The best way to get to Ann Arbor by plane is to fly into Detroit (DTW).

I live in Atlanta, so it was an incredibly easy trip as there are multiple direct flights.  From there, it's approximately a 30 minute drive to Ann Arbor.

We took a rideshare from the airport to downtown, but you can also rent a car.

Palio is such a unique Italian restaurant, named for the famous horse race that you can witness annually in Siena.

We were lucky to visit on a weekend when Palio was having a special event.  They were putting on a 5-course dinner and wine pairing, meticulously curated by Chef Dimitra Nikolakou.

Every single course of this meal was mouth-watering, and each was perfectly paired with a glass of wine.  

One of my favorite things about Ann Arbor is its downtown.  I could walk back and forth on Main Street all day, just popping in and out of all the adorable shops.

My favorite store was Rock, Paper, Scissors because it was full of so many various types of goodies.  It had everything from Michigan and Ann Arbor merch, to hilarious greeting cards, themed products such as Diet Coke and Gilmore Girls, a sock wall, and so much more.  You MUST go in there during your visit.

We ended our evening with cocktails at an underground Tiki Bar called Hunã.  This speakeasy-style bar was such a fun experience with an incredible vibe.  

They have so many unique cocktails to choose from and the ambiance is just mesmerizing; you really feel like you're somewhere completely different than Ann Arbor.  

If you want to plan on a little exercise during your trip, you can drop in for a reformer class at Sol Society Pilates.  

This was such a fun activity and made us feel a lot less guilty about indulging in a sweet treat after class at Tous Les Jours next door.

There's no such thing as spending too much time exploring downtown Ann Arbor, so  whenever you don't have anything specific planned, just walk around and visit all of the different shops.  

Main Street Shop Suggestions:  Cherry Republic, Rock Paper Scissors, Rallyhouse, Noteworthy, Rocket Fizz, London Beauty, West Side Book Shop

4th Street Shop Suggestions:  Ferne Boutique, Dear Golden, Literati Bookstore, The Get Up Vintage

The main event during our girls' trip was happening at night in Dexter, so we grabbed dinner at Chela's Mexican Restaurant.  

This was such a cute place with an extremely friendly staff.  Definitely don't skip their chips and queso!

Did you know that just outside of Ann Arbor you can see a Broadway caliber show?  

The Encore Theatre, located in Dexter, produces high quality musicals and we had the pleasure of attending a performance of RENT.

What I loved about the entire experience was how intimate the setting was, but also how diverse and talented the cast was.  There was a mix of local performers and students from the university.  

I was absolutely blown away and highly recommend seeing a show at The Encore.  

We found another great spot for breakfast downtown at Avalon.  

You can enjoy either breakfast or lunch options and I ended up going with the most savory grilled cheese with tomato basil soup.    

We spent more time exploring the shops downtown, this time stopping into Cherry Republic (I had no idea that Michigan was so well known for its cherries!), the Rally House, and a crystal store.

We even managed to spot the fairy doors and some incredible murals.

We also got to see the infamous Michigan Theatre Marquee and the State Theatre. 

If you're looking for a fun activity, head out to Wolverine Pickleball where you can enjoy some outdoor games.  

Known for their pickleball courts, Wolverine Pickleball also has outdoor volleyball courts, bocce, and Mahjong.  

We spent some time playing a few rounds of bocce and had such a great time.

Nicknamed "The best natural experience in Ann Arbor", The Nichols Arboretum is a great afternoon activity.

You can follow trails and open meadows while you enjoy various species of trees, shrubs, and flowers.  

If you love peonies, you have GOT to check out their peony garden.  They even have a tracker so you can find exactly where they are in the bloom process.

The bar at the AC Hotel Downtown is so welcoming, to the point that locals have become regulars there in addition to guests staying at the hotel.

The bar staff, including Ian, are incredibly talented and beyond friendly.   

Another unique restaurant on Main Street downtown is Union Rec.  This eclectic spot has everything from barbecue to tacos and a cozy atmosphere.  We enjoyed some time around the fire before dining in one of their canopy booths.

Ann Arbor is a great town for nightlife with all types of bars and restaurants to go out to for drinks.

On our last night, we stopped at The Ranch Honky Tonk, where they had live music from a band upstairs and a DJ downstairs.  

Note:  They have live music Thursday - Sunday!

After brunch, we experienced true natural beauty at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.  

Here, you can visit The Gardens, The Campus Farm, The Trails, and The Conservatory, where we spent the majority of our time.

There is no shortage of beautiful blooms and they even have a Corpse Flower, which I'd never heard of before.

Kerrytown is an area of markets and shops as well as restaurants.  Every inch of this area was bright and alive with people.  I was wishing we had more time so that we could really slow down and enjoy every minute of exploring the markets and the individual stores.

We loved browsing through Found, seeing local vendors at the Artisan Market, sampling delicious treats at Zingerman's Deli, and shopping for souvenirs at Catching Fireflies.