Flint, Michigan is not the first place that comes to mind when
you think vacation. Yet for that reason, it is an interesting and
surprisingly fun city to visit. Michigan is a great state to see
during any point of the year, with Flint as a must- see stop.
During late spring, the flowers in the state, from the east side of
Flint to the west side of Holland are beautiful. Summer is lovely
in the state, with beaches all along the lake. Fall, especially
from Flint to Ann Arbor, is comparible to Vermont or Maine wth the
foliage and autumn hues. Winter, with the biting wind and heavy
snow, makes Michigan a great state for snowboarding and skiing. The
upper peninsula offers great remote lodges. Of course, it also has
hiking.
For arts, Flint has a children’s museum and the Flint Institue
of the Arts. You’re also at an arm’s length from Detroit and Ann
Arbor, both of which boast world-renowned museums and astonishing
architecture. Detroit has the Motown Museum, African American
Museum, the Ford Museum, and auto shows every couple of months.
Looking out of a window from the DIA (Detroit Institute of the
Arts), you will truly feel as though you are in Europe. Ann Arbor’s
University of Michigan is a true symbol of the American University.
The perfect college town of Ann Arbor has dozens of libraries,
underground and above. It also has The Big House, the biggest
football stadium in the country. Flint is photogenic for the ruins
that it holds, and the bright future that is peaking through.
Michael Moore fans can see where the film maker grew up, and what
shook him so hard, making him who he is today.
In terms of food, you may be surprised to find that the locavore
movement has strongly hit Michigan. Thus, food in and around Flint
is fresh and tasty. The one attraction that you may not find in a
guide book for Flint is urban agriculture. Farms within cities, in
Flint and in Detroit, are something up-and-coming. The idea is to
provide cheap and healthy food to those who need it. The southeast
area of Michigan is home to over a thousand farms in urban areas.
They range from small to large, from private to public. Community
and youth gardens are sprouting up like weeds in the state, making
former gray cities much more green. Urban agriculture may not be
something that you are familiar with, but feel free to strike up
conversation with any urban farmer about his or her land. Their
pride is unmeasurable and their crops are delicious. So while
Flint, Michigan is not on the Bucket List for some people, think
outside of the box. You’ll be glad you did.