We teamed up with popular Michigan travel blogger and instagrammer Jackie, @frommichiganwithloveblog, to showcase some of the coolest Michigan destinations. Join Jackie and her family as they explore and share top choices on how to spend time in Milan and around the Ann Arbor area!
My family and I love exploring within our home state of Michigan. In fact, we’ve been exploring Michigan for ten years! And of all the towns and cities there are to visit within Michigan, we especially love to explore lesser known places and small towns.
Recently, we traveled to a couple communities in Washtenaw County. First, we started out in the small town of Milan where we spent a day trip. Milan has more of a rural-small town feel to it with a vibrant historic downtown and offers a number of great attractions and dining options worth exploring.
We've put together our day trip itinerary for Milan to inspire you and your family to explore!
DAY TRIP TO MILAN
Milan is a friendly small town named in honor of the town’s Italian residents. While most of the community is rural, a small downtown block has built up over time, originally made out of wood. But after a fire, the buildings were rebuilt in Italianate, Queen Anne, and Victorian styles. Today, downtown Milan is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
DURING OUR DAY TRIP TO MILAN, WE VISITED THE FOLLOWING:
We started out grabbing lunch at Original Gravity Brewing Co., a local craft brewery that also has a fun atmosphere with classic arcade games. And while it is a brewery, they also offer a number of delicious food options. Many of the ingredients are sourced from nearby like Rich Grains Bakery of Milan and Ann Arbor tortilla factory.
Next we explored the 10 acre Milan Nature Park, which is perfect to visit with young kids. This park has a large playground that even has some dinosaurs! It’s a great spot to run around. If traveling with older kids, as a couple, or with friends, the Draper Meadows Nature Preserve has a trail right across the street you can hike.
Shopping and exploring the charming downtown along Milan’s Main Street can’t be missed! There is a diverse area of boutiques and stores here. Some of the less obvious stores include Plum Tree Yarn Shop which also offers crafting classes on site, Northern Chicks where I found some great deals on home decor, and Adventure, Ink with an array of comic books, collectibles, and books.
If visiting with little ones, you can’t miss the new indoor play place called The Play Station. For $10 per kid, the Play Station is a fun environment that’s best suited for kids age 1 to 10 years old. There’s a large indoor playground, gymnastics section, trampolines, and room with hands on toys like magnatiles and gears. For the toddlers 18 months and younger, there is a separate play area for safely playing and exploring. Families are welcome to bring their own food and drinks, or can purchase snacks and beverages from the front counter. We all had a blast during our visit!
To end our day, we headed to Roy’s BBQ and Burgers to enjoy the most scrumptious, classic diner food. All food is scratch made and you can choose to sit up at the counter or at one of the few booths in the back. In addition to how tasty the food is, the service was quick and extremely friendly!
PLAN A WEEKEND VISIT
You've explored Milan and some great family-friendly activities. Extend your stay and visit Ypsilanti! Jackie has you covered for more family fun. While Milan offers a small-town atmosphere with thriving historic downtown, Ypsilanti provides an urban setting with a wide variety of attractions. Whether you're looking for a day of play, shopping, or dining, these two towns have something for everyone. Follow Jackie's adventure to Ypsilanti:
View more of Jackie's area bucket list ideas here:
About the Author
Jackie and her family explore Michigan sharing all the unique, family friendly, and totally cool things to do to inspire Michigan travel. See where her and her family are headed to next! Follow Jackie's Instagram, @frommichiganwithloveblog, and join the journey!
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