Central Campus
Walk the Diag and Law Quadrangle, then choose the University of Michigan Museum of Art or Museum of Natural History rather than rushing both.
Campus stone, market mornings, museum galleries, arboretum hills, and river paths
Things to do in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor places a major university, two museum stops, downtown bookstores and theaters, Kerrytown's market district, and Huron River parks within a compact city.
Kerrytown and Main Street
Start at the farmers market on a Wednesday or Saturday, continue through Kerrytown's food shops, then walk south to Literati or the comics and games at Vault of Midnight on Main Street.
Nichols Arboretum
Follow wooded slopes and Huron River paths; hills, mud, winter footing, and seasonal bloom crowds change the walk.
Argo and Gallup
Paddle when liveries and conditions allow, or stay dry on riverside paths and paved Border-to-Border Trail (B2B) segments.
Beyond the two signature guides
Museums, live performance, books, and market streets
Two very different museums
The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) brings global art to Central Campus; allow at least an hour for selected galleries. The Museum of Natural History, east of the Diag, adds dinosaurs, Michigan geology, and a planetarium. Public highlights tours last about 30 minutes, and a planetarium show extends the visit.
Michigan and State theaters
The Michigan Theater pairs films and concerts with an ornate historic auditorium; the nearby State Theatre keeps an art-deco marquee over its film program. Both stand on State Street, so check their calendars before dinner and reserve a Main Street bookstore stop for earlier in the day.
Bookstores on and off campus
Literati is a three-floor general-interest shop with author events near Washington and Fourth; the main floor has an accessible Fourth Avenue entrance. Vault of Midnight, at 219 South Main Street, specializes in comics, graphic novels, games, and toys. The two shops are about four blocks apart and serve different shelves.
Kerrytown market morning
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market runs Saturdays year-round and Wednesdays from May into December. Begin under the market sheds, continue through the surrounding food shops, then walk south on Fourth Avenue to Literati; on a non-market morning, make the bookstores or a museum the primary stop instead.
Campus slopes and river parks
Compare Nichols Arboretum with Argo and Gallup
Nichols Arboretum reaches from campus slopes toward the Huron. Argo and Gallup offer flatter paved paths plus seasonal paddling. Nichols Arboretum is closest to campus; Argo and Gallup require separate access and parking plans.
Official resources
Current museum, park, and event information
Confirm hours, exhibitions, trail conditions, livery operations, and special events for the exact date.
Official sourceUniversity of Michigan Museum of ArtCurrent exhibitions, hours, programs, accessibility, and visitor information.Official sourceUniversity of Michigan Museum of Natural HistoryExhibitions, planetarium information, hours, and visitor guidance.Official sourceAnn Arbor parksMunicipal park, trail, river, livery, and recreation information.Official sourceAnn Arbor eventsCurrent festivals, performances, markets, exhibitions, and seasonal events.