Start from 34 curated places around Ann Arbor, MI, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Miss Kim
A Kerrytown Korean restaurant that draws diners from across the Midwest — the menu focuses on traditional fermentation and technique rather than the trendy Korean-American fusion that's easier to find. The tteokbokki and the fried chicken both show the kitchen's technical seriousness, and the banchan selection is the most thoughtfully assembled in Ann Arbor. Book well ahead; the room is small and every seat is spoken for on weekends.
Frita Batidos
A Cuban street-food counter on Washington Street that invented its own dish — the frita burger, a chorizo-beef patty with shoestring fries piled on top in the Havana style, served with a batido milkshake in flavors like mamey and soursop. It's been rated the number-one restaurant in Ann Arbor on TripAdvisor repeatedly, and the consistency of that ranking reflects genuine quality rather than tourist-friendly approachability. The counter seats fill up fast at lunch.
Trails & outdoors
Nichols Arboretum Loop Trail
The main 2.7-mile loop through the university arboretum covers the main valley, prairie restoration, and the upper ridge through old-growth hardwoods. The elevation change is modest enough for almost any fitness level but significant enough to feel satisfying. Spring and fall are the peak seasons here — the peony garden in late May and the canopy color in October are both worth timing a visit around.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens Trail
A 4.3-mile out-and-back trail through the botanical garden's natural areas on the east side of campus — the route covers restored wetlands, a remnant oak savanna, and woodland that feels genuinely wild given how close it sits to the university. The conservatory at the trailhead is worth an additional 30-45 minutes separately from the trail. Connects west to Furstenburg Nature Area for a longer loop.
Things to do
University of Michigan Museum of Natural History
A genuinely substantial natural history museum on the central campus with a planetarium dome, interactive science exhibits, and a paleontology collection anchored by a Permian-era mammal-like reptile skeleton that researchers in the field travel to study. The museum underwent a major renovation and the new installation design is among the better science museum experiences in the Midwest. Free for all visitors.
The Last Word
A small cocktail bar in a basement below downtown Ann Arbor that has developed a serious local reputation for quality without the performance that usually accompanies it. The cocktail list is short and changes seasonally; the spirits selection is deeper than the menu suggests. Named for the classic Prohibition-era cocktail, which they make properly — as a benchmark, it's a good one.
Landmarks & sights
Zingerman's Delicatessen
The Kerrytown deli that became a national food landmark without becoming a caricature of itself — the sandwich list runs 39 varieties built on house-sourced rye and country loaves, and the cheesemonger counter is as serious as any in the Midwest. The Reuben has landed on best-in-America lists enough times that the hype has outlasted the usual expiration date. Worth knowing: this is the original; it's also the only one.
Nichols Arboretum
The university arboretum that locals call 'the Arb' covers 123 acres along the Huron River with trails through mature hardwood forest, a prairie restoration, and a peony collection that draws serious horticultural attention in late spring. It's where students and longtime residents both come to reset — the main valley loop takes about an hour at a comfortable pace and gains enough elevation to feel like a proper walk without requiring trail shoes.