Alison & Zachary
Things To Do
Crunchy's
Within walking distance (0.2 miles) of The Graduate and downtown EL. An EL favorite for 40+ years, very casual place for burgers/sandwiches/beer/drinks.
The Peanut Barrel
0.4 miles east of The Graduate along Grand River Ave. Another EL favorite going back 50+ years, similar fare to Crunchy’s.
HopCat
Also 0.2 miles from The Graduate in downtown EL, more burgers/sandwiches/salads/beer.
Barrio East Lansing
Across the street from HopCat. Features build your own tacos and other Mexican food options, and features tequila and beer libations.
Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery
Next door to Barrio, 0.25 miles from The Graduate. A microbrewery featuring their own brews and those of North Peak Brewing in Traverse City. Good food across salads/pasta bowls/sandwiches/pizza.
Cask & Company Kitchen & Bar
A 1.2 mile drive from The Graduate. A wide variety of food options from salads to sushi to sandwiches and entrees.
Meat BBQ
A 3.6 mile drive or run from The Graduate. Features excellent BBQ meat offerings plus sides, and a very good beer selection.
Lansing Brewing Company
A 3.8 mile drive from The Graduate. Located in Lansing’s Stadium District, LBC traces its heritage to 1898. The current iteration of this microbrewery features excellent beer options and a varied menu of fairly typical bar food.
Bowdies Chophouse
Another Stadium District option, 4.1 miles via car from The Graduate. Bowdies is Lansing’s top fine dining option, a place where you can envision lobbyists with fat expense accounts currying state government favors. The place to go if you’re looking for an upscale dining experience after traveling and getting ready for a festive wedding the next day.
Michigan State University Gardens
Beal Botanical Gardens—located in the heart of the MSU campus, this over-150 year-old garden contains over 2,000 plant taxa. Open from sunrise to sundown daily. More info, including garden maps, available at https://bealbotanicalgarden.msu.edu/ Horticulture Gardens—includes a perennials garden and a rose garden, and is adjacent to a landscape arboretum. Open daily from sunrise to sundown, the Gardens and Arboretum are a nice place for a leisurely stroll. https://www.canr.msu.edu/hrt/our_gardens/Visit/arboretum contains details including location and parking info.
On-Campus Museums
MSU Museum—open Tu-Sat 10:00-5:00, admission is free, although online registration is required. Located across Circle Drive from the Beal Gardens and near Beaumont Tower in the center of the MSU campus, plan on @ 45-75 minutes to walk through. See https://museum.msu.edu/visit/visitor-information/ for details. Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum—located on the northern edge of the MSU campus just south of Grand River Avenue, the Broad (rhymes with “road”) Art Museum, designed by famed architect Zaha Hadid, is open Wed-Sun, 10:00-6:00. Admission is free of charge (donations accepted at the door). See https://broadmuseum.msu.edu/ for list of current exhibits and more details.
Trainor Family Favorites in East Lansing
MSU Dairy Store—the Anthony Hall store is open Tu-Sun from noon-8:00. The Dairy Store has the best ice cream in the world as attested by several global ratings services and, more importantly, me. Several famous alumni worked here as students, including Natalie Trainor. NOTE: no cash payment https://msudairystore.com/ Campus Walk—visit notable campus sites, such as the Sparty statue, Magic Johnson Statue, Breslin Center, Spartan Stadium, Beaumont Tower, The Rock, Red Cedar River, and the Trainor Tailgoat Tailgate Hallowed Ground. See Dan Trainor (either one) for more info. Family off-campus residences—former residences of Travis, Alison, Natalie, Emily, Daniel, Aunt Susie, Aunt Kathy, Tom and Marie are still standing (the residence of DJ Trainor was condemned, imploded, and shipped to Chernobyl in 1986). When near these structures, you can hear whispers of mysterious events from the past. NOTE: not for the faint of heart please consult with your physician before participating.
Indoor Lansing Area Attractions
Michigan State Capitol Tour—either guided (call 517-373-2353 to reserve) or self guided. M-F, 9-4. Visit https://capitol.michigan.gov/plantour for more info. 100 N. Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI 48933 Michigan History Center Museum—Tu-Sat, 10-4. $8 admission, less if you’re old. Details and virtual tour at https://www.michigan.gov/mhc/museums/mhm . 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48915. 12 minutes from East Lansing, just west of the Capitol building. R.E. Olds Transportation Museum—Tu-Sat, 10-5, $10 admission, less if you’re very old, or Olds. Details and Virtual tour at https://www.reoldsmuseum.org/visit/visiting-info/. 240 Museum Drive, Lansing, just south of Michigan Avenue on the Grand River. 10 minutes from East Lansing.
Outdoor Lansing Area Attractions
Potter Park Zoo—located in Lansing, @ 10 minute drive from East Lansing, open year-round. Medium-size zoo, $15 entrance fee for most, plus $5 for parking. More info/purchase tix at https://potterparkzoo.org/ Old Town Lansing—walkable neighborhood of shops and restaurants in Lansing, a good option to check out if you have 60-90 minutes to fill in your day. See https://iloveoldtown.org/ for more info. Lansing River Trail—over 20 miles of walkable trails mostly along sections of the Grand and red Cedar Rivers in Lansing. Passes nearby to most of the attractions listed above, should be a nice outdoor option in mid-June. See http://www.lansingrivertrail.org/ for details of attractions along the route and parking options.