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Lansing is the capital of Michigan, set where the Red Cedar River flows into the Grand River in the center of the state's Lower Peninsula. It was a tiny settlement in 1847 when lawmakers, unable to agree on a larger city, chose it as a compromise capital in the middle of the woods. The city grew quickly after Ransom E. Olds founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company here in 1897, and Lansing became one of the great centers of the American auto industry, a role it still plays with its General Motors plants.
Today Lansing has about 112,000 residents, and with neighboring East Lansing, home to Michigan State University and its huge, leafy campus, forms a metro area of more than 500,000. The restored Michigan State Capitol, a Victorian landmark with a soaring cast-iron dome, offers free tours, and the downtown along Washington Square has restaurants, bars and Lugnuts minor league baseball at Jackson Field.
The Lansing River Trail follows the Grand and Red Cedar rivers for more than 20 miles past parks, the Potter Park Zoo and Old Town, a historic district of galleries, boutiques and festivals. The R.E. Olds Transportation Museum tells the story of the city's car-making heritage, and Impression 5 Science Center is a favorite with families. In East Lansing, MSU's Broad Art Museum, designed by Zaha Hadid, the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden and the MSU Dairy Store's ice cream are popular stops, and Spartan Stadium fills with green-clad fans on fall Saturdays.
The Michigan State Capitol was completed in 1879 and restored in 1992, with a tall cast iron dome and richly painted interiors. Free guided tours show the House and Senate chambers and the view up into the rotunda. Tours run on weekdays and some Saturdays, and walk-in visits are welcome.
Michigan State University in neighboring East Lansing has one of the largest campuses in the country, with Beaumont Tower, the Red Cedar River and Beal Botanical Garden, the oldest continuously operated university botanical garden in the country. Stop at the MSU Dairy Store for ice cream made on campus.
Old Town Lansing is a historic district just north of downtown along the Grand River, with brick storefronts filled with art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and bars. It hosts popular summer festivals such as the blues and jazz festivals. It is easy to explore on foot from the river trail.
The Lansing River Trail is a paved trail of more than 20 miles along the Grand and Red Cedar rivers. It connects downtown, Old Town, Potter Park Zoo and Michigan State University. It is good for walking, running and cycling, and you can rent bikes at shops near the trail.
Fenner Nature Center is a city nature preserve with about four miles of trails through forest, prairie and wetlands on the south side of Lansing. A visitor center has exhibits on local wildlife. In early spring it hosts a popular maple syrup festival showing how sap is collected and boiled.
The R.E. Olds Transportation Museum tells the story of Ransom E. Olds and the Oldsmobile and REO companies founded in Lansing. It displays historic cars, trucks and bicycles, many made in the city. Car fans should allow about two hours, and the museum sits near the Lansing River Trail.
The Michigan History Center is the state history museum, housed with the state library downtown. Exhibits move through Michigan's story, from Native American life and the fur trade to a walk-through copper mine and a 1920s street. Admission is free on Sundays, and it is near the Capitol.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University is a contemporary art museum in a striking pleated steel and glass building designed by Zaha Hadid. It shows changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Admission is free, and it sits on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.
The Turner-Dodge House is a Classical Revival mansion in North Lansing, first built in the 1850s for James Turner and later expanded by the Dodge family. It is now a city-owned museum and event space with restored rooms. It sits above the Grand River near Old Town, so combine the two.
Impression 5 Science Center is a hands-on science museum for children in a restored brick building near the Grand River downtown. Exhibits cover water, energy, building and the human body, with special areas for toddlers. Plan two to three hours, and check for weekend programs.
Potter Park Zoo sits along the Red Cedar River and is home to more than 100 species, including black rhinoceroses, snow leopards, red pandas and penguins. It is compact and easy to walk in a couple of hours. Combine your visit with a walk or bike ride on the Lansing River Trail.
Jackson Field is the downtown ballpark of the Lansing Lugnuts minor league baseball team. Games are affordable and family friendly, with fireworks nights and promotions through summer. The stadium is next to the river trail and a short walk from restaurants in downtown and Old Town.
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