Ann Arbor Travel Guide

You probably know Ann Arbor for its scholastic heritage: the University of Michigan nearly defines the city as its biggest employer, left-leaning political center, and source of legendary sporting events.

The cultural scene in downtown Ann Arbor is also largely sponsored by the university: performing arts groups, art installations (check out the Fairy Doors), and museums dedicated to art, archaeology, and natural history ensure that the city offers up plenty for the culture vultures in your group. The University Musical Society alone presents over 60 events each year. Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which draw upward of a half million visitors each year, and the Ann Arbor Film Festival, one of a handful of Academy Award–qualifying festivals in the United States, firmly place the city as a cultural hub.

Sports here are big too… really big. In fact, the University of Michigan’s football stadium, home to its Big Ten Conference team, is the largest in the world. Although you shouldn’t have a problem scoring seats in this 110,000-seat arena for one of its legendary matches, we’d also recommend checking out the school’s first-rate basketball and hockey teams.

So where’d the name Ann Arbor even come from? It’s a source of debate, but most visitors would agree that the second half comes from the city’s acres and acres of parks (157 of them!) and trees. It’s this green setting, dotted with urban enclaves and cultural attractions galore, that makes Ann Arbor the unique, crowd-pleasing destination it is today.

Where to Go in Ann Arbor