Ann Arbor, MI - Details? Safe?
 

My daughter is going off to college in a few weeks, and my wife is heading out early with her to get her settled. Ann Arbor is the closest "real" city to the school - what's it like? Areas to avoid? Safer than Detroit I hope?

(Where's Brock Yates when I need him?)

2002 Hogback Road!

My daughter lives just outside Ann Arbor. I've been there several times. It seems like a nice college town. What school? U of M?

No, Hillsdale.

I'll check on it.

Ann Arbor is a mecca for liberals. Hillsdale is ultra conservative. Both are very removed from the hellhole known as Detroit. I would not be worried in the least.... Congrats on your daughter attending Hillsdale. I wish I could have afforded to send my girls there.

WOW! Excellent!

We are very fortunate that she can go there. She earned an academic scholarship for part of the tuition, and she has worked very hard. Now I just have to pay for the rest of it :)

Thanks for all the good info - it's all appreciated.

Jackson is much closer, and probably more relevant than A2.
It's a poorer industrialized working class town. That's all I know, haven't been through there in a while.

From the map, the town of Hillsdale looks to be "out in the country"....which changes everything.
Typical of Michigan small towns, I'm guessing it's a quiet 4-block downtown based around the college, surrounded by a 10-20 block radius of neighborhoods, surrounded by cornfields/woods/etc.

Nothing like Detroit. Nothing like Ann Arbor either.

Your description of Hillsdale is spot on. I have been there and I have no worries about Hillsdale (other than how my So Cal daughter will deal with the winter :) )

I heard Jackson has a Walmart, but Ann Arbor has a Bed Bath And Beyond etc that my wife is planning to use.

There are fresh water lakes near Hillsdale that people have cottages/summer homes on. My wife's boss has one and enjoys the Hillsdale area very much. I do not know much about Jackson Mi as I have only been to the small airport there, but Adrian Mi is only about 30 miles east of Hillsdale and there are some hotels there..... might make more sense to stay in Adrian when visiting (or Jackson if they have hotels there). MIS speedway is also pretty close to Hillsdale (about 30 miles northeast of Hillsdale). I fly to a grass strip 1 mile from MIS every Monday night to practice IDPA at a shooting range in Brooklyn Mi. If you are ever in to visit and want an aerial view of the area, I would be more than happy to buzz up there and take you for an airplane ride at the Hillsdale airport just east of town (I am about 30 minutes flying time to the south in NW Ohio).

PM me if advice/assistance is needed.
I have heard a little of this strange foreign terminology called "shopping", but the girlfriend translates that language better.

There is Costco up in Brighton and a decent outlet mall in Howell(both a bit of a drive near the U.S. 23-96 exchange).
Shouldn't be a problem finding Wallmarts or Meijers or big-box stores (Menards is close).
Think there is also a Cost-Plus in Ypsi.

Thanks John, I'll be in touch.

And Tim - what an offer, I will definitely be in contact. I think I will be taking quite a few trip to Hillsdale over the next few years.

Dude, that's half way across the state from Ann Arbor, like a two hour drive from here.

Hillsdale is small town USA, bored white kids listening to gangster rap and doing crystal meth. Just kidding, it's a nice place from what little I've heard about it.

70 miles, hour 22 per Google maps.

I think AA is in the picture as she is driving from DTW to Hillsdale.

That, and that shopping thing women talk about...

Yep, MapQuest says:
Total Travel Estimate: 1 hour 21 minutes / 73.10 miles (from my house)

Add in a potty break/lunch, or take US 12 (Michigan Ave) because of construction on I-94 or hit rush hour and it could turn into two hours easily.

College
 

Great choice.
Nice small town

Kach, 2+ hours stuck in traffic is a normal morning commute in California. Besides, I once made Kalamazoo in 45 minute flat back in high school.

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George

It used to be the weed capitol of the midwest.