Ann Arbor is a city of tree-lined streets centred on the world-renowned University of Michigan. The area is known for its plentiful parks and gardens, interactive museums and displays of public art.

Things to do

Visit the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum to discover entertainment for all ages. Play the stringless Laser Harp in the Light and Optics room, explore Michigan nature through a soundscape, see the interactive nature wall and geology samples, then continue to the Legacy Gallery where you can learn how traffic lights and the internet works.

Spend a day out in nature at the Matthaei Botanical Garden, a 120-hectare garden speckled with outdoor displays. Choose between three different hiking paths, tour the conservatory displaying plants from three major life and climate zones and stroll through the Great Lakes Garden and Marie Azary Rock Garden.

Art buffs should check out the University of Michigan Museum of Art, which boasts a stellar collection of Asian art. Explore the splendours of European art in the first-floor gallery, view African sculptures and displays on the second floor and don’t miss the Shirley Chang gallery of Chinese art on the mezzanine level.

Stop by the University of Michigan Museum of Natural Sciences for a step back in time. Check out an extensive display of prehistoric life, tour the Michigan wildlife gallery and visit the temporary rotating exhibits that have previously included The Bristle Mammoth.

Getting around

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is located less than a 30-minute drive from Ann Arbor. The easiest way to get around is by car or taxi, but there are public buses that service the city.