10 College Towns We'd Actually Want To Visit As Adults
You don't need to be a student to pay a visit to these college towns -- there's theater, great restaurants, hiking and microbrews to keep even non-undergrads happy.
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You don't need to be a student to pay a visit to these college towns -- there's theater, great restaurants, hiking and microbrews to keep even non-undergrads happy.
Ann Arbor, MichiganTHE TOWN: A 45-minute drive west of Detroit, Ann Arbor is synonymous with the University of Michigan. During college football season, around 100,000 people descend on the Big House (the third-largest stadium in the world) every other Saturday to watch the Michigan Wolverines face off against their Big Ten rivals.EAT: One of Ann Arbor's most famous establishments is Zingerman’s, which opened its first outpost—a delicatessen—in 1982. Now, it has two other shops (the Roadhouse and Bakehouse) that also sell hearty comfort food. You could also pick up fruit and veggies at Ann Arbor’s Farmers' Market or sample from the food trucks in the historic Kerrytown neighborhood.STAY: The Bell Tower Hotel is a popular pick with university students and their families, thanks to its central location (and special packages for newbie Wolverines). More quaint accommodations can be found at the Stone Chalet Bed and Breakfast, a country-style oasis in the middle of downtown.PLAY: Ann Arbor has plenty of things for culture vultures to do: Visit the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) to see works by Sol LeWitt, Monet, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, and more. The Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, also on campus, are excellent destinations for nature lovers.Leon Halip/Getty Images