First Visit to AA in 30 years
I moved to California 30 years ago. I’ve always wanted to come back, visit campus and Ann Arbor, and see a game. Life, career, and family got in the way
I’m bringing my 3 teenagers to visit for the first time one day this August. No game unfortunately, but I’d like to make it memorable for them. What are your top 1-3 things we should definitely do? Is there someone at the school I should contact about a school tour?
I can’t think of a better group to ask. Thank you in advance!
In no particular order:
1. Walk the arboretum
2. Walk the campus
3. Downtown Ann Arbor
Rick's
Skeeps
Charley's
Sorry - guess you said teenagers. 1) Law quad/law library 2) Ross B-School 3) Big House. Best for last
I like that idea! “Hey kids, this is where your dad spent all his nights!”
throw in the diag too. then get a nice dinner afterwards
If your kids play any sports you might see if that team is practicing/playing. I know a kid I coached went up for a visit in late August a few years ago and was able to stop by the Varsity Tennis Center and watch some of the women's practice.
Not sure when in august you plan on being there, but back in the day I can tell you from personal experience that we used to have hockey training camp start then. I don't think we could be on the ice until September but that might have changed in the intervening centuries since I played college hockey. We were not secretive at all about our workouts but maybe that has changed since the glaciers have receded from our state and electricity was invented....
Depending on how long you're here, think about taking them to some nm of the lakes/state parks that are just west of Ann Arbor, such as the Pinckney Recreation area, Brighton Lake, Kensington, Waterloo, or the Portage chain. They're all within 30 minutes of downtown and have great outdoor activities. It would be a nice change up from the city.
Why go to the overgrown ponds you mentioned when we have Great Lakes?
Well, they could fly the mosquitos around the ponds.
I would take a trip North to Traverse City, Mackinaw Island, the bridge, Soo Locks, and then travel west along the the Lake Superior shoreline.
Ah yes, remember taking study breaks and riding the 'ol Schwinn down to the Soo Locks, morning coffee in Traverse City on my way to class, and strolling out of the dorm for evening walks around Lake Superior.
Too much snark? Mayhaps ...
I didn't make it to the Soo Locks until I took my kids back in 2015. My family had been to Mackinaw countless times in my childhood but for whatever reason we never made the extra 45 minute drive up there. It was really awesome. The town itself isn't the type of place you'd spend a week in, but it makes for a great day trip, or maybe a one night stay if you're doing a driving trip in the UP.
DEFINITELY do a tour. It'll hit the big central campus spots and since so much has changed, I'm sure you'll learn quite a bit too!!!
https://admissions.umich.edu/explore-visit/visit-campus
And with 3 teens, I might skip the Arb, depending on how much time you have. When exactly in August? If they are into sports at all, find any team that has a home game, if possible, and attend it.
You could tube/kayak down the river; an easy way to knock out a half day and get off your feet.
Check out the wave field on north campus
I would definitely take a walk around downtown as well as campus - they have changed rather a lot in those 30 years, to say the least, especially with all the new high rises going in.
Check out some of the restaurants - there are some great ones that you'll only find here.
As someone mentioned, check out a Metropark if you want a little break from the city - Hudson Mills, Kensington, Lower Huron, and a few others are about 30 minutes from Ann Arbor.
Definitely a homage to athletic campus as it is August - pick up a practice and take a stroll down by the stadium.
The advice here will be good, but also take them to some of the places that you remember fondly/have meaning to you. It will be cool for them to get some of that personal history and cool for you to share the moments when you see what is the same and what has changed.
Mix in some suggestions from here you know they’ll enjoy and voila, rough itinerary.
order lunch in advance from Zingerman's and pick it up to go
eat on the steps of the grad
walking tour north out of the diag to rackham/mlb/michigan league over to the hospital/hill area through the arb out past whatever frats through south u to the law quad/b-school into the union and then down to yost/schembechler to the stadium up main street into downtown ann arbor
then have dinner and go see someone at the ark assuming it is someone they'd care about.
I'm just going to jump in here and preemptively state that no, Maize and Blue deli is NOT better than Zingermans before some passionate contrarian chimes in.
Right, if you want a Maize and Blue deli experience, go to Kroger, buy some Pepperidge Farm rye bread, best to get the kind that's dyed to make it look authentic, some Oscar Meyer corned beef, some canned sauerkraut, Kraft swiss cheese, and some Kraft thousand island dressing, and voila, a Maize and Blue Rueben.
"Nasty." Literal LOL
If you have time I highly recommend touring the stadium and maybe visit Schembechler Hall. Here's a link for tours: http://facilityrentals.ath.umich.edu/index.php/facility-tours/
Wholeheartedly agree with a Big House tour. Very cool. Depending on availability, the tour may include Crisler. You have to book in advance, so don't delay.
Definitely a campus tour. Lunch at Pizza House. Drive around the athletic campus (MUCH has changed in last 30 years). Law Quad is a must now that they've finished redoing all the sidewalks inside the quad. No tours of the Union - it's closed for a major renovation/upgrade for the next year and a half. Dinner at one of the downtown restaurants or Gandy Dancer. A spin around the North Campus would be good - again MUCH has changed up there. I agree also with a stroll through the Arb, weather permitting. Have fun!
Spin the cube!
go to Drakes!
go to moes!
Unfortunately the cube is pretty much blocked off until this time next year. They’re doing construction on the Union until then.
Drakes has been gone a long time. : (
Drakes has been gone a long time. : (
Take a ride up through Barton Hills then up the river to Hudson Mills- and on NW through Dexter and up to Hell-I went to Pinckney High :) (Show then that hell is no place to fear.) Hike the recreation are...swim at Silver Lake...
You'd be passing right by my home as you approach Hudson Mills on that route you just described. I can concur that this drive is absolutely beautiful.
Yes...a lovely area. We canoed from Portage Lake or the Metro Park at Territorial Rd. to our friends on Barton Pond many, many times...loved going through the rapids at Hudson Mills...it was an altogether lovely trip.
What part of CA? Where you live now will help define what will be interesting/unique about Ann Arbor relative to what you would call home. Palo Alto is a lot different than, say, Barstow.
East Bay. Close to Berkeley though we’ve visited Stanford.
Huh? What’s “interesting” in Ann Arbor after having been away for 30 years has nothing at all to do with where he lives now. Not following your logic.
UM soccer starts up mid August. Nice stadium and $6 GA admission. Womens 8-11, 8-16, 8-19, 8-23. Mens 8-18, 8-24. The men almost one the B1G last year and the women were good early til the injury bug hit.
Almost won ...I'm putting a yard sign up in HUEL's easment on Detroit St. begging them to work on this site. I'll taking editing before voting as far as fixes go.
will the signs say, 'HUEL, blog killers!!'?
There's a reason EL is in HUEL's name...
If you call the admissions office or visit the website, I’m sure you can get yourself on a tour. As far as what to do, if you only have time to go to Ann Arbor and not upstate or any surrounding areas (I’d honestly rather take them up to Traverse/Petoskey area if you have the time):
-Walk around Central Campus, show them the Diag and the Law Quad.
-Walk over to Kerrytown and grab lunch at Zingermann’s.
-Walk the sandwiches off in the Arb.
-Unless you can get an actual tour of the Big House, I personally don’t think it’s worth walking all the way down there since everything is gated off anyway.
1. Walk the arb or go visit the botanical gardens on dixboro.
2. BTB
3. Ashley's
If you have time Hopcat, Jolly Pumpkin, HOMES Brewery, Wolverine State Brewing, Salt Springs Brewing (Saline), Founders (Grand Rapids), Bell's Eccentric Cafe (KZoo), Short's (Bellaire), Oddside (Grand Haven), Speciation Artisan Ales (Comstock Park).
If you lived in a dorm on North make them ride the bus.
If your kids are in highschool and thinking about applying to Michigan, email a professor in a department they are interested in. Depending what they like, the professor might be able to show them some interesting stuff.
Are any of your children possible four stars? Asking for a friend.
In all seriousness, your teens would probably like:
1) tubing down the rapids
2) brunch at the gandy dancer
3) big house
4) walking the arb
5) BTB or whatever they are into for fast food.
6) birds of prey at Leslie science center
Most teens would like all those A2 specific activities. Plenty of other great ideas but maybe more personality specific.
Thanks for all the great ideas and comments so far. I’ll say:
Definately Zingerman’s over all. I lived down the street. It was new then. The only challenge is I have to eat gluten free and my kids are vegan. Don’t ask but its all for the right reasons.
Definatly the campus appointment and tour. I assume that will hit all the key spots. The Diag, the Law Quad and many more
Definatly need to walk into the Big House. You use to be able to just walk in. Do they still allow that?
Not sure about North Campus. The engineering school moved up there when I was on campus. Is it still purgatory?
The river kayaking sounds interesting l
They are more academic than athletic
They've been to other parts of Michigan Just not Ann Arbor
Very into music
What is Drakes?
Thanks
Zingermanns
Diag ans Law Quad walk through
Michigan Union, play some pool upstairs
Stadium, especially if you can get inside
Nichols arboretum
Angelo's for breakfast/lunch
You can register your teenager(s) for a central campus tour. Its worth it if only for the presentation by the admissions officer at the start of the tour.
https://enrollmentconnect.umich.edu/portal/information_session
Things have changed in the past 30 years. Especially downtown and on North Campus. The whole town/campus has become a lot ritzier. If your family has specialized dining requirements you'll probably have an easy time finding establishments that cater to your needs.
Hit Blimpy Burgers at lease once
1. Start at the Diag and show them the Grad Library reading room
2. Tour the Law Quad and the new Ross B-School followed by lunch at Dominick's
3. Walk down Hill past Pizza Bob's, Campus Corners, etc to Michigan Stadium
Ton of other options, but that is a nice morning to early afternoon walking tour if good weather. Enjoy and Go Blue !!!