One day in Ann Arbor
This past weekend, we decided to head out and spend a day in Ann Arbor! I've been to Ann Arbor a few times before, but never to really explore or check out the city. I've gone for different events, or concerts, but it was fun to go this time with no agenda. It's such a fun and vibrant city, and it's only two hours from us in Grand Rapids! There was a chapter in my favorite Michigan travel book called "Forgotten Highways: The Chicago & Territorial Roads" and it has you starting in Ann Arbor and taking U.S. Route 12 to explore Irish Hills. So that's what we decided to do! Read on to see what we did with our one day in Ann Arbor...
SWEETWATERS COFFEE & TEA
For coffee and a snack, we checked out Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea. There are five locations throughout Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Eric went for a soy chai latte (my usual favorite) but I went for the owner's favorite, the Napali Brew. Inspired by the sandy beaches of Hawaii's Napali Coast, it's a blend of vanilla ice cream with espresso and hazelnut syrup, topped with whipped cream. It was insanely good! I also had to get an Ann Arbor cookie, which was also delicious. We spent a little bit of time there before walking around downtown. Although chilly, there were a lot of people out enjoying their Saturday!
ZINGERMAN'S DELI
Zingerman's Deli is an absolute classic in Ann Arbor, and since I had never been there, I knew we had to go. When we arrived, there was a line out the door, but we braved it! Located at the intersection of Detroit and Kingsley, it's right across from the Farmer's Market. The neighborhood was very vibrant and full of people out and about. I decided to go for one of their 'top ten' sandwiches – the Zingerman's Reuben. It's their own corned beef, Switzerland Swiss cheese, Brinery sauerkraut & Russian dressing on grilled, hand-sliced Jewish rye bread. It was so good! Even Barack Obama said "It's killer." Eric went for their creamy tomato soup. Well worth the wait, and a fun Ann Arbor experience!
Photo credit fritabanditoas.com
FRITA BATIDOS
For dinner, we decided to check out Frita Batidos after several recommendations. Known for their Cuban street food, the Frita is a burger traditionally made from spicy chorizo with shoestring fries on top. Batidos are tropical milkshakes made with fresh fruit, crushed ice, and sweetened milk. We decided to try both, opted for beef instead of chorizo, and it was incredibly delicious. But if I were to only recommend one item, it would be the garlic-cilantro shoestring fries with lemon-scented mayo. I nearly died and went to heaven after a bite of those. So yummy. Plus, it's a really cool, clean atmosphere with picnic style seating.
I know there's still so much left to explore in Ann Arbor, so if you have any tips or recommendations for our next visit, be sure to leave them in the comments! I'll be back with our trip along U.S. Route 12 through Irish Hills next! Have a great start to your week, and happy spring!
Outfit details:
Woods You Be Mine? Jacket in Navy c/o ModCloth
Aeropostale High-Waisted Skinny Jeans
Madewell The Transport Tote
Fudge from the Fair Flat in Caramel c/o ModCloth (similar)