Lansing, Michigan, is the state's capital.

Get around

Lansing and most of its surrounding suburbs are served by the CATA bus system. Driving in Lansing is generally not a problem and it is not common to see large traffic backups that plague large cities. However, they can occur during "rush hour" (between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm) generally concentrated east of the city near Okemos and East Lansing and West Lansing (Waverly district).

Several taxi services are available also that serve the area.

Lansing also has an extensive river walk trail for biking and running that follows the Grand River from downtown eastward.

Attractions

In Lansing: Old Town, Riverwalk and the state capitol building. In East Lansing: the gorgeous wooded & Gothic campus of Michigan State University.

Activities

East Lansing: museums and historic gardens of Michigan State as well as the state-of-the-art Abrams Planetarium. Wharton Performing Arts Center on campus for Broadway plays, opera, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (its home) among many others. Many restaurants, bars, shops, art galleries, bookstores and spring/summer festivals are in downtown East Lansing. There's also the East Lansing Film Festival, which is the largest in Michigan.

Dining

There are a fair selection of restaurants in East Lansing. For decent Mexican fare, try El Azteco on Albert Avenue. Beggar's Banquet has many good offerings but does not offer very much for the vegetarian consumer. Go to Charlie Kang's on Grand River Avenue for Chinese/Korean food. Woody's Oasis, found on the same block, has respectable Mediterranean food with a good Michigan beer selection.

Drink

There are several good bars in East Lansing. The best is Beggar's Banquet located on Abbott Street just off Grand River Avenue. On Grand River, there is the Peanut Barrel, which is an East Lansing institution.

Lodging

 • Clarion Hotel And Conference Center 3600 Dunckel Dr. Tel: (517) 351-7600. Fax: (517) 351-4640. Located on 12 acres, adjacent to Michigan State University, and just five minutes from Downtown Lansing, the State Capital and G.M., this newly refurbished and completely renovated hotel is also home to Sigee's Sports Grill.
 • Econo Lodge Lansing Hotel 1100 Ramada Drive. Tel: (517) 394-7200. Fax: (517) 394-0826.
 • Quality Inn University Lansing Hotel 3121 E. Grand River Ave. Tel: (517) 351-1440. Fax: (517) 351-6220. Just one mile from Michigan State University, East Lansing area, and three miles from downtown and surrounded by 15 restaurants and 70 stores which are within walking distance.
 • Quality Suites Lansing Hotel 901 Delta Commerce Dr. Tel: (517) 886-0600. Fax: (517) 886-0103. A 117-Room all suites hotel offering in-room coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, wet bar, iron ironing board and hairdryer. Secure Online Reservations.

Get out

The Temple Club is located in Old Town section of North Lansing and is a two story bar/club. Saturdays and various days throughout the week the top floor hosts DJs for electronics and hip hop music. Wednesdays and Fridays generally host a variety of local and national bands. The lower floor is generally reserved as a bar, but amateur acts do find themselves playing there.

The Rendezvous is another Old Town bar which features local acts and open mic sessions, it is located on Grand River Ave, just 3 blocks west of Temple Club

South Town is located just south of downtown on Washington Ave. It is geared towards the young hip-hop/urban genre. Recent shootings have threatened to force the club to shut down, as has been the case with similar clubs opening in the same general area.