1. You Can See Breathtaking Nature From Your Own Backyard, Any Day Of The Year
People in the northern areas of the U.S. (except for Alaska) may not appreciate how beautiful it is to be surrounded by changing seasons, but Kalamazoo has some of the most extreme—and gorgeous—seasons in the country. Grown men actually cry over how nice spring feels after a Michigan winter.
2. Head West To Go South
When spring comes around, the snow has melted away, and you’re just itching to get down to your skivvies at the beach, the best place is South Haven. Straight outta Our Town.
3. Kalamazoo Air Zoo, Where Planes Roam Free
We all know what aviation museums nationwide have always been lacking, there’s no disagreement there (fun for the non-aviation enthusiasts), and the lovely people of Kalamazoo have added some excitment to their Air Zoo. Absorb the carnival vibe, marvel at the air shows in the sky, explore models on the ground (model airplanes, not supermodels), or take a whirl on an amusement park ride.
4. Nature Is Pretty Amazing
The arboretum is a sprawling 180 acres of beautiful trees and flowers, owned and operated by Kalamazoo College. There are plenty of nature paths to explore and enjoy. The “Arb,” as it is known locally, is a sight to behold during any season of the year. Bring your dog for a run, enjoy the sights and smells, and take an afternoon to lose yourself.
5. Fresh Foods Freely Farmed By Farmers
At a cozy little fairgrounds in the northern part of the city, you can find the Kalamazoo Farmer’s Market all summer long! Do you like food? Do you like to cook? Do you like farmers with great personalities and cool knick-knacks? No? Why not?
6. The Crow’s Nest
Four words: “banana bread French toast.” Don’t ask, just do it.
7. The Best Beer In The Midwest
Bell’s Brewery is the best brewpub in Southwest Michigan and Kalamazoo’s favorite by far. If you’ve never tasted their Midwest-famous Two Hearted Ale, Porter, Third Coast, or the fan favorite Oberon (in its own category below), you are missing out.
8. Everyone Is Waiting For Oberon
Oberon is more than a beer in Kalamazoo–it is a way of life. Seasonally available toward the end of March, Oberon signals the beginning of many good things in Michigan–summertime, baseball, summertime and of course, Oberon. If you’re passing through the Midwest and spot this placid-looking sun, make sure to grab a case. It will certainly make your whole vacation, and possibly your whole life.
9.Homemade Root Beer And Euchre Tournaments
The Olde-Peninsula Brewpub is another fan favorite of Kalamazoo-ers who have not entered Bell’s, or who love homemade root beer, or extremely generous portions of the most deliciously heart-stopping food imaginable. Or, they might also love it for euchre tournament night! Here’s one for true Michiganders: if Bell’s Brewery is the right bauer, then OP is the left.
10. When The Market Crashes, So Do You
Alcoholic economists and everyone else of legal drinking age will be charmed by the Kalamazoo Beer Exchange—a place where the more popular a beer is, the more expensive it gets (vice versa for the less popular ones, which, happily, are really just as good.)
11. Don’t Play With Your Food
Dance with it! Food Dance is the mainstream, extremely edible and completely delicious counterpart in terms of tasty quotient to… Okay this one got away from me. But the food didn’t. It’s all in my belly now.
12. Putting The Rad In Radisson
Odds are, if you’re a community leader, or a foodie, a sports fan or someone who wants to go shopping, the Radisson, which is smack in the middle of downtown, is the place for you. It also looks like a freaky cool space station next to all those Industrial Revolution-lookin’ brick buildings down West Main.
13. How To Get Fat Properly
These are not just any donuts–at a more than reasonable price, Sweetwater’s donuts have been ranked as some of the best in the country-multiple times. There are the regular standbys–glazed, chocolate, sprinkles–but the gourmet donuts are the biggest draw: Reese’s, Snickers, New York Cheesecake.
14. The Cereal Is Probably As Fresh As It Can Get!
Do you like Corn Flakes? Frosted Flakes? Rice Krispies? The headquarters of Kellogg’s cereal is a stone’s throw away in nearby Battle Creek. Is that whole grain? Oh, it’s the whole-iest.
15. Get Your Serious-Yet-Somehow-Quirky Hipster Vibe On
The Water Street Coffee Joint is right across the street from everyone’s favorite brewery and it is to coffee what Bell’s is to beer in Kalamazoo. The Water Street Coffee Joint has more kinds of roasts and friendly staff of eager-to-please college students than you can shake a stick at, but why would you? Get that stick out of here and order your food already!!
16. It’s Got Southwest Michigan’s Best Private University
Kalamazoo College is a small private school on a grassy, cobblestone hill right on the edge of downtown and is a liberal arts college that boasts the best study abroad program in the nation. Want to learn how to say “take me to the hospital, I drank too much!” in Kiswahili? Done.
17. And The Best Public One
Western Michigan University’s graduate programs, like its education program that is ranked among the top 10 producers of education professors, or the undergrad business and theater schools, are also amazingly meritorious. And there’s our consistent placement as one of the best schools in the state. Whatever, because most people nationwide only care about the sports. Speaking of which…
18. You Will Join The Cult Of The Broncos
Are WMU’s fans hardcore? Probably. Is the stadium awesome? Sure. Go Broncos? GO BRONCOS!
19. Home Of The Only Noble Yankee
Even for die-hard haters of the Yankees, Derek Jeter must be appreciated for his proficiency at the game and his squeaky-clean track record (seems like everyone is getting busted for juicing these days). And if you’re a Michigander, one extra reason to love Derek is the fact that Kalamazoo is his hometown!
20. Are You Ready For Audience-Friendly Hockey?!?!
The K-Wings are the local minor league hockey team, and when I say minor league, I mean fan swag at nearly every game. Their St. Patrick’s day game is “World Famous” for its green ice! They’re also coming out with a golden ice game, sponsored by McDonald’s. I’m not asking about their colorizing methods.
21. Primo Creative Real Estate
Kalamazoo’s appreciation for its artists cannot be overstated. The towering Park Trades building close to downtown is home to over a hundred studios. Is it Andy Warhol’s Warehouse? No, but then did you really want that much nudity?
22. Grandma Can Take Up Watercoloring!
The KIA is an unassuming building at the edge of downtown, but it regularly hosts world-class artists. A Chihuly glass sculpture hangs in the foyer, and its collection highlights include Robert Mapplethorpe, James Chapin, and Grafton Tyler Brown, among others. The institute also features art classes for the local community, from basics such as painting and watercolor to glass and loom weaving (ACTUAL LOOM WEAVING).
23. Best Theater In Southwest Michigan
Kalamazoo’s live theater community is bustling, even excluding Miller Auditorium, the popular location for big-name comedians and bands that are passing through on national tours. The Civic regularly produces favorite musicals for, you know, people who are into that sort of thing, along with other truly important productions. Right in the heart of downtown, this is the closest you’ll get to Broadway in Michigan.
24. If It’s Good Enough For Peter Frampton…
So there was this really famous guitarist this one time named Jeff Beck, or was it Chuck Berry, or was it Eric Clapton, or was it Bob Dylan, or was it The Edge—you get the idea. Well, they all had a single preference when it came to making sweet, sweet music, and whether they called it their axe or their fascist-killing machine, all those sweet Gibson guitars were originally homegrown in Kalamazoo.
25. Art Hop
Kalamazoo is packed to the gills with artists of every persuasion and medium, and the monthly Art Hop is the community’s chance to view and purchase their wares. Local businesses get in on the craze, too, and open up their shops downtown to host art and give away free wine.
26. Kalamazoo Greek Fest: Somehow A Huge Thing
It’s not like the city runneth over with Popolopolouses and Galfiniakises, but these Michiganders sure love their pastitisio! Every year, right at the merciful arrival of spring, people come from all over the county to gorge on deliciously empty carbs and watch dancers of the traditional, belly and chair persuasion.
27. Open Air Shopping, Day And Night
A quaint cobblestone downtown walking mall that’s got everything—salons, boutique stores, and a Taco Bob’s, Kalamazoo Mall is right smack in the middle of the entertainment district. Of all the quaint cobblestone downtown walking malls featuring a Taco Bob’s in the world, this is by far the best one.
28. Stuart Neighborhood
As long as we’re talking places to move, the Stuart Neighborhood features the most gorgeous Victorians in the whole region. And such economical prices for such gorgeous estates.
29. Debt-Free Promise
A Republican’s nightmare and a Democrat’s, ahem, dream—the Kalamazoo Promise says that if you go to public school and get reasonably good grades throughout, you get to go to one of their great colleges in the city for free. For. Free. I’m just going to show myself out of here while you sit with that for a little bit.
30. K-A-L-A-M-A-Z-O-O
You will never get tired of people being enchanted by the city in your street address.
