Ten Best and Fabulous Things to do in Lansing, Michigan

11/1/2025

Ten Best and Fabulous Things to do in Lansing, Michigan

Welcome to the real Spartan Country in the United States. If you are looking for an ideal getaway destination, Lansing can be a surprising answer. Let's see what this fantastic city offers just for you!

Ten Best and Fabulous Things to do in Lansing, Michigan.

1. Michigan State Capitol

Since the Michigan State Capitol was ceremonially opened in 1879, it has been holding a special place in the history of the US. In that time, it was among rare state capitols with a high cast-iron dome.
Nowadays, you can find a free guided tour and become one of more than 110,000 people who enjoy the elegance of Governor’s office and come to admire the smart Gallery of the Governors and the serious Supreme Court Chamber every year. Since 1992, this building is on the list of National Historic Landmarks.

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2. Beaumont Tower Carillon

South of Grand River Avenue, you can find Beaumont Tower, built in the 1900s, my special place in whole Lansing. I love the sound of its bells, and I return to this place over and over again, every single time I visit this beautiful city.
The secret is in a unique musical instrument carillon which consists of arranged bells. You can hear their 49 bells every Wednesday and Thursday throughout summer when volunteer carillonneurs come to play on this magnificent instrument. To attend one of their weekly performances, you have to climb up to 73 stairs.

3. The Potter Park Zoo

Once you find yourself in this beautiful town, don't miss visiting the enchanting Potter Park Zoo, a home for over 160 different animal species. Widespread on the twenty acres (8 ha) in downtown, this lovely zoo has a few exciting thematic exhibitions.
You will enjoy the company of many fascinating mammals, lovely birds, and various kinds of reptiles. This place pays particular attention to preserving endangered and rare species, including Snow leopards, Amur tigers, African rhinoceros, or Red pandas.
They also host a lot of different camps during the night and summer, plus organize numerous education programs, especially for children.

4. Lansing River Trail

Can you imagine over 20 miles of trail (32 km) which connect Waverly Road and the Old Town while passes through fairy-tale natural areas, nineteen beautiful parks (both city and county ones), two rivers, a zoo, and three museums? It is an ideal adventure for all who like to walk, jog, and ride a bike or rollerblade.
Depending on your affinities, you can choose paved trails, wooden boardwalks, and pathways. If you can't pass the entire trail, pick out one of two sections which pass by museums and art galleries as well as next to excellent places for shopping and dinner. The third, newest one, which goes through woodlands and wetlands, is for those who enjoy being wild.

Lansing River Trail, Michigan

5. Turner-Dodge House and Heritage Center

Once you come to Lansing, you really should visit the Turner-Dodge house. It is an incredibly beautiful mansion built in 1855. Almost half centuries ago, this home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This unique house, surrounded with the nine acres of landscaped land, is also a site for a museum.
It is a perfect place where you can learn a lot about the history of this region and hear exciting stories about the lives of people who were important for the city. I can recommend you to enjoy perfectly restored decor from that period and preserved antiques which are now the cultural heritage of the town.

Turner-Dodge house, Lansing, Michigan

6. Abrams Planetarium

Located on the MSU campus, this fantastic planetarium established by Talbert and Leota Abrams appears as an educational resource center for whole Central Michigan from the area of space science and astronomy.
You can come here on Sunday afternoons as well as Friday and Saturday nights and attend one of their fantastic planetarium shows. Keep in mind that they have only 141 seats and it would be wise to book on time. I highly recommend you to visit their exhibit hall where you can find a counter with books and lovely gifts for your beloved ones.

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7. Michigan Women's Historical Center & Hall of Fame

This historical place was founded at MSU back in 1973, and seven years later, MWSA decided to establish this historical center in honor of three hundred women who have influenced this lovely State throughout history.
Nowadays, you can come here and learn almost everything you always wanted to know about the subject. For only a few bucks, you can find out how these intelligent and respectful women contributed to various areas connected with everyday life.

8. Meridian Historical Village

This picturesque place is actually a beautiful park in Okemos, not far from the city. You can spend a relaxed day there while enjoying numerous historic buildings relocated here and wholly restored, so they look the same as when they were made in the 19th century.
I recommend you to visit a local old school and an enchanting white chapel which is still in use for weddings, art performances, and memorials. Come here to meet history. That is the right place.

9. Where to Go to Eat

After a busy day that you spent visiting this unique city, it is the time for a delicious dinner or a glass of your favorite drink. I can recommend you Meat Southern BBQ & Carnivore Cuisine where you can taste the most delicious barbecue in the entire city. If you are more for a lighter or vegetarian meal, welcome to Soup Spoon Café for their homemade soups.

10. Best Places to Go Out

If you are a fan of live music, come to the Green Door for a crazy night out full of rock, blues, and soul. For more energetic experience, become a part of the crowd in HopCat and sip your favorite beverage and taste crack fries, the specialty of the house, with good music.
As a big beer lover, I can't skip the Midtown Brewing Company. Enjoy their top-rated handcrafted beers and be brave to try something entirely new such as Pumpkin Cream Ale!

Useful Tips for International Travelers

If you are a citizen of one of the ESTA VWP countries, you can visit this great, beautiful country without a visa. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) was established in 2009 by the government of the US, and it facilitates the arrival of passengers in the country, regardless of whether they come as tourists or business people.
You need a digital passport with a chip and biometric information and a valid credit card, and you can stay here for 90 days. In other words, you only need to fill the ESTA US application and board your plane. Come here to visit all the places you have always wanted to see. Welcome!