Things to do & places to visit in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Backpack-strapped students permeate the streets of Ann Arbor, home to The University Of Michigan. But there's more to the city than academia. A popular destination for families, Ann Arbor boasts child-friendly museums with exciting hands-on exhibits and art museums with prestigious collections. Couples and single travelers enjoy the eclectic shops, ethnic restaurants and hip night clubs, while book lovers are wowed by the more than 30 independent bookstores. From mysteries and crime to holistic healing and yoga, each store has a unique personality and area of expertise. Most of the major attractions are located in the same area, making it easy to hop from one to the next and enjoy all this vibrant city has to offer.

Ann Arbor city in Michigan, United States. Timezone: America/Detroit, current date and time: Monday, April 29, 2024, 1:30.

Top things to do (27)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Decode Ann Arbor (815 reviews)
- Best escape room we have done to date.
Monday: 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Escape Games • Scavenger Hunts

Discover adventures for teams large and small! Our award-winning escape rooms at Decode Ann Arbor take you around the globe and to destinations beyond your wildest imagination. Bring you friends and family and join in the fun! See more..
5.0 Law Quadrangle (272 reviews)
- One of the most beautiful places you'll ever see
Educational sites

It makes you want to go to Law School here at U of M...the Law Quadrangle is just such a beautiful historic complex, everything about it just exudes magnificent workmanship and old time beauty. The grounds are shady on a hot summer day and you just look at the details on all the buildings and you are in awe. So lovely. The Student Union is across the street so go get a lunch or coffee and come sit in the quad and take in the beauty. You won't be disappointed. See more..
5.0 Hill Auditorium (144 reviews)
- Fantastic Sound and Wonderful Venue
Theaters • Convention Centers

This beautiful auditorium is the best concert hall in the midwest. Because of its superior sound and large seating, it is chosen by many world renowned performers. It is right in the center of campus, there are plenty of restaurants and a full range of performances to see and listen to! A must experience! See more..
5.0 Breakout Escape Rooms Ann Arbor (109 reviews)
- Had a really fun time
Monday: 10:00 AM - 11:45 PM Spent 1-2 hours Escape Games • Game & Entertainment Centers

WE HAVE THE MOST FUN! Game experiences that will excite and challenge your friends, family, or coworkers. Choose a fun & Immersive Themed Adventure Today! See more..
5.0 The Creature Conservancy (50 reviews)
- A Great Outside the Box place to visit
Monday: Spent 2-3 hours Zoos

This is a wonderful up-close and personal wild animal conservancy with over 70 species of exotic animals, many of whom are rescued former pets. Open to the public on weekends (1-5pm) with featured presentations at 2 and 4pm. Tickets may be purchased in advance from the website (Ages 13 - $12; Ages 2-12 - $10; 2 & under - free), or at the door (Ages 13 - $13; Ages 2-12 - $11; 2 & under - free). Weekdays times are available by appointment for private tours, private group events, school field trips, summer camps. Birthday parties and other private event rentals available. Most of the animal display enclosures are under cover so this is a great afternoon event for both hot and cold weather! Handicap and stroller accessible. Free parking in main, paved parking lot. See more..
5.0 County Farm Park (13 reviews)
- GREAT PLAYGROUND
Spent 1-2 hours Parks

This is a really nice park with an excellent playground. You can have a community garden plot or take a long walk through the woods. See more..
5.0 Bløm Meadworks (12 reviews)
- A NEW ADDITION TO ANN ARBOR
Monday: Spent 1-2 hours Breweries

Dry, sparkling, session meads and ciders made with Michigan ingredients. Proudly fermented and sold in Ann Arbor and surrounding areas. All products are naturally gluten free, and we offer a variety of gluten-free snacks, as well. See more..
4.5 Michigan Stadium (766 reviews)
- Iconic Stadium
Arenas & Stadiums

This is one of the best places to see a college football game. The walk to the Stadium is alone almost worth the price of admission. It primarily has bleacher seating, and the food and beverage options are pretty limited. But it gets loud and the atmosphere can be absolutely electric, never more so than after today’s Michigan upset of Ohio State. Hail! See more..
4.5 University of Michigan (619 reviews)
- Burton Memorial Bell Tower-A Must See!
Points of Interest & Landmarks

The University's beautiful campus includes many fine museums and facilities for its enrollment of 36,000. See more..
4.5 Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum (478 reviews)
- Best Children's Museum!
Monday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Children's Museums

Everyone gets creative in this interactive science and technology museum, featuring engaging exhibits in subjects like psychology, the media and health. See more..
4.5 Matthaei Botanical Gardens (400 reviews)
- Beautiful and well organized!
Nature & Wildlife Areas • Gardens

A 300-acre garden with a variety of outdoor displays and nature trails for exploring. See more..
4.5 Kerrytown (303 reviews)
- Nice variety
Monday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Neighborhoods

Ann Arbor's best shopping area is full of small boutiques and restaurants, and features a Farmers' Market on weekends. See more..
4.5 Main Street (249 reviews)
- A must-see in Ann Arbor
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Neighborhoods

A classic "college town" neighborhood street for strolling. Shops and restaurants line the street and offer abundant variety to meet every taste. See more..
4.5 University of Michigan Museum of Art (238 reviews)
- The charming and exciting University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Monday: Spent 1-2 hours Art Galleries • Art Museums

Among the best campus art museums in the U.S., UMMA offers several rotating exhibitions per year as well as updated galleries showcasing a collection of more than 21,000 objects spanning all time periods. Museum admission and events are always free and fully accessible—eliminating critical barriers to entry and welcoming the participation of all. Visit our website to see what's currently on view. See more..
4.5 University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (182 reviews)
- Great natural history museum for all ages
Monday: Spent 1-2 hours Natural History Museums • Science Museums • Observatories & Planetariums

The museum doesn't just preserve the past; it also shows off the latest in scientific research with interactive exhibits, new programming spaces, and a state-of-the-art Planetarium & Dome Theater! Exhibits include: On the Trail of Mastodons; Evolution: Life through Time; Under the Microscope; Exploring Michigan; and People and the Planet. See more..
4.5 Michigan Theater (174 reviews)
- Very nice old-style movie theater
Theaters

This movie theater has the flair of a few decades ago. It is cosy and comfortable, it is spacy and has a very nice atmosphere. See more..
4.5 Hudson Mills Metropark (95 reviews)
- Awesome park with a lot of options.
Monday: 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM Parks

1,549-acre Park Has An 18-hole Golf Course. See more..
4.5 Kelsey Museum of Archaeology (95 reviews)
- Small & worth the time.
Monday: History Museums

The Kelsey Museum houses a collection of nearly 100,000 objects from the civilizations of the Mediterranean. See more..
4.5 Gallup Park (67 reviews)
- Wonderfull Park in Ann Arbor; Great for Dog Walking
Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water • Parks

One of the best park in AA for a morning/afternoon walk and even better if you need to walk your Dog. Always maintained well, paths are snow plowed even on bad weather days. In Spring/Summer its perfectly groomed and maintained. Overall an excellent location in AA for outdoor activity. See more..
4.5 Nichols Arboretum (64 reviews)
- Well worth the visit
Spent 2-3 hours Scenic Walking Areas

There is free parking on the streets in the Washington Heights area. The entrance is very close, the trails are wide and well maintained. This spot is hilly with lots of runners, joggers and foot traffic. You have many options to diverge off the stone paths, which meander in the woods and not as popular with foot traffic, so nice a quiet. Great spot for lots of landscape and flower photography, as well as grads and brides to be. See more..
4.5 Yost Ice Arena (58 reviews)
- One of a kind!
Monday: 12:00 PM - 12:50 PM Spent 2-3 hours Arenas & Stadiums

Yost Ice arena is an old school, barn-like arena. Great place to watch a college hockey game -- if you can get a ticket! See more..
4.5 Nickels Arcade (51 reviews)
- It’s a nice little arcade but most shops are closed.
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas

It seems every time I visit this place almost everything is closed. Must be bad timing on my part. But Comet coffee is always open and that’s why I go here. It’s a pretty cool little arcade. Check it out. See more..
4.5 Leslie Science Center (40 reviews)
- Great for kids parties
Monday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Science Museums

This is a great place, we have hosted two birthday parties here and staff are greart with kids. The parties are always a great hit, with lots to see and do. See more..
4.5 Power Center for the Performing Arts (32 reviews)
- Nice smaller Venue
Theaters

A 1,400-seat theatre that frequently hosts a wide range of performances including ballet, live music and plays. See more..
4.5 Kerrytown Markets and Shops (29 reviews)
- Diversity of markets in historic Kerrytown
Spent 1-2 hours Shopping Malls

Kerrytown markets and the farmer's market on weekends (+ Wednesdays in the summer) is a great place to visit in Ann Arbor. The selection of fresh foods from local farmers is extensive. See more..
4.5 Cobblestone Farm (28 reviews)
- Brings back the simple life
Speciality Museums • Farms

This is a nice place - you feel like you're back in time and enjoying the simpler things without technology or modern complications. Peaceful and fun. Children love it. See more..
4.5 Crisler Center (27 reviews)
- Planes,trains,automobiles
Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Arenas & Stadiums

While visiting friends in Ann Arbor our host drove us to the Ford Museum. We really enjoyed our visit. I'm not sure one visit is enough. Some many interesting items to see. Everything from race cars to Rosa Parks historic bus. We want to come back in season when Greenfield village is open. See you soon... See more..
4.5 St. Thomas the Apostle Ann Arbor, Michigan (27 reviews)
- An Architectural Gem Worth Visiting
Monday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

This church is an architectural gem worthy of a drive by visit at the very least. The medieval-style church is a Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Lansing. See more..
4.5 Buhr Park (16 reviews)
- A nice place all year
Parks

Just took a stroll through here with my kiddos yesterday to enjoy the sun. I love that this park has so much fun for the family. There is a small all ages playground, a historic farmhouse and barn with animals for the kids to look at, an ice rink in the winter (for when mine get older), a pool in the summer, a tennis court, softball fields and a soccer field in the summer. Plus the have a seasonally open farmers market. I really am impressed by how this park has grown over the years. It’s our go to outing to get out of the house. See more..
4.0 State Street (100 reviews)
- Nice place to walk
Neighborhoods • Points of Interest & Landmarks

Movie theatres, books and music stores are the main attractions of the popular State Street neighborhood. See more..