Life in Ann Arbor

Michigan Theater

The city of Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, provides diverse cultural, educational and recreational opportunities to its 110,000 residents.  More than a college town, Ann Arbor blends a bustling young professional scene with the perks of a major university. With something for everyone, it is no wonder that Livability ranked Ann Arbor #2 on its Best Places to Live list in 2022 and re-listed it one of the top 100 Best Places to Live in 2023!

 

Living

Nichols Arcade Living in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is an affordable city with a variety of houses, apartments, lofts, and condos for rent and purchase. You can enjoy the more active downtown scene in a trendy loft, settle into a cozy northern or western neighborhood, or optimize your game-day commute on the south side of town where you can be within walking distance of the Michigan Football Stadium. While the majority of residents live within the city of Ann Arbor, some residents choose to live in the surrounding cities of Ypsilanti, Dexter, Plymouth, Northville, and Saline.

 

 

Dining

Ann Arbor Dining

Ann Arbor hosts over 400 restaurants with an emphasis on international cuisine and independent restaurants.  You can find residents at favorites including Aventura, Jolly Pumpkin, Detroit Filling Station, and the nationally known Zingerman’s Delicatessen.  Just 30 minutes away, you can tap into a nationally recognized, thriving foodie scene in Detroit. 

 

 

Arts

Residents living in Ann Arbor The Ark

Ann Arbor is home to world renowned music venues including Hill Auditorium featuring The University Musical Society concert series. The Ark features an intimate listening room for the folk music tradition. Ann Arbor is home to over 15 museums in conjunction with the university allowing for fun, accessible, and free experiences. 

Ann Arbor hosts a variety of festivals! Ann Arbor kicks off the summer with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival to offer nightly musical entertainment, weekly outdoor movies, children activities, and food trucks. In late July, the nationally recognized Ann Arbor Art Fair draws hundreds of artists to display their work throughout the city attracting up to 500,000 visitors per year! For more information on city events, see the Ann Arbor City Visitor Guide.

Athletics

Athletics Life in Ann Arbor

University of Michigan Athletics Department provides a thrilling experience to be part of the nearly 110,000 members of a lively crowd at the “Big House”. In addition to football, experience a variety of men’s and women’s college sports at MGoBlue for scheduled events and ticket information. In addition to unlimited college athletics’ experiences, you can commute to Detroit to participate in cheering on professional sport teams including Tigers Baseball, Red Wings Hockey, Pistons Basketball, or the Detroit Lions Football teams.

 

 

Outdoor Activities

Outdoor-Activities

Ann Arbor hosts more than 150 beautiful, municipal parks. The Nichols Arboretum is adjacent to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital offers 123 acres of gardens, trails, river access, and a remarkable peony garden. Residents enjoy walking, running, or biking along the Border-to-Border Trail that connects the municipal parks and cities to offer endless exercise routes. The Huron River provides a favorite summer activity of canoeing, kayaking, or floating on an inner tube down the river. 

 

Weekend Trips

Resident Weekend Trips

Michigan is a beautiful state with endless opportunities for every season along the lakeshore on inland lakes. You can find bustling cities with vibrant foodie scenes and breweries or you can enjoy cozy, unique lakeshore towns. You can head even farther north to the remote upper peninsula for untapped nature and scenic hikes. Explore Michigan at Pure Michigan!