18 Wonderful Spring Things to Do in Mid-Michigan for Every Interest
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When the snow melts and the weather warms up, spring in Michigan brings a world of endless possibilities if you’re looking for something fun to do. Since it’s still too cold for swimming, checking out all the spring things to do in Mid-Michigan could be just what you need.
In Mid-Michigan, you’ll find plenty of museums to visit, biking trails to ride, and markets to visit that will keep you and your family busy. You can enjoy Michigan spring festivals too.
Spring Bike Rides in Mid-Michigan
You may not know it, but more than 1,000 miles of bike paths crisscross the Mitten State. Whether you want a smooth bike ride through town or through mountainous or hilly terrain, there’s nothing quite like taking a bike ride on a nice spring day. And, it’s an activity the whole family can enjoy!
Lansing River Trail
The Lansing River Trail makes for a great day trip and takes riders to the Michigan State University campus, many parks, and natural areas. Along 20 miles, there are stops at the Potter Park Zoo and the Rotary Park, which can be the perfect spot for a refreshing beverage.
There are more than a dozen access points along the route, so you can make it as short or as long of a ride as you want.
Anderson Park
Anderson Park is also a great loop in Delta Township, especially for skilled riders looking for a new challenge or mountain bikers looking for a fun ride with great views. For those looking for a challenge, the route along the Grand River offers a roller-coaster-like experience before going back into the woods.
Midland Mountain Biking
Midland offers several different mountain biking trails that take riders through beautiful wooded areas on a variety of loops that are perfect for spending part of or a whole day on a bike.
Border-to-Border Trail
If you’re in the Ann Arbor area, check out the Border-to-Border Trail. This stretches across Washtenaw County and offers a combination of hilly terrain and smooth riding for bikers as they ride along the Huron River.
The trail stretches for nearly 20 miles and includes endpoints at Eastern Michigan University, Barton Nature Area, and Hudson Mills MetroPark.
Mid-Michigan Museums for Spring Learning
Spring is the perfect time for getting outside, but on colder days, there’s nothing better than staying warm while learning something new. Fortunately, Michigan has many unique museums that are worth visiting, and you can find several of them in Mid-Michigan.
Eli and Edythe Broad Museum
If you’re near the Michigan State University campus, perhaps on a bike ride, stop at the Eli and Edythe Broad Museum.
This contemporary gem always has free admission and its permanent collection has more than 10,000 pieces. The exhibits are always changing too, so you may see something totally different from one visit to the next.
While you’re at MSU, check out the MSU Museum too, a science and cultural museum that has almost 1 million objects on hand.
Lansing Museums
In Lansing, be sure to visit the HERstory Museum and the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum. The HERstory Museum highlights Michigan women with stories that need to be remembered and told.
Car lovers will love the Olds Museum, which tells the history of the Oldsmobile and has more than 80 vehicles on display.
Kimball House
In Battle Creek, visit the Kimball House, where you can learn all about the history of the city and get a sense of what life was like in older times in this Victorian-era house.
Ella Sharp Museum
Similarly, the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History in Jackson is a great place to learn about the history of the city on unique grounds. Historic buildings in Jackson have been moved to the museum grounds to create a unique experience that includes a planetarium, as well as science and history exhibits.
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly museum, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum offers something for kids of all ages. If your kids are always asking how things work or where things come from, this museum offers plenty to spark their imaginations.
There’s even a preschool gallery where younger kids can spend some time playing with other children their age.
A Spring Tour of the State Capitol Building in Lansing
One of the coolest spring things to do in Mid-Michigan is travel to Lansing for a tour of the State Capitol Building. As of several years ago, tours were offered every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Capitol is renowned for its design and hand-painted surfaces, so it really is a sight to see. If you want to tour the building, the best thing to do is call ahead to schedule your visit.
Mid-Michigan Spring Maple Syrup Festivals
If you’ve ever wondered how maple syrup is made, spring is the time of year to find out. Not only is springtime the time when maple trees are tapped for maple sap, but syrup farms all over Michigan hold events celebrating all things maple syrup.
MSU Tollgate Farm
If you’re in Mid-Michigan, you have to stop at the annual MSU Tollgate Farm Tapping and Pancake Feast. This is a great event to bring kids to and a good way to get them involved.
You’ll get a hearty meal and then take a trip to the farm’s sugarbush, where youngsters can try tree tapping and watch how sap is boiled into syrup.
Fenner Nature Center
The Fenner Nature Center Maple Syrup Festival in Lansing is also worth checking out and offers an all-you-can-eat pancake event, demonstrations, and plenty of maple treats for sale.
Old-Time Maple Sugar Festival
In Chelsea, you can learn a great deal of history at the Old-Time Maple Sugar Festival. You can see antique syrup-making equipment, watch a short film about maple syrup and, of course, see how sap is collected and transformed into syrup.
Other maple syrup events in Mid-Michigan include Maple Syrup Day at Chippewa Nature Center in Midland and the annual Maple Syrup Festival in Shepherd.
Spring Golfing in Mid-Michigan
Many of the top-rated golf courses in the Mitten State are located on the coasts. But with more than 800 courses in the state, there’s still plenty of great golf to play in Mid-Michigan during spring.
If you’re not a member of one of the high-end courses, there are many great public courses you can play to scratch your golf itch after a long winter.
Mid-Michigan Flea Markets for Spring Shopping
If you’re a shopper who’s always hunting for a good bargain, spending a spring day at a flea market may be one of your favorite spring things to do in Mid-Michigan. Actually, the region is home to some of Michigan’s most well-known flea markets.
Bay Area Indoor Flea Market
The Bay Area Indoor Flea Market in Bay City is open year-round and offers both new and used merchandise for customers. With so many vendors, you can find everything from kids’ clothes to electronics and even cars and trucks.
Collette’s Vintage, Art & Antique Mall
If possible, make the trip to Collette’s Vintage, Art & Antique Mall in Burton. It’s open from April to October and offers great bargains on everything from antiques to homeware to furniture.
Tecumseh & Richmond Flea Markets
On the edges of Mid-Michigan, the Tecumseh Trade Center and the Armada Flea Market are frequented by Michiganders in the spring. Both venues offer plenty of items and lots of space to explore.
Michigan Antique Festivals
Be sure to check out the Michigan Antique Festivals if you love all things antique. The festivals are held at Springfield Oaks County Park in Davisburg in early May and October, as well as Midland County Fairgrounds in Midland in June and September.
For each event, the venues are packed with hundreds of antique dealers. So, something is sure to catch your eye!
Experience All the Great Spring Things to Do in Mid-Michigan
As you can see, there’s plenty of springtime fun to be had in Mid-Michigan, whether you want to be inside or outside. You can bundle up and brave the cold to attend a really cool festival or play a round of golf. Or, head inside to learn something new at a museum or score some great deals at a flea market.
Any way you slice it, you can find plenty of enjoyable spring things to do in Mid-Michigan. Start planning to make the most of spring!