Local attractions
We certainly don't know everyone's interests, but here are a few places that folks like to visit around here. Many of them aren't particularly spectacular, but they do make of a nice day out. If you have a particular interest you'd like addressed, e-mail me and I'll see what I can come up with.
Also, be sure to visit our State's travel web site (Pure Michigan), or if you're coming up I-69 or taking the ferry across Lake Michigan you'll want to visit West Michigan's web site (West Michigan Tourist Association). Did you know that Michigan has more coastline than the entire East Coast? Make sure you see the Great Lakes!
Less than an hour away:
Take a canoe trip down the Grand River near Grand Ledge, Michigan and see The Ledges. The ledges are the largest outcropping of rocks in Central Michigan, and the seventh largest in the state.
The Cascades is a series of man-made waterfalls in a Jackson, Michigan Park. After dark they are lighted with colored lights and are just a nice place to spend a summer evening.
It's not a big-city zoo, but the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan is nice, clean, modern zoo with a nice variety of animals.
Most people think of Detroit as the birthplace of the automobile, but Lansing was the home of R.E. Olds (think Oldsmobile and REO). If you like old cars, etc., you might want to visit the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
Michigan State University, the nation's premier Land Grant College, has several attractions that may be of interest. An observatory, a children's garden, plant collections, and several farms that are open to the public.
Like Baseball?--the Lansing Lugnuts (class "a" affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays) are home this weekend.
Less than two hours away:
Coming up I-75 or US-23? You're not too far from Hidden Lake Gardens (Tipton, Michigan). If you like flowers, green houses, rare plant collections, and/or just a nice quite place this is for you.
The Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan (and yes there really IS a Kalamazoo) has a real WOW factor. If you even remotely like air planes and flight you'll want to see this.
A few miles north of the Air Zoo you'll find the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, a 180 acre bird sanctuary with a trail and related displays.
Take a step back in time--visit Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. Seven historic districts, all as restored and maintained period-correctly. Too much to list here, but you sheep people may be particularly interested in the Firestone Farm (and yes, its THAT Firestone) which is a working 1800's farm.
In conjunction with Greenfield Village, you may find the Henry Ford Museum interesting.
It's not as impressive as Greenfield Village, but Crossroads Village is a 1870's period village that's a lot closer (Flint, Michigan). While you're there you might like to take a 35 minute ride on a restored steam locomotive at the Huckleberry Railroad.
Check back later for more ideas!