This Little-Known College City Is A Scenic Michigan Gem With Walking Trails And Charming Green Spaces

Michigan is full of charming college communities, from the artsy university city of Ann Arbor to the "small town feel with big city amenities" of Mount Pleasant. One often-overlooked college town is Albion, Michigan, a small city of around 7,000 in the southern portion of the state and home to Albion College. Around 1,300 students attend Albion College, a private liberal arts school that was founded as a Methodist seminary in 1835. Today, popular majors include biology and general biological sciences, exercise science, kinesiology, research psychology, and communication. Along with the Albion College campus, Albion is home to a historic downtown with 19th-century buildings, as well as many local parks with walking trails and charming green spaces. 

Albion is located about 55 miles west of Ann Arbor and 45 miles east of Kalamazoo. The nearest airport is the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, although most visitors will likely be coming from the larger Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, a little over an hour away by car.

Many of Albion's attractions are centered in the historic downtown, featuring buildings constructed from the 1850s to 1950s. One of these is the Bohm Theater, which opened in 1929. Today, it shows both new and classic movies and hosts live music and educational events. A short walk away, you'll find two museums. The Gardner House Museum highlights local history and is housed in a historic building constructed in 1875, while Kids 'N' Stuff Children's Museum showcases hands-on learning exhibits that are popular with families.

There are several eateries in downtown Albion that are worth checking out, including Albion Malleable Brewing Company, which often hosts live music, and the Foundry Bakehouse & Deli, which commemorates the town's history by naming sandwiches after foundry parts. Another local favorite is Galazio Restaurant, serving Mediterranean cuisine like avgolemono soup and spanakopita in a former train depot. For bookworms, there's Stirling Books & Brew, an independent bookstore with a cafe that whips up espresso, bubble tea, and ice cream.

While Michigan's best national parks offer surfing and shipwreck tours, Albion gives them a run for their money with countless opportunities to get outdoors. Albion College's Whitehouse Nature Center is open to the public and includes 140 acres of land near the Kalamazoo River. Six nature trails stretch across the area, including the rail trail, which runs along the former Jackson-Albion Electric Railway, and the Betty Beese Ecology Trail, a loop that encompasses three ponds for wildlife viewing. Birders often spot Canadian geese, great blue herons, and belted kingfishers in the area. A visitor center includes classrooms for environmental education, a wildlife observation room, and live exhibits of reptiles and amphibians. The nature center also occasionally hosts events such as guided hikes and meteor shower viewings.

Albion is home to many green spaces. The city has 17 parks, covering 90 acres. Two of the biggest are Victory Park and Rieger Park, adjoining riverside parks covering a combined 48 acres that feature waterfalls, woods, and a formal garden. These two parks also offer opportunities for outdoor recreation, including a swimming area, walking trails, football fields, and an ice skating pond in the winter. Also noteworthy is the Albion River Trail, a 1.6-mile paved path that runs along the Kalamazoo River and is open for walking, running, biking, rollerblading, or skateboarding.