Getting the Winter Blues? Aching to get off campus? Feeling a little trapped in Hillsdale?
While Hillsdale often seems “in the middle of nowhere,” its central location allows for great day trips to cities nearby. Getting off campus doesn’t need to be an elaborate road trip. Larger cities are just a little over an hour away, making day trips easily possible and refreshing the soul before returning to the library.
Ann Arbor
The Lab Café
505 E. Liberty Suite 300
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
1 hour and 20 minutes away
This modern coffee shop offers great drinks, frozen yogurt, and baked goods in an aesthetic atmosphere. Located near the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus, the shop is close to other great restaurants and stores such as Tomukun Noodle Bar, Taste of India, and Urban Outfitters – perfect for an afternoon in the city. Fun fact: this shop is just a few steps away from the Ann Arbor Graffiti Alley.
Detroit
Belle Isle Conservancy
300 River Place Drive #2800
Detroit, MI 48207
2 hours away
The historic park dedicated to preserving the nature on the island is home to the Belle Isle Aquarium, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of air-breathing fish; the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, which stands as the oldest continually-running conservatory in the nation; and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, which features some of Detroit’s national history as a major city on the Detroit River. Spend the day exploring all the spots, all free with the price of parking, and end your trip by watching the sunset over Detroit on Sunset Point.
Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48202
1 hour and 45 minutes away
One of the top art museums in the country, the DIA has over 100 galleries from all corners of the world. Visitors can easily spend hours perusing the wide variety of ancient, classical, and modern art. Some favorites: “Cotopaxi” by Frederic Edwin Church, “The Conversion of the Magdalene” by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, and “Self-Portrait” by Vincent van Gogh. The Claude Monet exhibit is open until March 4, featuring “Rounded Flower Bed.” Visitors can learn how this work fits into the Impressionist movement.
Lansing
Michigan State Capitol
100 N. Capitol Ave
Lansing, MI 48933
1 hour and 15 minutes away
Visitors can stop by the Capitol building for a guided or independent tour around the iconic building. Embrace Michigan history while walking through the rooms of the capitol, watch the state legislature meet, and adore the hand-painted artwork that adorns the building. The Victorian-era style is consistent throughout each of the three levels of the capitol. Stop on the second floor to see the Gallery of Governors, which features a portrait of each of the Michigan governors.
Toledo
Toledo Zoo
2 Hippo Way
Toledo, Ohio 43609
1 hour and 30 minutes away
Voted Best Zoo in the United States by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, the Toledo Zoo welcomes one million visitors each year to see their animals of over 750 exotic species from around the world. The zoo is known for their numerous animals and their Hippoquarium, which gives visitors a great underwater view of hippos, unlike any other zoo exhibit in the world.
