Washtenaw: Nature, Museums and Historic Places
Accommodation in Washtenaw
Washtenaw combines expansive landscapes, riverfronts and lakes with museums, historic buildings and hands-on cultural experiences. When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home for your trip, you can therefore focus on nature, science, history or a varied mix. It is particularly helpful to consider in advance whether you are looking for longer walks through the landscape, family-friendly discoveries without a set schedule or historic places with engaging stories.
Nature among lakes, forests and wetlands
Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve has a five-mile hiking trail. Eleven inland lakes shape the landscape in Waterloo Recreation Area. Nature is even more diverse at Nichols Arboretum, also known as The Arb: The 123-acre landscape on the University of Michigan campus includes walking paths, gardens, natural areas, access to the riverfront, seasonal blooms and one of the largest historic peony collections in North America.
Other areas have their own distinctive features. Dominican Meadows Preserve encompasses forests, wetlands and grasslands along nearly two miles of Fleming Creek. The trails at Whitmore Lake Preserve lead through meadows, mixed hardwood forests and wooded wetlands, with views across a large marsh and small lakes. At DeVine Preserve, the stately oak trees offer excellent birdwatching opportunities. These differences can help you choose the right focus for your vacation without making every day of your trip look the same.
Experience science, crafts and history
The U-M Museum of Natural History spans the range from molecules to dinosaurs. It also offers a planetarium, scientific demonstrations and conversations with University of Michigan scientists. The Planetarium & Dome Theater focuses on celestial bodies, constellations and other astronomical phenomena. This makes it possible to incorporate nature and science topics into your trip even if you do not want to spend the whole day outdoors.
Historic places add another dimension to Washtenaw. The Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum is located at the historic corner of East Cross and North River in Depot Town. The building's automotive history began in 1917 as a Dodge dealership. The Ypsilanti Historical Museum is housed in an original 19th-century home; admission is free. The Rentschler Farm Museum consists of a timber-frame house and eleven outbuildings that have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 2013.
At the Manchester Blacksmith Shop, a working forge is used for demonstrations, instruction and hands-on experiences in metalworking. At the same time, the shop is considered one of the last remaining blacksmith workshops on a main street in Michigan. The Michigan Folk School offers hands-on experiences in traditional folk arts, crafts, music and traditional skills. For families with different interests, such activities can complement a trip with shared experiences without everyone having to choose the same type of outing.
Trails and places for planning your trip
The Border-to-Border Trail stretches across Washtenaw County and connects parks, residential areas and scenic riverside paths. The B2B Trail is 42 miles long, ten feet wide, accessible and paved. Take these details into account when planning your day and choose your accommodation based on which experiences you want to be the focus of your trip.
Staebler Farm also combines landscape and history: The farm is an example of the type of agricultural operation from the late 19th to early 20th century that once supplied Washtenaw County. Staebler Farm County Park is intended to provide nature trails for walking and opportunities for wildlife viewing; the park is still under development. The annual Folk Festival in the park in Ann Arbor and the programs offered by the Michigan Folk School add further cultural highlights.
For further orientation, you can also consider Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Milan and Pittsfield as separate research destinations. This allows you to connect your search for a vacation rental in Washtenaw with the experiences that offer the greatest value to your travel group.
For the broader travel overview: Michigan.
More destinations
More places within the same destination:
