About Ann Arbor

Charm That Turns Students into Lifelong Residents

Ann Arbor Art Fair Ranked consistently as one of the best college towns in America, Ann Arbor offers an eclectic mix of world-class culture with all the perks of a fun, small city. Residents and visitors enjoy exquisite dining establishments and grungy dive bars, orchestra performances and rock shows, excellent museums and even comedy shows by nationally televised comedians.

Ann Arbor has a lively year-round community events calendar, beginning with movies and music acts to suit every taste. Catch memorable performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, or some other amazing company. You can take part in an active local-food movement, awesome rock shows, Outfest (a block party at the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market celebrating diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation), and top performers at the yearly Ann Arbor folkfest (such as Iron & Wine, Ben Gibbard and the Avett Brothers).

Sports enthusiasts find an array of activities, from canoeing to cross-country skiing--and of course watching one of our very own Wolverine teams at the Big House stadium, natatoriums, grassy playing fields, and more. Restaurants run the gamut, most with three-season outdoor seating to take advantage of Michigan's beautiful evenings. Cultural events like book fairs, restaurant weeks, music festivals, and nationally recognized juried art fairs (pictured below) transform downtown streets into pedestrian malls many weeks of the year.

The Ann Arbor landscape is a delightful blend of:

tree-shaded clapboard houses
open-air markets
arboretums and business parks
boutiques and shopping malls
bike paths and expressways
19th-century theaters and modest modern skyscrapers

Fountain photo by Chris Lewis; bottom photo courtesy of Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original: Dan Kier, photographer.

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Local Media and Information:

Google Street View (search for "Ann Arbor" then click "Street View")

More About the Town:

SPH student bloggers have plenty to say about shopping, exploring, going out, and commuting in their current home town. Browse all the blogs.

U.S. Dept. of Transportation names Ann Arbor 1 of top 5 "walk-friendly" cities nationwide,for being "comfortable and attractive... with sidewalk furniture, planters, wayfinding signage, fountains."