• Blind Pig, 208 S First St, ☎ +1 734 996-8555, [164]. A popular local nightclub and concert venue since 1971, featuring local talent and occasionally larger acts. The 8 Ball Saloon, located beneath the club, is open daily from 3PM, with pool tournaments Sunday through Tuesday and a darts tournament on Monday.  edit

• Cavern Club, Gotham City and Millennium Club, 210 S First St, ☎ +1 734 332–9900 (Cavern/Gotham) and +1 734 913–8890 (Millennium). F-Sa 9PM-2AM; Su-Th closed. Three clubs with one combined cover charge. Cavern Club features live music; the other two play techno, house, and hip-hop.   edit

• Firefly Club, 637 South Main St, ☎ +1 734 665–9090, [165]. M-W 7PM-2AM, Th-F 5PM-2AM, Sa 8PM-2AM, Su 5PM-2AM. Ann Arbor's premiere jazz and blues club, with live music nightly and a small dance floor. The kitchen serves appetizers, dinner salads, sandwiches, and desserts, and there's a full bar for martinis, cocktails, beer and liquor. $3-$10 cover.  edit

• Goodnite Gracie, 301 W Huron St, ☎ +1 734 623–2070, [166]. Tu-Th Sa 7PM-2AM, F 5PM-2AM closed Su-M. A jazz and martini bar featuring local musicians, DJs, open mike entertainment and party events. No cover charge.  edit

• Necto, 516 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 994-5436, [167]. Doors open 9PM. Ann Arbor's hottest nightclub with DJs and live music, and nightly drink specials. $3-$8 cover.  edit

• Studio 4, 314 S Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 302–3687, [168]. Daily 9:30PM-2AM. A sophisticated nightclub featuring house DJs, a lounge, and a dance floor with the best sound and light system in town. Their lax ID policy has made them a household name with Ann Arbor's underage crowd.  edit

• Biggby Coffee, 539 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 997–0992, [169]. M-Fr 6AM-midnight, Sa 7AM-1AM, Su 7AM-11PM. Chain coffeeshop offering specialty cookies and pastries, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, bagel sandwiches, salads and wraps.  edit

• Café Ambrosia, 326 Maynard St, ☎ +1 734 929–9979. M-Fr 6:30AM-midnight, Sa 7AM-midnight, Su 8AM-midnight. Local coffeeshop offering coffee, tea, juice and locally made pastries. Plus, vegan cookies!  edit

• Café Verde, 214 N Fourth Ave (next to the People's Food Co-op), ☎ +1 734 302–7032, [170]. M-Sa 7AM-9:30PM, Su 9AM-8PM. Organic fair trade coffee, juice blends, chai, maté, hot cocoa and hot or iced tea; homemade cookies, cakes and pastries, and locally made sweets. The adjacent café offers soups, salads, hot entrees (by the pound), sandwiches and grilled panini.  edit

• Chocolate House, 330 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 222-0552. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F-Sa 10AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM. Hot chocolate drinks, coffee drinks, fruit smoothies and ice cream, along with chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered nuts and fruits. Blended iced coffee drinks in summer are superb.  edit

• Crazy Wisdom Tea Room, 114 S Main St, ☎ +1 734 665–9468, [171]. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F-Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Local tearoom offering organic fair-trade locally-roasted coffee, chai, a wide variety of teas (black, green, white, red and herbal), and entrées from Seva. Offers periodic reading series and special events. $1.20-$4.25.  edit

• Espresso Royale, 324 S State St, ☎ +1 734 662–2770, [172]. M-Fr 6:30AM-12AM, Sa 7AM-12AM, Su 8AM-midnight (11PM in summer). Chain coffeeshop offering coffees, teas and baked goods. Other locations in Ann Arbor include 214 S Main St (+1 734 668–1838) and 1101 S University St (+1 734 327–0740); hours may vary.  edit

• Mighty Good Coffee Roasting Co., 202 Huronview Blvd, ☎ +1 734 277-3060, [173]. Specialty coffee roasting business with a singular focus on quality and freshness. Open during roasting on M and Th 1PM-3:30PM. Tours welcome by appointment. Home delivery provided in Ann Arbor at no extra charge.  edit

• Primo Coffeehouse, 301 E Liberty St Ste 110, ☎ +1 734 929–0040, [174]. Mo-Fr 6AM-12AM, Sa-Su 7AM-11PM. Coffees, teas, milkshakes and fresh bakery items from Zingerman's Bakehouse.  edit

• Schakolad Chocolate Factory, 110 E Washington St, ☎ +1 734 213–1700, [175]. Organic fair-trade coffees, teas, chai, and European-style hot chocolate. The store also offers fresh, handmade European style chocolates and chocolate novelties.  edit

• Starbucks, 222 S State St, ☎ +1 734 623–8067. -Th 6AM-12AM, F 6AM-1AM, Sa 7AM-1AM, Su 7AM-11PM (earlier in summer). Coffees, teas and frappuccinos. Other locations include 300 S Main St (+1 734 222–9046) and 1241 S University St (+1 734 994–5437); hours may vary.  edit

• Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea, 407 N Fifth Ave (in the Kerrytown Market and Shops), ☎ +1 734 622–0084, [176]. Coffees, teas, frozen drinks, hot chocolate, Italian sodas and juices, as well as soups, sandwiches, parfaits, quiche, pastries, sweets and desserts. Their ginger lemon tea is a popular choice. Also located at 123 W Washington Street, +1 734 769-2331, M-F 7AM-midnight and Sa-Su 7:30AM-midnight.  edit

• TeaHaus, 204 N Fourth Ave, ☎ +1 734 622-0460 (lisa@teahaus-annarbor.com), [177]. M-Sa 1OAM-7PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Over 160 classic black and green, oolong, white, rooibush, herbal, ayurveda, fruit, aroma and seasonal teas sold loose, as well as tea accessories. Tea tastings offered periodically.  edit

• Zingerman's Next Door, 418 Detroit St, ☎ +1 734 663–5282. Daily 7AM-10PM. Coffees, teas, ice cream, chocolates and pastries from Zingerman's Bakehouse.  edit

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.

• Americas Best Value Inn, 3505 S State St, ☎ +1 734 665-3500, [178]. 108 rooms. Jacuzzi suites available. $50-$70.  edit

• Comfort Inn & Business Center, 2455 Carpenter Rd, ☎ +1 734 973-6100, [179]. 126 rooms. Indoor heated pool. Complimentary continental breakfast and weekday newspaper. $69-$75.  edit

• Days Inn, 2380 Carpenter Rd, ☎ +1 734 971-0700, [180]. 127 rooms. Complimentary expanded daybreak breakfast, indoor heated pool and whirlpool, sauna, onsite workout facility. Jacuzzi suites available. $60-$100.  edit

• Embassy Hotel, 200 E Huron St, ☎ +1 734 662-7100. 30 rooms. Built in 1889. $39-$49, $159-$179 weekly.  edit

• Extended StayAmerica, 1501 Briarwood Cir, ☎ +1 734 332-1980, [181]. 112 rooms. Fully-equipped kitchens and workspaces, dining and cooking utensils provided. Free access to Bally's Total Fitness Center. Adjacent to Briarwood Mall. $66, $42/day weekly rate.  edit

• Lamp Post Inn, 2424 E Stadium Blvd, ☎ +1 734 971–8000, [182]. 54 rooms, 20 with kitchenette. All rooms have a microwave oven and refrigerator or full kitchenette (with stove, oven and dishwasher, along with dishes, pots and pans). Complimentary continental breakfast. Lamp Post Plaza is adjacent for shopping. $45-$60, $259-$299 weekly (regular) or $279-$319 (kitchenette).  edit

• Microtel Inn, 3610 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 997-9100, [183]. 83 rooms. Complimentary continental breakfast. $56-$76.  edit

• Motel 6, 3764 S State St, ☎ +1 734 665-9900, [184]. 107 rooms. Outdoor pool. $56.  edit

• Red Arrow Motel, 5577 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 662-9944. 10 rooms. Located just outside the city limits, near Dixboro. $48.  edit

• Red Roof Inn, 3621 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 996-5800, [185]. 108 rooms. $58-$64.  edit

• Extendedstay Deluxe Studios, 3265 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 997-7623, [186]. 71 rooms. Fully-equipped kitchens and workspaces, dishwasher, on-site fitness center. Free access to Bally's Total Fitness Center. $77, $57 weekly.  edit

• Super 8, 2910 Jackson Ave, ☎ +1 734 741-8888, [187]. 55 rooms. Complimentary continental breakfast, outdoor pool. $55.  edit

Bed and Breakfast

• The Eighth Street Trekkers' Lodge, 120 Eighth St, ☎ +1 734 369-3107, [188]. 1 room, with twin beds (or king together) and private bath. 1875 house on the West Side, about a 20-minute walk from campus. Customized adventure trekking in the Nepal Himalayas. Himalayan watchdog and vegetarian breakfast included. Innkeeper: Heather O'Neal. $98.  edit

• Ann Arbor University Hotel & Suites, 3750 Washtenaw Ave, ☎ ''+1 734 971-2000. 103 rooms. Outdoor pool, on-site Thai restaurant. Complimentary continental breakfast, jacuzzi rooms available. $70-$90.  edit

• Baymont Inn & Suites, 2376 Carpenter Rd, ☎ +1 734 477-9977, [189]. 50 rooms. Indoor swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center. Complimentary continental breakfast, free newspaper, whirlpool suites available. $89-$129.  edit

• Candlewood Suites, 701 Waymarket Dr, ☎ +1 734 663-2818 (toll free: +1 877 226-3539), [190]. 122 rooms. Full kitchen, VCR and CD player, fitness center. On-site gift shop. $82-$119.  edit

• Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, 2900 Jackson Ave, ☎ +1 734 665-4444, [191]. 162 rooms. Indoor pool, whirlpool, exercise facility, steam room. Complimentary continental breakfast and newspaper, jacuzzi rooms available. $79-$89, $250 (3-room suites).  edit

• Comfort Inn & Suites, 3501 S State St, ☎ +1 734 761-8838, [192]. 83 rooms. Indoor heated pool, whirlpool and fitness center. Free deluxe continental breakfast and USA Today, jacuzzi rooms available. $89-$139.  edit

• Fairfield Inn, 3285 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 995-5200, [193]. 110 rooms. Indoor heated pool and whirlpool. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast. $69-$99.  edit

• Hampton Inn, 2300 Green Rd, ☎ +1 734 996-4444, [194]. 130 rooms. Indoor pool, oversized hot tub (open 24 hours for adults), fitness center. Complimentary hot breakfast and USA Today. $99.  edit

• Hampton Inn, 925 Victors Way, ☎ +1 734 665-5000, [195]. 149 rooms. Exercise gym, indoor pool, hot tub. Complimentary deluxe hot breakfast and to-go breakfast bags, and free USA Today.  edit

• Hawthorn Suites, 3535 Green Rd, ☎ +1 734 327-0011 (toll free: +1 800 527-1133), [196]. 82 rooms. Full kitchenette. Evening social hour Monday through Thursday featuring light supper and drinks, fitness room, indoor pool, whirlpool, picnic area, tennis and basketball courts, on-site convenience store. Complimentary daily hot breakfast buffet, shuttle service, grocery shopping, USA Today and Japanese newspaper. $105.  edit

• Holiday Inn, 3600 Plymouth Rd, ☎ +1 734 769-9800, [197]. 223 rooms. Indoor / outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool, fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, restaurant and lounge. Complimentary local shuttle service and USA Today. $104.  edit

• Holiday Inn Express, 600 Briarwood Cir, ☎ +1 734 761-2929, [198]. 107 rooms. Indoor pool, whirlpool. Complimentary continental breakfast. Adjacent to Briarwood Mall. $88-$104, $98-$149 suites.  edit

Bed and Breakfast

• Vitosha Guest Haus, 1917 Washtenaw Ave, ☎ +1 734 741-4969, [199]. 11 rooms. An English gothic inn composed of a castle stone chalet house, a Frank-Lloyd-Wright-inspired church, a neo-gothic parsonage, and a coach house tearoom. All rooms have private bath and fireplace. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast; afternoon tea $10/person. $89-$119 (single), $129-$199 (2-4 people).  edit

• Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, 1275 S Huron St, [200]. Ypsilanti with 30,000 sq ft. of meeting space, championship golf, and a view of Ford Lake. Resort/lodge atmosphere.

• Bell Tower Hotel, 300 S Thayer St, ☎ +1 734 769-3010 (toll free: +1 800 562-3559), [201]. 66 rooms. A small European-style inn which has received the city's Award for Outstanding Historic Preservation. The Earle Uptown restaurant, serving French cuisine, is on-site. Complimentary continental breakfast, free valet parking. $149-$173.  edit

• Courtyard Ann Arbor, 3205 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 995-5900, [202]. 160 rooms. Breakfast buffet, lounge, indoor pool, whirlpool, exercise room. $124-$149.  edit

• Dahlmann Campus Inn, 615 E Huron St, ☎ +1 734 769-2200 (toll free: +1 800 666-8693), [203]. 208 rooms. Fitness center, outdoor pool, sauna, sundeck. Passes available to Central Campus Recreation Building gymnasium. Victors Bar & Restaurant and gift shop on-site. $166-$188, $226 suites.  edit

• Four Points by Sheraton, 3200 Boardwalk St, ☎ +1 734 996-0600 (toll free: +1 800 848–2770), [204]. 197 rooms all featuring refrigerator, microwave, and personal safe. Fitness center, indoor / outdoor heated pool, whirlpool, sauna, Michael's Chop House restaurant and State Street Bar and Grill on-site. Features Ann Arbor's largest ballroom for weddings, conferences, expos, and more. $125.  edit

• Inn at the Michigan League, 911 N University Ave, ☎ +1 734 764-3177, [205]. 21 rooms on the fourth floor of the Michigan League. Complimentary breakfast voucher. $130-$135, $225-$230 suites.  edit

• Kensington Court, 610 Hilton Blvd, ☎ +1 800 344-7829, [206]. 200 rooms. Exercise room, heated indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, Graham's Restaurant and Lounge on-site. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast available for Executive Level. $109-$164.  edit

• Residence Inn, 800 Victors Way, ☎ +1 734 996-5666, [207]. 114 rooms. Daily breakfast buffet with American favorites and Asian specialties, weekly catered dinner, evening socials Monday through Thursday, fitness center, pool and whirlpool. Complimentary grocery shopping. Studio, 1- and 2-bedroom suites available, with fully-equipped kitchen and optional fireplace. $139-$169.  edit

• Weber's Inn, 3050 Jackson Ave, ☎ +1 734 769-2500 (toll free: +1 800 443-3050), [208]. 158 rooms. Pool and recreation area, exercise room, sauna, outdoor patio. Popular on-site Weber's Restaurant and Lounge. Complimentary continental breakfast. $120-$170.  edit

Bed and Breakfast

• Ann Arbor Bed and Breakfast (Ann Arbor Bed & Breakfast), 921 E Huron St (E Huron St at Fletcher), ☎ +1 734 994-9100, [209]. checkin: 3 pm; checkout: 11 am. 9 unique rooms with private bathrooms on the University of Michigan Central Campus by Power, Hill, League, and Rackham. Wireless & wired internet, public internet with printer, DVD/TV, on-site parking and a full, hearty breakfast. Coffee, tea, pop, water, and snacks anytime. Hot tub, kitchenettes, and extra beds and tables available. Innkeeper: Pat Materka (AnnArborBedAndBreakfast@GMail.com). $129-$229.  edit

• Apple and Pear Street Home Stay, 1505 Pear St, ☎ +1 734 769-2795, [210]. 3 guest rooms. Each guest room has Egyptian cotton linens, down comforters, extra plump pillows, a cozy feather bed, sitting area, reading lamp, closet, and workspace, including wireless Internet! Full breakfast; coffee, tea, and snacks. Innkeepers: Joni Strickfaden. $149.  edit

• Burnt Toast Inn, 415 W William St, ☎ +1 734 662-6685, [211]. 4 rooms. Art and antiques gallery on-site. Complimentary continental breakfast. Adults only. $80-$165 (single-person occupancy).  edit

• First Street Garden Inn, 549 S First St, ☎ +1 734 741-9786, [212]. 2 rooms. The home was built at the turn of the century in the Old West Side. Garden, full breakfast with homemade pastries. Innkeepers: Kathleen Clark and Michael Anglin. $100-$130.  edit

Stay safe

Ann Arbor is generally a very safe town, though the usual rules about common sense (i.e. being aware of your surroundings after dark) apply here as they would anywhere. The only really common crimes in town are those that you find in any 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.

Contact

Internet

Free wifi access is plentiful at local cafes. Additionally, a county government project [213] is underway to bring free or low-cost Wi-Fi to all of Washtenaw County, starting with downtown Ann Arbor. As of April 2008, the Wireless Washtenaw network is visible but not consistently usable, so seeking out a cafe is a better bet.

• Digital Ops, 525 E Liberty St, ☎ +1 734 994-1595, [214]. Internet access and multiplayer gaming facility with mostly PC video games. The atmosphere is very friendly and social.  edit

• Espresso Royale Caffe, 324 S State St, ☎ +1 734 662-2770, [215]. This particular ERC location, across the street from the University of Michigan Diag, has a handful of desktop computers set up for customer use. (Most cafes in town, including the other ERC locations, provide only wifi, not computers.)  edit

• Ann Arbor District Library, 343 South Fifth Ave (Main Branch), ☎ +1 734 327-4200 (all branches), [216]. The main branch of the public library, located downtown a couple of blocks from Main Street [217], offers wifi and a couple dozen desktop computers for visitor use. Check in at the desk on the second floor.  edit

Cope

Radio stations

Four good public radio stations are within listening distance.

• WCBN-FM Ann Arbor, 88.3 FM, [218]. Located in the basement of the Student Activities building at the University of Michigan you will find the studios of WCBN. The format is total freeform -- DJs have complete control over their shows -- which makes the broadcasts a mixed bag. The variety is stunning, though, from Sounds of the Subcontinent to emo to classic jazz to Noise Till Noon. They also broadcast a list of upcoming concerts around town at regular intervals.

• WEMU, 89.1 FM, [219]. News, jazz and blues, with a tilt toward little-known fusion and crossover, from the campus of Eastern Michigan University. Consistent quality -- you'll either like almost all of it, or very little. News updates on the hour, and in the early morning and midafternoon.

• WUOM, 91.7 FM, [220]. Talk radio from NPR and PRI.

• WDET, 101.9 FM, [221]. News and music during the day; electronica-tinged underground music at night. Broadcast from Wayne State University in Detroit.

• Michigan Daily, ☎ +1 734-763-2459, [222]. The student newspaper.  edit

Get out

The rest of Washtenaw County has quite a few charming little towns and villages that you might enjoy visiting.

• Ypsilanti is about 15 minutes east on I-94, but practically contiguous with Ann Arbor if you're driving down Washtenaw Avenue.

• Dexter is about 15 minutes west on I-94.

• Saline is about 15 minutes south on US-23.

• Chelsea is about 20 minutes west on I-94.

• Manchester is about 30 minutes southwest on I-94 and MI-52.

• Milan is about 30 minutes south on US-23.

If you'd rather get out of the county, there are some larger cities and towns a short drive away.

• Dundee is about 30 minutes south on I-23. Most people go for the nearest branch of Cabela's, an enormous outdoor outfitter and hunting/fishing/camping store, but it also has a nice little downtown. A 20-minute drive from Dundee along MI-50 will bring you to Tecumseh, a charming village with a great downtown and some very nice restaurants, including a British imports shop with a quaint tea café.

• Detroit is about 45 minutes east on either I-94 or I-96. If you're not visiting downtown Detroit, you might want to stop in some of the suburbs. There's a nice movie theatre and good restaurants in nearby Canton; Novi and Troy (home of the impressive Somerset Collection mall) are good for shopping; Hamtramck has a sizeable Polish population, and Dearborn is home to the largest Middle Eastern community in the United States, as well as the fantastic Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

• Lansing is about 1 hour west on I-96. It's the state capital, and home to rival college Michigan State University.

• Frankenmuth, which bills itself as "Michigan's #1 tourist attraction", is about 1 hour north on US-23. It's a great little tourist town with a Bavarian-style downtown, delicious all-you-can-eat fried chicken dinners, and a year-round Christmas store.

• Toledo, Ohio is about 1 hour south on US-23. You'll pass several nice little villages on the way. In town, there's a great art museum, the world-class Toledo Zoo, and a neighborhood of old Victorian homes.

Routes through Ann Arbor

Chicago ← Jackson ←

W  E

→ Ypsilanti → Detroit

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