Although Lansing is an easy drive from the west side of the state, you have plenty of choices if your plan is to spend the night or make a weekend of your capital city tour. There are the usual offerings from Marriott, Shearton and Radisson as well as a number of smaller, less expensive options. For a special treat, consider the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center on Michigan State University’s campus.
The location makes it an ideal choice as a home base from which you can take in a number of Lansing attractions—campus sporting or performance events, the state Capitol, museums, shopping or Lansing Lugnuts baseball. A full-service hotel, the Kellogg Hotel is also a learning laboratory for the hundreds of MSU students who are part of the university’s School of Hospitality Business and related majors. For reservations, call 1-800/875-5090.
Although Lansing is not exactly Chicago, there is a broad spectrum of eateries—everything from fast food and family fare to ethnic choices and fine dining restaurants. For a good overview or to pick out a restaurant for a special meal, check here.
If youngsters are involved, you’ll probably want to head over to the well known Impression 5 Science Center on Museum Drive. It’s a delight for the whole family and a place where kids and those who still want to be occasionally can sample a mind-blurring variety of hands-on learning experiences. And don’t forget to stop by their Science Center Store. For more information, call 517/485-8116.
When I was a kid, we often visited relatives in Lansing, and I can still remember going to the Potter Park Zoo (www.potterparkzoo.org). It’s a 100-acre park along the Red Cedar River. Here you’ll be able to see more than 400 animals, including rhinos, red pandas, wolves, eagles, tigers and snow leopards. Visit the site or call 517/702-4730 to learn more about Potter Park’s year-round schedule.
A new attraction to downtown Lansing is the Michigan Walk of Fame on the sidewalks of Washington Square. It recognizes and celebrates the ingenuity of Michigan residents whose contributions have had an impact on the state or nation. The Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame at 213 West Main Street does pretty much the same thing for Michigan’s women, but in a more formal manner. Featured are the female heroes of Michigan history as well as notable women artists and photographers from Michigan.
In a state—and city—so closely linked to the auto industry, Lansing’s R.E. Olds Transportation Museum is a can’t-miss attraction. Here, you can marvel at the very first Oldsmobile ever made (1897) and other rare REOs, Stars, Durants and Vikings. After a visit, you’ll understand why Car Collector Magazine counts the R. E. Olds Museum among the ten best auto museums in the United States.
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