Lansing Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Lansing, Michigan - MI, USA)



Although you shouldn't come to Lansing expecting an endless list of attractions, as you might in larger state capitals, there are generally more than enough sights to suit sightseers and tourists, particularly during the warm summer months. The winter weather is very cold and therefore you should bear this in mind if you are vacationing in the Michigan state capital at this time of the year.

If you have time on your hands and the sun is shining, then set aside a day for a leisurely stroll along the city's lengthy River Walk Trail. Alternatively, you may like to check out the recreational attractions and activities at nearby Lake Lansing, which resides on the eastern outskirts of the city, within the suburb of Haslett.

Potter Park Zoo is situated on the southeastern side of Lansing, close to Shubell Park and right next to the Red Cedar River. These spacious zoological gardens cover a little over 40 hectares / 100 acres and date back to 1915, following the donation of a large herd of elk. Since then, the zoo has seen many changes and improvements, with a noticeable emphasis on landscaped, naturally appearing habitats.

Tourists can also spend an evening at the Riverwalk Theater or the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, watch a baseball game at the Jackson Field at Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium, or catch a stargazing show at the Abrams Planetarium. Alternatively, a cruise down the Grand River onboard the Michigan Princess may well be in order.


River Walk Trail / Lansing River Trail

Address: Lansing, Michigan (MI), USA
Running next to both the Grand River and the Red Cedar River, this popular trail forms a curvy 'T' shape and stretches for some 13 miles / 21 km, connecting northerly Turner Park with Moores Park (south) and the campus of the Michigan State University (east), heading right through downtown Lansing itself. The list of attractions lining the trail is huge and includes the Adado Riverfront Park, the Community College, the Cooley Gardens (home of the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame), the Kalamazoo Plaza, Moores Park, Potter Park Zoo, River Street Park and Scott Park. You will also pass close by to the Cooley Law School Stadium, the Museum District, the Farmer's Market and the historical sights within the Old Town, on the northern side of the city. Along the way, why not hire a canoe or a kayak and explore the river from an altogether different perspective?
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Cycle Trails

Address: Lansing, Michigan (MI), USA
This region of Michigan features a number of well-laid out bicycle lanes, which are in good supply in East Lansing, around Michigan State University. Many of the main attractions are linked by these trails, as well as the sidewalks. Bicycles are easy to rent around the city center, either by the hour, half-day, per day or per week.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Potter Park Zoo

Address: 1301 South Pennsylvania Avenue, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48912, USA
Tel: +1 517 483 4222
There are currently more than 150 different species of animal living at Potter Park Zoo, with the attractions grouped into themed areas, such as Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia. For many, the animals of Africa hold the greatest interest and include the likes of lemurs, lions, meerkats, oryx, ostriches, rhinos and spider monkeys. Additional highlights at Potter Park are the Amur tigers, Arctic foxes, camels, chinchillas, kangaroos, red pandas, snow leopards, wallabies and wolves, along with countless birds in the walk-in aviary, reptiles and friendly farmyard animals. Wildlife presentations regularly take place in the Exploration and Discovery Center for Education, which opened in 2000 and features many interesting exhibits of an educational nature.
Open hours: April to October, daily - 09:00 to 18:00; November to March, daily - 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: April to October - charge, discount available for seniors, residents and children, children two years old and under are free; November to March - charge, discounts available for children, children two years old and under are free

Lake Lansing

Address: Haslett, Michigan (MI), 48840, USA
Three parks and a series of green spaces surround Lake Lansing, together with some very beautiful houses, playgrounds, scenic walking trails, volleyball courts and fishing opportunities (largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and catfish). Sailing lessons take place here on a regular basis, being provided by the Michigan State University (MSU), while others come to soak up the summer sunshine, go for a swim or enjoy a picnic at one of the lakeside beaches. During the summer the Friday Night Concert Series draws the crowds, especially as these live music events are completely free of charge. Of note, this is the biggest expanse of water within a 30-mile / 48-km radius of the city.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Spartan Stadium

Address: 325 West Shaw Lane, East Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48824, USA
Tel: +1 517 355 1855
Located on the university campus in East Lansing, close to the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden and the Clara Bell Smith Center, the Spartan Stadium is a huge sports stadium mainly used for American football games. The venue was previously known as the Macklin Field and the College Field, and was originally built in the 1920s. It was extensively renovated as recently as 2005. With a capacity of more than 75,000 people, the stadium has been used as a homeground for the Michigan State University Spartans football team since its opening.
Open hours: hours vary according to game
Admission: charge

Theaters

For tourists looking for an evening of entertainment and an injection of culture, there are a number of theaters and similar venues within the city. Standing alongside the Lansing River Trail, on Museum Drive, the Riverwalk Theater regularly produces award-winning musicals, dramas and children's productions. Based at the Miller Performing Arts Center and named after a historic stream in nearby Mason, the Peppermint Creek Theater Company was established in 1995 and is known for the high quality of its productions, which in the past have included the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, the Last Days of Judas Iscariot and the History of America.

The modern Wharton Center for Performing Arts is to be found on the northerly side of the Michigan State University campus, where it is called home by the acclaimed Lansing Symphony Orchestra. Roughly 20 concerts are staged here each year by the orchestra and are completely free of charge. Theatrical attractions at the Wharton Center include touring musicals, dance companies and Broadway shows, with past productions of the Phantom of the Opera and South Pacific. The center opened in 1982 and enjoyed a huge renovation program in 2009, costing close to US$20 million.


Jackson Field at Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium

Address: 505 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing, Michigan (MI), USA
Tel: +1 517 485 4500
Formerly named the Oldsmobile Park, the Cooley Law School Stadium was built between 1995 and 1996, costing close to US$13 million. This centrally located baseball stadium can accommodate roughly 7,500 spectators and serves as the homeground for both the Lansing Lugnuts (minor-league baseball team) and the Michigan State Spartans (university athletics team).
Open hours: hours vary according to game
Admission: charge

Abrams Planetarium

Address: 755 Science Road, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48824, USA
Tel: +1 517 355 4676
Based on the northern side of the campus of the Michigan State University (MSU), the Abrams Planetarium opened here in 1963 and since then, it has welcomed more than one million visitors. There are three principal areas inside the planetarium, namely the black light gallery, the exhibition hall and the domed sky theater, where projected sky shows concentrate on the world of astronomy and the solar system.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:30 to 12:00, 13:00 to 16:30, Saturday and Sunday - half hour before show time
Admission: charge

Michigan Princess

Address: 3004 West Main Street, Lansing, Michigan (MI), 48917, USA
Tel: +1 517 627 2154
There really can't be a more relaxing way to sightsee in the sunshine than sitting on the deck of a boat and enjoying a cruise down the river. In Lansing, the Michigan Princess is a major attraction and this old-fashioned riverboat comes with three decks. The boat began its life in 1888, when it transported people from the Moores Park Dam to the Waverly Amusement Park. Today, themed cruises along the Grand River are extremely popular with tourists, who enjoy lunchtime trips, ballroom dancing dinner cruises and even Murder Mystery packages. Each of the decks feature dance floors and stages, being able to accommodate roughly 230 passengers in total. The third deck has an outside space, where you can admire the seasonal riverside scenery, which is known for its dramatic fall colors.
Open hours: hours vary, refer to current cruise schedule
Admission: charge, discounts available for children









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Lansing, USA - Tourist Attractions - Last updated 7/9/2019 - gprofile - Google+

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