The Kalamazoo Area offers so much to do. Check out a few Pure Michigan ideas – maybe one of these will sound particularly familiar. Add your favorite thing to do in the Kalamazoo area in the comments.
Find Peace and Quiet at the Lillian Anderson Arboretum
The Lillian Anderson Arboretum, affiliated with Kalamazoo College, comprises 140 acres of marsh, meadow, pine plantation and second-growth deciduous forest. Established in the 1990s, the arboretum provides a quiet space for hiking and enjoying the great outdoors.
Discover Science and History at Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Equal parts science, history and children’s museum, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum showcases this region’s contributions to the world. See the many items originally manufactured in Kalamazoo and southwest Michigan. The interactive “Science in Motion” gallery focuses on human health, optics and magnetism while the “Children’s Landscape” features miniature play areas: an old-fashioned store, a 1950s-era ice cream shop and a modern television station.
View 20th-Century Art at Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts prides itself on its 20th-century American painting and sculpture collection. The museum displays works by Andy Warhol, Dale Chihuly and Deborah Butterfield, among many others. You’ll also find a fine collection of African-American works as well as European prints, photography and contemporary ceramics.
Learn About Aviation at the Air Zoo
Air transportation is the focus at Kalamazoo’s Air Zoo. The main exhibition hall houses rare planes like a replica Wright flyer, school bus-yellow biplanes and a brilliant red barnstormer. Restored World War II-era Hellcats, Bearcats and Wildcats suggest where the Air Zoo’s name came from. And the world’s only remaining Blackbird stealth plane sits among the aircraft. Visit the Air Zoo’s East Wing to see spacecraft: a prototype moon buggy, a circa 1970s command module and a replica Space Shuttle. Kids enjoy amusement park-style attractions such as a hot air balloon-themed Ferris wheel and flight simulators.
Relax at Bronson Park
Kalamazoo’s oldest green space, Bronson Park sits in the heart of the city. Enjoy the 3 ½-acre park’s statues, fountains and flower beds. Relax with a picnic lunch. And catch city events like outdoor concerts and the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.
Explore the Kalamazoo Nature Center
Farther out of town, nature lovers explore the forest and wetland habitats of the Kalamazoo Nature Center. A popular place to unplug since the Victorian era, the 1,100-acre Nature Center sits on Kalamazoo’s north side and can easily be explored by way of its trails. Hard-packed gravel and boardwalk footpaths lead through hardwood forest, across a tall grass prairie, past a pond and through swaths of native wildflowers. Take time for the Interpretive Center, which houses interactive science displays, and the Hummingbird Butterfly Garden.
Check Out Vintage and Rare Automobiles at the Gilmore Car Museum
The Gilmore Car Museum sits in the tiny village of Hickory Corners, northeast of Kalamazoo. But don’t let the museum’s location fool you. This collection ranks as one of the top five automobile museums in the U.S. More than 300 beautifully-restored and rare vehicles fill a dozen buildings spread across a 90-acre campus, including Model A’s and Pierce-Arrows, Duesenbergs and Studebakers, antique trucks and muscle cars. There are even displays of vintage motorcycles, tin toy cars and elaborate hood ornaments.
