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Capital city of Michigan, United States
Photo: Brian Charles Watson, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Lansing is a pleasant city, and as Michigan's state capital, it is home to many government offices. Downtown Lansing has a historic shopping district amidst the campus of Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
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This building houses the State Library in one wing and museum in the other. In the center is a live White Pine, the state tree. The museum is appropriate for all ages.
A great museum geared toward exposing younger children to the world of science.
A museum dedicated to the founder of Oldsmobile, which was later bought by GM and was for years a popular US auto brand. Many traces of R.E. Olds remain in Lansing. The tallest building in the city, the Boji Tower (noted for its large red clock), was built as the Olds Tower, after its major financier, R.E. Olds. The area near the location of an old Olds factory is now called REO Town, after R.E. Olds. The Lansing Lugnuts, a minor league baseball team plays in a stadium formerly known as Oldsmobile Park near downtown Lansing.
The museum details the accomplishments of women in Michigan. It moved from its previous location to a storefront in the Meridian Mall by July 2017. The entire museum can be viewed in 15-20 minutes.
The capitol has been beautifully restored and sits in the heart of downtown Lansing surrounded by beautiful mid-rise buildings of Michigan's golden auto years. The building was dedicated in 1873; today it is a National Historic Landmark, and still the working seat of the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate. Self-guided and guided tours of the capitol are available.
Built in 1858, this beautiful and meticulously maintained home is available for tours. Cost of admission is $5.00 for non-residents and $3.50 for residents.
Home to the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court, this relatively new structure is at the opposite end of a mall from the capitol.
Lansing is the only state capital to not also be the county seat. The county seat is in the small town of Mason. The historic courthouse in the center of town is the crown gem of this sleepy village.
The Lansing River Trail extends over 13 miles (21 km) along the Red Cedar and Grand Rivers. Users of the paved and board walk trail can enjoy the natural beauty of the rivers all the way from the campus of MSU to Dietrich Park near Old Town on the north side of Lansing. The attractions along the way include the Potter Park Zoo, multiple access points for canoes and kayaks, downtown Lansing, the Museum District, Oldsmobile Park, the historic farmers market, and Old Town. The trail is being expanded to provide access to the south side of Lansing. Spring, summer, and fall, this is a great way to see many of the Lansing attractions.
The zoo is in a park integrated into the city's excellent river trail, and is a terrific way to spend an afternoon. The park is very children-friendly and features a petting park where the children can pet some of the animals. There are peacocks walking about the park along with pony and camel rides. If you're driving, the zoo's entrance is along Pennsylvania Avenue but it can be accessed on foot or bike using the river trail.
Hawk Island County Park
This 100-acre (40 hectares) park, in the south end of Lansing, is a green oasis in a busy city. The beach, playground, Splash Pad, walking and biking trails, picnic shelters and volleyball make it the perfect spot for a summer outing.
Beautiful and historic fountain in the center of the park in downtown Lansing
Gift to the people of Lansing by General Motors founder William Durant. The park features a historic arch
Beautiful rose garden and Grand River views.
Arboretum with small lakes.
The gardens surround the Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame a few blocks away from the capitol. The garden is typical of an early 20th-century garden and features a rose garden.
Hidden Lake Gardens is owned and operated by Michigan State University under the division of Land Management, but supported through private endowments and gifts, along with a small amount of money from MSU. The Gardens are open 362 days of the year with an admission fee of $3 per person. Guided tours, requested at least two weeks in advance, are available at no additional charge. In addition to more than 6 miles (10km) of one-way paved drives, there are 5 miles (8 km) of hiking trails to allow the visitor a closer look at the beauty that the Gardens provide. These gardens are physically in Tipton, Michigan, approximately 80 miles (130 km) to the southeast.
Trendy historic enclave
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Nation's largest law school.
Cooley Law School Stadium
The Lansing Lugnuts are the city's Class A Minor League Baseball team, an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They play at Cooley Law School Stadium (the local law school bought the naming rights).
Small production theater in downtown Lansing.
A non-profit theater group performing classic and contemporary shows.
Great Mexican food at reasonable prices. The homemade chips and salsa are complimentary (as well as complementary). Check out the three varieties of tortas. The restaurant is popular with locals who know where to find a good meal. This is a hidden gem in one of the trendiest area of the city.
Breakfast Party!
Offers traditional Mediterranean food, and is home to one of the best Falafel sandwiches you'll find in the greater Lansing area.
Mitchell's is the best fish restaurant in town. The Sharkfin Pie dessert is huge and feeds several people. In the summer, enjoy alfresco and oysters on the half shell with your drink.
An Italian restaurant. It is an upscale chain, like Mitchell's Fish Market.
It looks like a train car. It has a great breakfast menu and is open 24 hours. The restaurant sports a large vegetarian menu.
Decent Middle Eastern food at reasonable prices.
Great local Michigan brews in a comfortable atmosphere. Best place to get a quality beer in Lansing.
This Irish pub offers decent food and a lively atmosphere. A Lansing downtown fixture since 1985, with a fish and mac special on Friday and Saturday.
Sports bar perfect for a day at the game.
A nightclub.
A local favorite outside downtown Lansing. With live music most nights, it is popular with a wide age group from mid twenties and up.
A local pub.
It is an institution in its own right. A cozy neighborhood sports bar with great burgers and lively open-mic sessions every Tuesday.
Each stay includes two drinks at their poolside bar and complimentary full hot breakfast every morning. Check out their webpage.
A 117-Room all suites hotel offering in-room coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, wet bar, iron ironing board and hairdryer. Secure Online Reservations.
A downtown hotel accommodating large conferences which adjoins the convention center.
Offers budget-friendly packages for family or romantic stays. Indoor pool, restaurant/bar.
On MSU Campus, attached to James B. Henry Center for Executive Development and the University Club.
A large indoor shopping mall in Delta Township, west of Lansing.
a modern outdoor shopping center with restaurants, retail, and a movie theater.
There are major retail stores and many smaller stores.
The main strip in downtown Lansing with numerous small retailers and restaurants.
Runs from the foot of the Michigan State Capital to downtown East Lansing. That stretch offers many small shops, restaurants, and bars.
Runs from the heart of downtown Detroit, through Lansing, East Lansing, and ends in Grand Rapids. In Lansing, Old Town has many shops, restaurants, bars, and numerous art galleries, densely packed on Grand River Avenue. In East Lansing, downtown is on the north side of Grand River Avenue and the MSU Campus is on the south side.
A major Michigan grocery retailer. Meijer stores can be found throughout the Lansing-area.
By bus
Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) provides local bus service.
By train
Amtrak provides one daily train service via the Blue Water Service, which connects to Flint and Port Huron to the east and Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and Chicago to the west.
By plane
The airport is served by Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA) bus line 14, which provides direct service to downtown Lansing.
By taxi
Taxi companies provide around the clock service to the Lansing-area.
Lansing is served by a number of highways. Travel by car to any part of the city normally takes very little time. Traffic is generally light in the region.
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Lansing · Regional · LAN
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