Leaf-Peeping Weekends in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is known as Tree Town, and fall is one of the best times of year to visit this color-drenched city.
From stunning campus gardens and the oldest continuously operating cider mill in the state to fall football games and more, the city is bursting with activities. Colors here turn late October and early November.
Meticulous Landscapes at Nichols Arboretum
Nichols Arboretum – or the Arb – encompasses 123 acres of steep glacial terrain along the edge of the University of Michigan’s central campus. Wind through oak, ash and walnut woodlands and a restored prairie before reaching the Huron River. Nearly 3.5 miles of unpaved trail ramble through the park, and you can wander at your leisure. It's free, open sunrise to sunset and close enough to walk to from downtown, though a few minutes past the trailhead the city disappears.
Northeast of town, Matthaei Botanical Gardens offers 11 outdoor gardens, another 3 miles of trail, Michigan's largest public bonsai collection and an indoor conservatory holding three separate climates – a reliable backup when an October afternoon turns cold or rainy. Just east in Ypsilanti, the 13.8-acre Riverside Park follows the Huron through the middle of town.
Catch Fall Fever at Michigan Stadium
Nothing marks autumn in a college town like a home game. Michigan Stadium holds more than 107,000 fans, making it the largest sports venue in the country, and home games on Saturdays turn the whole city into an event. Tailgates spread across the university golf course and the neighborhoods around it hours before kickoff.
A Scenic Drive to the State's Oldest Cider Mill
Pick up Huron River Drive on the west edge of Ann Arbor and follow it 10 miles to Dexter. The road follows the river on one side and wooded bluffs on the other.
Waiting at the end is the Dexter Cider Mill, which has been pressing apples on the bank of the Huron since 1886, making it the oldest continuously operating cider mill in Michigan. It still works as a wood press, blending several apple varieties into every batch. Order a cup with a warm doughnut and take both out to the riverbank. For more orchards and U-pick farms nearby, check out Destination Ann Arbor's fall guide.
Curl Up with a Book Downtown
When the weather turns, Ann Arbor's bookstores are as much a fall tradition as the cider. Literati Bookstore fills a century-old brick building downtown with a wide collection and a steady run of author events, book clubs and panel discussions. Pair it with a coffee and a window seat, and watch the leaves drift outside.
Find more weekend getaways to soak up as much Michigan fall color as possible this season. To see predictions of where and when fall color will peak throughout our two peninsulas, check out our interactive fall color map.