Ann Arbor Getaway: What to See, Do and Eat

This Midwest college town has been on my radar to visit for awhile. Even though I grew up less than 2 hours away from Ann Arbor, I only have been to Ann Arbor for a couple of day trips. I have been wanting to plan a longer stay in Ann Arbor for years, and last month I finally got to explore this amazing college town.

Home of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers something for everyone. From hip coffee shops, very vegan-friendly restaurants, and a plethora of things to see and explore. Throughout my Ann Arbor Getaway: What to See, Do and Eat travel guide, I will share some of my favorite places and things to do in this great Midwest town!

Take a Stroll Downtown

One of my favorite things to do in a new place is walk and explore the downtown area. Downtown Ann Arbor is full of unique stores, restaurants, and coffeeshops.

Make sure to snap a photo of the iconic Michigan Theatre marquee!

On my walk, I came across Lab, a super hip coffeeshop. I decided to take a break from my stroll downtown and enjoy a cup of coffee. I really loved the vibe of the coffeeshop, and the coffee was amazing as well.

Graffiti Alley

Located off Liberty Street is Graffiti Alley, where the walls are filled with colorful and vibrant graffiti.

Originally, the space was painted by artist Katherine cost in 1999. The work was titled “Infinite Possibilities.” A few years later, her work was painted over.

Graffiti Alley is a great place for a photo op!

Grab a local craft beer

Ann Arbor is home to a vibrant craft beer scene. Before my trip, I knew that I wanted to check out Homes Brewery. I first had their beer at the Michigan Winter Beer Festival. I fell in love with their design and beer.

My favorite beer of my flight was Drones, a double IPA. If you are a craft beer enthusiast, I highly recommend checking out Homes.

If you can’t do dairy like me, be sure to stay away from their lactose beers which have milk in them.

University of Michigan

Explore the beautiful U of M campus. I loved walking around the campus, feeling like I was back in college.

Walk around and admire the architecture. The buildings are just so beautiful.

University of Michigan Art Museum

With a degree in Art History, exploring art museums is a must when I travel.

The University of Michigan Art Museum is one of the oldest and largest university art museums in the country. The museum’s art collection represents 150 years of art collecting. Admission to the museum is also free!

where to eat

Over the past few years, Ann Arbor has become a vegan food mecca. It isn’t always easy finding vegetarian and vegan restaurants when traveling. You won’t have that problem in Ann Arbor. During my visit I was able to check out some amazing vegan eateries.

Zingerman’s Deli

While visiting Ann Arbor, a visit to the infamous Zingerman’s Deli is a must. The deli was established in 1982, and has become a household name.

I was excited to see a few vegan options on the menu. I ordered #92 Sheila’s Viva Las Vegan, grilled farm bread topped with hummus, artichokes, roasted red peppers, and spinach.

If visiting during peak hours, expect to find a line wrapped around the building!

Happy Hour at Seva’s

Happy hour is one of my favorite things. If you are traveling on a budget, I highly recommend checking out happy hour specials.

Seva’s has an incredible happy hour that runs from 3-7 pm, Monday-Friday. Not only do they have discounted draft beers and wine, they also offer 1/2 off apps!

I ordered the General Tso’s Cauliflower and their famous yam fries! Highly recommend both.

The Lunch Room

I have a long bucket list of vegan restaurants that I want to visit. At the top of my list was The Lunch Room. Located in Kerrytown Markets and Shops, The Lunch Room started as a good cart in 2011 at the downtown Ann Arbor food cart courtyard. After two successful seasons with the food cart, The Lunch Room opened a brick-and-mortar location in Kerrytown.

It was a difficult choice deciding what to order, but the Taco ‘Bout it Salad sounded amazing. The salad was topped with grilled tofu, corn tortilla crumbles, pico de gallo, avocado and served with a side of chipotle ranch and nacho cheese. This was one of the best salads. So flavorful and filling!

Of course I had to try on of their amazing desserts. I was definitely one happy vegan!

The Lunch Room Bakery & Cafe

In 2015, they opened a second location, The Lunch Room Bakery and Cafe.

I happened to go on a Friday, when they offer a pancake special. The pancakes were served with a side of potatoes, greens, and sausage.

The breakfast was the perfect way to start my day of adventures!

The Detroit Street Filling Station

In 2017, The Lunch Room founders opened The Detroit Street Filling Station.

The vegan options were incredible. I started with the loaded nacho tots. These were out of this world. Tater tots were loaded with vegan nacho cheese and topped with jackfruit carnitas. The best thing that I ate during my trip!

I also ordered the fish tacos which were also amazing. If I lived in Ann Arbor, I would eat here all the time.

where to stay

For my getaway, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, located less than 15 minutes from downtown.

As soon as I checked in, I felt a warm welcome. I really loved my room. My favorite part of the hotel room was the U of M touches. The prints of U of M on the wall just added and extra touch to the cozy feel. Perfect theming for a hotel located near the Big House.

Watch a full room tour in my travel vlog!

I had a great visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan. I get wait to go back soon! A big thank you to Destination Ann Arbor for hosting my stay. As always all thoughts and options are my own.

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