Collegian | andrew dixon
As a student whose parents live approximately 0.6 miles down the road, you can trust that we’ve exhausted the possibilities of how to spend a weekend in Hillsdale.
If your parents and family are coming for Parents Weekend, use this list as a local guide from a Hillsdale resident:
Coffee Crawl
Sure, you’ve tried Hillsdale’s eclectic collection of coffee shops numerous times,but have your parents? Spend your Saturday morning trying coffee, tea, and cocoa at our variety of shops. Hillsdale is home to coffee shops like Jilly Beans and Rough Draft. Some of its shops also sell other items. Checker Records sells a wide array of records and CDs, while Gifted Gardens offers a variety of art and jewelry (as well as a secret garden in the back of the shop) . Maybe your parents will discover a new favorite.
Sports Complex
If your family is athletic or loves to play games, don’t waste your time wondering whether or not you can play statue golf in the snow. Instead, head to the Roche Sports Complex. You can reserve the racquetball court for an afternoon, play knockout or pig on the basketball court, and go climbing at the rockwall.
Cross Country Skiing at Hayden Park
If you want to spend the afternoon out in the open air, consider taking a ride on Hillsdale’s slopes: the soft inclines of Hayden Park. I will admit, my family has never done this, but my housemate has and gave raving reviews. “Wild Bill” Lundberg is always ready to set out equipment free of charge for anyone to use at Hayden Park. Granted, you might have to wait for some snow to fall first. And if you didn’t know that you can use skis, now you do.
Bowling Night Dinner and Hang
Hillsdale Lanes never fails to serve up a good pizza, and the best news is that the Bowling Alley is right next door. You can eat while you play, or you can slide into the connected restaurant for a sit-down meal. If you have younger siblings, there’s an arcade just around the corner for them to enjoy.
Ice Skating on the ake
If you have your own ice skates, it’s the perfect time of year to pull them out. Baw Beese Lake is frozen over and there are multiple spots near the shore where lakeside residents play hockey, ice skate, and even go ice fishing.
If you don’t own a pair of skates, have no fear. Head out on the ice for a game of broomball, a simplified version of hockey played with sneakers, brooms, and a ball.
These are just a few out-of-the-box ideas to get you and your family off campus and into the city of Hillsdale. Maybe this Parent’s Weekend, you can start a new family tradition for future visits.
