48 Hours In Lansing: What To Do, Where To Stay & Where To Eat

48 Hours In Lansing: What To Do, Where To Stay & Where To Eat

If you only have 48 hours to spend exploring the Lansing Area, what would you do? What areas would you explore?

Well, if you’re not sure what to do, keep reading for a few of my personal suggestions!

First, I would highly recommend you to check out the Things To Do in Michigan category here on the blog. You will find a variety of different things to do in Lansing and beyond for everyone!

Related: Over 100 ++ Summer Bucket list for Mid-Michigan and surrounding areas.

Things To Do:

Depending on when you’re exploring the Lansing Area, you will find a variety of free festivals going on. During my 48 hour Lansing Tour, I checked out Scrapfest located in Old Town.

Scrapfest is a unique festival that celebrates the art, creativity and a genius to showcase recyclable scrap.

And since you’re already in Old Town, be sure to check out some of my favorite spots:

I love heading over to Bradly’s Home and Garden.  They always have different and unique decor ideas for your home.

Cravings Gourmet Popcorn offers  you the best popcorn in town!

Mother & Earth Baby Boutique great store for Moms and Moms-to-be to shop for organic and natural items for the baby.

And whenever we come near this store, we also have to stop for a visit: Preuss Pets. This is the BEST pet store EVER! My boys love going to Preuss Pet store to check out the snakes and talk to the birds. They also host birthday parties. My youngest son had his 5th Birthday Party here, and it was definitely a memorable occasion.

• *Preuss Pet Store {Lansing}- Come join us 4-5 pm on the first Sunday of each month for story time!  We will read a story together and follow it up with an activity that relates to the story. *Ages 5+

I also love shopping at Old Town General Store. I can always find great Michigan made products and food. And did you know when the 50 Shades of Grey movie came out, they were the only ones that carried the 50 Shades of Grey Red Wine. Yup, you’re welcome!

After exploring the Old Town Area, you can definitely take a stroll around the Downtown Lansing area. And if they’re playing, stop in for a Lugnuts Game!  Be sure to stay till the end. You definitely don’t want to miss the fantastic fireworks put on by LAFCU.

And don’t forget to have some educational fun:

Michigan Supreme Court Learning Center has a hands-on gallery to help kids (and adults) of all ages understand the judicial branch of the state government.

Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens feature a 7 acre arboretum, picnic area, children’s garden, and more. Many people visit just to see the tulips in bloom, but there are many other flowers worth looking at! You’ll see perennials, annuals, and the VIP Garden complete with a bee hotel. The children’s garden has mazes, pots of gold, an alphabet garden, and even Peter Rabbit! This is also a great place to take professional photos.

A visit to the State Capitol should definitely be on your list, especially since they just started opened up weekend tours!

 

Michigan Historical Museum and Archives of Michigan  is a great place to explore on the weekends or a cold, rainy or snowy day. There you will learn tons of Michigan facts, read up on how your favorite products were invented, Mo-Town and more. Plus, if you go on a Sunday you will get in for free.

Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum- a recent addition to the MSU Campus, this museum also offers family days the first Saturday of the month. This is also another free event. And for those tired Parents, they have a little space where the kids can relax for a few moments and you can sip on a Starbucks Drink.

And while you’re on Campus, that’s a great time to take a stroll around our College Town. Climb up to the top of Beaumont Tower . {During the summer they offer the Summer Carillon Series, on six consecutive Wednesday recitals starting at 6 pm}

If you love to be outdoors, then I highly recommend a ride down the Grand River. River Town Adventures offers a wide range of services from Kayaks, paddle boards to a boat ride. This would be a great date night idea or with a group of friends (or co-workers!).

 

TO EAT:

This restaurant has been on my Lansing Eats Bucket List for over a year. I finally got the chance to try the savory BBQ at MEAT. And boy, they did NOT disappoint. The BBQ Ribs, Mac & Cheese and Cornbread was on-point! They also serve Not Your Father’s Root Beer, which is the RAVE all over the Mid-West right now. I had a chance to try some, and I fell in love.

{Dinner at MEAT.}

And you cannot come to town or even live here without trying the best breakfast in Lansing: Golden Harvest Restaurant. Just ask anyone who lives here in Lansing about Golden Harvest. No one lives this place disappointed. Just be sure to get there early and bring cash!

Another restaurant on my Bucket List to try (after hearing a lot of positive reviews by friends) is Red Haven. When dining at Red Haven, not only are you eating good “get-in-my-belly” food, it’s also locally owned restaurant with products found right here in Mid-Michigan. I have been digging the farm-to-table movement, and I’m stupidly excited about having another great restaurant that shares my same values. And just in case you needed a reason to dine there often, their menu changes with the season. So, it sounds like I need to stop at Red Haven at least four times per year.

{Here are a few of our entrees from Red Haven}

Another great breakfast spot (also great for Lunch & Dinner) is the Soup Spoon Cafe. I tried their Smoked Salmon Benedict with café potatoes and it was delicious. Being a big foodie and a lover of Salmon, I could have totally went for another helping of the Smoked Salmon Benedict.

Although I can’t have ice-cream, the MSU Dairy Store {East Lansing}  is a fun, educational trip for the whole family to enjoy!

If you’re exploring the Downtown Area, they have some great lunch spots:

I have driven by this restaurant at least 50 times, and finally had a chance to try it: Kewpee Burgers. Their burgers are delicious

 

This is also on my Lansing Eats Bucket list: Glazed and Confused Bakery  (this is a new one for the Lansing area, and I can’t wait to check it out!)

Grand Traverse Pie Company is a great place to stop for sweets!

When I need a pick-me-up, I stop here: Juice Nation

The Knight Cap has GREAT food. This is ideal for those looking for a quiet and intimate setting. Think date night, anniversary, etc. If you go, order a steak. You’ll thank me later.

My husband is looking forward to this one: Lansing Brewing Company, which will be opening soon! 

Looking for a place to hang after the Lugnuts game or to watch the game? Be sure to check out Nuthouse Sports Grill. 

Another great spot I enjoyed hanging out after work is Tavern and Tap.

Troppo is another great after-work spot too! And their food is great! This is also another great date night idea or Moms/Girls Night out!

I love grilled cheese sandwiches, and I plan to check out Tom + Chee soon!

Best soup in town? Head to Zoup!

A new spot in town, if you’re a fan of tacos is Punk Taco!

WHERE TO STAY:

When planning out your 48 Hours of Things to do in Lansing, you will need a convenient and comfortable place to stay. I recommend staying at the Radisson Hotel Downtown Lansing.

Here’s why:

It’s convenient, perfectly located in the heart of Downtown. When you walk out the hotel, you make two quick rights and the Capital Building is within 100 feet. Down the street from the Hotel are Restaurants and things to do mentioned above.

The Hotel Staff are helpful and friendly.

They have an on-site Restaurant: Capitol City Grille. (Breakfast was included in our package).

They have an on-site Starbucks Cafe. (I think you can tell by now how much I love Starbucks.) But don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of Bigby, and you will find one just a short walk away.

The rooms are nice and clean:

You wake up to gorgeous views such as this: {This picture was taken right before it started to rain}

If you plan on booking your stay during the winter, fall or spring, be sure to make your reservation early. Because of their location, the Radisson fills up quickly! You can head to their website to get more information and book your stay!

Whew, that’s it! This is what I covered in about 48 hours of touring Lansing. No, I didn’t hit every restaurant, shopping district and things to do, but I tried to cover a lot in 48 hours. Did you know when you head over to Lansing.org, you will find discounts on attractions, suggestions for things to do, eat and stay. You will also find more ideas on touring Lansing in 48 hours. They have a 150 Things To Do in Lansing Challenge list. I suggest printing this list out and doing your own 48 Hours in Lansing challenge.

Before you go, be sure to check out:

• Over 150 Free/Cheap Things To Do in Lansing
• 100 ++ Summer Bucket list for Mid-Michigan and surrounding areas.

Thank you to Lansing.org for facilitating this 48 hour tour of Lansing.

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• You can also find more locals deals pinned to our Local Pinterest board! So be sure to pin this!
• You can find more Local Events and activities going on in the Mid-Michigan area and beyond!