Ann Arbor itinerary scene

Weekend itinerary

Two nights in Ann Arbor: campus, markets, river.

Arrive for Main Street dinner, spend Saturday between Central Campus and Kerrytown, then save Sunday morning for the Huron River or a museum.

By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary

The two-night route links Central Campus, downtown, Kerrytown, and the Huron River.

Best length

2 nights

Two nights provide one complete day plus arrival and departure blocks. Choose a museum or paddling according to weather and current operations.

Stay

Bell Tower Hotel

Campus-edge rooms favor tours and football; Main Street favors dinner and evening walks.

Main activity

Central Campus, downtown, Kerrytown, and the Huron River

Stay near Central Campus or Main Street so Saturday can run from the Union through downtown without moving the car.

Two-night stay

Campus, downtown, Kerrytown, and one river morning

Walk between Central Campus, downtown, and Kerrytown on Saturday; choose one Sunday river or museum outing before departure.

Leafy paths crossing the University of Michigan Diag
Central Campus and downtown share the first full day.
Kerrytown market streets on a bright Ann Arbor morning
Kerrytown adds market stalls, shops, and an easy walk from Main Street.
Paddlers and riverside paths at Gallup Park
The Huron River gives the compact weekend an outdoor morning.

Friday

Arrival: Main Street and dinner downtown.

Check in, walk the downtown blocks, and save campus for daylight.

4:00 PM

6:30 PM

First dinner

Start with Mani Osteria and Bar.

Mani Osteria serves wood-fired pizza, handmade pasta, and antipasti near Main Street hotels and the downtown theater blocks.

Saturday

Saturday: the Diag, Law Quadrangle, museums, and Kerrytown.

Walk Central Campus in the morning, cross toward downtown for lunch, and continue to Kerrytown before dinner.

8:30 AM

Breakfast

Start with Fleetwood Diner.

Eat before the campus walk; Fleetwood Diner is open for walk-ins around the clock, while other breakfast hours vary by day.

10:00 AM

Main activity

Walk campus, eat downtown, and reach Kerrytown by 2 p.m.

Start at 10 a.m. with the Michigan Union, Law Quadrangle, Diag, and one museum. Eat around noon on State Street or downtown, walk Main Street, then continue to the Kerrytown shops and market sheds by 2 p.m.

4:30 PM

Afternoon

Return to the hotel before dinner.

Drop off purchases, change after the campus walk, and reach the reserved dinner table without another search for parking.

7:00 PM

Dinner

Reserve dinner at Gandy Dancer.

Seafood and steak are served inside the restored 1886 Michigan Central Depot, with Sunday three-course brunch and private dining.

Sunday

Sunday: river path, paddle, or a final museum.

Choose Argo or Gallup when weather cooperates; keep the University of Michigan Museum of Art as a strong indoor alternative.

9:00 AM

Sunday morning

Eat at Fleetwood Diner, then check out by 10:30 a.m.

Fleetwood Diner accepts walk-ins around the clock. Eat there before returning to the hotel for checkout; do not add Kerrytown unless the Wednesday or Saturday market is the morning's main plan.

11:00 AM

One last stop

Choose the Huron River or one museum before departure.

Check river conditions, then drive to Argo or Gallup for a path or paddle. In poor weather, use the University of Michigan Museum of Art or Museum of Natural History instead; leave enough time for the drive home.