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Monday, March 23, 2009
Find Yourself at Home in Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Area boasts all kinds of accommodations. We offer luxury hotels, economy hotels, and unique bed and breakfasts. Click here to view a complete listing of accommodations in and around Ann Arbor. If you're unfamiliar with the area, read on to learn more about where our hotels are located.
Downtown Ann Arbor: Downtown Ann Arbor is an ecclectic mix of restaurants, galleries, shops, and nightlife. The area is also very walkable.
University of Michigan Campus: Staying on or near the University of Michigan Campus puts you near hospitals, research facilities, performing arts buildings, dormitories, and more.
Ann Arbor's East Side: Accommodations on Ann Arbor's east side are close to U.S. Highway 23 and a short drive to Michigan Stadium.
Ann Arbor's North Side: Ann Arbor's north side is also near U.S. Highway 23 and is close to the University of Michigan's North Campus.
Ann Arbor's South Side: Accommodations on Ann Arbor's south side are near I-94 and easily accessable from Detroit Metro Airport.
Ann Arbor's West Side: Ann Arbor's west side accommodations are also near I-94 and a short drive from downtown Ann Arbor.
Chelsea: Chelsea is located about 16 miles from Ann Arbor's city center. The area features Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theater and the Chelsea Teddy Bear Company. Chelsea is also close to Waterloo Recreation Area.
Milan: Located 16 miles south of Ann Arbor, Milan is a short drive from the Michigan International Speedway, the Milan Dragway, and Detroit Metro Airport.
Saline: Saline is located 10 miles southwest of Ann Arbor and is considered a friendly, family-oriented town with a city center featuring upscale shops and restaurants.
Ypsilanti: About seven miles east of Ann Arbor lies Ypsilanti, home of Eastern Michigan University. Festivals are held year-round at Ypsilanti's Riverside Park (most notably the Orphan Car Show and Michigan Elvis Fest). Ypsilanti's Downtown and Depot Town both feature excellent dining, galleries, and shops.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ann Arbor’s Tea Culture
Ann Arbor is the place for Tea Drinkers! Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Michigan has been called "the great beer state," and Jolly Pumpkin Brewery is one of the many places in the area where you can experience brewing at its finest. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History
Visit Ann Arbor with your family and check out the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, featuring exhibits on dinosaurs and prehistoric life.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Cake Nouveau
The Cupcake is making a comeback! Stop by Cake Nouveau in downtown Ann Arbor for a sweet treat. You may recognize owner Courtney Clark from her several appearances on Food Network Challenges! Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ypsilanti’s Cafe Culture
There's nothing corporate about these Ypsilanti cafés! Check out one, or all of these coffee cornerstones. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Motawi Tileworks
Experience "craft pottery" at Motawi Tileworks in Ann Arbor. You'll be glad you did! Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
What Is That? Gallery
There's no shortage of art galleries and specialty shops in the Ann Arbor area. Take a tour of the What Is That? Gallery in downtown Ypsilanti. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Vault of Midnight
Your inner comic book geek (and your kids) will love Vault of Midnight on Main Street in Downtown Ann Arbor. From comics to gaming rooms, they serve the nerd in all of us. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Ark
If you love folk music, make sure to visit The Ark on Main Street. The Ark is Ann Arbor's premier venue for acoustic music, drawing local, regional, and national acts on a nightly basis. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Puffer Reds in Downtown Ypsilanti
Puffer Reds is a specialty store in downtown Ypsilanti, featuring men and women's clothing, unique, hard-to-find athletic shoes, and cds. It's a one-stop shop for all things hip-hop!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Downtown Ann Arbor
Downtown Ann Arbor is often called "The Best Downtown In Michigan." In this video, a local Google employee explains why he loves Downtown Ann Arbor.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Ann Arbor: A Foodie’s Delight
Ann Arbor is a food lovers dream come true! From fine dining to farmers markets, the Ann Arbor area is very food focused!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Chelsea Teddy Bear Company and Toy Museum
Toys and Teddy Bears! Visit this attraction in nearby Chelsea, sure to bring out the kid in you!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Forbes Names Ann Arbor “Top College Sports Town”
Excitement in the nearby stadium is likely, but a great quality of life outside it is a sure thing.
The University of Michigan is most famous for its football team, the Wolverines, who play in the packed confines of the Big House, a stadium that holds 106,201 fans. Of course, with the way the Wolverines played this past season (their record was 3-9), it's surprising that many people flocked to the stadium every Saturday.
Loyalty might explain it, though maybe it's just fans' motivation to visit Ann Arbor before and after the football game. Who can blame them? The small city of 114,000 boasts top-flight restaurants and bars, a symphony and ballet, as well as museums and concert halls hosting national-level entertainment.
And what full-time residents also know: Ann Arbor has great public schools, low crime and affordable housing. Not surprisingly, it all adds up to the highest rank on our list of best college towns. It beats out Palo Alto, Calif., home to Stanford, and Madison, Wis., home to the University of Wisconsin.
Whether for quality of life, business development or investment, it's easy to understand the draw of college towns. The cities have a reputation for their wealth of arts and cultural events that spoke out from the university. Even though a college town like State College, Pa., or Charlottesville, Va., may not have the population of New York or Los Angeles, the strength of the university attracts top-flight entertainment options.
"Oftentimes people think you need a bigger city to support the arts, but it really depends on who is there," says Andrew Schiller, president of NeighborhoodScout, a Rhode Island-based demographics and real-estate research firm. "My mom and step dad retired from Long Island to Ithaca, a quintessential college town. They get to see the Russian ballet and symphonies; they get big-city amenities without the crowd or the stress."
Behind the Numbers
To create our list of the best college towns, we started with the top 50 finishers in the Director's Cup, an award issued through the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to schools based on their performance in every sport. Football and basketball are important, but for the sports fan, part of the college-town experience is access to top teams in track, water polo, soccer, baseball, tennis and other non-marquee sports.
From there, we looked at quality of life measures, since wins and losses aren't everything. Using Coldwell Banker's Home Price Comparison Index, we looked at the price of a four-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,200-square-foot home in each market and compared it to the median income.
Article by Matt Woolsey, from Forbes.com
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Sidetrack Bar and Grill in Ypsilanti’s Depot Town
Huge beers, deep fried pickles, and one of the best burgers in the country, according to GQ magazine. Check out how this restaurant (which has recently been chosen as a set for the upcoming movie Betty Anne Waters, starring Hillary Swank) makes it all come together. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti: Multicultural Hospitality
Staff at the newly renovated Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest explain how they've translated hospitality for their Japanese visitors. Video courtesy of Ascalon Films.