Every Fall Term, University of Michigan students get a long weekend known as “Fall Break.” Most Fordies take advantage of this extra time to explore our beautiful state and its spectacular falls colors and attractions. From the Upper Peninsula to Frankenmuth, there’s a lot to see and do in Michigan, and no better time to explore than during the month of October. Here are the Top 10 Fall Break Attractions from our Admissions team:

1.Go to an apple orchard and cider mill

Michigan is the third largest apple producer in the United States, and home to some beautiful apple orchards and cider mills all across the state. You can go pick some apples, eat some donuts, and try fresh apple cider! Some Fordie favorites include the Plymouth Orchards and Cider Mill and the Dexter Cider Mill, both of which are relatively close to Ann Arbor.

2. Visit towns along the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes and Michigan are deeply intertwined – culturally, historically, politically, and literally (we have shorelines with all five lakes). There are lots of towns and cities along our lakes that are worth visiting – whether you go to Traverse City, Grand Haven, or make your way up to Copper Harbor, there’s a lot of beautiful lake views and beaches to check out before things get too cold (fair warning: the water is almost certainly already too cold for swimming, but it’ll be nice to look at).

3. Check out lighthouses

While we’re talking about the lakes, Michigan is home to some truly remarkable lighthouses! You could say that visiting them will be an illuminating experience.

4. Camp in Sleeping Bear Dunes Park

One of Michigan’s most popular attractions on the Lake Michigan coast, the Sleeping Bear Dunes are home to spectacular bluffs, beautiful forests, and incredible sand beaches. There’s camping, hiking, kayaking, and other activities – and you’re not too far from some of Michigan’s most popular lake towns.

5. Make your way to Frankenmuth

Also known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth is home to the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s, and two extremely awesome family-style fried chicken restaurants. You can also check out a riverboat cruise, petting zoo, and even a Michigan-style Oktoberfest.

6. Visit Michigan breweries

 

 

Michigan is home to nearly 300 breweries, microbreweries, and brewpubs, serving local beers, meads, and more. From Detroit to Grand Rapids, there is no shortage of great local brews to try and breweries to visit.

7. Get over to Detroit’s Eastern Market

One of the largest and oldest year-round farmer’s markets in the United States, the Eastern Market, and the surrounding area, are home to some of the coolest shops and restaurants in Detroit.

8. Make your way up to the Upper Peninsula

Michigan got the U.P. after fighting an actual war with Ohio over Toledo,  and frankly, we think we got the better end of that deal. Full of beautiful forests, surrounded by three of the five Great Lakes, and home to Yoopers, there’s a lot of great camping and sightseeing to do in the Upper Peninsula.

9. Eat your way through Dearborn

Part of the Greater Metro Detroit area, Dearborn is where Ford Motor Company started and is now home to the country’s largest population center of the Arab American community. That latter fact has contributed to an excellent Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine scene, including standards like Al Ameer and Shatila Bakery.

10. Or, just stay in Ann Arbor!

Nichols Arboretum. Kerrytown Market. Finding the Fairy Doors. The Museum of Art. Ann Arbor is not a shabby place to spend a long weekend, with plenty of great restaurants and bars as well as all the museums affiliated with the university, so take advantage of your time here to the fullest.

Fall in Ann Arbor means fresh apple cider, wild swings between sort of hot and sort of cold, and Michigan Football!

As a Ford School graduate student, you’ll be eligible to buy student tickets each semester, and guaranteed at least six home games per year. Every game at the Big House is accompanied by tailgates before kickoff, which most Fordies take part in.

Some things to know about the University of Michigan and our football program:

• Michigan’s mascot is officially the Wolverine, but most of us stick to saying, “Go Blue.”
• Our school colors are Maize and Blue. No, Maize isn’t the same as yellow. Yes, it matters.
• Michigan began playing football in 1879! In fact, we taught Notre Dame how to play the game (this wasn’t our best idea).
• The Wolverines were founding members of the Big Ten Conference at its inception in 1896, and other than a hiatus from 1907 to 1916, have been members since.
• Michigan has won or shared 42 league titles, and, since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936, has finished in the top 10 a total of 38 times.
• The Wolverines claim 11 national championships, most recently in 1997.
• Michigan Football is the winningest program in college football history with a record of 944 wins to 340 losses and 36 ties.
• Michigan Stadium, also known as, “The Big House,” is the largest stadium in the United States, the second largest stadium in the world with 107,601 seats (although our crowds are closer to 115,000).
• We also have the best fight song in college football.

Obviously, there are a lot of good reasons to come to the Ford School and the University of Michigan – but we’d be misleading you if we didn’t include Michigan Football on the list. It truly is a special thing to enjoy games at the Big House after hanging with your friends at a tailgate.

Go Blue!