College town walk & food · Michigan

Ann Arbor on Foot day trip

Ann Arbor on Foot

A park-once day in Ann Arbor: the Kerrytown farmers market, a Zingerman's sandwich, a walk through Nichols Arboretum and its peony garden, the Law Quad and two free University of Michigan museums, then dinner on Main Street, with the parking, football-Saturday and museum-hour catches that trip up visitors from Detroit.

Time: 10–12 hour day
Driving: About 1½–2 hours of driving in total; 4–5 miles on foot in Ann Arbor
Best time: All year; best May to October
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 6:13 PM Pacific

$4 USD

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The Gothic stone Law Library of the University of Michigan Law Quadrangle with tall arched windows and pinnacles, seen across a sunny lawn under tall trees — w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0. September 2024 photograph; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

8:00 amDetroit to Ann Arbor
9:00 amAnn Arbor Farmers Market and Kerrytown
11:00 amZingerman's Delicatessen
12:15 pmNichols Arboretum
2:30 pmLaw Quad, Kelsey Museum and UMMA
4:45 pmMain Street
About 7:00 pmWalk to the car and drive home

Highlights

Worth the trip

The Saturday farmers market and Kerrytown's brick streets
Nichols Arboretum's valley, river and peony garden
Two free campus museums and the Gothic Law Quad

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

From May to October, Ann Arbor is usually pleasant for walking: mild in May and early June, when the peonies bloom, warm and sometimes humid in July and August with afternoon thunderstorms, and crisp in October, with cool mornings and fall color. Spring and fall weather changes quickly, so bring a layer and rain gear. From November to March it is cold and often gray, with snow and icy sidewalks possible and darkness by about 5 pm in midwinter. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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