Between Fort Wayne And Ann Arbor Is A Charming Michigan City With A Historic Downtown, Golf, And Trails

Southern Michigan is full of small cities with historic buildings and scenic natural spaces. About ten miles north of the Ohio border, you'll find one such place: Hudson, Michigan. This small rural city has a population of under 2,500 people. "Small town, big heart" is the town's slogan. High school sports, particularly football, are popular among the community. Citizens still remember "the Streak," when the Hudson High School football team won 72 games in a row from 1968 to 1975. 

It's easy to see that Hudson is well-suited for nature lovers, thanks to its rural environment full of walking trails. Families with young kids may also find it an appealing escape. Local family-friendly entertainment includes a movie theater, bowling alley, parks, and playgrounds, as well as a 9-hole Evergreen Golf Course for older kids and adults.

Hudson is a little over an hour and a half drive from Fort Wayne, Indiana, an underrated Midwest city with low living costs, and a little over an hour drive from Ann Arbor, Michigan, America's best college town. Hudson offers just one place for overnight visitors: the Sunset Acres Motel, an affordable, family-owned spot. You'll find additional options in nearby towns including Hillsdale and Adrian.

Downtown Hudson was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1974, thanks to a variety of buildings built from the 1850s through the early 1900s. Today, many of those buildings house local businesses, such as the cozy breakfast spot Karen's Uptown Kafe, giving the downtown area a quaint, old-fashioned feeling. To learn about local history, you can stop by the Hudson Museum, housed in a three-story former bank building and full of historic artifacts including a voting machine from the 1890s and a silver tea set from the 1880s. Another landmark is the Hudson Carnegie District Library, which first opened in 1905 as part of industrialist Andrew Carnegie's Carnegie library program. Carnegie donated the funds to build 1,679 new library buildings between 1886 and 1919, and one of those was in Hudson. Today, its historic and ornate architecture makes it stand out.

On TripAdvisor, Hudson's top attraction is the William G. Thompson House Museum and Gardens, an 1891 house built in the Queen Anne style. Today, visitors can see displays of Victorian-era art and antique furniture as they walk through the ornate building. In the spring and summer, the large formal gardens are filled with flowers, including a notable rose garden. "This home is a wonderful example of Queen Anne design," writes one TripAdvisor reviewer. "William Thompson was a collector of everything. From the kitchen to the guest room every inch of this home is filled with turn of the century memorabilia."

Between city parks, walking trails, and a local golf course, outdoor recreation is a popular pastime in Hudson. Webster's Park, Thompson Memorial Park, and Will Carleton Park all offer playgrounds, sports fields, and picnic areas, making them popular spots for families with kids. Another, smaller park — Civic Pocket Park — is home to local events such as an annual tree lighting.

A series of six different paved pathways connect the parks, making up the Hudson Trail System. While generally an easy walk or bicycle ride, the connected trails yields a four-mile loop with scenic views of a historic railway bridge and Bean Creek. At certain times of the year, the fall foliage is stunning. The 77-acre Kauffman Nature Sanctuary offers even more trails with views of streams, forests, and grasslands. One Google reviewer describes it as the "perfect place for a relaxing hike through nature" with "natural beauty everywhere." And while not in Hudson itself, the Lake Hudson Recreation Area in the neighboring town of Clayton is another local favorite. Along with offering hiking, fishing, and swimming, it's a Dark Sky Preserve, making it perfect for stargazing.

For another type of outdoor activity, Evergreen Golf Course has been operating since 1963 and under its current ownership since 2007. With nine holes and a welcoming environment, it's a local favorite for beginner and intermediate golfers. One Google reviewer calls it the "best greens in the county." And you want to explore more of southern Michigan, about a 15-minute drive away, you'll find Hillsdale, a college city with a serene beach and Victorian architecture.