5 Great Reasons to Visit Lansing this Summer

Walkable downtown With five major attractions within a five-block area and within five-minute walk, Michigan’s capital city has a great walkable downtown. Tour the State Capitol, visit the Michigan History Museum, take the kids to Impression 5 Science Center, discover Lansing’s automotive history at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum and take in a minor league Lansing Lugnuts baseball game.

Home to Michigan State University You don’t have to attend classes to explore MSU’s sprawling campus and visit attractions like the Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum, watch Broadway shows at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, visit the MSU Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate) and cheer on the Spartans during football or basketball season. Of course you’ll want to make sure to stop at the MSU Dairy Store to taste the freshest ice cream and cheese before you leave.

20+ mile River Trail The Lansing River Trail is a 20-mile trail that traces the banks of the Red Cedar and Grand Rivers. Walk, run, bike or blade. A good starting point is at the north end at Turner-Dodge House in Old Town Lansing and travelling south past the Brenke Fish Ladder, downtown Lansing’s Rotary Park, Urban Beach, Lansing Shuffleboard Club, Impression 5 Science Center, the Olds car museum then on to Potter Park Zoo and even Michigan State University.

Old Town Lansing This was Lansing’s original downtown before Lansing was ever the state capital. Find a concentrated grouping of boutiques, art galleries, shops and great restaurants. This is also an area that a great many of Lansing’s festivals occur including Pride, Scrapfest, ArtFeast, Chalk of the Town and Jazz and Blues festivals.

Family Friendly/Welcoming to those with ASD

With so much to see and do, families find a getaway to Michigan’s capital to be fun, affordable and entertaining. Launch Lansing trampoline center will entertain the little ones while the older kids (and adults) love the high speed go karts at High Caliber Karting. If you need a rest, there are three nature centers and other chill places. Lansing has also made it a point to be welcoming to those families who may have a family member with ASD or other sensory sensitivities.