The best things to do in Ann Arbor span art focused activities, indulging in the city's diverse culinary scene, visiting some cool local businesses, and checking out the University of Michigan campus.
As someone who lived in Ann Arbor for two years and who visits the city on a frequent basis, I say in confidence to tourists that Ann Arbor has more to offer than someone would expect of a college town.
With my list, I know you'll have a memorable visit to Ann Arbor!
This attraction still stands as one of the more unique things to do I've recommended for a city.
Stationed around downtown Ann Arbor are several doors no longer than the span of your thumb to index finger. While most of the doors are outside, a few of them reside inside various local businesses.
The fairy doors rank high as one of Ann Arbor's best kept secrets and remain one of the essential items on any Ann Arbor itinerary.
This artistic public corridor reigns as my most favored attraction in all of Ann Arbor. Whenver I visit the city, I make time to see Graffiti Alley.
The vibrant bohemian artwork encompasses the walls and cement. New graffiti is added all the time-- though, sometimes, not always for the best.
Graffiti Alley stretches from E Liberty to E Washington, providing you lots of opportunities to get that perfect picture or video!
Like the fairy doors, if you're in the mood for another scavenger hunt, go onto Google Maps and type in "A2AC murals". You'll embark on another walkable search for Ann Arbor's finest murals.
My personal favorite mural is the one outside the legendary music venue The Blind Pig, in Ann Arbor's Creative District. I even used it as the lead image for this article...
As for sculptures, head over to the Michigan Union to see "The Cube". Outside the University of Michigan Museum of Art are two really cool sculptures as well. And speaking of that museum...
UMMA's motto is "Feel Free". Clever slogan strongly hinting the museum does not charge admission!
As someone who's visited art museums all around the country, I often feel art museums with free admission are, to be frank, free for a reason. However, UMMA is actually worth going to, as the quality of the art is high and the variety is wide!
This free art museum contains over 1600 art pieces-- many of them from the 20th and 21st centuries alone. It ranks as one of my favorite art museums in the country!
And speaking of another free museum...
Like UMMA, the Kelsey Museum of Archaelogy also does not charge admission, though donations are welcome!
This museum is housed within one of the most gorgeous buildings on the University of Michigan campus. I'm no expert on the style of architecture but the outside of the museum is all stone.
For a fairly small museum, the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology contains over 100,000+ artifacts, a majority of them being from ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and the Middle East.
Ann Arbor is one of the best cities in the US for food. What makes Krazy Jim's Blimpie Burger stand out as to earn a spot on my list of things to do is how the staff treats customers.
On the left wall as you approach the area to order, you'll see precise instructions how to order. If you don't order your food correctly, the staff will be rude to you. That's part of its charm.
Krazy Jim's Blimpie Burger is the only burger joint I've been to where I've had a quadruple cheeseburger. Like Graffiti Alley, this is a place I always go to when I visit this city.
Kerrytown is a small neighborhood located in the historic district nearby downtown.
This charming neighborhood of Ann Arbor hosts an array of delightful local businesses. The most notable of these businesses would have to be the Ann Arbor Farmers Market and Zingerman's Delicatessen.
Nickels Arcade is a beautiful indoor shopping mall in downtown with a timeless look thanks to its mosaic tiles. The mall is one long corridor with a high ceiling housed between Maynard Street and State Street.
This public corridor has been the home of many businesses for over 100 years, which makes this recommendation the oldest on this list. I honestly had no idea it had been around that long!
Albeit being a public unversity, the University of Michigan is regarded as a "public Ivy" due to many of its undergraduate and graduate programs ranking in the US News Top 10. In 2023, the university had an acceptance rate as low as 20%.
You can feel the aura of intellectualism walking on the university's beautiful campus.
Go on a walk along 'The Diag', located on the university's central campus. In the center of The Diag is a large brass 'M'. Legend has it that if a new student steps on the 'M' before taking their first exam, they'll fail it!
My favorite school on the campus to explore, by far, is the law school. It looks more like an Ivy League campus or a set straight out of Harry Potter.
Other cool buildings to see on the campus are the Burton Memorial Tower, the Michigan Stadium (nicknamed 'The Big House' and is the largest college football stadium in the U.S), the Hatcher Graduate Library (cool mural in there!), and the Hill Auditorium.
To be clear, I own a total of zero comic books. Nothing against them. I just prefer to read novels and non-fiction.
Vault of Midnight is an awesome comic store with a great selection of comics, graphic novels, board games, action figures, and other related merchandise.
What I feel is especially worth checking out is their basement. The lower level of the store has an extensive archive of much older editions of comic books.
Southeastern Michigan is not exactly a spot renowned for natural beauty, as much of the land is rather flat. Thus, an opportunity to see anything involving nature is really special!
If you're looking to step briefly outside the city, then add a trip to Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, or as locals call it, 'The Arb', to your itinerary! The land spans 123 acres.
For an opportunity to do some hiking, Matthaei Botanical Gardens has a 4.3 mile long trail.
One slight drawback to visiting The Arb is the lack of public parking. Visitors who drive themselves should park at the University of Michigan blue lot M28 on Washington Heights.
From the city's stellar food options, intellectual spirit, and youthful energy, Ann Arbor is bound to be one of the most memorable places you'll see when you explore Michigan.
I hope you have enjoyed my personal list of the most fun things to do in Ann Arbor! I feel lucky to live close to such an extraordinary city.